Medium Format
Medium format refers to the size of your roll of film (or if you’re talking digital, it’s the size of the camera sensor). It really just means that you are shooting on a bigger piece of film than you do with a 35mm camera. The increased size of medium format film means a much larger negative. This will give you finer details and less grain.
Choosing your Right Medium Format Camera
Twin Lens Reflex (TLRS)
TLRs use two objective lens of the same focal length. The photographic objective lens is the one that is used to take the picture. The other lens, called the view lens, is connected to the viewfinder. Most TLRs are fixed focal length, and the more expensive models may incorporate a rudimentary room function. Most TLRs use a leaf shutter system, resulting in high speeds, quiet operation and low shutter vibration. There are also close-up, wide angle and telephoto adapters for TLRs.
Some popular TLRS cameras are: Yashica MAT-124G, Rolleiflex 2.8F, Minolta Autocord and Mamiya C330
Rangefinder
Rangefinder cameras are medium format cameras with a range finder. This negates the waistline, viewing that most TLRs carry. They are also much smaller than TLRs, and allow for easier point and shoot photographs. They tend to have limited focusing ranges, and do not have lenses larger than 180mm or 200mm. Rangefinders are quieter and easier to focus in dim light. They are mostly fixed lens models, but higher range models also provide for interchangeability.
Some popular rangefinder cameras are: Fujica G690, Mamiya 6/7, Bronica RF645, Norita 66 and Pentax 67
WhatsApp Only: +65-8223-7153
Photo . Video . New . Used . Automobile . Lifestyle . Security
Shotgun Condenser (Directional) On-Camera (TRS) Microphones
The directional microphone has a slender body that resembles a shotgun. Shotgun mics look like extra-long versions of small-diaphragm condenser microphones. They usually have supercardioid and hypercardioid audio pickup patterns. These enable them to record sounds coming from one direction while eliminating background noise. There are two types of condenser shotgun mics: boom and on-camera. A boom shotgun microphone attaches to a boom pole that extends its reach while an on-camera version mounts on a video camera. A quick way to differentiate between both types is their input connections. Boom models use XLR connection while on-camera units use the TRS jack.
Shotgun Condenser (Highly Directional) Boom (XLR) Microphones
Directional mono microphones, often called shotguns, have a single microphone element. The microphone element is normally placed at the back end of a barrel, which has cancellation vents on both sides. This gives the microphone a narrow pickup pattern that is called super-cardioid. The result is a microphone that is most sensitive to sound coming from the direction it is pointed, while being less sensitive to sounds from the sides and rear. This directional type pickup is preferable for most dialogue and voice over applications. For example, when recording dialogue, you want the sound pickup focused on your subject, and all extraneous sounds to be reduced. This will make your subject’s voice and your recording more intelligible. Mono microphones can also pick up sounds at a greater distance than stereo microphones, again because their pickup pattern is more focused and extraneous noise is reduced. A boom shotgun microphone attaches to a boom pole that extends its reach while an on-camera version mounts on a video camera. Boom models use XLR connection while on-camera units use the TRS jack.
Dual Capsule Shotgun On-Camera Vlogging Microphones
Dual capsule microphones are relatively new in the market and cater to a growing demand for Vlogging. Such microphones usually feature front and back directional cardioid pick up patterns which allows you to capture both sound from your subject and yourself talking. They are usually on camera shotgun microphones and have a switch to disable dual directional sound capture, turning it into a single directional shotgun mic. Examples are the Deity D4 Duo, Boya BY-MM1 Pro and Sairen T-Mic.
Conference Microphones
Used in a conference setting, such microphones are able to capture a wide angle pattern of sounds but only in one direction. This allows for the voices of sujects, usually seated next to each other facing the same direction, rather than facing each other, to be captured clearly.
Lavalier Microphones
Lavalier microphones are also called lapel mics. They are small and clip to your shirt, collar or tie. The great thing about lavalier mics is that they allow you to record hands-free. Once you have it positioned correctly, you won’t even have to think about the microphone. You can just focus on the content you are producing. Because they are small and unobtrusive, they are great for video as well and are commonly used with DSLR cameras and iPhones.
Lavalier mics are commonly used by sports anchors, news reporters, conference presenters, churches and more. They make a great option for podcasting on the go or creating YouTube videos as well. Lav mics come in both wired and wireless options, both having their pros and cons.
Wireless Microphones
Smartphone Microphones
Smartphone microphones differ from other microphones by their connectors to smartphone/tablet devices. They usually feature a TRRS jack or even an Apple lightning or USB Type C connector which allows you to plug them straight into your mobile devices, bypassing the need to an adapter. iPhone 7 onwards no longer feature built in TRRS headphone/mic jack and would require a lightning to TRRS adapter. Same for the more recent android phones which only have USB Type C ports. It should be noted that some of the USB microphones such as the Boya BY-PM700SP and Samson Satellite are USB microphones but also able to connect directly into lightning and USB Type C ports to use with mobile devices. Other microphones with XLR or TRS connectors are also possible to used with mobile devices using suitable adapters, such as the the Rode SC4, which adapters a TRS connector into a TRRS one.
Stereo Microphones
Stereo microphones have two microphone elements, and are designed to give you a wider, more immersive sound field than mono microphones. A wide pickup pattern is preferable for most live events and when shooting outdoors. For example, if you’re recording a band with a stereo microphone, the individual musicians will be positioned in your recording as they were on the stage. With a mono microphone, all the musicians would be centered in the sound field, as if they were all playing on stage in the same exact spot. Any type of outdoor video, from a city street to a beach setting, would be enhanced with a stereo microphone. The large sound field will replicate what is being seen and heard in the video where all directional clues would be lost with a mono microphone.
USB Microphones
What is a USB Microphone? In short it is the easiest way to make high quality recordings on your computer. A USB Mic means you don’t have to buy lots of equipment, and it is very easy to set up. USB Microphones are portable and cross platform so if you buy one you should be able to use it on your PC, Mac, iPad, and laptop with minimum fuss. It is the most cost effective option for getting a decent recording onto your computer, tablet or smartphone. It is literally a microphone which contains all the wiring necessary to simply connect to a USB port and start recording. And often a USB mic will also have a headphone out, so as well as recording, you can listen directly to the sound through headphones.
Microphone Deadcat Windshield
Dead cats. That’s quite the terminology to use when referring to a fluffy windscreen. However, it’s commonly accepted terminology in the audio and film industries. A dead cat is an effective microphone windscreen. Unlike most plain windscreens, dead cats feature fake “fur” to better reduce wind noise pickup in the microphone. These windscreens are frequently utilized in outdoor recordings. This is why many microphones we see outdoors are furry!
Let’s talk about the two common types of dead cats we’ll come across in our audio recording. These two types are generally referred to as “dead cat” and “dead kitten”. The dead cat is basically a furry sock that fits over a zeppelin windscreen. These removable fur windscreens provide an extra layer of wind noise reduction to the already effective blimp-style windscreen. The dead kitten is a smaller type of dead cat that slips right onto the microphone itself.
Dead kittens are also commonly referred to as windjammers. Windjammers are typically made of both synthetic fur and acoustic foam. The idea, of course, is to improve upon the typical foam windscreen by adding an extra layer of wind noise protection. You’ll often see windjammers on camera microphones rather than at the end of boom poles. Although not as effective at reducing wind noise as the zeppelin/dead cat combo, the windjammer does a great job at reducing wind noise (and certainly a better job than acoustic foam by itself).
