bnsf

Have two Sony cameras and would like to replace the factory mics with a add on. I was planning on using my Sony RX10M4 for shooting 4K videos and need a stereo microphone that would enhance the sound.
B&H referred me too this Nikon ME-1 mic. Need your feedback on the mic or if there is a better on out there for around the same price please advise.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

Sony makes the ECM-XYST1M stereo microphone that fits into the hot shoe without a wire. Sony makes a couple others that mount in the "Multi Interface Shoe" too. One is a "zoom" shotgun style.

I don't see anything wrong with the Nikon ME-1. All on camera mics have limits. Commonly seen and used on all cameras are mics from Rode.

What are you recording? If it is people speaking, look at the newer Rode Wireless Go II.

bnsf

I am getting back into doing Railroad Video again and need a good mic that would give me all the live sound as if you were standing next to the tracks. This is why I am going to try the Nikon ME-1. It also runs off of the camera power no external power supply required.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Rode is a good brand, and I see them used by people who take that kind of things seriously. I use one on a camcorder.

If you want the RR sound and not necessarily spoken words, a separate hand-held recorder might be better. Tascam makes very good ones at different prices.

I got this one a year ago for $90. With the B&H Payboo card, there's no sales tax.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1453029-REG/tascam_dr_05x_stereo_handheld_digital_audio.html

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

Why the Nikon ME-1 over the Sony ECM-XYST1M that is designed by Sony for Sony cameras? The Sony eliminates the need for a cord and cords are always a weak spot.

Nicholas J DeSciose

Rode different microphones for different situations. One microphone does not do everything. Rode makes a wonderful wireless laves as well as some traffic on camera Mics Try renting or borrowing some microphones and experiment with them.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Buy from an audio/music supply house like Sweetwater, Guitar Center, Gear Slutz…

Hundreds of choices are out there. Best depends on what, and where, you are recording.

Study the inverse-square law… Sound dissipates as 1/D^2, so at ten feet, you have 1% of the volume you have at one foot from the source. That’s why you put a mic as close as possible to a sound source. Doing so gets the desired signal much louder than background noise. Consider lavalier mics, or shotgun (hypercardioid) mics on boom poles.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

He wrote that the purpose of the mic is for better audio while shooting railroad trains. Wouldn't an on-camera, stereo or on-camera shotgun mic work well for that?

If it were me, I might experiment with an independent recorder places down the track from the camera, and combine the sound with the camera track in post.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

That might provide an interesting dual Doppler Effect…

Stereo pair might work well. Point one left and one right.

User ID

I use a very small digital field recorder as a mic. I use a few but my fave is the little Zoom H-1. It goes into record standby as soon as powered up, which serves as a mic that features its own level control (auto manual level).

Press the record button and it makes a backup audio track as well as feeding audio to the camera. It feeds the same level to the camera whether in record or in standby.

Set your manual in-camera level control to accommodate the recorder’s line out when the level is shown as correct on the recorders LCD panel.

Now you never hafta bring up your cameras audio level screen again ... you control audio from the recorder. You can use your cameras monitor uninterrupted for viewing what you’re filming.

The H-1 is smaller than some video mics. Audio quality is clean. I use it on a camera mounted bracket so it’s almost a foot above the camera. I made a foam cushion to isolate it at the top of the bracket. The H-1 has a std 1/4-20 mounting socket that can be further adapted to almost anything.

Also have a larger zoom with fancy mic controls so you can mix directional pickup with ambient to get a sense of depth or presence. (The direct train sound plus the ricochet or echo from surroundings.)

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Those Zooms are great little recorders. We used both this weekend for a 48-Hour Film Project video.

bnsf

Thank you for your inputs. I am going to rent a Sony Mic and see how it works then rent the Rode and Nikon. Will make my decision after I try all three and see how they can handle the job.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Right! They will know what will work best for you.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

They are large, national chains who carry the top brands. They can steer you to the good stuff and away from the disappointments.

Good to great mic brands, in no particular order:

Shure
Electro-Voice
AKG
Sennheiser
Beyer
Rode

I’m sure there are others in that class, but can’t remember them all. The first four in the list still make some classic mics from the 1950s, ‘60s, and ‘70s, along with newer versions of them, and some completely new designs. Those old models keep selling in sufficient volumes to remain very popular. That is a good sign they’re doing something right!