How to Make a Microphone Work on a Camcorder

Using a microphone as an attachment with a camcorder has several advantages. An external microphone will generally provide better sound quality; the ability to adjust how near or far the microphone is to the subject provides several options; and internal microphones usually pick up the sounds from the camcorder whereas an external mic will cut down on such sounds.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Microphone Camcorder with microphone input

1. Determine what type of microphone is best. Different mics are good for different situations. Plus, the microphone you choose depends on the type of input on the camcorder. Low-end cameras usually have stereo jacks while high-end cameras have XLR jacks.

2. Put batteries into the microphone. Check which type of batteries the mic needs and place them into the correct compartment.

3. Connect the microphone to the input on the camcorder. Once the microphone is connected, the internal microphone is automatically turned off.

4. If using the XLR input, go into the camcorder's audio settings after connecting it. Then, turn the "XLR Input" to "On."

5. Switch the "XLR Mic" switch to Channel 1 or 2, depending on the terminal to which the mic has been attached.

6. Go to the "Line/Mic" switch and push it to "Mic." Then, change the channel to 1 or 2.