May 8, 2013 - 15:38
Advice please - for a suitable microphone for the following.
I use a Panasonis TM700. An external microphone would be useful, although not eceeding the capabilities
of the camcorder, even if upgraded to Panasonic X920 despite the awful attached position.
Can others point me in the right direction please?
May 10, 2013 - 10:04
#1
Re: External Microphone Advice
What sort of budget?
At a budget price, the new Sennheiser MKE 600 is a good place to start.
May 10, 2013 - 14:02
#2
Re: External Microphone Advice
Amateur, (not professional - see camcorder).
Budget limited. Quality important.
Thank you for advice.
Will consult prices.
May 11, 2013 - 11:17
#3
Re: External Microphone Advice
LesWinn wrote:
Amateur, (not professional - see camcorder).
Nowadays amateurs often have better quality equipment than the professionals - have you seen TV quality nowadays? 
LesWinn wrote:
Budget limited. Quality important.
Then the Sennheiser MKE 600 would be mu No.1 choice.
May 14, 2013 - 01:08
#4
Re: External Microphone Advice
Then we musr save our pension pennies! Thank you for your posting and advice John.
May 14, 2013 - 03:06
#5
Re: External Microphone Advice
I wouldn't contradict John on matters of an audio nature, and I am sure the MKE600 is an admirable microphone for the price, but I would just like to raise a concern.
The TM700 is basically a domestic camcorder (albeit a good one in my opinion) and is approximately five and a half inches long. It has a rather quirky side mounted accessory shoe arrangement (which Les refers to in his original post). My worry is that the MKE600, at about ten inches long (plus a bit more for a windshield and the connector plug), may be rather too big to mount directly onto this camera.
Just a thought....
dave
May 14, 2013 - 12:53
#6
Re: External Microphone Advice
Les
I have a Panasonic 900 to which is fitted a Rode VideoMike Pro which has a windshield fitted in addition to the foam.
I just had to trim the bottom part of the furry windshield so that it is not seen in the lens when on wide angle.
The combination works a treat and an added bonus is that the Rode is equipted with a suspension mount as standard.
I also have a Sennheiser that I used to use on the 900 but the Rode is better, see
It is also cheaper than the sennheiser
May 14, 2013 - 13:21
#7
Re: External Microphone Advice
I had the same problem as Col and moved the Rode a bit further away from the camera using one of these http://www.amazon.co.uk/CowboyStudio-Bracket-Microphones-Cameras-Camcorders/dp/B004SIHEF4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368533760&sr=8-1&keywords=camcorder+accessory+bracket
John D johnross93.freeserve.co.uk
May 15, 2013 - 13:28
#8
Re: External Microphone Advice
Remember that the directivity of a gun mic. is in direct proportion to the length of the interference tube.
The shorter the tube the less directional it is.
The MKE 600 has the same length interference tube as the industry standard MKH 416 - the very short on-camera mics have an interference tube so short that they are not much more directional than a standard super-cardioid microphone.
Just so you are aware .....
May 15, 2013 - 16:06
#9
Re: External Microphone Advice
An MKE600 would look very silly on a TM700.....but if you mounted the TM700 ON the MKE600 !!! Quick - ring the patent office
May 15, 2013 - 18:33
#10
Re: External Microphone Advice
Gavin - Do you think that the Rode NG2 I have which is enclosed in a Blimp and the Blimp has a dead wombat windshield would look good on the 900?
May 15, 2013 - 23:54
#11
Re: External Microphone Advice
John Willett wrote:
.................................The MKE 600 has the same length interference tube as the industry standard MKH 416 - the very short on-camera mics have an interference tube so short that they are not much more directional than a standard super-cardioid microphone.
I understand your point completely John, but I was just thinking that, with such a small camera, an MKE600 would need an additional bracket of some sort to keep it out of frame while still allowing the camera to be handled easily. Failing that, Les may be put in the position of having to use a shorter, less directional mic..
Of course, I don't know what sort of shooting Les has in mind.....
Gavin, I'm sure there is a market for "video assist" on a rifle mic. ...I look forward to seeing your prototype...
(....or maybe this is being done already ? )
dave
May 16, 2013 - 08:44
#12
Re: External Microphone Advice
If you guys re-read Les's post you will find that he is not asking for a highly firectional mike, just a mike.
The Rode Videomike Pro on my 900 sticks out a fair way, the Sennheiser would be in the next county
May 16, 2013 - 11:47
#13
Re: External Microphone Advice
May 16, 2013 - 14:23
#14
Re: External Microphone Advice
John
Surely you are not serious, Les has already said budget is an issue.
What you are proposing costs as much if not more than the camcorder
If you have a look at the Ambient website and go to page 6 the mike is mounted to a Sony camcorder, now take off the lens hood on this camcorder, the lens hood is the size of the Panasonic camcorder, its tiny, miniscule, small.
Les, if you follow the link below the movie you see there was shot on my 900 and the sound, including commentary was recorded using the Rode
COPY AND PASTE
vimeo.com/65073083
May 16, 2013 - 15:07
#15
Re: External Microphone Advice
Les is a great guy but even he can't generate 48v of phantom power :)
The older and cheaper VideoMic is pretty good value for money - otherwise either the VideoMic Pro or MKE400 are fine for a handycam.
May 16, 2013 - 23:28
#16
Re: External Microphone Advice
Many thanks all you guys for your postings.I'll have to have a good look around for what has been suggested before commenting.
Perhaps someone can please tell me what type of microphone is in the TM 700 and what angle it embraces when recordong?
May 17, 2013 - 07:25
#17
Re: External Microphone Advice
Hi Les,
It's unlikely that Panasonic would publish that info for a consumer camera.
5.1 mode would be an all around pick-up. Stereo would be a front bias pattern.
The type of mics suggested (VMP/MKE400) might give bit of isolation from the camera body/your handling noise, a bit more directional, a bit better in a light breeze. It's a step up from most internal mics "in general" but not a magic formula for better audio.
In full auto mode patch of furry fabric over the built-in mic will probably be fine for many holiday/family videos. I don't consider an external mic essential for my holidays - it's too much of a faff to think about switching it on, extra wire/connection, batteries, bulk, headphone monitoring, setting levels (buried in menu) etc.
May 17, 2013 - 09:36
#18
Re: External Microphone Advice
col lamb wrote:
Surely you are not serious, Les has already said budget is an issue.
My understanding was that the Tiny Mike is in the £200 - £300 price bracket and pretty inexpensive.
May 17, 2013 - 10:13
#19
Re: External Microphone Advice
LesWinn wrote:
Perhaps someone can please tell me what type of microphone is in the TM 700 and what angle it embraces when recordong?
Hi
The mics in the TM700/750 etc point upwards on the camera body. I got very echoey sound videoing a sporting event in an covered stadium as the echo from the roof was as strong as the sound of the nearby action.
So a forward-pointing external mic will give better isolation from ambient sound. It will only be stereo, not 5.1.
Users who have tried high quality external mics say there isn't necessarily a great improvement of the quality of the recorded sound as the mic pre-amps in the TM700/750 models aren't very good.
I ended up getting a Zoom H1 to use as an external forward-pointing stereo recorder, whist allowing the camera to supply 5.1 ambience.
May 17, 2013 - 12:50
#20
Re: External Microphone Advice
Hi Paul
I have had some very clear sound when filming the guide at some greek ruins despite the crowd of people.
I have used a Sony external mic that was for my old Sony TRV20. That was better sound than the internal mic. in the TM700.
It's stereo I'm looking for, not 5:1. The Panasonic TM700/900 range advertise 5:1 but it is really 3 lines of stereo.
Most of my video is from small ship cruises -10,000 - 20,000 Tonnes - not huge liners.
May 17, 2013 - 16:34
#21
Re: External Microphone Advice
There is currently a Panasonic mike on e-bay http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/221222300564?_lwgsi=y<yp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=64
May 18, 2013 - 13:57
#22
Re: External Microphone Advice
I've got an older Panasonic that visually looks very similar, and the on-board 5.1 microphone array produces quite nice audio.
This old clip was from a test with a shotgun - and compared the camera sound with a short shotgun - but gives a good idea of how those internal mics do have quite good clarity.
May 22, 2013 - 21:19
#23
Re: External Microphone Advice
Many thanks to all who have posted in response to my question
I conclude it's too difficult for me with the present camcorder.
IF I can find a simple recorder, (should such devices exist these days), I'll use that.
Recordings would comprise speech in coaches and touring sites of interest.
It would also be useful in a lecture theatre or entertainment in a large lounge.
I have a Zoom H2 but find that too difficult for me to operate quickly, and text is difficult for my sight.