Bought Canon HV40 & Audio-Technica AT875R mic, what accessories do I need?

[Daniel Rutter]

I just want the cheapest things possible that will give me decent quality / won't ruin my video quiality at all.

You're shooting yourself in the foot right there.

For "Cheap" you can get a cheap chinese mic, a photographic tripod and an ebay lenshood. But, how far will that get you? If you put the money down, you WILL get what you pay for. You want a good lenshood, a wideangle lens? Then buy a Raynox, and a XHA1 Lenshood. Want a good mic? Anything from Rode that's an NTG model is pretty good (I own a Videomic, but I WANT an NTG-2). You want a good tripod? Get something with fluid head, and heavy legs. You don't want a light tripod, otherwise you'll run into problems.

[drapeama]

You need a camera, some support, and sound. Those are the basics. All the other fancy stuff with extra lenses, hoods, filters, etc. you can buy later according to need.
[..] get the Azden and an H1 or even H4, and you will be a happy man sound-wise.

That's totally true. Many people comes around here (no offense, it's just 80% true unfortunately) and want to buy a whole studio to produce movie on their own as a first step...please learn to walk before you start running. THAT'S another good basic.

Google Frugal Filmmaker....

Plenty of money saving there! +10 on that one.

For "Cheap" [...] you WILL get what you pay for. You want a good lenshood, a wideangle lens? [...] Want a good mic? [...] You want a good tripod?

I didn't quote Dan's whole post, but it mostly true too:
For cheap, you'll get at best, a starter kit, nothing more. Cgbier is right: A good camera, a good tripod and a good mic. That's all you need to begin. Then you'll want to upgrade as soon as you'll learn the basics.
1) WideAngle/Lens Hood: Learn the bare HV first, you'll be able to get decent results with it. It's not necessary the very first day.
2) Good Mic: The Azden provides a great sound for the price. Other than this, the MB4K is a good and versatile mic: close enough, it can gives a great and warm sound and distant enough it can pick enough detail to use it as an ambiance mic.
3) Tripod: The weifen 717 is probably the best for the price. Then you can go with a manfrotto: you can't go wrong, but it won't be cheap to buy.

[cgbier]

That MB4K seems to be a great voiceover mic...

[drapeama]

That MB4K seems to be a great voiceover mic...

Yeah, it's a very versatile mic. If you listen carefully to the test, it can be used mostly in any case.
For VoiceOver, at least in my last short (Contest #24), I used the Audio Technica ATM650: a slightly better 'realistic' frequency responses and it sounded a bit more natural in the final.

[Daniel Rutter]

I've actually used a Shure SM-58 for voiceover work. I liked the sound of it, but you need to "screw" up the sound to match it in with the Rode NTG-2 or Rode videomic!

[drapeama]

I've actually used a Shure SM-58 for voiceover work. I liked the sound of it, but you need to "screw" up the sound to match it in with the Rode NTG-2 or Rode videomic!

That's because of the mic position I guess, and the room where you recorded that voice over. For an outside sequence, you could always record the voice outside (in a quiet place without much wind) and it would "match" it maybe a little more.
But Other than this, as far as I remember, the sound of the voice in my last video compared to the "ambiant" sound of the rest of the short weren't day-and-night different, it's more a question of mic positioning. That's how they sound that different.

[cgbier]

Daniel, if you are really after top sound, you use in both situations the same mic. Indoors you need baffles to get rid of the echoes inherit to shotguns (they aren't made for that).
The SM58 is a workhorse mic - great for voice and ambience, but it needs a better preamp than the HV's. It works fine with the H1.

[drapeama]

The SM58 is a workhorse mic - great for voice and ambience, but it needs a better preamp than the HV's. It works fine with the H1.

I can't tell or vouch for it, as I never really used it, but I could easily compare it to my MB4K or my ATM650: great for both voice and ambiant sound. But unfortunately, it requires a little boost, hence the need of the JuicedLink. The H2 internal preamp just doesn't make it, it's too noisy. I don't know for the H1, if it's internal preamp isn't as noisy as the H1, then it's good to go with the H1 + mic.

[cgbier]

That thing has been a mainstay with musicians for 40+ years. Relatively cheap and nearly unbreakable.

[Daniel Rutter]

Daniel, if you are really after top sound, you use in both situations the same mic.

Yep, I agree. That was my mistake, but as I had the actors with me at my house and I didn't have the NTG-2 I boomed with (Film school equipment unfortunately) I just used the SM. Honestly cannot wait to get this SM-58 into use for musicians!

[michellexcheerio]

Daniel, if you are really after top sound, you use in both situations the same mic. Indoors you need baffles to get rid of the echoes inherit to shotguns (they aren't made for that).
The SM58 is a workhorse mic - great for voice and ambience, but it needs a better preamp than the HV's. It works fine with the H1.

Would this be good with the Azden 2 mic? http://www.8thstreet.com/product.asp...ategory=Mixers

[drapeama]

Would this be good with the Azden 2 mic?

For the price, and considering it can provides phantom power, take 2 XLR mic + 1 3.5mm input, it would be a good thing to have in your gear yeah. The only thing that bugs me is the size 6x4x1½ is a bit big to mount.
I'd say, as the Azden can run on a AAA battery, you should go with a JuicedLink: I have that setup and it works well. Paid it a bit less than 150$ used if I remember well. The smaller model doesn't provides phantom power but it has a very good preamp built-in and as you're using an HV40, like I do, you can get rid of the HV's noisy internal preamp and boost your sound with the JuicedLink, which does the job better. It can easily be mounted:

My 0.02¢

[michellexcheerio]

For the price, and considering it can provides phantom power, take 2 XLR mic + 1 3.5mm input, it would be a good thing to have in your gear yeah. The only thing that bugs me is the size 6x4x1½ is a bit big to mount.
I'd say, as the Azden can run on a AAA battery, you should go with a JuicedLink: I have that setup and it works well. Paid it a bit less than 150$ used if I remember well. The smaller model doesn't provides phantom power but it has a very good preamp built-in and as you're using an HV40, like I do, you can get rid of the HV's noisy internal preamp and boost your sound with the JuicedLink, which does the job better. It can easily be mounted:

My 0.02¢

Great advice and I love your lens hood thing. What is it called? How much was it?

[drapeama]

Great advice and I love your lens hood thing. What is it called? How much was it?

That's what I'd do.
About the lens hood, it's a DIY thing. Didn't cost much to do, here's some other pictures about it.

[cgbier]

Those Rolls are great - only missing Royce in their name. For gun'n'run setup like Draps shows it, they're less convenient. For separate audio, like e.g. from a boom mic into an H1 they are perfect.

[michellexcheerio]

Those Rolls are great - only missing Royce in their name. For gun'n'run setup like Draps shows it, they're less convenient. For separate audio, like e.g. from a boom mic into an H1 they are perfect.

I'm planning on using a boom. And I just went to B&H today to buy the microphone and return my other one. What a hassle! A lot of the people there don't know anything! Anyway, interesting system they have. haha
Edit: Also, the link has pictures but no directions to make it.

[drapeama]

I'm planning on using a boom. And I just went to B&H today to buy the microphone and return my other one. [...]
Edit: Also, the link has pictures but no directions to make it.

1) That will be the option that'll give you the best results!
2) So you returned the Audio-Technica and bought the Azden SGM-1x, right?
3) The link...you're talking about which one? If it's the one Janke posted about the "DIY phantom power supply" here it is:
Phantom%20power%20supply.jpg

[cgbier]

Wow, the first I hear that someone isn't impressed by B&H's service (have never been in their store though).

[drapeama]

Wow, the first I hear that someone isn't impressed by B&H's service (have never been in their store though).

I'd like to buy something from there, but with the customs...I'm a bit affraid about the fact that it could cost me more in total that if I buy the same thing in a store here.
Someone I work with at the job went to the NY B&H and she felt "like a kid in a Toy'R us store"...as she said.

[michellexcheerio]

Wow, the first I hear that someone isn't impressed by B&H's service (have never been in their store though).

Online shopping is great!! The store is completely different. You would never guess it would look like that on the inside.. or that the people there don't even know where the lenses are located... everyone kept pointing me in a different direction until the manager told me where they were and said he would fight with anyone who told me otherwise. I had a very unplesant cashier... 0_o He was in such a bad mood. But the guys at the ordering counter thing were nice. The paying lady was okay. As you can see, there is a long process for buying something. haha First you look at the stuff, then you go to the counter to order it, they put it in a green cart that sends it on train tracks that go around the ceiling. Then you pay for it at the paying counter, then you go to the cashier or whatever and they give you the stuff. Oh and free candy haha. The worst part is tax. I got charged 18 dollars tax.

[michellexcheerio]

1) That will be the option that'll give you the best results!
2) So you returned the Audio-Technica and bought the Azden SGM-1x, right?
3) The link...you're talking about which one? If it's the one Janke posted about the "DIY phantom power supply" here it is:
Phantom%20power%20supply.jpg

I bought the Azden SMG -2x ! It is omni and supercardiod.

[drapeama]

I bought the Azden SMG -2x ! It is omni and supercardiod.

Good choice, for the price it's well reviewed, even if this article is 10 years old now.

The Azden SGM-2X is a bargain hunters dream. It features decent sound and maximum versatility with the inclusion of the included omni directional cardioid mic at a $249.99 street price.