Documentaries and Recording-Best Equipment?

[dave lackey]

So, we all know that the M bodies, Barnacks and R bodies don't have video built into them...something about digital this or that, I don't know, but these cameras don't have them. 😛

I have looked into the really good Nikon D7000 because KR said it was superb for pictures and...video.

Tried it. Hated it. Couldn't leave the camera shop fast enough. Glad I didn't have to sell something to buy it anyway.

So, video is out for the time being due to a number of factors.

But, a slideshow video with MP3 is what I have used for several years now. However, instead of using a pre-recorded music piece, I would like to interview subjects and have their own words as part of the video.

What is the best equipment for recording good, quality interviews?:angel:

 

[_goodtimez]

I use a Tascam DR100. I find it just perfect.
I've done a lot of drag racing audio with it but it also works for concerts or the first cry of a baby 🙂

 

[MartinP]

I've been using a Zoom H2, though not at a professional level. It does well enough for me at least.

Manufacturer's website here.

 

[emraphoto]

I use the Zoom H2 as well. Will continue until it stops working, great machine

 

[maggieo]

If you have an iPhone, FiRE Recorder works surprisingly well, even with the built-in mic. There are options for hooking up higher quality mics, too.

 

[Chuck Albertson]

Sony PCM-M10, with an outboard mike if you want to get fancy. It even records full audio, not just MP3.

 

[mathomas]

I've been using a Zoom H2, though not at a professional level. It does well enough for me at least.

Manufacturer's website here.

I use the Zoom H2 as well. Will continue until it stops working, great machine

Do you guys have any tips for reducing hiss with the H2? It is pretty obnoxious on mine, but admittedly, I'm plugging it into my camera's external mic port (to avoid having to sync later). I've done quite a bit of level testing to try to find a sweet spot, but the stupid camera has non-defeatable auto-level. Maybe using it as a camera mic is a bad idea?

Thanks...

 

[swoop]

I owned a Zoom H2 and gave it away to a friend. It just wasn't working for me. When I do interviews I'm often holding the recorder and that the mics on the Zoom H2 were directional was really a bother. Also the plastic body creaked a lot and it could be heard in the recording. Left alone though the quality was amazing.

Now I use a Tascam DR-07
http://tascam.com/product/dr-07/

It's great, easy to handhold with the omnidirectional mics right in front. The sound quality is just a notch below the H2 but still fantastic. And yes you get some ambient noise from the mics being omnidirectional but I feel it adds to the sense of presence. The body does creak a little if you squeeze it while you're holding it but it's nowhere near as bad as the Zoom H2. It also has a tripod mount on the back of the unit instead of the bottom like the Zoom H2. Another thing is the DR-07 uses a wheel to control gain where on the Zoom H2 it was like a click button. The thing is if the gain was too high and you needed to adjust it you could hear the clicks during the interview. On the DR-07 it's quiet.

The thing about a lot of these recorders is that the really small ones are meant for notes and the built in mics aren't very good. The medium sized ones are often meant to record music they do great for recording interview but they aren't really meant to be handheld. And the huge ones are meant for broadcasting and usually require an external XLR mic. And the newest models seem to be great all rounders but most use MicroSD cards. It's like you just can't win.

 

[Lss]

For portable (handheld-size) recording I currently use the Olympus LS-11. The use case is mostly location/ambient audio for video and photo slideshows with some spoken commentary (also on location). It is important to me that the unit is small, since the main point is anyway doing still photography. The size and shape of the LS-11 makes it possible to stuff it in a jacket pocket or a bag, and the build quality allows you not worry about bumps on the road. For more demanding applications I use more "professional" units with external microphones. For this reason, I have yet to test the LS-11 with external mics. But the online reviews say it is very good with external mics, too.

The LS-11 provides excellent build, usability, sound quality, and battery life. It comes with a handy remote control, too, which is nice. I don't think there is anything clearly better at its price point, but you can make very different choices based on personal preference/requirements. When buying the LS-11 I was also considering the Sony PCM-M10, but I finally decided I like the usability and handling of the Olympus better. If you have no chance of handling and testing the different models before purchase, at least try to list the most important features you need and compare those.

Take battery life as an example. There are actually huge differences across pretty comparable products. The Olympus LS-11 is very good (close to 20 hours in my experience), but not the best. Want even better battery life than LS-11? Go with Sony PCM-M10, which doubles the battery life of the Olympus unit. The difference is probably ten-fold between the worst comparable models (in terms of battery life) and the PCM-M10. But does it matter?

Here are a couple of links about LS-10 (earlier version of LS-11) and PCM-M10: a comparison and an update.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

I like using my own mics and need phantom power and I've found the Zoom H4n works awesome. When using onboard mics of the unit there is some operational noise even though they are pretty well damped and the body is a rubbery material which seems to reduce noise but if I want really clean audio, I pop in one of my XLR mics and everything is fantastic.
I wanted a Marantz PMD-660 but the extra $200 just wasn't available at the time. So far the Zoom has been awesome. My only issue is that I wish they supplied it with a belt clip instead of the awful crappy plastic camera shoe mount.

Phil Forrest

 

[Teuthida]

Another vote for the H4n Zoom. My wife is a documentarian who uses the Zoom for her audio pieces.