IronFilm

Sometimes a shotgun can sound ok indoors, but at their core shotgun exist to because they reject (to an extent) the sound coming in from the sides. Think about a room with a lot of hard reflections, think about all that sound coming back as reflections and hitting the microphone, do you really want to be rejecting the actual sound you want to record?? I probably need to do a vBlog one day in a super bad room, showing side by side a shotgun vs hypercardioid. As I suppose if you've never ever tried it before, you might not notice it in isolation.

Don't make the mistake of thinking the Zoom F4/F8 pre amps are in the same quality league as the old Zoom H4n era pre amps. Not at all! The Zoom F8/F4 is unlike anything else Zoom (if it had a "Sound Devices" label people would be climbing over each other to buy it!!) has ever made before, it is nearing the same broad class as various Sound Device pre amps are in. But that won't be the only project you'll ever use it for? Think about future uses you'll have for it in the years to come (as audio gear will last you years and years, unlike cameras).

Please spend the relatively small extra $250 to get the MixPre6 instead of the MixPre3. Or if cost is a factor, just get the Zoom F4 instead. (which is a better unit at the same price, and can take 6 inputs at once to record, just like the MixPre6) As the MixPre6 has double the number of usable inputs vs the MixPre3, and I really think for anything but the smallest of smallest shoots that 3 is simply far too little. And it will hamper your growth in the long run if you have a hard cap at 3 as your max. Are you meaning the RodeLink Filmmakers Kit? That was my first ever wireless, I purchased it immediately when it got announced, and regretted it ever since. They live life as my camera hops now. Because the RodeLink TX packs are just too damn big to ever use on talent!

Nope. Sorry, never used it. But when I've looked at reviews online it seems to get favorable comments from owners (but as 99% of their owners are non-sound experts, perhaps take that with a grain of salt? Hard to say, but seems like a solid buy at the very low end range of shotguns). The ones I "own" (or kinda almost own) are, in order from first to latest: "some cheap chinese rubbish for twenty bucks that was my first ever shotgun", Rode NTG2, Sennheiser 416, Sennheiser ME66/K6, Sanken CS3e, Aputure Deity, Audio-Technica AT4073a. Don't know anyone either with a MKE600, as would be fun to include it in a shoot out. My personal recommendations here when it comes to buying a shotgun on an low budget (so if you can't afford a 416 or Sanken etc) is: If buying new: Aputure Deity (but I might be a bit biased here... full disclosure, I'm an Aputure Brand Ambassador) If buying secondhand and you have lots of patience: Audio-Technica AT4073a. If buying secondhand and you're in a rush: Sennheiser ME66/K6

Tascam DR10L would be a big leap forward from the Olympus LS7 in terms of features and ergonomics. However.... you're still quite badly constrained by the fact we're talking about unmonitored recorders. Dunno if it is worth the cost and hassle of selling/re-buying, that would be a question for you to answer for yourself. I see two core use cases for the DR10X: 1) reporter's stick mic 2) plant mics I don't think you're doing either of those with it? Of course the DR10X has the same core problem of the DR10L: unmonitored sound recordings. Oh hey, I just noticed the DR10X does have a 3.5 mm stereo mini jack, sweet! Had a nagging suspicion it did have this (because the DR10SC has an output), thus I thought to google and check before I submitted this post. Thus I guess if you're in say Use Case #1, you could have the reporter monitoring their own recordings (wouldn't be a terribly bad thing, would help make sure they're pointing the mic right! Something new reporters often forget to do), while you're filming them interviewing people. Anyway.... just a quick side point, but I think not relevant to what you want to do?

Sorry to hear :-( If you're not using a soundie at all, then this article wasn't really for you? :-/ If you're a one person band trying to juggle audio as well, welllll.... that is an article for another day? However it isn't even article I'd really want to write.... :-o It is a bit like those guides to shooting a film with an iPhone. Ok, so some people do that. And you can, it is possible. But it is not something I want to encourage! Anyway, if you are going to take that approach I can still still give some recommendations anyway that will improve your audio: 1) rely heavily upon voice overs instead if you can, those you can record later on in post 2) put lavs on everyone and cross your fingers while you pray to your favorite deity! Having exposed rather than hidden lavs will greatly improve your odds of success. 3) film people stationary rather than have them walking around, that way you can use a C-stand and boom them from above. Or sneak in a plant mic. 4) abuse the safety track feature that Tascams and some Zooms have, and use them on everything all the time. 5) learn post production as well as you can! Such as CEDAR and iZotope RX. For instance, watch this review of the latest iZotope RX6 (yup version 6! iZotope RX has been around for many years): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EZ4KCMBi1Y 6) final but most important suggestion: if you can't find any soundie at all to work with, then pick a PA / friend / 3rd AC / "someone", give them a secondhand DR60D + Audio-Technica AT875R + iSK Little Gem and wish them luck! (this is at a bare minimum, if you have even just a tiny bit more of a budget, at least get a Zoom F4 + Aputure Deity + blimp + iSK Little Gem + 2x Sony UWP-D11 + Tentacle Sync. This will enable your soundie to do a LOT more, and give a much better platform to expand upwards from in the future).

I think they're absolutely great from what I've read about them, and they are the best for their particular niche. Note very carefully those last four words: that niche is those who don't wish to monitor their lavs!! :-o *AND* have an extremely constrained budget (otherwise you'd go with Zaxcom or Lectrosonics PDR) Of course I don't recommend this, you should always use quality wireless instead if you can. However there are some unusual circumstances where this is not possible (I read about this doco of the CIA, where amazingly they got granted some incredible access inside classified areas.... *BUT* couldn't bring any wireless gear in whatsoever! Due to the security level of the location. So the poor soundie had to rely upon something like this instead). Another example from just this morning, I was talking to a guy who is doing a self funded doco about climbing. Thus they simply can't get an experienced soundie and train him up to climb up and down the extreme cliffs they'll be scaling. And without a soundie, and him already trying to juggle the camera side himself, plus their extremely limited budget, I did suggest to him that he is probably one of those rare exceptions where it would make a lot of sense to use a bunch of Tascam DR10L recorders. If that is your circumstances, and you're on a budget, then this is the best you can do! If you're even more constrained by budget than what can afford a Tascam DR10L, then the next step down is to use an Aputure A.Lav (this is what I use myself, when filming myself with my cellphone for my vBlog, that I'll then upload directly to YouTube): https://www.aputure.com/products/a-lav-1 Then you can just use everyone's smartphone (as everyone has one!) as a recorder, but the huge headache and hassle of getting an audio recorder app installed on everyone's phones, making sure they have enough space for recordings, and getting it off them at the end of the day. AARRRRGGGHHH... would be a nightmare! But if you're stuck between that or *NOTHING*, then this would be a good approach to take with Aputure A.Lavs if you have the patience. One final point I'll make about the Tascam DR10L, and a point I was making throughout my article, is I wrote the article targeted at the aspiring location sound recordist. Thus for their needs, getting a Tascam DR10L is a terrible idea. They should be focused on first getting a sound recorder suitable for them (which is what I was covering), and then picking up several wireless (such as Sony UWP-D11).

I think the Zoom F4 is a pretty sexy recorder! Although I still lust over the likes of a SX-R4+... a friend just put the deposit down on one! :-o Hopefully I'll get a chance to check out the SX-R4+ in person. Yes, there are heaps more topics I still need to cover! Have been meaning to blog (and vblog, although my vblog is almost empty) more on this, but this was my first post in a very looooooooong time on my blog at IronFilm.co.nz There is this problem where there is this wealth of information for aspiring DoPs to learn from which is targeted at the indie level (and the indie level is the vast majority of the world!), but when it comes to sound.... *crickets*. Heck, even at the full on professional level for sound there is almost nothing! You have jwsoundgroup (which is a forum that is very unfriendly to n00bs), Sound Rolling (best vBlog on the planet! Ha. Welll... his is the only one on this topic), and WavReport (a blog Andrew Jones just started up this year). Plus of course the usual retailers and brands' YouTube channels and articles they publish (but of course you should take all of those with a big grain of salt). And underneath this, what is there? Basically nothing at all, until you reach the level of videographers who of course are not doing sound as their core focus. Thus if you're a sound recordist starting out and looking around at those kinds of people (videographers) the amount of information which is spread that is a bit odd, irrelevant, upside down, clueless, missing the point, plain outright wrong, or just simply outdated is a LOT. Curtis Judd is the rare exception to this, a videographer who puts out regular content about sound recording that is actually pretty good (although even he now and then occasionally says something which is a bit odd I think or just is omitting info, because he is saying everything from a videographer's perceptive) The final option a budding new location sound recordist would try and check out is the various musician and other non-film sound recording websites (forums such as gearslutz / taperssection / soundsonsound / prosoundweb / indierecordingdepot / homerecording / mixonline / tweakheadz / etc... ), there are TONNES of sites out there! About sound, but sadly without a focus on filmmaking. Which means while useful I hope to fill in some of these gaps in the future to cover the huge area there is between a just starting out sound recordist and a jwsoungroup regular! :-) From my knowledge I've gained picking together these scattered bits of knowledge spread in random parts of the internet, together with my experience in just going out and doing this every single week. Hopefully it won't be 2018 when I write my next blog article.... :-o But very briefly, there are three kinds of mics you'll want in any basic sound recordist's kit: 1) indoor boom mic (rather than list a bunch of options, the quickest summary I'll give is this link to Curtis Judd's video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-b_1gOYOEQ although, I might add one more to consider if you're on a super frugal budget: iSK Little Gem. Thinking about buying it to give the Little Peal a spin, also might get the iSK Pearl) 2) shotgun mic for outdoors (Rode NTG3 is a popular cheaper alternative to the ubiquitous Sennheiser 416, a new player to consider is the Aputure Deity. If you're being super cheap, then there is the Audio-Technica AT875R. Or if it is a choice between nothing or a microphone could go for Azden SGM-1X or even Vidpro XM-55, if you're being really cheap but you're only excused if you're also shooting on a Panasonic GH1 with a kit lens). 3) wireless lavs as insurance (as while Boom is King, there will often be times when production will force you against your will to compromise and you'll need need to rely on you lavs. This why I call them "insurance", you never want to use your insurance, but when you have to.... you're very bloody glad indeed that you have insurance!! Although just like insurance in real life, there are times when you think you're covered by the insurance company.... but you're not. So it is best not to take the risk and gamble on insurance if you don't have to. When it comes to considering wireless lavs to buy that is not the usual pro industry standard of Lectrosonics/Zaxcom/Wyscom/etc, then I recommend Sony UWP-D11. As they're the same price as the ubiquitous Sennheiser G3 but better. I recommend to have at least two, but three or four is even better. The next step is to upgrade the stock lavs which come with the kit, two common industry standards is Tram TR50 and Sanken COS-11D. Oscar SoundTech is a cheaper alternative: http://www.oscarsoundtech.com/services.html) 4) a bonus 4th item I'll list to have... not so essential in a sound recordist's kit as the first 3 listed, but often oh so useful as it is absolutely shocking how often (a LOT!) the camera crew will show up and not even have a microphone in their kit for their own camera!! (and this for cameras which don't an ANY internal mics at all! Such as a RED or Arri or FS7 or many many others) Thus the 4th item I suggest you have is some kind of on camera mic plus a large variety of cables to work with various cameras, as it is just for scratch reference all sorts of mics could fill this role. Usually your back up boom mic could fill this role in a pinch.

Yeah, although I see EOSHD's demographic as just being all sorts of filmmakers (on the technical side of filmmaking) who in general who cover the spectrum of just starting out and up to semi-pro/indie/corporate level (with also a good scattering above this as well. I'm sure we probably have a few people lurking who never use anything less than an Arri Alexa! ha). And as location sound recordists fit very much within the technical side of filmmaking it seemed appropriate to share this article here, which is aimed at the just starting out and up to semi-pro/indie/corporate level sound recordist.

I think they're doing it to reassure users that everyone is covered? But the PR is back firing on them. Sadly, do good... yet get hated for it! Sigh.

Yeah is normal on sets for all dialogue to be recorded in mono. I would not ever whatsoever see this as even a slightest negative about the Tascam DR10L that it is not stereo. That would just be a weird complainant about it. Also, the Tascam DR10L can record a safety track at the same time, which is a massive benefit over the Zoom H1.

Welll.... that is one way to misinterpret it and put a massive negative spin on the situation! All they're doing is further expanding the range of D750 that they're accepting back. That is *not* the same as a recalling it for the 3rd time. This is extremely generous of Nikon! If only other manufacturers could have as good customer service as Nikon has..... do we ever hear about Sony offering a recall for the overheating a6300? (just to pick out one Sony camera, but really, it could apply to ***ALL*** Sony cameras! They've all had some issues or another with them) Clearly Nikon is being a good corporate citizen here, is head and shoulders above the others. Yet people repay Nikon by ripping into it? Sad. The Nikon D750 still stands strong as arguably the best choice DSLR for stills in its niche (i.e. the $1.5Kish all rounder FF DSLR).

There is your problem unfortunately, you're putting it on the hotshoe! You are always going to be very hampered by that factor. It is like asking if a $10,000 Master Prime lens is going to give a noticeably better performance than a nifty fifty? Well yes, of course the better lens, is going to be better. **BUT** if you always smear your lens with butter all across it before you start shooting, then what is the point?? Might as well stick with the nifty fifty, as no one will really tell the difference between one butter smeared lens and the other one. Putting your microphone on the hotshoe is kinda like that butter smearing.... except less destructive to your gear! Just to the resulting recorded product. So yeah, in this case I'd suggest just buy yourself the typical Rode VideoMic Pro that every man and his dog has for this situation and go for it. That at least is designed specifically for that purpose. And spending heaps more won't really make a massive difference if you're keeping the microphone on the camera hotshoe. Actually no, as audio gear has one of the lowest depreciation rates (relative to other filmmaking gear.... I'm looking at you camera bodies!), I'd suggest it makes very good sense to buy a small kit if you feel you'll be using it over and over across the years. I'm sometimes using audio gear that is DECADES old! Ha. Try that anywhere else in filmmaking?? (except for of course... lenses!) Ummm.... ok, but are you not making exactly my point then?! "...IF you are a location sound person..." That quite clearly shows who I am aiming this article at.

I can't edit it now :-/ Plus I think the subject title is more than long enough already!! :-o But I had written "location sound recordist" over and over again throughout my post, thus I thought that made it more than clear enough the purpose of this?! :-/ Hmmm... I guess not! Ah well. Thanks! :-)

And I think you missed my point.... as this isn't what I'm discussing. This is exactly like complaining that the URSA Mini Pro doesn't come with a waterproof housing. Well yeah, no surprise!! As what you really want here is a GoPro. Totally different use case. And is a product aimed at a totally different market niche. That is what she said ;-)

Yeah..... if you're using a Zoom H1, then you're not a production sound recordist. Which is the perspective I'm writing this from. (and from that perspective, *any* of those which I mentioned will make up a very small sized kit indeed! Size truly isn't a concern here, even the biggest and heaviest, the Zoom F8, is still a shockingly tiny sound recorder! Arguably it is too small) If you have a Zoom H1 then you're probably a solo videographer grabbing some ambiance (or using it as a "poor man's wireless lav" in the groom's coat pocket, as I often used my Zoom H1 with a cheap lav mic), or a musician, or a busy executive using it as a note taker, or a journalist, or any of a bunch of other uses than a production sound recordist (still, not a terrible thing to keep around in your bag for in a pinch. I often have a DR22WL or H1 tucked away in my bag). Sorry, again this is totally irrelevant just like the size question. As I'm not discussing microphones, but recorders. Tonnes of indie filmmakers (yes, even amateurs who have no intention about ever making a dime from this) might spend five thousand dollars on their camera kit (heck, just a 5D mk4 plus 2x f2.8 zooms will eat all that up & more! And that is before you count tripods/gimbals/lights/batteries/media/etc). So thus I'll be totally unapologetic in suggesting that just perhaps a person could spend half that on a super ultra basic sound kit? Although yes, if you're someone who has gone ultra low budget and is shooting with a secondhand Panasonic GH2 with some adapted old Nikon lenses, then sure I reckon have your boom op use a Tascam DR60D with Sennheiser ME66/K6 (with Rode WS6) and a Samson C02. That could be an appropriate matching budget level (well... sort of! You're likely still spend way less on sound than on the DoP's kit!), and is why I did mention the Tascam DR60D mk2 as an appropriate starting point for the very budget constrained. For sure, just like how there are still people out there doing little corporate videos with a Canon T2i. Doesn't mean we should be recommending that is a level to aspire to! No, I'm trying to showcase some of the better options (just like why in the camera side of things people talk about say the Panasonic G80 or the URSA Mini Pro, or any of the zillions of others out there!). Bringing a bit more balance back to the discussions :-) Rather than only the focus on cameras. As sound is half the film!

Wrote up a little guide for people new to this and looking to buy their first recorder. And is the way I see the world of low budget recorders is they're ranked like this (starting from worst/cheapest to best/expensive): Tascam DR22WL / Zoom H1 (I'd suggest skipping right over this tier of recorders! But hey, my first ever short film I did years ago was with a chinese shotgun running straight into a Zoom H1!! :-o Shocking but true... everyone starts somewhere!) Tascam DR60D mk2 (the DR60D mk1, before the mk2 came out, is what I myself started out using for no budget shorts as a budding location sound recordist) Tascam DR70D (the *minimum* I'd recommend for a location sound recordist, even if you're just a student / no budget guy. Although in desperate cases, you could scrape by with getting the DR60Dmk2, but doing the opposite and stretching for an F4 is very worthwhile. Certainly, I could travel back in time I'd just have gone straight for the Zoom F4 from the starts! *Except* the F4 didn't come out until a few years later... you live in a very lucky time with so many wonderful options to choose from!) or Tascam DR680 (these can be found at bargain prices secondhand, which is what I did before I then later on purchased a Zoom F4 once that came out & I spotted an F4 at a good price) Zoom F4 / Zoom F8 / Sound Devices MixPre6 (I skip right over the MixPre3, as the MixPre6 is very similar yet does so so much more at only a relatively small extra cost. Also I regard the three of F4/F8/MixPre6 as all on broadly the same level to each other, just varying slightly from each other in one area or another that ones might have a small lead over the other one. This is the tier where I'd see you're now reaching the semi-pro level) Sound Devices 633 / Zaxcom Maxx / Sanosax SX-R4+ (finally you have now got up to the "industry standard" when it comes to recorders people use for small shoots, especially when mixing from the bag. If you're doing this full time as your job or hiring someone who is, then likely this is what is being used. Either that or similar gear, or even something better above this) And if you considering ones priced above those last three.... you're surely doing this full time as a sound recordist and getting a healthy income from that, so why are you asking us here on Frugal Filmmaker? ha! :-P But yes, tonnes and tonnes more options exist at the higher end as well! Finally, if you're considering something in the budget range within what I just covered, but isn't one of those that I mentioned, then it probably is *not* a good idea to buy if you're intending to be a location sound recordist. Something else only might *maybe* make sense if you've got in mind some other purpose for it, such as perhaps you want to record a band in a studio (which has very different needs / constraints), or you're the rare exception which proves the rule, or you are getting lucky finding some amazingly priced deal which can make an otherwise bad purchase decision then make sense if "the price is right". For instance I didn't include the Roland R88, as I feel it is extremely poor value for money in 2017! However.... there was a time at the end of 2016 when the Roland R88 got a huge price drop because it was being discontinued. Even with that massive price drop, the Roland R88 probably still wasn't a smart purchase vs the Zoom F8, but the big drop in price at least made the R88 a somewhat competitive option worth mentioning in a round up of all the various choices. However, that sale is now long since ended, and the prices I see on eBay for a Roland R88 is even higher than what you used to be able to buy it new from B&H Photo! Clearly those eBay sellers are dreaming. Anyway, that was just one example which might have been applicable but isn't now, so I don't rule out the possibilities of something like that perhaps popping up again in the future especially if you very keenly look around for secondhand deals. But for over 95% of people reading this, that won't be applicable, and just stick to going with one of the main ones I mentioned earlier. http://ironfilm.co.nz/which-sound-recorder-to-buy-a-guide-to-various-indie-priced-sound-recorders-in-2017/

If you can spend a bit more get the BMD VA as they're on sale. Otherwise, go for: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1221494-REG/aputure_vs_2finehd_vs_2_finehd_7_field.html

If you're not rich enough to own a handful of PL lenses yourself, then don't buy it in the PL mount.

Yup, the low prices which both the D750 and D500 are reaching are unbearably tempting me....

Sadly the director on the feature film I worked on recently believed the exact OPPOSITE, and constantly wanted me to "hide" my boom pole and blimp.

Yup, a high end gaming PC from a few years ago is still relevant and quite capable today. Same is true of DSLRs, the Nikon D800 is a rather damn old camera, yet is still one of the better cameras you can buy today! (same could be said about the D7100 as well) That is the stills world, but still got some way to go with video cameras however. But look at the Sony FS7 mk1? It is a bit old ish now, but I reckon if you picked up one secondhand now it would still stay relevant for a few more years!

You can adapt less onto the FD mount.

It "depends" How much do you care about ease of use / practicality? If you do, then get a GH5!

Don't buy EF lenses!! But an EF focal reducer can make sense, if you're just using it as a base to adapt other things to it.