GEAR BUYERS’ GUIDE
We take a look at some ideal kit for professional filmmakers to get sound spot-on every time
WORDS ADAM DUCKWORTH
T he black art of audio is often Most know the best way is to get your mic as close to the subject as possible, protect it fromwind noise and ensure the levels something that strikes fear into the hearts of many filmmakers, as it has a crucial effect on the finished film.
times a stereo mic for a DSLR. Perhaps you need to record lots of inputs and a multichannel recorder is essential. Or you may need a lavalier mic to hide on your subject’s lapel. We take a look at some of the best kit you can buy at a variety of price points.
are right. But your choice of kit will also affect how your movie sounds. Just as with all aspects of moviemaking, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all audio solution. Sometimes you need a highly directional shotgun mic with an XLR fitting for your cinema camera, other
1. RODE NTG-1 £215/$234 rode.com
Australian company Rode is one of the biggest and best- knownmicrophone manufacturers as it makes top-quality kit at affordable prices. The Rode NTG-1 is one of the best andmost popular XLR shotgunmics. It’s great quality, delivers brilliant audio and is not too expensive. It needs phantompower from your camera, and at just 105g/3.7oz, it’s very light and can be used on a boom. It also has a selectable high-pass filter to counter background noise. It’s a workhorse that will last for years. If you want a mic with its own power, then the Rode NTG4+ at £259/$265 has an internal lithiumbattery that supplies over 150 hours of use, and can be charged in under two hours via USB. This supercardiodmic picks up sound from the front and sides and its all-new condenser capsule has high sensitivity and low noise. It also has on-board equalisation and level controls.
2. SENNHEISER MKH-70 £1915/$1749 en-uk.sennheiser.com
XLR MICROPHONES
Not all shotgun mics are created equal. For the ultimate in cutting out extraneous noise, the Sennheiser MKH-70 mic is just about the best you can buy. Its price may look high compared to many of its rivals, but the technology and materials it uses makes it worth the money for a serious filmmaker. The long interference tube has a lobar pick-up pattern, which makes it highly directional, and the MKH-70 is made to outperform other mics in difficult audio conditions. Although it’s weatherproof and built to last, it only weighs 180g/0.4lb and has switchable pre-attenuation, roll-off filter and treble emphasis settings.
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PRO MOVIEMAKER SPRING 2020
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