DSLR Audio Recording
There are two problems with on board audio recording for DSLR film makers. The first is the horrible gain control, and the second is horrible quality on board microphones. Aside from waiting for Canon to realize we hate AGC (and in the meantime using some hackneyed workarounds) , we still have some control over our microphones. Most good DSLR cameras capable of video have an onboard mic input socket, so you can upgrade the audio without spending a ton of extra cash.
As I mentioned above, the best way to record audio is with a dual system. Sadly, many locations and budgets don’t allow for a boom pole, lav mic or even a Zoom audio recorder. Plus, for a lot of projects many videographers don’t want to take the time and effort to match up their audio and video. Unless you’re playing your work in a theater you should do just fine to use audio captured by your camera. You can make a big difference in quality with the addition of a better quality microphone.
The Hahnel Mk100
The Mk100 looks great. It’s much smaller than other microphones with similar specs in the same price range. I’ve used uni-directional microphones before. They make a big difference. The Mk100 uses a “Super Cardioid” microphone pattern ideal for voice while rejecting sounds from other sources.
It’s fitted with a 14mm electret condenser capsule to capture high quality audio from 100 – 20,000 Hz. Mount the Mk100 right on your camera’s accessory shoe (standard 3/8″ thread size).
The Mk100 is a really good mic for a really decent price. It runs off standard AA batteries so you don’t have to lug around a charger or buy special hearing aide dime cell batteries like some other units require. There are power and low battery indicator lights so you can accurately gauge when it’s time to replace your batteries. There is a dial-type switch to indicate ON/OFF position or to enable low cut sound filtering.
On board there is amplification so you can adjust the sound sensitivity for longer or shorter distances (-10dB / 0dB /+20dB accordingly.) Sure you can make those adjustments in post, but what you don’t have to edit later will surely save you time, it’s ALWAYS better to have good original footage rather than to try and fix it in post.
To help with sound quality and reduce noise there is a rubber shock mount system to reduce bounce and mechanical noise. There is a foam sock to reduce wind noise, and the Mk100 also features a low cut filter to help with the same (right on the dial).
Performance
This microphone looks great and the specs are nice looking, but how does it actually perform? Tested at close range (about 2-3 feet) and mid range (4-8 feet) this microphone performed swimmingly. I did notice a bit of handling noise when I wasn’t using the microphone with a tripod mounted camera. The shock mount system seems pretty tight with the wind sock on you don’t get the full effect of a suspension shock system in such a small package.
I also still had to deal with the awful auto gain control on my Canon T2i, so if you think this is a solution to AGC then think again. Some users have reported a “hiss” and I wonder if they’re not just experiencing issues with AGC.
The Final Verdict
For a still mount shot, this microphone performs very well. Don’t buy this thinking it is a silver bullet to DSLR audio, but it is a strong tool in a small package that I will use for many future projects. I’d definitely recommend the Hahnel Mk100 for the DSLR videographer looking to increase audio quality without going to a dual system.