lipstick cam setups

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Matt Box

Matt Box

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Ok so any thoughts on this, what are the best ways to get audio with a lipstick cam? Which setups do you guys use? I know the sony 999 is one of the standards but what deck do you rec on? Any suggestions on smaller sized units sans the ccu box and ertra batts that can still get audio? I have used cheaper lipstick cams direct into the sony mini dv palm deck but audio was the problem. Any info is appreciated.
 
It depends what you are micing. If it's a ride along in a car, we hook everybody up with wireless units. The sound guy either hides in the back or puts the mixer out of sight and lets auto gain on the decks do the job. Generally we record on "clamshell" miniDV decks.

The reasons for using lipstick cameras are so varied. You'd have to be much more specific. The audio requirements run the gamut and you can only do what the equipment you have (or have the money to rent) will allow you to do.

Most people I know (Ken) own or rent the Toshiba 3CCD cameras. The single CCD units tend not to look as good.

There are also many siutations where you can replace a lipstick camera with a MiniDV, PD150 set-up such as car mounts and home situations that don't involve surreptitious recording; people know they're on and they start the camera rolling. In those circumstances the camera mics on "auto" will do a relatively good job.
 
Just recently, prior to the Olympics, we shot Olympic Cyclists using the Sony 999 on a boom pole. The deck we used was the Sony DSR-V10 (clamshell) For Audio, my sound recordist had a lav on the subject, and fed the audio directly into the deck.
 
Thanks to all for the info above, I will take note for the future. One more, What's the smallest setup with sound, lets say you wanted to put it a backpack or fanny pack and the person was on a bike or something? I tried a 999 once but the ccu box along with a palm deck and mixer would be a bit much to ask someone to carry. I guess I could just buy a very small minidv cam unless there are other options.
 
yeah the sony gv-1000 mini dv deck has a canon mic/video input. It can take anything you can plug into a phono conector. Problem is it cant handle a pro mic plugged in direct, it need a mixer to boost the level, thus adding to the bulk. Anyone know any workarounds? Im also still interested in any good lipstick cams that dont need a ccu box and could plug direct into a unit like the gv-1000.
 
Sony used to sell a lipstick cam which had sterio michrophones built in. (CVX V3 P=PAL)
http://www.adorama.com/SOCVXV3.html

This unit had the capability to lock on to the clamshell recorder (DSR V10)so it's a small self contained unit. Alternatively you can attach a battery to the unit which will run the camera for some eight hours!
The performance far exceeds the very old 999 by a proverbial country mile. The auto white & auto exposure were quite remarkable in it's performance.
When you flick this unit on to wide angle it's damn wide.

As the fitting which connects to the clam shell also has RCA connectors you can take the video out which I have fed in to a BVW50 VTR with surprisingly good results. Alternatively Using the 50 as an audio mixer excellent audio can be attained.

This may be the answer your looking for Matt Box using the clam shell VTR is a back pack size unit which is self contained, just don't drop it :)
 
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