Photography News Issue 53

Photography News | Issue 53 | photographynews.co.uk

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The Soundof Sennheiser Harness the power of your camera to record not only still, but moving images too and you soon realise that your movies will lack impact if the audio isn’t up to scratch. Add in a Sennheiser external microphone and you’ll be producing superior footage

It was never going to take long for photographers, creative and inquisitive people as we are, to look seriously at what the increasingly sophisticated video facility on our cameras was capable of offering us, and along with our adoption of moving imagery has come the need for high-quality audio. Many photographers soon realise that a built-in camera microphone isn’t going to do the job well enough, creating a need for a separate microphone. For those who’ve only ever shot stills before it’s a whole new ball game and one that can be a little bewildering at first, which is why it’s so important to look out for a trusted manufacturer, such as Sennheiser, that has a track record of producing kit, which is simple to use and capable of pro-level results. The result is a strikingline-upofproductsthatencompasses everything from on-camera microphones to a sophisticated wireless audio system and even a headset capable of recording binaural sound. The two ultra-compact on-camera mics produced by Sennheiser, the MKE 400 (mono) and MKE 440 (stereo), are designed to sit in a hotshoemount and connect directly to a camera’s external microphone input. In the matter of moments it takes to fit, you move from the unacceptably low quality invariably achieved by a camera’s built-in microphone to a sound that’s of a different quality altogether, and it can be themaking of an altogether more sophisticated production. The MKE 400 features a rugged all-metal housing, switchable sensitivity for long and short distances, a switchablewindnoise filter and an integral shockmount for rejection of handling noise and it can deliver around 300 hours of performance from a single AAA battery. A foam windshield is also supplied to further cut down on incidental noise.

between the microphone and camera every time. The AVX-ME2 SET includes a bodypack transmitter with lavalier microphone, the plug-on receiver and all accessories to operate out of the box with camcorders as well as DSLR cameras. The AVX-835 SET, meanwhile, has similar specification, but comeswith a handheldmicrophone to enable presentations to camera. With a nod to the changing world of audio, the latest Sennheiser innovation is the Ambeo Smart headset, the world’s first intuitive, compact and mobile 3D sound recording headset. Its earpieces are fitted with omnidirectional microphones that capture the sounds in your environment just as your ears would. Aimed at vloggers and other content creators, the device integrates seamlessly with Apple iOS devices and makes it simple to achieve 3D recordings that can be enjoyed through any pair of stereo headphones. Covering all the bases, Sennheiser’s aim is to simplify the world of audio while ensuring quality remains sky high. As such, the company is the perfect partner for any photographer transitioning into moving imagery, who is looking to achieve a well- rounded production that succeeds on all levels.

Meanwhile the MKE 440 is effectively a combination of two short shotgun mics, mounted in a distinctive V-Stereo configuration to highlight the sound of the video image while rejecting off-axis noise from outside the camera focus. A very robust and durable stainless steel micro-mesh protects the microphones and suppresses wind noise. As opposed to regular foam windscreens, the metal mesh will not influence the sound bymuffling high frequency clarity. Furthermore, it serves as a shield against electromagnetic interference. Meanwhile the integrated battery- powered, high dynamic electronic circuit matches the output signal of the MKE 440 to the camera’s input sensitivity, while the low- cut filter reduces structure-borne noise and

low-frequency wind noise. The MKE 440 offers extra-long operation time of more than 100 hours on a pair of AAA batteries. WIRELESS RECORDING Ultra-sophisticated, much admired AVX family makes it simple to record high-quality audio in the field or studio. Designed to be a plug-and-play system, it requires no technical knowledge to set up. The AVX receiver plugs directly into the XLR audio input and uses phantom power, and switches on and off automatically with the camera to save battery power. Before any interference even becomes audible, the AVX selects the best operating frequency and switches to a clean channel, guaranteeing perfect audio transmission Sennheiser’s

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