Tag: vlog

5 mic shootout

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Here’s my comparison of 5 different relatively inexpensive (under 200$cdn) mic options.

Over time as I started to make videos I found the sound quality was bugging me.
So I embarked on a mini-quest to improve on the audio I was capturing.
Eventually ending up with four external mics and the internal camera mic
(I also have a few studio mics but that is for another time.)

Here is a video I made while recording from all 5 sources at the same time in a couple of different locations..
(Editing that into a single video was quite a chore!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1KMh1QC8po

Summary of my findings

Camera  Internal mic

Cost: free, built in to most cameras.
Power: internal camera battery
Pros: free, always have it with you.
Cons: usually terrible poor quality sound, picks up wind, environment and even camera internal operating noises.

 

Apex 182

Cost: runs around 20$us/26$cdn
Power: none.
Pros: Needs no battery, and is stereo, very inexpensive.
Cons: no easy way to clip it to anything. output levels are low.

 

Audio-Technica ATR3350

Cost: runs around 29$us/50$cdn
Power: needs a LR44 type battery that lasts about 10-15 hours.
Pros: cheap, not bad sound
Cons: no battery life indicator, you never know if it has quit on you.
excessively 6 meter/20 foot long ever tangle cord.

 

RØDE smartlav+

Cost: runs around 89$us/99$cdn
Pros: powers itself from the recording device (needs to be compatible), small easily placed.
Cons:  None, it does need a RØDE SC3 3.5mm TRRS to TRS Adapter to connect to recorders instead of smartphones
Hint:  A kit with the lav and adapter can sometimes be found for almost same price as lav by itself, much more expensive if bought separately

RØDE VideoMic

Cost: runs around 150$us/189$cdn
Power: standard 9v battery
Pros: good quality construction, uses standard easy to find 9v battery
Cons: large and needs to be camera mounted, can pick up unwanted directional background sounds.

 

Links

To my top product picks (yes they are affiliate links!).

RØDE SmartLav+
Adorama http://bit.ly/2vxfjXH

RØDE SC3 trrs to trs adapter
Adorama  http://bit.ly/2KHMe0j

RØDE SmartLav+ and trrs to trs bundle!
Adorama

Zoom H1n
Adorama http://bit.ly/2vAYI56

RØDE VideoMic
Adorama  http://bit.ly/2KFQr4M

Dead Cat 
Adorama

Winter Photography – Minden Wild Water Preserve

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We decided to take a short day trip to go do some photography at the Wild Water Preserve in Minden, on the coldest day of the year so far.

A little bit about the Wild Water Preserve

The Minden Wild Water Preserver Harrington Park is a stretch of rapids
that run along a portion of the Gull river between Minden Lake and Horseshoe Lake.
They can be reached by following Horseshoe Lake Road [County Road 20] from Highway 35.
About a 2.5 hrs. drive north east of Toronto on highway 35.

google map of Minden Wild Water Preserve
Wild Water Preserve

Whitewater Ontario owns and operates the Minden Wild Water Preserve.
The preserve boasts a campground, amenities and hiking trails on the 100 acre parcel of land for members.

The river’s whitewater section is 800 meters long and ranges from Class II to IV rapids with large rocks providing some interesting obstacles.
When kayakers are actively running the rapids, especially in the warmer season,  the preserve becomes a very popular and hectic site.

In winter the area is more serene, although the water seems even more wild!

Enjoy a short video

I made of the waters rushing through the Wild Water Preserve during a cold snap (around -25c) of winter.

More information can about Minden Wild Water Preserver Harrington Park can be found here