Getting an affordable "rig" for m4/3 for the videography attracted lot

[GerrySiegel]

<p>You will see lots of ads for rigs to do semi professional video with a Lumix hybrid or other high spec micro four thirds AVCHD / MPEG camera. Video results, in high definition are really beautiful as you know, people are learning that fast.<br>

We here in the U.S. can shoot the whole bar mitzvah start to finish and the whole wedding and reception on one SD card. Nice so far. But if you want to get fancy, no need to spend a grand for a "rig" with matte boxes and fancy microphones unless you are making big bucks for that assembly. <br>

Sound from the GH2 is surprisingly good by itself. But it is nice to have an add on off camera microphone that allows all kinds of effects and, this is important, a backup track apart from the camera, or the ability to take XLR mics ( if you don't know XLR don't worry). I found that TASCAM DR 40 stereo recorder, on sale, for 120 bucks will do all kinds of tracks and special effects and a safety track. And you can use it to feed the sound to the cameram too! Want to plug it into the camera and avoid a shotgun mic in the hot shoe? No problem. Get a 35 buck SESCOM brand cable with a headphone feed and a 2.5 mm plug to the camera. ( GH2 uses the teeny 2.5mm, saves space I guess) For monitoring and to look perfeshunal :-) I am using my fifty five dollar foldup Sennheiser headset. <br>

Holding the "beast" you ask? Well it is an old oldie Sunpak flash bracket, with a cheap adapter. Oh yes, I still like to rest it on a table so I am using the same platform in the Sunpak 1/4-20 socket. Sunpak doesn't make this anymore but I see lots of them on eBay for peanuts. Waist level handheld shooting is definitely doable with this rig. Or go for a fluid head,your choice....<br>

Notice that an articulating LCD screen,-gotta love them, even in outdoors light at waist level can be a good enough monitor for occasional video. (For a pro level monitor we would be over budget on that one item)<br>

And the 'cheapo' headphones allow adjusting the gain on the TASCAM. ( Latter is handy for meetings and stuff so a good item to have.)<br>

I will not get into "dead cats" windscreens unless you insist, but they are cheap enough too. Hope this feeds someone's experimental impulse. Aloha, gs</p>

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[GerrySiegel]

<p>One addition to my posting. The recorder looks really huge compared to the camera, but it needs space for all the buttons and bows and display. It weights just <em>7.8 ounces</em> with two AA batteries. </p>

[bruce_rubenstein]

<p>Kirk Tucks rig demonstrates why having built in mic and headphone jacks makes for a much neater package.<br>

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QmAJV8NmP7g/Ua-IAB3uP7I/AAAAAAAAMcY/koO_29pupXI/s1600/SAM_0309.jpg</p>

[h._p.]

<p>Of the two, I think Gerry's rig looks like more fun. I'll bet it's a <em>lot</em> cheaper as well.</p>

<p>:-)))</p>

[GerrySiegel]

<p>More on this rig. One might wonder why a few pieces of wire even with two mini and micro stereo plug ins fetches 35 dolllars. It contains, spliced in to the cable, a gizmo they call a 25 db L Pad. Which I can't accurately describe,- and could care less to look up- ( its a little solid state device, resistor maybe, OK? ) but I know it reduces the sound level from the external source to a manageable one, volume or impedance or something, for the Lumix audio recording. And, I presume, for other hybrid models of this ilk.<br>

It is a real shortsight and dissapointment, btw, for Panasonic to omit an external microphone plug on their new upcoming GX-7. Someone probably decided it might outcompete the GH 3 perhaps. But that hardly seems right either,it has so much of the latest technology and video capability... Sound is nothing to sniff at....Puzzlement. Meanwhile, the GH 2 serves well for what it cost then and now.</p>