What can i use as a microphone...?

Question

Well, I have a Sony Handycam DVD106E (standard def) and I could really do with microphone for it becuase the built in one isn't brilliant. I'm looking fo the type you connect to the camera. I've tried looking for one but so far not found one compatible with my camera. Does anyone know one I could use or have another soloution?

Answer 1

The Sony DCR-DVD106 does not have a mic-in jack, does not have AV-in capability and does not have a Sony proprietary "Advanced Interface shoe"... so there is no way to easily connect an external mic - which is likely why you can't find one.

No consumer camcorder has "brilliant" built-in mics.

If the audio source is not very loud, you need to get the mics - hence the camcorder - close to the audio source.

If the audio source is far away and there is noise (audience) between the camcorder and the audio you want to get, everything between the audio source and the camcorder will be heard by the built-in mics. Again, you need to get the mic - hence the camcorder - close to the audio source (so the noise in between goes away).

If the audio source is really loud and the built-in mics are clipping and it sounds really muddy because the auto mic gain cannot keep up with the high volume, there isn't a lot you can do because this camcorder does not have manual audio control. It *might* have a mic gain switch. Check your camcorder user guide. "Low" for high volume noise; "Normal" for everything else. If this is not in your camcorder's user guide, then your camcorder does not have this capability.

The least expensive camcorders with a mic-in jack AND manual audio control are the Canon HV20, HV30, Sony HDR-HC7 and HC9.

Other than replacing the camcorder, you could get a "field recorder like those from Zoom, M-Audio, Edirol, Marantz, Sony or others. Use the field recorder's manual audio control to get good sound and replace the camera's audio with the field recorder's audio when you edit... Though editing DVD based camcorder video in a computer will be icky because DVD based camcorders provide the highest compressed video which results in poorest quality video when compared to other storage media.