GEAR
BUYERS’ GUIDE
“A bonus is Beachtek’s low-noise preamps with dual settings. They are leagues better than in-camera amps”
BEACHTEK DXA-MICRO PRO+ £289/$229 beachtek.com
CANON DM-E1D £399/$299 canon.co.uk
JOBY WAVO PRO £259/$300 joby.com
The Beachtek DXA-Micro Pro+ connects any mic to any camera, which is especially useful for mirrorless and DSLRs that don’t have XLR inputs or adjustable, multi-channel audio. This allows you to connect wireless systems, camera-mounted mics, handheld or boom XLR mics to your camera. It features a built-in XLR connector with 48v phantom power for using pro XLR mics, as well as two 3.5mmmono – and one 3.5mm stereo –mini-jacks, with plug-in power ideal for DSLR-specific mics. The DXA-Micro Pro+ has a built-in battery that works for up to ten hours, plus a micro USB jack for charging or externally powering the adapter. The removable cheese plate accepts different accessories, and Beachtek offers an optional baseplate, to use on a rod-based camera rig. A bonus is Beachtek’s low-noise preamps, with dual gain settings. They are leagues better than in-camera amps.
Canon’s newmulti-function shoe allows communication between the latest Canon cameras and accessories, without use of a separate lead. This is compatible with the newly launched Directional Stereo Microphone DM-E1D, which both connects and is powered via the camera shoe, so no batteries or cables are required. The streamlined design carries over to settings, with the mic featuring just a simple Menu button. This then comes up on the camera, which is where you make all adjustments. The mic has different modes. Shotgun is a focused pattern that picks up a narrow band of sound in front of the camera, while 90° stereo recording mode is suitable for a single subject and adds some audio context to the sides, to suit recording small groups of people. And the widest, 120° stereo recording mode offers a wider angle of sound, ideal for larger groups.
Joby’s professional-grade mic is called the Wavo Pro – and it’s designed to produce broadcast-quality sound. This flagship shotgun mic has an intelligent hybrid analogue/digital system to power active noise reduction. It is designed to eliminate handling noise, while a simple, digital sound-management app for iOS and Android devices offers real-time monitoring of sound input, plus dual-mode EQ and customised, shareable set-ups. The mic records a -10db safe track in case of sudden increases in noise. And there is a second 3.5mmmic input, allowing an additional mic to be plugged in for dual-channel recording – ideal for question-and-answer interview set-ups. And to avoid the battery running flat, or starting to record with the mic still switched off, auto power mode switches the mic on or off automatically, together with the camera. LEDs front and back signal the mic is on and working.
Pros: Great XLR solution Cons: More kit to bolt on
Pros: Wire-free and simple Cons: Only for the latest Canons
Pros: Active noise reduction Cons: Quite tall
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