Hi All,

I need advce on the audio for Canon HF 100.
I will be traveling in 4x4 trough Africa for a year and would like to make a Documentary film (or couple of one hour episodes).

I have bought Canon HF 100 and I thing it has a good picture quality but not so sure about audio. I would like to upgrade audio.

What kind of mic do I need?

Do I need audio mixes like this? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PRO-XLR-CAMCORDER-ADAPTOR-XLRS-WELL-SPECD-BUILT_W0QQitemZ270351812668QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_C onsumer_Professional_RL?hash=item270351812668&_trk sid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1690|66%3A2|65%3A1 2|39%3A1|240%3A1318

I would like to spend as little as possible but I dont have set budget as I dont know how much do I need to spend to get decent audio.

Any info will help!

Thank you!

[A n d r e w]

The answer depends on what kind of end product you're going for. If you wish to fit a mic to the HF100 to improve sound recording in general, you can't go wrong with something like the Rode VideoMic, which is a small shotgun mic. I think you'll need an adapter to convert the Canon mini accessory shoe into a normal-sized accessory shoe.

Good audio depends on good hardware but also on getting as close to your subject as possible, so if you're also intending to record talking heads (someone speaking to camera) you'll want something other than a camera-mounted microphone. Lapel mics (wired or wireless) are good for this kind of thing, but can be a bit awkward and require set-up time. The other option is to mount a shotgun mic on a boom pole, to hold just out of frame and above your speaking subject. A mic like the Rode could be used in both cases.

All comes down to exactly what you wish to achieve, how much set-up time you'll have in the field, and (of course) how much money you can throw at a solution. In any case, you'll want to get thoroughly acquainted with the equipment well in advance of boarding your flight out to Africa.

Andrew.

Thank you Andrew

I think for me the solution would be one shutgun mic on camera plus a lapel mic. Boom ple is a bit too much as I will have to have another person to help out all the time.
Rode VideoMic looks good, do you thing it is a good idea to get a windshield?
How about lapel mic any good value for money there?

[A n d r e w]

Originally Posted by ibrgic

do you thing it is a good idea to get a windshield?

Yes, a must for outdoor use in my opinion.

Originally Posted by ibrgic

How about lapel mic any good value for money there?

Unfortunately I have no experience with these - hopefully someone else can point you in the right direction.