Microphone for miniDV camera

[Raffles]

Hi, I'm new here, so please forgive me if this is asked a lot!

I'd like a microphone for my miniDV camera. I bought one that connected to the A/V slot of my Canon ZR80, but the slot was only A/V out. What a way to waste $50.

Now, I have a Sony DCR-HC36, and its ports are different. It has a miniUSB port, DV port, and A/V out (although the shape of this one is different.) Is there any way I can get a microphone to work with this camera?

Thanks!

 

[ChrisA]

Hi, I'm new here, so please forgive me if this is asked a lot!

I'd like a microphone for my miniDV camera. I bought one that connected to the A/V slot of my Canon ZR80, but the slot was only A/V out. What a way to waste $50.

Now, I have a Sony DCR-HC36, and its ports are different. It has a miniUSB port, DV port, and A/V out (although the shape of this one is different.) Is there any way I can get a microphone to work with this camera?

Thanks!

No mic input on that model. So here is your excuse to go buy an audio recorder.

 

[-DH]

here is your excuse to go buy an audio recorder.

... or a better camera that actually has a jack for an external mic.

-DH

 

[Raffles]

No mic input on that model. So here is your excuse to go buy an audio recorder.

Hate to sound like a total newbie, but what is that?

... or a better camera that actually has a jack for an external mic.

-DH

Yeah, well, you do what you can with what you have.

 

[ppc_michael]

Hello Raffles,

What Chris was saying about an audio recorder is to get a separate device to record audio (such as a MiniDisc recorder or solid state recorder) which you can plug a good mic into, and record audio separately using that.

Recording audio separately becomes a bit of a hassle though, because then you need something like a clapper so that you can match up the clapping audio with the visual "clap" from the video, so that the audio and video are in sync. That's how I normally do things for bigger productions, but it can be too much of a hassle for home movie type stuff.

So I'm afraid your options are limited.

 

[Raffles]

Hey, I found this: http://www.wolfcamera.com/product/E...amcorders-and-video;ciother-video-accessories

Would that work with the DCR-HC36? It says that it works with the DCR-HC30, which is two years older than mine.

So, would that work with an audio recorder, or how would I use this?

 

[zioxide]

That won't work, there's no microphone input on the camera. (I have the same one, it's meh).

 

[Raffles]

That won't work, there's no microphone input on the camera. (I have the same one, it's meh).

Yeah, I bought it to replace my ZR80, but after owning it for a few months, it feels like the same camera. I use them in tandem, but I'm considering on selling the ZR80 and getting a better one with a mic line in and other stuff.

 

[polyethyleneguy]

I'm not sure if the video quality is comparable, but I just picked up a sealed refurbished Canon ZR500 (which has a dedicated mic-in jack) off of Ebay for $156.00. It comes with Canon's refurb warranty too. Works great.

 

[Raffles]

I'm not sure if the video quality is comparable, but I just picked up a sealed refurbished Canon ZR500 (which has a dedicated mic-in jack) off of Ebay for $156.00. It comes with Canon's refurb warranty too. Works great.

Yeah, I've been doing some research. The only Sony with a mic-in is the HC96, which is out of my budget right now. Canon has the Elura 100, which is very tempting, and the ZR500, which oddly enough, is the only one of the ZR series to have a mic-in (reportedly because it's a feature teachers love). I was looking at the Elura 100, ZR500, ZR600, ZR700, and the DCR-HC36 in September, and I chose the DCR-HC36, which I sort of regret right now.

 

[horse0107]

Canon ZR850

You could try looking into this camera..

It's the only camera left that i know has a mic input through a mini plug, which isn't the best, but it's the only consumer camera that has any mic input.. Unless you go to much more expensive camera starting in the $1000 range..

But the Canon ZR850 goes for about $200 something..

 

[brandlover]

no mic too

I have a Sony HC3,,, with no mic input. However,, Sony makes a proprietary mic that fits the hot shoe and its bluetooth wireless.

It works great,, Sure I would like to use other mic's that would be compatible with other cams. But the cam was way cheaper than pro level cams.

When I bought the cam I remember seeing some hacks online,, but I don't have the time to hotwire my cam. The cam records 1080i and I am able to shoot great looking video. A good cameraman and good post editor can get great results out of low-end equipment.

 

[-DH]

A good cameraman and good post editor can get great results out of low-end equipment.

While that may be true, it's also true that it's much harder to fix bad audio in post than it is to fix bad video. Don't rely on post-production miracles to fix things that should have been done right in the first place.

-DH