Overview of the Nikon ME-1 Camera Microphone

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For decades Nikon has been one of the leading camera manufacturers on the planet, but, since the announcement of their new ME-1 Stereo Microphone, the question suddenly becomes: how good of an audio manufacturer is Nikon? Still images and audio fidelity are two very different arenas. I recently had the chance to crack open an ME-1 in preparation for my upcoming project entitled: The Great On-Camera Mic Shootout 2011. I figured I’d give you a little overview of this new, camera-friendly microphone.

Before I get down to the nitty-gritty of this cool little mic, I wanted to remind you to check out last year’s mic shootout: The Great On-Camera Mic Shootout 2010. It was inspired by Zacuto’s big camera shootout video series. I’m looking forward to creating this year’s installment, but unlike Zacuto’s 2011 camera shootout, The Great On-Camera Mic Shootout 2011 will be made entirely with HDSLR cameras. Here’s a little teaser video about the ME-1 to get you all pumped up for this year’s shootout:

So, as you can tell from the video, I didn’t let you hear what the mic sounds like. Sorry! You’re just going to have to wait for The Great On-Camera Mic Shootout 2011 to be published to hear the ME-1 in action. I’m a jerk.

Sound quality aside, the basic attributes of this microphone seem quite nice. I love the fact that it Continue reading →

Wireless Mic Shootout: Sennheiser G3 vs. Lectrosonics

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If you’ve ever looked into buying a wireless microphone for a video camera or an HDSLR, you probably figured out pretty quickly that the best entry-level system is the $600 Sennheiser G3, while the professionals use higher end Lectrosonics systems. Most people are kind of bummed that there isn’t decent entry-level system for under $600, and the next step up in quality above that is over $2000 more.

Basically, if you’re looking for a battery-powered wireless lav system and you’re on a budget, picking out a model is a drop dead easy decision. Without question the Sennheiser G3 is the best choice. The bad news is that you have to cough up $600. If you’re curious how the the Sennheiser performs quality-wise against the Lectrosonics, I made this little mic shootout to give you an idea:

I’d just like to state again (like I did in the video) that comparing these two wireless systems is a bit silly. Lectrosonics are more expensive for a reason. They’re built without compromises for professional situations where there’s no room for error. However, with that in mind, it’s still impressive to hear how well the Sennheiser G3 performs in this shootout. Continue reading →

A Few Days with the Fuji X100

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I recently had the chance to give the new Fuji X100 a short test drive. This is a modern digital camera that’s designed to look like a classic Leica rangefinder (or a current Leica M9). I have to say that the overall vibe is very nice, and quite a radical change from the Panasonic Lumix GH2 I’m used to using. It feels well made, yet light enough to carry everywhere without a hint of burdon.

The first thing I did was strap the X100 around my neck, and man did I look good! You wear this thing like jewelry. It’s photo-nerd bling. Looking sharp, I walked toward the Hudson River to catch some nice sunset shots, but when I reached 11th Avenue a dark cloud was waiting for me above the Jacob Javits Center. Big drops started pounding down, so I ran for shelter under scaffolding. Then the sky really opened up. At first being marooned in that spot was gray and boring looking, and the light was terrible. But a few minutes later it transformed into an awesome place to shoot.

I didn’t know the first thing about the X100, I just turned it on and started shooting. Continue reading →

The iLife: It Feels Like Someone Else’s Life, But it’s My Life

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After going back and forth for several months between lusting after an iPad 2 and being indifferent about it, I finally grew tired of the seesaw of desires and surrendered my credit card. What’s unsettling is not only am I the owner of a shiny new iPad 2, but now I’m one of those weirdos who has the entire range of the Apple-branded revolution gadgets in my home. While these products are fun and exciting to play with, I can’t help but feel a bit like a conformist. I’ve become that latte sipping, croissant munching stereotype that people love to hate. Continue reading →

Apple’s New FCPX: Has the Pro Finally Been Cut?

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After reading people’s reactions to Apple’s latest release of Final Cut Pro X over the past week, I’m starting to come to grips with the fact that the “Pro” days of Apple products may officially be over. This realization stirs up an odd cocktail of emotions in me. On one hand, I saw it coming. I couldn’t have predicted the cannibalization of Final Cut Pro, but over the past six years it’s been pretty obvious that Apple has been “getting along nicely” with the consumer market (to the tune of 75 billion dollars in revenue). On the other hand, I figured it made sense for Apple to keep its professional products alive and well, no matter how small of a slice of the pie it was. “Industry leader in professional production tools” has a nice ring to it, right?

If you haven’t read about FCPX yet, here’s all you need to know: the new version is 100% incompatible with projects made on older versions of the software. Continue reading →

What’s Cool About the Beachtek DXA-SLR for HDSLR Video

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There are lots of ways to plug XLR microphones into an HDSLR camera now-a-days. You can use a juicedLink box, a Studio 1 Productions adapter, or even a new Sound Devices MixPre-D with the mounting accessory. But if you want to keep things relatively simple yet still get great sound, one of the best options is the Beachtek DXA-SLR.

For ages the name “Beachtek” was used much in the same way that the term “Xerox” is used for copies. When you needed to plug an XLR microphone into your camera, people told you to use a Beachtek. They certainly wouldn’t say “Use a Camcorder XLR Adapter,” even though, technically, that’s what these boxes are called. In recent years Beachtek has faced lots of healthy competition from the likes of a new-comer called juciedLink. But Beachtek didn’t rest on its laurels, and recently developed the DXA-SLR specifically for HDSLR video shooters. I recently got my hands on one, and gave it a little test drive:

There’s a lot more going on with this box than I get into in the video. I just didn’t have enough time to go over everything that makes the DXA-SLR cool. I’ve been busy as a nut lately. I just went five weeks between blog posts – NOT GOOD! But thankfully there’s such thing as the written word, and in this post I’ll make it clear why the DXA-SLR is a pretty cool little audio solution for DSLR video.

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RØDE VideoMic Pro vs. Sennheiser MKE 400 – Indoors & Out!

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If you’ve been reading my blog for any stretch of time, you already know that mini-shotgun microphones like the RØDE VideoMic Pro and the Sennheiser MKE 400 are something I’m very interested in. Why am I obsessed with these little mics, even though I own professional shotguns and field mixers? I just love the idea of having the ultimate miniature ENG kit with me every where I go. I’ve got my compact HDSLR camera, now I just need the perfect little mic to go with it. It’s awesome to be able to produce cinéma vérité style documentary work at a moments notice. This is 100% possible, and having the ideal little shotgun is a big part of what makes it happen.

I’d been dying to get my hands on the RØDE VideoMic Pro ever since it was announced in January 2011. From the very first time I saw its size and shape, I could only think one thing: I must hear this thing in a shoot out against the Sennheiser MKE 400. I placed an order for one really early on, and I’ve been using it for several months now. I decided not to write a hands-on review until I received the free DeadCat VMP fluffy windscreen in the mail. As soon as the hairy sock arrived, I pitted it in an old fashioned microphone shoot out against the MKE 400 (and the Sennheiser MZW400 windscreen and the Rycote Mini Windjammer). Here’s how it played out:

Which microphone did I like best? Honestly, I’m not 100% sure. But I will be blunt and tell you this: Continue reading →

The RØDE NTG-3 Torture Test!

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Most professional production equipment claims to be designed to withstand harsh environments, but how often does this gear actually get put to the test? I recently had the chance to torture a Rode NTG-3 shotgun microphone. I subjected it to a nightmare scenario that would make even the strongest microphone capsules shriek in fear!

When you attach a meat thermometer to a shotgun microphone, you know things are going to get ugly. First I waved the NTG-3 above a running humidifier for several minutes. The temperature of the mic rose to the mid eighties (29.4° C), and it was completely covered in condensation. I immediately transferred it to a freezer where the temperature was below zero. Here’s a video that will give you an idea of what went down:

Did the NTG-3 survive the abuse? Well, as you can see in the video, it did pretty well. But there was a little more to this test. I made a recording on the Zoom H4n inside the freezer, so I could hear how the mic performed as it transitioned from hot & wet to cold & frozen. Continue reading →

DSLR Mic Shootout: The Rode NTG-3 vs. VideoMic Pro

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I finally had the chance to test out some new microphones with my Panasonic GH2 camera. I tested the Rode NTG-3 against the Rode VideoMic Pro. I also included my Audio Technica 4073a in the test, for a little non-Rode competition. Check it out:

I personally felt that the Rode NTG-3 was the best sounding of the three microphones. However, all three sounded good. If you’re not very familiar with professional location sound equipment like the Sound Devices 302 mixer used in this video, I don’t mean for you to come away from this video thinking that a $230 mini-plug microphone is nearly equal to a $700 microphone plugging into a $1300 field mixer. In actuality, comparing these microphones like like comparing apples and bananas. Here’s why…

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My First Week with the Panasonic GH2

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After a long and truly painful wait to receive my first “HDSLR” camera, my Panasonic Lumix GH2 finally arrived. I had waited for several months to order it from a specific retailer, and once my pre-order was placed, the GH2 was on backorder for six more weeks. But last Friday, like a waking dream, it arrived at my doorstep.

As you can see in the thumbnail photo above, I also bought the Lumix 20mm pancake lens. The two make a powerful combination. With the pancake, the GH2 is almost as small as a corpulent point & shoot camera, but it does a whole lot more than even the finest point & shoot cameras on the market. The GH2 has a monster micro four thirds sensor, the lens mount can be adapted to pretty much any lens on the planet, and its HD video quality is currently considered the best you can get (that’s right, it’s even better than the mammoth 5D mk II).

Continue reading →