NEED TO BUY WIRELESS MICS FOR FILM SHOOT

Posted: Fri May 12, 2006 1:24 pm

I'm helping out a friend pick a wireless cardioid lav with beltpack transmitter and receiver for a film shoot. It's mainly documentary style with interviews along with a few outside shots (hence the cardioid over omni).

Are the Sennheiser EW122's any good or should I buy something a bit higher end. I don't need the best sound, but I need really good sound.
I can't see them spending 3K on a Lectrosonics unit.

My area of expertise is in chamber and orchestral recording. I know very little about this kind of audio.

All help is appreciated.

Marlan Sad

Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 12:13 am

You may not need a cardioid on a lav anyway; since they're laying on a lapel or under a chin, there's a lot of strange things going on (including proximity effect) that you may be better off sticking with omni's for, at least for lavs.

Check out the line of Azden wireless mics, from the "Pro" level, on down to the "pro-sumer" level. (www.azden.com)

They make several good transmitter/receiver units with an omni lav and mono 1/8" jacks to fit most camcorders that accept external mics:

The mic & transmitter alone:

WL/T-PRO VHF Wireless Bodypack Transmitter

Comes with the EX-503 electret condenser omni-directional lavalier microphone... MSRP: $120.

Or

111LT On-Camera VHF Wireless System

The portable 111LT system is a small, battery operated VHF receiver and bodypack/lavalier transmitter package...

MSRP: $ 350.00

They both run on 9V batteries, and as long as you're fairly close to the subject, they work just fine, with no RF problems that I've experienced so far. For ease of use and simplicity, I like them a LOT better than my older Samson & Shure wireless rigs.

I like the Azden line a lot; it's a good alternative to the pricier stuff out there, esp if you're on a budget.

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