ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

7 years, 11 months ago - Alwyne Kennedy

With a new price of only around £100, it is not going to compete with, say, Sennheiser EW kit. Also, it operates on VHF so you could well find yourself suffering interference from, say, taxi firms. Most filmmakers would use UHF kit, such as the Sennheiser EW range or Sony units. And the lapel mic with a £100 kit is not going to compete with the mics supplied with higher-end kit.

The latest Sennheiser EW bodypack receivers have adaptive diversity reception, which lessens the occurrence of signal drop-out. Most of the Sony bodypack receivers go better and have true diversity reception (that's why they have two antennae). Lacking those features, the Saramonic SR-WM4C will probably be relatively quite prone to signal drop-out.

What is your budget? And what would be your typical usage scenario?

7 years, 11 months ago - Agy Chmura

Thanks that's very helpful! I don't have a big budget but I'd rather get something good than cheap tbh, I wouldn't mind a used kit either so have been looking on ebay as well. It would be mainly for interviews and documentary stuff when the person talking is away from camera, and possibly some fiction scenes too if I can hide the mic well enough!

7 years, 11 months ago - graeme holmes

Presumably, because you mention the camera, you are looking to plug the lapel mic straight into the DSLR it might be prudent to check what the native input and processing is like - i have a Canon 7D and it's crap for audio via the mic input - so I use a "dual system" with a Zoom or Tascam recorder - using the auto onboard DSLR [not the mic input] as a sound reference for later syncing purposes. A dual system will double the cost, but will also give you useful flexibility in the future.

7 years, 11 months ago - Agy Chmura

Oh really is the audio input crap? I shall investigate that on mine. But yeah I like the idea of using Zoom, I've got one already and have been recording straight on it while holding it with one hand or it lying on the table - not ideal! Which is why I need some lapel system. Thanks for your advice :)

7 years, 11 months ago - rikki blue

with the proviso of what your audio input is like (i use GH4 and find it's pretty OK), then i'd suggest a rodelink system. i have both a sennheiser EW and the rodelink, and the latter is cheaper, easier to set up, and i can't tell any difference in sound quality at all despite it being somewhat cheaper than sennheiser - have also never had interference problems despite some difficult locations.

7 years, 11 months ago - Agy Chmura

That's helpful thanks Rikki