So this year it finally happened, diaries came together after two years of other events and dates clashing for both Paul Reed Smith and Lee “The Captain” Anderton.
Paul Reed Smith makes some of the finest guitars money can buy, some are eye wateringly expensive and some are more fitting to the everyday pocket! Whatever your own budget is, you can be sure of getting a guitar that meets exacting manufacturing standards.
Personally I would buy the following: 277 semi hollow baritone, 277 solid body baritone (both are from the SE range), an S2 double cutaway in vintage cherry and a 594 Single cutaway in blood orange.. There are others of course but would be delighted to own these for now..
Paul has a very entertaining way of arguing the age old thing that woods make a difference. anyone who has worked with or does work with wood everyday will know the differences in the way it can be worked and the acoustic properties. Hard wood resonates with a greater musical note than soft woods. Fact.
The passion and humour Paul has is infectious. If you can get to one of his talks do as t will be one of the best evenings you can have. But for now here is the talk. It was not meant to be the full show, but problems with editing means it is straight out of the camera…. It is in 4K though!!
The other video is showing the fine guitars on display that evening.
Sony changed the consumer video market with the launch of the FDR-AX100 4K UHD camcorder at CES in 2014. This camera was capable of shooting 25/30 frames a second with a data rate of 60MBPS and pros and consumers were bowled over by the detailed images that were also very sharp. The AX100 was a fair size though and gave lots of manual controls to the user. In 2015 at CES Sony launched the AX33 a smaller consumer camcorder that gave data rates of 100MBPS while shooting 4K, this lacked the manual buttons but gained the much sought after Balanced Optical Steadyshot image stabilisation (BOSS). Then in 2016 an improved sensor gave larger pixels and a true 16:9 ratio.
So the FDR-AX53 has better dynamic range, better low light and has balanced optical steadyshot or BOSS as it is known.
The front of the camera has a multifunction ring, which can be used to control the settings while shooting in manual mode, so you can control, zoom, focus, exposure, iris, shutter speed, AE shift and white balance shift. The Zeiss lens has 20x optical zoom which goes to 30x with Clear Image Zoom in 4K and 40x Clear Image Zoom in HD. A 5.1 surround microphone sits next to the ring on top of the camera and below the lens on the right hand side is the headphone socket, which is next to the infra red light/receiver (you can buy a Sony remote separately). The hand strap no longer has the USB cable attached to it and instead a separate cable is supplied.
This was shot at 100fps and slowed to 25fps.
The accessory shoe is now a much better standard shoe shape and size with a longer slot to allow the use of microphones by third parties such as Rode. Also on top are the zoom rocker and the photo button. At the rear on the right side is the socket for that USB cable and the microphone socket which has a sliding cover. The hand grip is not a soft rubber affair and this is also where you can pair up your smart phone to use as a remote.
Don’t forget to change the quality settings in the lower right hand corner of each clip.
Inside the 3 inch screen is a small cluster of buttons for power, my voice cancellation (cancels the camera operator’s voice by making mics forward centric) this is not as effective as a directional microphone would be like the Rode VideoMicro (which I use) the SDXC card slots sits under a sliding flap there is a small LED light that flickers when the camera is recording (there is also a lamp at the front of the camera so everyone knows you are recording and this can be turned off in the setup menu). The IR lamp on/off button is also here along with the mini HDMI socket. On the back of the camera is the battery slot for the NP-FV series battery and the record start/stop button. The mains socket for the charger sits below. A pull out and tilt EVF sits above the battery.
In use the camera is chunky but fits the hands very nicely and has a nice amount of weight to it without being too heavy.
Other than the often mentioned 4K shooting, you can also do slow motion video at full 1920×1080 HD resolution. You need to go into the quality menu then change XAVCS 4K to XAVCS HD, then go to the shooting menu and select High Speed Rec. the camera will now shoot images at 100fps then you can slow this to 25fps (uk) US frames rates are 120fps slowed to 30fps.
The camera has an Intelligent Auto Mode, where everything is done automatically by the camera and exposure will change with the conditions, it should be noted that macro shooting can be much closer to the front element of the lens in this mode over any other.
In low light this camera performs very nicely and in the menu you can select how much gain is used in the AGC setting. This goes from zero to twenty four dB and honestly It seems to me you can use the entire range with only minimal noise creeping in.
What is supplied in the box?
1x mini HDMI to full size HDMI cable.
1x Sony USB to full size USB cable.
1x regional mains cable (depending on where you live this will be for your countries socket).
1x AC to DC converter which connects the camera to the mains cable.
1x NP-FV70 1960 Mah battery which should give a couple of hours recording.
You will need to purchase a suitable SDXC card to use with the camera and I bought Lexar 150MB/S 1000x cards at 256GB and 128GB. According to the screen I should get 5hrs and 30mins from the 256GB card.
I also bought a Hoya Pro 1 Circular Polariser and Pro 1 NDx8 ND filter. Bother are more useful than a UV filter which in effect will not protect your lens or make it easier to clean. UV filters also are worse for your image quality and I recommend you do not use one ever as they also increase the risk of ghosting and flare. What does a polariser do? Well it will increase your contrast and when correctly rotated it will help give rich blue skies and white fluffy clouds will look good. It will also increase or decrease reflections depending on what you need to do. An ND filter is more basic but will reduce light depending on the rating of the filter an ND8 reduces light by 3 stops.
Thank you for reading and watching my clips, if you have any comments or feel like subscribing to my blog or Youtube channel please do.
It is always worth having more than one tripod if you are a photographer or videographer, different sizes, different heads, different tasks and different materials. This is even more important if you travel internationally as a pro or keen amateur as bulky full size tripods add to your bulging camera bag and clothing weight.
The best option therefore is to have a light but sturdy travel tripod. Vanguard recently sent me the amazing Veo 265CB carbon fibre travel tripod, this five section tripod is able to support 8Kg or 17.6lbs! and measures from folded 390mm 15 3/8in to 1500mm or 59 inches. The carbon fibre is off set nicely with orange branding and a rubber grip adorns one leg for comfortable ergonomics.
It weighs just 1.5kg or 3.1lbs so easy to transport in the nicely made bag that is supplied. The centre column folds down to dangle between the legs on an ingenious and quick to use mechanism. Being a five section leg means a full working height or low to the ground is a doddle and small to carry on flights and fit into a backpack.
Supplied in the box:
1x instructions
1x allen key
1x centre column adapter to replace the length of tube. (now able to get down to the height of a dandelion)
1x carrying bag.
I am mostly shooting video with this tripod, but it is aimed at stills. The ball head is just the right size and the Arca Swiss QR plate makes for a versatile and universal plate if you have other arca swiss equipped tripods and a rotating knob tightens the plate in a set of vice like jaws. The ball head feature adjustment for pan and tilt. A single spirit level is present.
The leg catches are easy to operate with the thumb and are the flip open/close type and not the annoying rotating griplock style.
Also very handily included are the option for rubber feet or spiked feet depending on the surface you are working on. I have been out hiking and working with clients in alsorts of situations and this has been perfect for that everytime, whether it is me shooting myself for Youtube.com/user/soundsandimages or wildlife and flower and timelapses.
This tripod has proven itself to me a giant among small tripods that is a winner hands down.
With thanks to all at Vanguard for sending this tripod to me for review.
Who says you can’t get aural satisfaction from something just 3 inches (7.6cm) in length, well with the Rode VideoMicro you can! It is designed for vlogging and generally improving your audio quality over the frankly bloody awful onboard microphones. This highly directional microphone (surprisingly so) does a fantastic job of instantly improving the audio from your camera.
The microphone packaging is stylish and well thought out, the image on the front of the box shows you how it should be orientated in the lyre for use with the gold dot and Rode logo at the top and centred.
The microphone itself is made from machined aluminium (aluminum in the USA) so should stand up to years of use and being put in bags and travelled with.
what’s included:
A furry deadcat windjammer.
A Rycote Lyre suspension mount.
A red coiled 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable (an optional TRS to TRRRS cable is available for use with the Apple iPhone).
An instruction sheet.
2 year warranty (on Registration).
Optional accessories are:
3 metre extension cable the VC1 (which I have)
Rode tripod
On opening the box the deadcat looks like it has expanded into the packaging and trying to escape, but a bit of gentle stroking soon gets it looking as it should and the bad hair day is gone. Inside the opening there is a lip which locates into a grove machined into the microphone and a larger rear groove does exactly the same for the Rycote Lyre, to install the microphone turn it round and push the rear of the mic into the lyre until it locates fully then pull on the deadcat until likewise.
In use I find this well-made microphone to sound superb. It is a big improvement over the on-board microphones and for nature lovers and storm chasers this microphone may be your perfect video mic as it is very good at picking up birdsong and isolating it from other distracting sound like roads etc. I have shot videos in several different and sometimes testing situations like out of a steam train window at 20mph or birds singing and even heavy rain, please watch the videos to see for yourself how this microphone performs.
Rode VideoMicro in packaging.
Rode VideoMicro open box
Rode VideoMicro with Rycote Lyre and WS9 dead cat
Rode VideoMicro mounted in the Rycote Lyre with WS 9 installed.
Sony HDR-PJ620 with Rode VideoMicro
Sony HDR-PJ620 with Rode VideoMicro and WS9 dead cat removed.
Sony HDR-PJ620 with Rode VideoMicro and WS9 dead cat removed.
Sony FDR-PJ620 with ROde VideoMicro mounted.
It is certainly a sensitive microphone that could probably be used with a field recorder as a pair… I might have to try this at somepoint.. as the Rycote Lyre has a 3/8 thread for mounting on a boom pole and yes Rode has made a very nice carbon fibre boom pole for use with the VideoMicro. If you plan to have the VideoMicro to use with both a camcorder/DSLR and also use it with your mobile phone or tablet you may need the optional SC-7 cable which is TRS to TRRS for use with the iPhone or iPad.
VideoMicro Specifications.
Acoustic Principle Pressure Gradient
Active electronics JFET impedance converter
Capsule 0.50”
Polar Pattern Cardioid
Address Type End
Frequency Range 100Hz-20kHz
Maximum SPL 140dB SPL @ 1kHz, 1% THD into 1KOhm load
Sesitivity -33.0dB re 1volt/pascal (22.00mV @ 94 dB SPL)+/- 2dB @ 1kHz
Rode VideoMic Me.
Is the cousin of the VideoMicro and is designed for phone shooters like journalists for interviews etc, and a clever clamp pushes gently but firmly against the opposite side of the microphone and the same deadcat is included.
The Sony HDR-PJ620 is a full HD camcorder shooting video at 50Mbps, this ensures image quality and detail. The camera is lightweight and small enough to handhold at arm’s length. The construction is of course mostly plastic but the front has a metal ring surrounding the lens.
The camcorder records to XDSC micro SD cards upto 64GB in capacity. You will however need a U3 card to use the camera at XAVCS @50Mbps.
There is a proprietary shoe for mounting accessories like a light or more importantly an external microphone, don’t forget to budget for one as the built in microphones of almost every consumer camera are bloody awful! The PJ620 has a microphone input through a 3.5mm socket that supplies power so you can use a microphone that does not use a battery and therefore no need to worry about forgetting to turn it on (or off) or worrying about how much battery life you have left.
Sony FDR-PJ620 with ROde VideoMicro mounted.
Sony HDR-PJ620 with Rode VideoMicro and WS9 dead cat removed.
Sony HDR-PJ620 with Rode VideoMicro and WS9 dead cat removed.
Sony HDR-PJ620 with Rode VideoMicro
As a sound recordist, my first priority when buying a camcorder is having an external microphone input and that you can adjust the gain level manually. Also on the top at the rear of the camcorder you can find the zoom rocker and the still photo button, which is positioned right in the way of the zoom rocker…
The screen is a 3 inch flip out design that most will be familiar with however it also houses the projector so you can project your footage or footage from another device via the projector socket. On the inside of the screen door at the top is the projector focus control slider.
You can adjust your mic level by looking for the microphone settings in the menus.
The camera also has a rather excellent image stabilisation method called Balanced Optical Steadyshot or BOSS for short.
The lens is the Sony G lens and not the Zeiss glass found in some models but images are sharp and detailed while auto focus seems snappy. There is a filter thread for 46mm filters, I will never recommend using a UV filter, but I would recommend using a circular polariser and an ND filter for most other daylight shooting outdoors. ND filters are especially useful at controlling bright conditions.
Power is from the widely used NP-FV series of batteries so you will have no worries there. Power consumptions seems to be low so even with the tiny NP-FV50 (980mAh) (supplied) you can also purchase the NP-FV70 (1960mAh) and the NP-FV100 (3410 mAh) from a number of different places.
Charging is via the USB cable in the handle and this connects to the included mains socket charger, though there is also the Sony standard charging socket on the rear panel just below the record button.
Inputs are:
Mic in.
Projector in.
Sony multi in.
Out put sockets are:
HDMI (micro)
Also inside the screen door you will find:
Power button.
Playback button.
My voice cancellation button ( designed to remove the bias of sound coming from the camera operator at the rear).
Projector on/off.
SDXC card slot.
This camcorder is small and enough to be carried in a camera bag for a photographer that also wants some video of her/himself for their SEO video content or for vloggers etc alike.
SR3D binaural microphone They come in as a basic binaural tube, or basic dummy head, starting from £149, going to £249 with modified capsules for balanced inputs with phantom power.
The SR3D is a new product from Alan Bowness and is a special microphone indeed. Designed for recording sound as we hear it, i.e. above us, below us, behind us, left or right of us etc. while only using a stereo pair of microphone capsules. Most binaural microphone setups are mounted on headphones as this puts the microphone capsules where our ears would be with the sawdust in-between acting as a spacer.
The SR3D is a plastic square section tube with a silicone ear at each end. With a standard tripod thread underneath for mounting on a stand. Mine are fitted with XLR mic sockets.
If you are into field recording or ASMR role play these are the microphones for you as you can have them as close or as far away as your cables will allow. My test model has a slightly mismatched pair of microphone capsules, not too much of a problem for testing, but if I was doing sound for an installation, I would want them to be a matched pair.
Build quality is rather good, but also the unit is light weight and can be easily transported. In my time with the microphones, my biggest hurdle has been weather, so much wind and rain it has been difficult to get outside with them along with the fact the mild winter has meant the birds have been much quieter than they are normally on a frosty morning around a feeder.
I heard from its creator recently and found that further upgrades and modifications are being tried which should improve in many areas. Probably these will make it easier to produce and also improve the audio gain levels etc too.
I can see a larger market for microphones like this as it is cheaper than many of the current mass produced options, which can only improve things for amateur and professional sound recordists and sound artists alike.
A new website is being built and should be online soon. In the meantime you can enquire or purchase from Alan at:
Being a sound recordist of the natural world and photographer I sometimes have to work in the rain, so here is a look at the Jack Pyke hunters clothing. Which comes in four flavours:
English Woodland.
English Oak.
Wild Trees Grassland and as reviewed here Olive Green
The Light Leaf Concealment System (LLCS) Balaclava.
(Click on images for larger versions throughout this post)
I decided the LLCS system Balaclava would help with concealment and hope to add the suit to my kit next year which will give me a 3D leaf camouflage pattern that really blends you into the woodland. Non reflective synthetic leaves are securely fitted to a mesh material which should help regulate your body temperature.
From trying this balaclava on and seeing myself in the mirror the balaclava will certainly help me get even closer to wildlife than before. The only slight fault I find with it is the internal face flap, which is stitched to the upper edge of the face aperture but is not so easy to get comfy when down. This would benefit (I think) from taking the stitching wider by about 25mm than it is currently as it can be a little awkward to get it in a comfortable position that covers without gaps.
Finally, you can also buy a cap and gloves in both the English Woodland and English oak.
The Jacket.
The Jack Pyke Hunters Jacket is made from 100% Brushed Polyester Tricot which feels like fabric in a fuzzy peach kind of way. This is Jack Pyke’s stealth Breatha-Tex fabric which is waterproof but still allows sweat to evaporate away from the body. The interior is 100% Polyester with taffeta and mesh panelling. Two large front pockets have small flaps for putting shotgun cartridges in so they stay in a neat and orientated way. There are also two hand warmer pockets and one internal pocket, so no shortages there! However a little issue is with the interior pocket: While the main zip gets a fabric pull extender the smallest zip pull does not and this would be a help when you have large or cold fingers. The cuffs have a long hook and loop closure and the liner is set back so when you wear gloves they meet rather than overlap uncomfortably, this is a really nice touch! Another nice touch and excellent idea is the large pocket on the lower rear of the jacket that is either a game pocket or cleverly a waterproof seat.
The fit is great with a lean to the generous so movement is not restrictive. The camouflage versions are superb and will help you blend into your background with ease. With photo realistic impressions of ether predominantly green or brown woodland or for grassland work the grassland version would be a spot on choice.
A full length zip can also be undone part way from the bottom up to form a cape like garment.
The Trousers.
The Hunters Trousers are constructed in the same way as the jacket and feel the same to the touch. They are also waterproof and breathable. Outer shell :100% Polyester brushed tricot with laminated membrane. The lining is 100% Polyester mesh, pockets are generous in size and are plentiful – 2 upper pockets with weather flaps, 2 side pockets with flaps and press-stud fastening, 14” leg zip for easy removal Reinforced seat & knee while the waist is elasticated .
A word on sizing. I am 5FT 9Inches with and inside leg of 29 inches. However due to the slow expansion of my waistline means that at a 38 inch waist they are way too long at 32 inches.
The Medium trouser is still a little long (31 inches) and despite the waist being for 32-34 inches they fit me OK.
The lower legs have a zip from the knee to the ankle for access to your boots and a hook and loop adjuster to gather some slack up and synch against your boots of choice.
The earlier version of this trouser was a much heavier version with a thicker lining which looked fantastic in the blue/purple colouring and these would make a great winter companion….. How about it chaps?
Conclusion.
If you work outdoors getting wet and staying comfortable is a must. Staying silent is important whether you are a hunter, wildlife photographer or sound recordist and this suit should help you achieve all of these things. However at the time of writing I have yet to get wet. If I am out in the rain I wear an Australian bushman’s hat, this wide brim leather hat keeps rain or the sun off and keeps the hands free.
This is superbly made kit that should keep you comfortable all day long in the cold or the wet. It is as silent as you need it to be and feels great. Just don’t wear the balaclava to the supermarket or you will blend in like The Petshop Boys in summer! (Look up the blending in press coverage for Neil Tennant!)
Prices:
Jacket £67.00-75.00
Trousers £35.00- £57.00
As a suit from Ronnie Sunshines: £89.99
LLCS Balaclava: £12.99-16.99
Prices come from those with online and retail outlets.
The Rode NT55 is a pencil microphone with interchangeable capsules. The microphones are shipped with the cardioid pattern capsule fitted and the Omni capsule is in the box, all you need do is unscrew one and install the desired patterned capsule job done!
You can purchase either a single microphone or a matched pair for stereo recording.
Here is an unboxing video of all the items in this post.
When you open the box you are confronted with a substantial pelli case then when you have slid the locks to open every component is laid out with the microphone clips, the microphones, capsules warranty card ( a generous 10 years as with other Rode products) microphone cable to microphone spacer and the instruction booklet. Electronics are in polythene bags and with a silica gel bag to protect from moisture.
They have a low self noise @ 15dB-a Weighted, compared to the Rode M3 in my previous post @21dB-a weighted. While I know excellent results are possible from this superbly made microphone It is a budget microphone. It is also (compared with the NT55) a sizeable and weighty piece of metal and only available singularly and a matched pair may be more desirable.
I will be spending a lot of time in the field recording the natural world with these microphones. I will also be using these on a couple of projects that will go public during 2013-2014.
How The NT55s perform with traffic sound and high pass filter test.
The elegant matt aluminium finish is superb. With the Omni Pattern capsule the microphones are less prone to both handling noise and wind noise. The cardioid pattern picks up a lot more of both.
Rode NT55 Matched Pair on the Rycote Invision Stereo Mic Bar
Having small microphones does help reduce the overall weight to be carried to your location in the field and vinyl pouches are available as an option which may suit those slogging 5 or more miles to their preferred recording location.
The microphone has two switches on the body. The first is the high pass filter which cuts bass frequencies at 75 or 150Hz which should help take care of any rumble and unwanted bass. The other switch is for the pad at either -10 or -20dB.
The connection is the standard XLR and I have found in a one day test that I can push my recorder a little harder to achieve a better gain level which means less is needed to be done in post. These mics are great for overheads while recording a drum kit in a studio and in the field recording wildlife.
Here are the full specifications from Rode’s website.
Acoustic Principle
Pressure Gradient
Active Electronics
JFET impedance converter with bipolar output buffer
Capsule
0.50″
Polar Pattern
Address Type
End
Frequency Range
20Hz – 20kHz
Output Impedance
100Ω
Maximum SPL
136dB SPL (@ 1kHz, 1% THD into 1KΩ load)
Maximum Output Level
8.0dBu (@ 1kHz, 1% THD into 1KΩ load)
Sensitivity
-38.0dB re 1 Volt/Pascal (12.60mV @ 94 dB SPL) +/- 2 dB @ 1kHz
Equivalent Noise Level (A-weighted)
15dB-A
Power Options
Weight
110.00gm
Dimensions
145.00mmH x 20.00mmW x 20.00mmD
Output
Conclusions.
At £460.00 approx. These offer a great value pair of microphones that are capable of excellent result either in a recording studio or in the field. The sound is well balanced and not harsh and bright, bass, mids and treble are just about right, though of course your own use may well have different results. The NT55 is a very capable microphone for those in the studio or those in the field. Just add suitable wind protection and sonic bliss will ensue!
Rycote Invision Microphone bar and shockmounts.
Rycote Baby Ball Gag.
Wind protection is a must while working in the field and Rycote offer a comprehensive range for broadcast and the home DSLR or camcorder user. Let us not forget your audio is 80% of your production. Bad sound and great video and people will turn off… instantly. Poor video and great sound and people will keep watching.
Baby Ball Gag being fitted to NT55
Rycote offer blimps for shotgun mics (often seen on our TV screens during the news) and I own the Rode Blimp, but for a pair of microphones carrying these will mean a bulky though lightweight backpack.
Ingeniously Rycote make a short version that they call The Extended Ball Gag. Designed to fit the MKH8000 series and other small microphones. This will fully enclose the microphone and at the same time offer a shockmount.
Nt55s with Baby Ball Gags mounted on the invision Bar.
For the Rode NT55 the model number is: Modular windshield kit 2. Part number is 086003 which is suitable for microphones from 121 to 160mm in length and has a universal 19-25mm Lyre fitted.
I have the even smaller solution the Baby Ball Gag which gives al the protection of an enclosed wind shield but in a small package the slides over the microphone through a soft rubber grommet. The Baby ball Gag has a furry windjammer available to further cut wind noise. This has a longer fur than many and gives that extra safety net while working outdoors.
Recording gales in May with the Rode NT55 MP and Rycote Baby Ball Gags.