As content creators continue to slim down their setups, many have embraced Sony’s comprehensive suite of first-party accessories. This is especially true for microphones, as most of the brand’s current offerings take advantage of the Multi-Interface (MI) Shoe on top of contemporary Sony cameras for wireless communication with the camera body. That means no cables, no syncing in post, and no low battery headaches. Today, we’re looking at popular options for both on-camera shotgun mics and off-camera wireless clip-on lavalier mics, the two most common styles of microphone for filmmakers on the go.
On-Camera Shotgun Mics
These are the mics you attach directly on top of your camera to pick up audio from people or points of interest in the immediate area. They’re designed to capture rich, full audio, so long as the subject is within a few feet of the camera. The most popular options on the budget-friendly end are the ECM-GZ1M and ECM-G1 microphones from Sony.
The GZ1M is a monaural shotgun with a narrow pickup pattern designed to eliminate unwanted background and side noise. The mic includes a “Zoom” Mode that shrinks the pick-up angle as you zoom in on your camera. The ECM-G1 has a wider supercardioid pickup pattern that produces fuller sound while still rejecting unwanted background noise. It’s an ideal pattern if you have people speaking slightly to the right or left of the mic and still want to be able to hear them clearly.
The GZ1M is a great pick if you’re filming one person directly in front of your lens, while the G1 sports a smaller size and the ability to get great sound in a wider array of situations. Both mics are powered from the camera and feed the audio through the MI shoe for seamless syncing.
Moving up through more mid-tier price points, we have the incredibly popular Sony ECM-B10, as well as the highly regarded ECM-VG1 shotgun mic. Think of the ECM-B10 as a souped-up version of the G1. It’s almost as compact, while now giving users the choice of three different pickup patterns, plus manual audio levels, a noise-cut filter, and a low-cut filter. Even though it’s only three inches, the B10 packs in four mic capsules for a rich, dynamic sound.
The ECM-VG1 shotgun is the only shotgun mic we’re discussing that doesn’t communicate with the MI shoe, instead requiring phantom power and outputting via XLR. The mic is still an exceptionally common pairing with cameras like the FX3 and FX30 though, as its strong, clear sound can hold up in higher-end television and film workflows. Low-cut filters are again built-in, and the VG1’s elevated sensitivity can produce fantastic results even in noisy, difficult production environments. If you’re looking to stay slim, the ECM-B10 is a perfect choice, but for demanding video professionals, the sound out of the ECM-VG1 stands to impress.
The Sony ECM-M1 and Sony ECM-B1M sit at a slightly higher price bracket and are both incredibly powerful on-camera shotgun mics that take advantage of the MI shoe and pack amazing sound into portable packages. While the ECM-M1 comes in at only 2.8" long and 65g in weight, it still squeezes four diamond-patterned capsules capable of eight different pickup patterns. The mic’s superdirectional pickup can capture sound on all sides while also isolating different directions with an onboard dial control. A gain switch is built into the body, alongside controls for noise-cut and low-cut filters. If you need one mic that can do it all, the M1 is the ticket.
The ECM-B1M is a bit more directional, with eight high-performance mic capsules for an exceptionally clean, full sound. Use the dials on the back to choose between supercardioid, cardioid, and omnidirectional patterns, as well as your classic low-cut filters and 0 to 10 gain. This is a souped version of the ECM-B10, with a fuller sound crammed into a smaller unit. If you’re mainly shooting interviews and recording sources in front of the camera, the B10 is likely the shotgun mic for you, while the M1 excels in versatility.
Wireless Lavalier Mics
Content creators continue to innovate with a diverse array of shooting styles such as utilizing wide angle lenses on full frame cameras to capture more of their environment. But what happens when your subject moves more than a few feet from the camera and the onboard shotgun audio starts to drop out? That’s where wireless lavalier mics come in, clipping onto your subject and transmitting the audio back to a receiver unit connected to the camera. This gives the subject total freedom to move far away from the camera while ensuring you still get a clean recording.
An old standby for this type of setup is the Sony ECM-AW4, a Bluetooth-powered mic system that includes a tube-shaped transmitter and receiver. The transmitter can use a built-in microphone or any type of external mic with a 3.5mm audio output, while the receiver outputs via a 3.5mm mini-jack for use with nearly any camera or recorder. No MI shoe interface here, as the key is universal adaptability. A belt clip and arm band are included, as well as two sets of earphones so both sides can monitor audio and use talkback/intercom functionality. The Bluetooth connection gets you about 150’ of range, and you will need AAA batteries for the transmitter and receiver.
If you have a camera with an MI shoe, the Sony ECM-W2BT gives you a slimmed down setup for a comparable price. The W2BT also uses Bluetooth, but here the receiver works with the MI shoe for power and audio syncing. Like the AW4, the transmitter has a built-in omnidirectional microphone and a 3.5mm input in the event you want to use a different plug-in mic with it. The transmitter runs off an internal, rechargeable battery, and the receiver has a built-in battery of its own in case you’re using it without an MI shoe, as well as its own microphone if you want to record audio from the camera operator too. A built-in attenuator function helps with gain levels, and the Qualcomm aptX Low-Latency Bluetooth codec on the W2BT boosts the signal range to a reported 650’ with clear visibility. Unless you need talkback/intercom features, the ECM-W2BT is a great successor to the AW4.
At the higher end of wireless lavalier mics sits Sony’s popular W3 series, with the ECM-W3S giving you one transmitter and one receiver, while the ECM-W3 includes two transmitters sending audio to one receiver. Both setups utilize the MI shoe for powering and interfacing with the receiver, plus Bluetooth 5.3 low-energy LC3plus codecs for low latency and minimal power consumption. The real gems of these units are the MEMS microphones built into the transmitters. They capture full, clear audio with strong background noise rejection, and have attenuator switches to prevent clipping.
3.5mm inputs are included on the W3’s transmitters as well, in case you want to use external plug-in mics. The transmitters have built-in batteries that run six hours per charge, and both sets include charging cases. The W3’s transmitters can capture analog or digital audio signals, mix or separate their inputs if multiple transmitters are in use, and even have a safety track recording that can be turned on or off. What you’re paying for with this system is crystal clear audio, strong wireless connectivity, and a host of high-tech features for unpredictable shooting situations.
For more information about all these microphones, including additional features, specs, and highlights, be sure to check out their detailed product pages. Or drop us a line below, and we’ll do our best to answer all your comments and questions.
0 Comments