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any good external microphone which can be used with a camcorder? (1 Viewer)

yj94kr

New member
Hi

I have a school science project that I have to record birdsongs and analyse them.

So, I'm looking for a gool external microphone (shotgun) which I can use with my small canon video camera.

I'm considering Sennheiser ME66, H4N and Sennheiser MKE400..

Can anyone suggest me any other good microphones ??
 
Hi

I have a school science project that I have to record birdsongs and analyse them.

So, I'm looking for a gool external microphone (shotgun) which I can use with my small canon video camera.

I'm considering Sennheiser ME66, H4N and Sennheiser MKE400..

Can anyone suggest me any other good microphones ??


Both the Sennheiser ME66 and the MKE400 will work as they have self contained batteries for power, the ME66 is the better of the two by a landslide.

You don't mention it so I assume you know the ME66 requires a K6 power module as part of the microphone. Be sure to get the K6 with internal battery, not the K6P. With the K6 with internal battery, the ME66 will work with the Canon video camera, if you get the K6P power module then you will have to have an external phantom power supply. The K6 power module with internal battery will work with either phantom power or on its own internal battery when used without a phantom power source. As the cost of the power modules id the same, get the K6 with internal battery. As a benifit, the mic will work for hundreds of hours on a single AA cell where as most recorders with phantom power will only supply phantom power for a couple of hours s before the recorder batteries are exhausted. Phantom power is not efficient and eats batteries.

I have both the ME66 and the MKE-300 and the ME66 is so vastly superior, I don't waste my time with the MKE-300 (same mic, different packaging as the MKE-400 which replaced it).

You mentioned the H4n, I assume you mean Zoom H4n which is not a microphone but a recorder. If you are going to record with the Canon video camera, why would you want a Zoom H4n? Or are you considering a separate recorder and microphone for sounds only?

In any case the Zoom H4n will work with either of these microphones however after using the ME66 you will wonder why you wasted money on the MKE-400 or any other microphone of that type. There is a R0DE NTG2 that is similar but lower output/not as sensitive... Or, you can spend a lot more money and get an RF biased type shotgun mic but double the money does not buy you much increase if any for what the ME66/K6 will give you...

There is also the ME67/K6 worth considering but again, its not a big step up over the ME66/K6, just a slightly narrower acceptance angle.

One other to consider is the R0DE NTG-3 however it requires phantom power and is no more microphone than the ME66. You will pay considerably more for the NTG-3 and for the use you describe, you will not see any improvement over the ME66/K6 in my opinion... Its a nice well made microphone but I'd purchase another ME66/K6 before I would buy another NTG-3 and I have a pair of NTG-3 that I use in conjunction with a pair of the ME66/K6 therefore I speak from experience...

My recommendation would be to go with the ME66/K6 and you will be satisfied.
 
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You have been given good selection by fmhill. A word of caution. Before you
match (=buy) the recorder or the mics, make sure that the connectors match
to make life much easier. The most common connector types are 3.5mm
stereoplug and XLR. Some XLR connected mics need phantom power.

crawling out of hibernation
Harry J
 
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