Best quality small mic for outdoor surveillance camera?

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scorpionleather

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I am setting up a Panasonic BB-HCM735 network camera in front of my house. I would like to pick up background conversations and nature sounds. There is a small hole in a metal pole where I can mount a mic inside and keep it up high off the ground and still keep it weather protected. I would like to use a high quality mic but I am confused because most of the premium mics seem to require power, either batteries or phantom power. The camera has a 3.5mm input jack. The Panasonic instruction says to use mic level, not line level. I think the Olympus ME-15 lavalier mic would work, but looking for something of higher quality. The Sennheiser ME-2 lavalier mic is interesting but I am not sure if that only works when paired with the Sennheiser wireless system, or in all devices. Or would a shotgun mic offer superior sounds pickup in the distance? If I install a larger shotgun mic then it should be somewhat weather resistant and not require external power. hmm
 
sticking the mic in the pole is going to be problematic in any case

shotgun mics are extremely directional with significant off axis rejection, means that arc of what you cover will be limited (and yes you'd have to address weather protection)

my guess is that what you are looking for is relatively specialized and better addressed in surveillance forums then home recording

if I were going to explore this option I might well pursue a wireless solution and combination of a Laveliere and PZM (boundary) mic(s)

but protection from weather and concealment remain significant variables
 
oretez said:
if I were going to explore this option I might well pursue a wireless solution and combination of a Laveliere and PZM (boundary) mic(s)
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Would the Sennheiser ME-2 work with devices such as this camera? Because the product description says it is specifically for the evolution wireless transmitters. But someone else wrote in a product review that they are using the ME-2 for a Canon camcorder, so I am confused. It seems to have the right 3.5mm plug and (I am not sure) doesn't need phantom power, and the quality seems good. The mounting pole has a 1/2 inch round hole where I can stick a laveliere mic inside, a tiny bit recessed to protect it from the weather. The Panasonic camera will be mounted close to the mic so there will be only 2 feet between the camera and the mic so I guess that is ok for unbalanced. The camera mic connector provides 3.3v for powering the mic.
 
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U 47, SM7, RE 20? Oops, pardon the model number spew.

Oh...small mic...how 'bout a $0.69 Panasonic WM60 et al? Or one of its built up brothers from Behringer, CAD, Nady or Naint?
 
mshilarious said:
Nah, he's looking for a plug-in power mic.
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Actually I'd like to avoid having to use a separate power source. I found that the Panasonic camera will output 3.3v for the mic. Some people say that the Sennheiser ME-2 requires 5v from the mic plug, and others say that the ME-2 will work perfect at 3v or less. So the cam should be able to handle it. I am wondering if the ME-2 would provide a noticeable difference in quality vs. one of those 59 cent non-power mics.
 
scorpionleather said:
Actually I'd like to avoid having to use a separate power source.
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No, "plug-in power" is a connection standard (not very standard though), your camera provides power on both tip and ring for a stereo mic (tip=left, ring=right). Senn's connection is a bit different; I believe it's tip=mic (with power) and ring=line (no power). So I think you'd only have one channel audio into your mic (which you only have with one mic anyway, but it's nice to have mono in both channels). You could mod the wiring to fix that.

If you are putting the mic inside of a pole, you'd have to use an omni mic (like that Senn), and you'd have to put it right up against the hole. I think you are probably overestimating how weatherproof that system would be. The best solution would be a truly weather-resistant mic like the Senn MKH series, but those are really expensive. Other options would be to DIY with a waterproof capsule (~$40 or so), or use a small (say 2-3") outdoor speaker, which would sound approximately like a McDonald's drive-through.
 
Plus all of the outdoor woes to start with. Metal pole in direct sunlight 12+ hours a day. Salty air if you live near the ocean. Wind. Rain. Lightning. So basically think cheap, not high end. There's also the morning dew point thing, so even if you live in a desert where it never rains, you'll still have the humid air condensing on the mic in the mornings. Not the best long term for pretty much any mic.
 
Good tips. So I ordered the Olympus ME-15 lapelier omni mic and a tiny foam windscreen. This is $20 (compared to $130 for the Senn) and it gets excellent reviews for audio quality. If it blows up in the weather I can replace it cheap enough. After reading so many reviews I wonder if there is much difference between the Olympus and and Senn mic. What is a waterproof capsule and wouldn't that muffle the sound? Most likely that's when it would stop working, when it gets wet when there's a big rain storm that drives the rain sideways into the hole.
 
scorpionleather said:
Good tips. So I ordered the Olympus ME-15 lapelier omni mic and a tiny foam windscreen. This is $20 (compared to $130 for the Senn) and it gets excellent reviews for audio quality. If it blows up in the weather I can replace it cheap enough. After reading so many reviews I wonder if there is much difference between the Olympus and and Senn mic. What is a waterproof capsule and wouldn't that muffle the sound? Most likely that's when it would stop working, when it gets wet when there's a big rain storm that drives the rain sideways into the hole.
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When I do sound for theater work all of my wireless transmitters get a condom on them and if there is to be water on the stage the tiny microphones get mini condoms on the as well.....you can still have the mic working just fine with this covering on them.





:cool:
 
moresound said:
When I do sound for theater work all of my wireless transmitters get a condom on them and if there is to be water on the stage the tiny microphones get mini condoms on the as well.....you can still have the mic working just fine with this covering on them.
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It does work, and probably well enough for theater, but it will produce a response not unlike capsules designed as waterproof in the first place: little response above 6kHz or so.
 
mshilarious said:
It does work, and probably well enough for theater, but it will produce a response not unlike capsules designed as waterproof in the first place: little response above 6kHz or so.
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Thus is so true. There has been great strides made now when it comes to outdoor waterproof/weatherproof microphones --and speaker cabinets for that matter.





:cool:
 
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