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Hi Guys
Just starting to get into foley and field recording for my University project. I've got a budget of around £500 and need some advice on which type of mics to purchase. Im essentially looking for microphones which will help me with recording foley and field recordings.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Alan.
If you're just starting out, I'd recommend a hypercardioid condenser first. Mid-range shotgun mics (and cheaper) will give poor results indoors unless you're specifically in an acoustically dead space, which limits their usability. A hyper will let you do dialogue, SFX, foley, and more without such limitations. I bought a shotgun before a hyper, and in hindsight I really should have done it the other way 'round.
The all-in-one field recorder option is also a fine approach for just starting out. The Zoom H4n and the Sony PCM-D50 are supremely versatile, and have important differences between the two, and you'll find most recordists have invested in one or both. There are yet-cheaper options (Zoom H1, Sony PCM-M10), but you'll trade off noise floor and features.
In my opinion, Rode has the best signal:noise ratio for the money on the market today, period. They're not the most transparent, or the most rugged, or the "best" (whatever that might mean to you), but they're a great value. The Oktavas are great for medium-to-loud sound sources, but have a pretty high level of self-noise for quiet foley. Know these limitations, shore them up with what you want to record in terms of subject matter, and make your choice accordingly.
If you go with buying mics, please don't forget that your budget must also include a pistol grip, shockmount, and windscreen, as well as any supports you might want like a boompole or stands. You can't record anything meaningful by holding a condenser mic by hand (unless it's an omni, and/or made by a firm like Earthworks). :-)
Ah, low budgets are tricky for getting decent setups!
I've been using an Oktava MK012 with a hypercardioid capsule for foley, and it's been good to me so far. Obviously not as good as a Neumann KMR 81, but similiar in its pickup characteristics. They come cheap, but make sure you don't buy a fake; here's a link with some pictures to help: http://recordinghacks.com/fake-oktava-mk-012-photos/ It's pretty sensitive to handling noise, so make sure you get a shockmount; and if you're recording outside with it, you'll need a pretty thick windscreen.
If you're wanting to do field recording, you may want a stereo mic as well. A flash recorder with a built in stereo pair like a Zoom H4N/H2, or the other leading brands, would help you out there. If you get one with XLR inputs, you can use that as your field recorder with other mics too (assuming you mean FX recording and not location recording).
Also, Rode do some pretty decent yet cheap shotguns: www.rodemic.com
Hope that helps!
Ah a fellow student :), it really depends on what you plan to record for your project.
My project involves recording cars which will require mics that can handle a high SPL. I'm getting dynamics (couple of SM57's and a bass drum mic), a few pencil mics that handle high SPL (small diaphragm condensers), a ribbon mic (also good at SPL) and a Sennheiser MKH-416 (shotgun mic) which is an industry standard mic for Foley work.
Obviously depending on your project some of my set up won't be appropriate. If you can explain your project a little more I'd be happy to assist.
Ade
+1 on the Rode mics when your budget is tight. For Foley work, the NT1-A is a bargain. If your in the UK you can pick one up for just over £150. For stereo field recording, the NT4 is a good place to start. Most people I know used this mic for stereo work and later upgraded to a more expensive, but more flexible MS rig. For mono shotguns, the Rode NTG-3 is also very competitive in terms of budget. Of course, there are better mics than the above mentioned, but your budget will rocket!
Sennheiser or Neuman is my choice.
