I would like to condense some key points from various posts regarding working with microphones on DSLRs. The list are by no means exhaustive.
PROBLEM: My DSLR does not have a microphone input.
SOLUTION1: Unbalanced wav recorders (eg. Zoom H1, H2, H2n Edirol R9, Tascam DR-05 ). Pros: Cheap, small, can be placed very near subject. Compatible with unbalanced shotgun mic and electret lavalier mic. Cons: Hiss when recording via mic input jack. Hiss gets worse with length of mic cable. 3.5mm connection is flimsy.
SOLUTION2: Shure lenshopper VP83F. (Shotgun mic with built-in recorder) Pros: Better off-axis rejection compared to wav recorders. Con: Cannot record from other external mics. More expensive.
SOLUTION3: XLR wav recorders (eg.H4n, H6n, Tascam-40/60/100, ) Pros: quiet, balanced connectors, phantom power, works with professional mic. CONS: bulky.
PROBLEM: My DSLR has a mic input but no control over the volume.
SOLUTION1: Beachtek DXA-XLR, Juicedlink RA202 Riggy Assist. Pros: AGC disabler, VU meter, volume dials, XLR inputs. headphone jack (upstream only).Cons:
AGC disabler will take up one channel. (Mono recording only)
SOLUTION2: (for Canon) Magic Lantern Firmware. PRO: On screen VU meters, no hardware needed. CON: voids warranty.
PROBLEM: I can control volume, but my DSLR has no headphone jack.
SOLUTION1: (for CANON only) use SESCOM USB to 3.5mm female cable (http://www.sescom.com/product.asp?item=DSLR-550D-HOCF)
SOLUTION2: Use a 3.5mm Female to 2x3.5mm Male Stereo Splitter Cable http://www.amazon.com/SF-Cable-Female-Stereo-Splitter/dp/B0016LDZ36 to spilt your external mic signal into both the DSLR and any WAV recorder. Monitor from the recorder.
PROBLEM: I have want to record audio from more than one source into separate channels on my DSLR
SOLUTION1: Beachtek MCC-2 Pro: cheap, light, adds 3 cold shoe to your camera.Con: Unbalanced input, No preamp.
SOLUTION2: Azden Cam-3 http://www.amazon.com/AZDEN-CAM-3-On-Camcorder-Audio-Mixer/dp/B00006JPD1
Pro: lighter than MCC-2, Con: no mounting option except for a belt clip.
SOLUTION3:Beachtek DXA-XLR/Mini/Pro/Connect, Juicedlink Pro: Preamp, cheaper than professional field mixers. Con: Not as quiet as professional field mixers.
SOLUTION4: Professional field mixers! http://www.sounddevices.com/products/
PROBLEM: The signal from my external mic is too high for the DSLR
SOLUTION1: Sescom attenuator cable. Pro: lightweight. cheap. Con: fixed impedance.
SOLUTION2: Beachtek MCC-2, Pro: variable volume knob. Con: unbalanced
PROBLEM: The signal from my external mic is too low and my DSLR gain is too noisy.
SOLUTION1: Sound Device MP-1 Micpre. Pro: very high and clean gain. runs on 2 AA battery. Con: hard to mount on camera
SOLUTION2: Juicedlink Riggy series. Pro: clean gain, hotshoe mount. Con: 9V battery required.
PROBLEM: The headphone volume is too loud/soft.
SOLUTION: http://www.amazon.com/Fiio-E3-BK-E3...?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1378230917&sr=1-17
Hope this is helpful.
PROBLEM: My DSLR does not have a microphone input.
SOLUTION1: Unbalanced wav recorders (eg. Zoom H1, H2, H2n Edirol R9, Tascam DR-05 ). Pros: Cheap, small, can be placed very near subject. Compatible with unbalanced shotgun mic and electret lavalier mic. Cons: Hiss when recording via mic input jack. Hiss gets worse with length of mic cable. 3.5mm connection is flimsy.
SOLUTION2: Shure lenshopper VP83F. (Shotgun mic with built-in recorder) Pros: Better off-axis rejection compared to wav recorders. Con: Cannot record from other external mics. More expensive.
SOLUTION3: XLR wav recorders (eg.H4n, H6n, Tascam-40/60/100, ) Pros: quiet, balanced connectors, phantom power, works with professional mic. CONS: bulky.
PROBLEM: My DSLR has a mic input but no control over the volume.
SOLUTION1: Beachtek DXA-XLR, Juicedlink RA202 Riggy Assist. Pros: AGC disabler, VU meter, volume dials, XLR inputs. headphone jack (upstream only).Cons:
AGC disabler will take up one channel. (Mono recording only)
SOLUTION2: (for Canon) Magic Lantern Firmware. PRO: On screen VU meters, no hardware needed. CON: voids warranty.
PROBLEM: I can control volume, but my DSLR has no headphone jack.
SOLUTION1: (for CANON only) use SESCOM USB to 3.5mm female cable (http://www.sescom.com/product.asp?item=DSLR-550D-HOCF)
SOLUTION2: Use a 3.5mm Female to 2x3.5mm Male Stereo Splitter Cable http://www.amazon.com/SF-Cable-Female-Stereo-Splitter/dp/B0016LDZ36 to spilt your external mic signal into both the DSLR and any WAV recorder. Monitor from the recorder.
PROBLEM: I have want to record audio from more than one source into separate channels on my DSLR
SOLUTION1: Beachtek MCC-2 Pro: cheap, light, adds 3 cold shoe to your camera.Con: Unbalanced input, No preamp.
SOLUTION2: Azden Cam-3 http://www.amazon.com/AZDEN-CAM-3-On-Camcorder-Audio-Mixer/dp/B00006JPD1
Pro: lighter than MCC-2, Con: no mounting option except for a belt clip.
SOLUTION3:Beachtek DXA-XLR/Mini/Pro/Connect, Juicedlink Pro: Preamp, cheaper than professional field mixers. Con: Not as quiet as professional field mixers.
SOLUTION4: Professional field mixers! http://www.sounddevices.com/products/
PROBLEM: The signal from my external mic is too high for the DSLR
SOLUTION1: Sescom attenuator cable. Pro: lightweight. cheap. Con: fixed impedance.
SOLUTION2: Beachtek MCC-2, Pro: variable volume knob. Con: unbalanced
PROBLEM: The signal from my external mic is too low and my DSLR gain is too noisy.
SOLUTION1: Sound Device MP-1 Micpre. Pro: very high and clean gain. runs on 2 AA battery. Con: hard to mount on camera
SOLUTION2: Juicedlink Riggy series. Pro: clean gain, hotshoe mount. Con: 9V battery required.
PROBLEM: The headphone volume is too loud/soft.
SOLUTION: http://www.amazon.com/Fiio-E3-BK-E3...?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1378230917&sr=1-17
Hope this is helpful.