Can you use a headphone jack as a microphone jack ?

Question

I want to use a camera on the side of my helmet when riding my bike but becuase of the wind i want to record sound from inside my helmet

Can i use the headphone jack as a microphone jack ?

if not, is there some sort of adaptor to get ?

Answer 1

Sam:  Your question is technically confusing.  Lets try to sort it out and I assure you we are not talking s*x.

First lets get some terms established.  A "jack" or "plug" is the male part.  The "jack" plugs into the "female" socket.  Typically the jacks will be two or three conductor types.  They consist of a tip, a short portion called the "ring", and the long part going into the body of the jack that is called the "sleeve".  Look at your equipment and see how they are arranged especially look at the jack from the microphone that normally normally plugs into the microphone input socket on the camera.    

Next, I think your question might be rephrased as: "Can I plug the jack from the microphone in my helmet into the microphone input socket of the video camera?"   If I have interpreted your question correctly then the answer is:  If the microphone jack is configured the way the camera wants it, then yes.  I.e. if the camera wants a 3 conductor jack and the jack from your helmet microphone is a 3 conductor jack then you are in business (unless your camera doesn't like the impedance of the microphone in your helmet - but that's for later).  If the output from your helmet mic is 2 conductor and the camera wants a 2 conductor input then you are still OK.  If the camera wants 3 conductors and your helmet is 2 conductors or visa versa then you have a problem.

I do not know of any adapter specifically made to make a 2 conductor to 3 conductor connection. You might ask at Radio Shack, but the demand for such an item would be almost zero, so you will probably have to make your own adapter.  That can certainly be done pretty easily.  Just buy the needed parts at Radio Shack.  

Let's not get ahead of ourselves.  First check out your hardware and if it works out per my description then go for it.  Let me know if it doesn't work or if you do need to make an adapter and I will tell you how to do it.  Let me know if the audio is OK on playback.  

Good luck and have fun - 73 from the Fisherman