photography
Best Lav Mic Setup for DSLR Video
Are you a DSLR user who wants to take your video recording to the next level? One crucial aspect of achieving professional-quality audio in your DSLR videos is having the right lav microphone setup. Lav mics, also known as lapel or clip-on microphones, are perfect for capturing clear and crisp audio directly from the source, ensuring that your subject’s voice is the star of the show. In this blog, we will explore the best lav mic setup options for DSLR video, providing you with valuable insights and recommendations to enhance your audio recording capabilities and elevate the overall quality of your videos.
Best Lav Mic Setup for DSLR Video
Hey guys what’s going on today we’re going to be talking about audio and more specifically lavalier microphones so I’m going to take you through the last mics and the recorders that I use and I’m also going to share with you guys a really inexpensive lav mic setup that Will help increase the quality of your video production so guys part of my goal with this channel really is to help people create better video content and of course audio is a big part of creating good videos a really easy and simple solution to recording dialogue on Set is using lavalier microphones so I’m recording this right now with the rode videomicro and this little guy is just attached to like a boom stand right in front of me just here and it’s running into the Sennheiser DW 100 g3 wireless kit so even though I’m pretty close to The camera right now I just find this Wireless kit works really well to you know link up the audio also the cable that I got with the video micro isn’t quite long enough to reach the camera from here so that’s why I’m using that set up so you guys can hear what that Sounds like now if this was a little bit further away on top of the camera it wouldn’t sound quite as good so one of the really important factors with audio quality is the proximity to the source which is why I’ve placed this microphone closer to my mouth so for that reason lavalier Microphones are a great solution to that issue simply because you can clip them extremely close to the source
First Recommendation
I’m going to jump into my first recommendation now this is probably one of the cheapest and best sounding microphone and recorder setups that I’ve ever come across and I’ve been using this setup actually for A couple of years now filming weddings so essentially what it is is a Sony ux5 3 3 so this is just like a really small little audio recorder it has a 3.5 millimeter jack on the top and allows you to record mp3 and WAV while so the lavalier microphones that I Use with this Sony recorder is called the giant squid loud mic this thing is really well built and actually sounds really good so I’m just going to pop this on my shirt now now you’re listening to the audio from the giant squid microphone running through the Sony recorder so this is what that Sounds like I still have the row videomicro in front of me so I’m going to switch back to that now so now you’re listening to the audio through the rode videomicro so this is actually really inexpensive and quite reliable setup it’s all wired so as long as you have enough space on the Internal microSD card it won’t stop recording it even has a hold button on the side so if you know one of the buttons does get pressed while it’s in someone’s pocket it’s not going to you know stop recording so generally for a wedding I would just clip this on the Groom suit jacket and then I would roll the cable up and then this will go in the breast pocket on the inside of the jacket and then straight after the wedding I would come and grab the microphone off the groom and then I would simply sync synchronize the audio In post so I guess that’s the only downside with using this setup I use a program called PluralEyes and I’ll put a link to that software in the description below it’s not cheap software but it’s really really great for syncing multiple sources of audio so you’d have your Scratch audio from your camera and then you would have the Sony recorder audio on a separate track and then you just click synchronize and like magic it’ll synchronize all the audio that’s what I’m actually going to use when I get to the editing process of this video just To make things easier for me the sony ux 533 and it’s variants there are a few different models of similar style recorder they go for about 100 bucks on amazon which is actually really good considering the quality of the audio that you can record with it plus the Size it’s just super compact and it’s really easy not only just to carry around in your bag but if you’re putting an implements pocket it’s actually you know you kind of forget it’s that it’s there so the giant squid mark goes for around 47 dollars on Amazon so all up this Microphone and recorder setup is under 150 bucks and for the sound quality that you can get with this setup that is to me an absolute bargain
Zoom H1
This is the zoom h1 it is the little brother to the industry standard zoom h4n and it does Have a few extra features on top of what the Sony UX recorders offer namely just more control over the input volume it is fairly affordable as well so this is another recorder that I will typically take on set with me so I’m just going to clip the giant squid microphone onto my Shirt here and you guys can hear the difference I don’t know if there is much difference between this and the Sonya recorder I don’t know which one would sound better so to be interesting to see how they perform in addition to the giant squid lav mic I also have a couple Of the road our lavalier microphones these are a lot more expensive at around $200 I think each these have been pretty solid I’ve only had issues with the connectors so on the Jack end of the connector it kind of screws into the 3.5 and I think the function of that is Simply that you can have different attachments say like maybe XLR or the 3.5 millimeter with the screw jack on it so I’m just going to go ahead and attach the røde lavalier mic to my lapel so this one’s different than the rode smartlav I’m pretty sure data quality I haven’t Actually owned the rode smartlav before so I can’t really attest to its audio quality but I think the only drawback with that is that you either have to record into a iphone or get an adapter that would allow you to record coming like a Sonia reporter or a zoom Or whichever recorder you’re using so this is what the road labs sounds like plugged into the Sony recorder and I’m actually going to switch to the zoom h1 now as well so you guys can hear the difference between that so now we’re listening through the zoom h1 with the Road lav mic attached to it so now I’m going to do a side-by-side set up between the Sony recorder the giant squid mic the zoom h1 and the røde lavalier microphone this is the rode loud mic running into the zoom h1 this is the rode lav mic running into the Sonia ux5 three-three recorder this is the giant squid lav mic running into the zoom h1 recorder so this is the giant squid microphone running into the sony ux 533 recorder so when I bought the road lav microphone it came with a little carry container like a hard case Which is really cool and it also came with a wind stopper on top although as you can see that has gone missing the giant square microphone doesn’t come with a case but it does also come with that wind sock as you can see on top there so that’s really cool that blocks Some of the popping and some of the wind noise you probably need a proper dead cast to get rid of most of the wind noise if you’re using the microphone outdoors or any windy location so if you choose to go with the better quality setup the zoom h1 paired with the røde Lavalier microphone I think the…
Frequently Asked Questions – Best Lav Mic Setup for DSLR Video
1. Why do I need a lav mic for DSLR video?
In DSLR video production, clear and professional audio is crucial for delivering high-quality content. A lav mic (also known as a lavalier or lapel microphone) attached to the subject ensures excellent audio capture, even in noisy environments.
2. What should I consider when choosing a lav mic for DSLR video?
When selecting a lav mic for DSLR video, consider:
- The microphone’s compatibility with your DSLR camera’s audio input.
- The microphone’s audio quality and ability to capture clear sound.
- Whether it needs to be wired or wireless, depending on your shooting requirements.
- The mic’s durability, portability, and ease of use.
- Your budget and the mic’s cost-effectiveness.
3. Are wireless lav mics better than wired ones for DSLR video?
Both wireless and wired lav mics have their advantages. Wireless lav mics provide more freedom of movement for the subject, making them suitable for dynamic shots and interviews. However, they may be susceptible to interference and require batteries. Wired lav mics, on the other hand, offer a reliable, interference-free connection but limit mobility. Choose based on your specific video production needs.
4. What additional gear do I need for the best lav mic setup with a DSLR?
For the best lav mic setup with a DSLR, you may need the following:
- An appropriate lav mic compatible with your DSLR’s audio input.
- An audio adapter or preamp if your DSLR lacks a dedicated audio input.
- A windscreens or pop filters to reduce wind noise or plosives.
- If using a wireless lav mic, a receiver/transmitter set for wireless transmission.
- Extension cables or adapters, if needed, to ensure adequate reach.
- Batteries or power supply for wireless systems.
- Audio monitoring equipment, such as headphones, to ensure optimal audio levels.
5. Can I use a lav mic with my DSLR without any additional equipment?
Most DSLRs have a built-in microphone input, allowing you to connect a lav mic directly. However, keep in mind that the audio quality and control might be limited. To achieve the best results, it is recommended to use additional equipment like preamps, adapters, or audio recorders for improved audio performance.
I hope you find useful my article Best Lav Mic Setup for DSLR Video, I also recommend you to read my other posts in my blog at this link.
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