Continue to the next page for more audio equipment
To get pin point sound at a distance, I use a “Shotgun” style mic. I have been using Sennheiser mics for over twenty years and they have never let me down. My current mics are the Sennheiser 416 (pictured) and the MK-60. Both of these work horse mics have come through in every situation I have put then in without compromising the audio they were capturing. They are best in interview situations where the person(s) being recorded are over 6-10 feet from the mic. I also you them to capture ambient air when the people being miced have lavaleer mics attached to their clothing. In this way, I get a tight sound on the people being miced without worrying about them going off axis or out of the mics capture field, plus the natural room sound. All I have to do is mix the two signals.
What good is a high quality mic without a way to hang it over the area being miced? I use 12 foot carbon an aluminium boom poles to get the audio from any angle. Although I normally use a carbon fiber boom pole, I have my original aluminium pole that I bought in the late 70’s. These poles are internally wired so all I have tg do, is plug in a mic and run a cable to the mixer. I am planing to introduce wireless systems that will totally eliminate the need for any wires from my mixer to the mics. Or from the camera to the mixer.
Since I am usually shooting in less than a perfect scenario, I need to cut down on any wind or machine noises. To accomplish this, I use a Rycote Zeppelin. This piece of technology completely encapsulates the mic in a fiber shell that totally eliminates any noise coning in from the sides or behind the mic. For extra noisy areas like being out of doors, I also have a fleece sock that fits on the capsule (see picture) The mic is totally shock mounted as well which completes the process.
For wireless shoots, I have always trusted Lectrosonic’s 400/411 series systems. Long battery life and extended range even in poor RF situations makes for a winning combination