the mic is certainly better than the 'record absolutely everything' mic on the top of my Canon GL2, but there is still a lot of noise 'in the line' and the camera picks up the camera's motor noise even better than the onboard mic (didn't know that was possible). that being said, the audio you get is miles better, especially for recording interviews. It's small, unobtrusive and has two settings (wide and long) and is mostly good at targeting a subject in front of you.
the biggest problem seems to be with the mount, which is cheap and really helps the mic pick up the buzz, hum and other undesirable noise directly through the body of the mic. I tried using rubber bands to isolate it, but then I just returned the mic, not worth the grief if I have to 'MacGyver' it right out of the box. I'm going to get a proper a mic mount, and keep looking.
bottom line - if you have terrible noise from your onboard camcorder, this is a good deal. Sure, you can spend $1000 for a better Shure or Sennheiser, but if you just want some above average targeted audio, this can't be beat for the price. AZDEN ECZ-990 Super Cardioid Zoom Camcorder Microphone
I just bought this microphone today from a local video camera store, after testing a number of the other microphones that they had, including the "Canon Directional Stereo Mic (DM 50) for Camcorders with the Advanced Access Shoe", "Rode VideoMic directional Video Condenser w/microphone", and the "Sennheiser MKE 400 Shotgun Microphone".
I recently bought a refurbished Canon HV20. I went on vacation with it without testing it, and when I got home, I realized how poor the audio really was. I had read that the built-in mic captured the sound of the tape winding in the camera, but I didn't think it could possibly be as loud as it was. Also, often I'd be talking to someone literally two feet in front of the camera, and found people ten feet behind the camera were louder! Anyway, I realized that an external mic was absolutely necessary.
I brought my HV20 to the video store and I spent an hour testing out the mics. I ended up buying the "Azden ECZ-990 Super-Cardioid Shotgun Microphone" because the price seemed best for what I needed. If I had more money, I would have bought the "Sennheiser MKE 400 Shotgun Microphone", but I didn't think that it was worth nearly $150 more.
I also considered the "Canon Directional Stereo Mic (DM 50" but I found the fact that it could not be removed from the camera mount and hand held a major draw back.
THE POSITIVE:
1) The microphone is relatively small, especially compared to the "Rode VideoMic" which was HUGE!
2) I like that I can pop it off the mount and hold it in my hand or attach it to a pole to turn it into a boom.
3) The 'Short' setting is extremely good for the money. Its not as good as the "Sennheiser MKE 400 Shotgun Microphone" but I expected that. It instantly eliminates the camera noise (a faint sound still remains, but if you have headphones on, you will suddenly think to yourself 'wow, this is how it is supposed to sound!'). The 'short' setting captures around a 180 degree range, with a reduced amount in the remaining audio range.
THE NEGATIVE:
1) The 'Long' setting is supposedly the shotgun setting, and from the diagram it appears to suggest it captures about a 30 degree range. However, it seemed to re-introduce the background noise that I found distracting with the internal microphone, and I'm not simply talking about picking up the sounds of the camera itself, which it does. People talking with this setting seem to sound as if they are talking over a PA system, such as the pilot making an announcement in an airplane.
2) The rubber buffer that seems to be intended to reduce noise transfer from the camera to the mic is really poor. In the 'short' setting, it doesn't seem to be an issue, even if you are hand-holding the camera. However, when the 'long' setting is on, it picks up a lot of noise from my hands on the camera. Even small movements of my hands sound like I'm banging my hand on the microphone itself.
3) While the microphone can be removed from the mount and held separately (in other words, the part that screws into the camera is still there, but the microphone can be removed from that), I have a feeling that the holder will break if I pop the microphone in and out too often, which basically defeats its purpose and also makes me think that the two parts can move around and cause some unwanted noise.
CONCLUSION:
If you need a cheap microphone that does what the external microphone should do, then this is what you should get. It won't solve all your problems, and it might not last more than 3 or 4 years even if you take care of it. If you want a proper shotgun mike, then spend the money and get the "Sennheiser". The 'short' setting works well enough that amateur filmmakers and vacationers will think its a 1000% improvement on the existing mic. Pro-sumers and professionals will turn up their noses and say save your money and get a 'real' microphone. I guess it depends on which group you fall into! - Canon - Mics - Boom - Audio'
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