Attach an External Microphone to a Sony Camcorder
Like other manufacturers' camcorders, most of the consumer camcorders in the Sony line come with built-in microphones. These microphones can get the job done in many circumstances, but they do not provide the audio clarity or the ability to pick up sound from a distance that you get with an external microphone. Some of Sony's professional camcorders do not have built-in mics and need an external microphone to record audio. The consumer and professional camcorders use two different types of microphone.
Instructions
1. Locate the microphone mount on your Sony camcorder. While most consumer camcorders do not provide a microphone mount, Sony pro-level camcorders do generally have a built-in mount that appears at the top of the unit. This mount is usually a circle-shaped piece of plastic with screws holding the sides together.
2. Attach the microphone to the camcorder using the microphone mount. Open the mount by unscrewing the screws holding the edges of the mount together with a small screwdriver. Once the screws are loose, slide the bottom of the microphone into the mount, so that the part of the microphone that you speak into faces the front of the camera. Tighten the screws until the microphone is snug in the mount.
3. Plug the microphone into the camera. External microphone inputs provided on Sony consumer level camcorders are usually minijack inputs, which can accept only consumer-level microphones with minijack plugs. Pro-level Sony camcorders generally require an XLR microphone cord that plugs into the bottom of the microphone and then into one of the XLR ports provided on the side of the camcorder.
Tags: microphone mount, Attach External, Attach External Microphone, bottom microphone, camcorders generally, consumer camcorders
