|
Customer Reviews: Average Rating:  Rating :  - Simple, Great; Best for the Sony!
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2OLQ5E0VQ0WQ2 We just purchased this wireless bluetooth microphone. I give it five stars because there's nothing better - either in the Sony line, or from other companies - that keeps wireless audio gathering simple for this product line. We need simplicity for our news-gathering because we have to shoot both video and still images. If we were only video journalists, it would be a no-brainer to use gear that is more designed for commercial/spot news gathering. But the ECMHW1 offers a very simple set-up: mount the receiver, place the transmitter unit on or near the subject, and turn the camera and both wireless sets on. When the blue light glows steady on both units, the audio can be gathered. The camcorder already uses built-in auto audio levels.
For field tests, I tried a number of different placements, from using the lanyard, to clipping the transmitter on my belt, as well as using the strap that wraps around the upper arm. The lanyard works best, but you can also place the transmitter on a table or in an inconspicuous area near the subject (for sit-down talks). One test, with the camera recording 30 feet away, caught 3 people in the conversation quite well, and the third person didn't even know he was being recorded.
We started in our own work area, which consists of two rather narrow rooms. As for distance, I could record audio clearly within line-of-sight at 40 feet distance; taking the camera from view by walking to the hallway (a doorway was the only way to see him in the other room), the signal started breaking up about 15 feet after losing sight when I turned down the hall.
Outside, the subject walked away as I recorded video with sound. We took the setup outside our building, which sits 100 yards from an elevated highway; the white noise (that sound of traffic rolling) bounces right off our building. But when the subject placed the transmitter around his neck, the recording sounded quite good, considering how loud the ambient noise levels were. Audio began breaking up about 100 feet away, and started going in and out. However, he walked a good 140-150 feet and turned towards me, and I could clearly record sound. This product simply works, no matter how much I tend to hate proprietary gear, like Sony's AIS (Active Interface Shoe), which makes it hard to use things like mounted video lights. However, this unit is great, because the receiver also sports a headset miniplug. People with some of the non-HD camcorders that were built without mic and headphone jacks can now have a camera where you can monitor your sound now.
The receiver also has 3 kewl settings: Off, on, and 5.1 stereo. Turning it off, your camcorder only captures sound from its built-in mic. Turn the units on, and the wireless mic is captured, while no sound gets recorded from the camera's microphone. But turn it on 5.1, and both camera and wireless mics work. That can help if you're shooting 2 people. You keep your camera close to the subject you're shooting, and let a second person wear the transmitter, and you have sound from 2 people. Great for covering spouses or kids.
Things that Sony can IMPROVE on?? Of course. First, I'd like to see the transmitter colored in the same charcoal hue as the receiver is. That bright silver can shout at you when you're recording somebody with it on. My workaround is two-fold: First, frame the subject to crop that transmitter out. Or, set it near your subject. If it doesn't work, well... I see microphones shoved beneath people all the time, so that little wireless mic won't bother me too much. I will try using black tape to cover the silver, which may slightly limit the transmission range. The other thing Sony SHOULD do? Design the next-gen transmitter to have an optional miniplug jack to use a lavalier mic. That way, you can place the transmitter on the belt and run that small mic right to your subject's collar. I hope all that info helps. Hopefully I can add some images as well. If I can, I'll try adding a video clip of the sound levels and situation. Meanwhile, I've recommended that we equip all of our shooters with this wireless microphone set for the Sony Handycams. + See Full Customer Review |  |
