Topic: Panasonic HDC-HS700K and Microphones

[jabomano]

Hi
 
I'm a brand new member only a few seconds old and have a question about microphones.
 
I have a Panasonic HDC HS700 video camera with a 240 gig hard drive arriving tomorrow and it has a hot shoe for an external microphone which I want to utilize. I'd like a good stereo mike like the Crown SASS-P MK II HC but Crown has discontinued that model.
 
 Any suggestions would be appreciated.

This will be for nature videos and I'm eventually going to graduate to nature soundscapes (no video) and will need help in choosing equipment for that venture also.
 
Thanks.
 
Ray Bayer
http://www.pbase.com/jabomano

[guysonic]

I generally like Panasonic for quality of video AND audio.   

Your new camera seems awesome, but could NOT find an owners manual online to see what's featured for audio controls.  One shortcoming is too narrow a view at widest setting requiring for close work a wide lens adapter. 

For me knowing a bit too little about this model, but having some experience with Panasonic cameras, suggest only what I would do for audio if this camera is similar to other models of their line.   

So for me, I'd attach and external stereo-surround microphone via the external mic minijack for best chance of having audio as awesome as the video.   

My choice of mic is my own headworn/baffled type (way better and more consistant sound than SASS and most any other types for surround) and a discussion of camera audio options specifically with panasonic cameras is found on my site page: www.sonicstudios.com/videomic.htm 

Examples of using these types of mics for camera audio found on my most recent GuySonicStudios YouTube videos at: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=guysonicstudios&search_type=

I have mic models specifically for capturing natural wildlife sounds (same mics used on many Nature series and National Geo broadcast documentaries) with sample audio recordings found on site page: www.sonicstudios.com/mp3.htm

[jabomano]

Thanks for the info and the site. You have a huge amount of info available. I'm just starting out and it seems that even the starting price of the microphones is out of my beginning price range.

Thanks again.

Ray