Those with Sony 5.1 surround cams....

blink3times wrote on 6/25/2009, 5:18 AM
Just picked up a Sony ECM-HW2 Bluetooth 2 way center channel Microphone and it is simply awesome!

It's a wireless mic that works up to 100 meters away that will allow you to record the subject (or the subject and the camera operator with 2 way technology) to the center channel, WHILE the onboard mic continues to work in picking up the surrounding sound on the surrounding channels.

The finished audio is simply fantastic.... especially from distances. A bit pricey but WELL WORTH IT!


http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/SZ2101/

Comments

srode wrote on 6/25/2009, 6:48 PM
interesting - how's it on wind noise?
blink3times wrote on 6/25/2009, 9:31 PM
Good question.... haven't used it on a windy day yet so we're both in the dark on that one. But I will say that it adds an entirely new dimension to the audio. When used in a larger area (like a park) the 5.1 ambiance really comes alive. The center channel mic picks up from the subject at one end of the park while the surround mics pick up from the other end and it sounds pretty realistic one playback. We had an ambulance pass by us while I was playing around with it today and you could hear it on playback clearly pass from front to back. It really seems to be the finishing touch that was needed for that FULL 5.1 ambiance.

I haven't tried the 2 way system yet but according to the manual you can switch it so that both the cam operator and the subject can be placed on the center channel
blink3times wrote on 6/26/2009, 4:18 AM
Just tried the 2-way feature.... really neat!!

It's got full 2 way communication (with headphone connect) so you can talk to and hear your subject from a far. The conversation can be recorded to the center channel.
A. Grandt wrote on 6/26/2009, 8:01 AM
That's useful :)

Now, how does the microphone handle wind ?
blink3times wrote on 6/26/2009, 9:43 AM
I haven't really had a windy enough day yet to do a good test, but it does come with a little wind cover that you can put over the mic if that's any help.
A. Grandt wrote on 6/28/2009, 2:49 AM
It certainly is, thanks.
blink3times wrote on 7/3/2009, 6:30 AM
I have now had the opportunity to play a bit in the wind with this thing now and it's not that bad. It's certainly not the caliber of a high priced shot gun mic with a furry cover but it stands its ground especially when you place the supplied wind cover on it.

It falls short of the advertised operating distance (up to 100 meters). I could only get about 50 out of it on a line-of-sight basis, but it's an incredible difference and really completes the true surround sound effect. The cam operators voice clearly comes from the rear, the subject from the front... passing by objects (on the left side for example) can actually be heard passing from front to rear on the left. The 2 way communication works gangbusters.

It's a real pleasurable experience overall.