Pro Moviemaker Spring 2020

GEAR OF THE YEAR AWARDS

AUDIO Nowadays it’s easier than ever to get top quality sound on your films if you choose the right kit. Great audio adds high production values to your films in the same way that poor sound can ruin everything. Just like there is no one perfect camera or lens, a professional needs a range of audio kit – fromXLR and DSLRmics to lavalier mics, audio recorders and wireless kits. Buy any of the kit that’s won a Pro Moviemaker award, and you can be sure of top quality. Whether you are using a camcorder with professional XLR inputs, or a DSLR with a separate XLR-equipped recorder or connector unit, there’s nothing like a good quality shotgunmic for picking up sound. The Sennheiser MKE 600 is an ideal mic due to its high directivity, picking up audio coming fromwhere the camera is pointing, and effectively cutting noise coming from the sides and rear. That’s why it’s our XLRmic winner. There’s a switchable low cut filter to reduce wind noise, and the

Microphone XLR • Sennheiser MKE 600 Microphone DSLR • Rode VideoMic Pro+ Editor’s Choice: Shure VP83 Wireless mic • Sennheiser XSW-D Portable ENG Set Audio recorder/adapter • TascamDR-701D

mic comes with a foamwindshield and shockmount, too. If you use a camera that doesn’t supply phantom power, the MKE 600 can also be battery powered by AA cells. Sennheiser has a reputation for well built kit and it’s no surprise the company was also victorious in the Wireless category, with the latest XSW-D ENG kit. The XSWireless Digital series offers professional- level audio quality, but in kit that’s totally minimal and offers easy plug-and-play use. The cylindrical wireless and transmitter packs are smaller than the conventional Sennheiser wireless systems. You plug your mic into the stereo input jack on the transmitter, and the receiver comes with a clip-on hotshoe mount that sits on top of your camera, and plugs into the mic socket with the included coiled lead. Turn both the packs on with the single button and they automatically link up together. For DSLR-style mics with the standardmini-jack input, the hugely popular Rode VideoMic Pro+

is the clear winner. It’s a shotgun microphone designed for use with camcorders, DSLR cameras and portable audio recorders. It has the Rycote Lyre suspension system to cut down on vibration. The mic can be powered via the included lithium rechargeable, a pair of AA batteries, or continuously via Micro USB. It offers digital switching for great quality audio, which includes a two-stage high pass filter to reduce low frequencies (such as rumble from air conditioning), three-stage gain (ideal for DSLR use), high frequency boost for more detail, plus a safety channel to ensure the signal does not clip. If you want the ultimate in audio flexibility, a separate recorder is essential. The TascamDR-701D is our very worthy winner. It’s a six-track recorder ideal for DSLR or mirrorless cameras with HDMI. There’s a timecode generator for advanced users, four mic inputs, and the HDMI in/out enables camera and audio recording simultaneously.

IMAGES All working filmmakers know pro quality audio is key, and Sennheiser and Tascam help you achieve that

EDITOR’S CHOICE: SHURE VP83 The Shure VP83 is the winner of the Editor’s Choice award in the Microphone DSLR category as it allows you to easily capture high-definition sound direct to your DSLR or mirrorless camera. The VP83 really does help you record a very natural-sounding audio. It has a verywide frequency range and is a shotgun-style mic with a tight, directional pickup pattern to block out unwanted background noise. There is a three position audio gain switch, which lets you compensate for the loudness of different sources, and a switchable low-cut filter to reduce background hum. It also features an integrated Rycote Lyre shock mounting system, developed exclusively for the VP83, to cut out mechanical noise, and can run for 130 hours on a single AA battery. Finally, it’s built to last thanks to a metal construction. It’s highly recommended.

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PRO MOVIEMAKER SPRING 2020

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