As a live sound mixer who is often called pon to provide a sound feed  
to performers' cameras, any cmera with no LINE level input is a toy  
to me. I refuse to carry the extra gear it would take to send mic  
level to a video - if they don't bring professional gear just use  
your own mic!

A mic level input on a minijack is a poor source to use in my  
opinion. But then, I have no desire to see talking heads at a  
conference anywa, even less poerpoint, all I need is a good speaker  
talking intelligently! But that is taste maybe.

Here's an example of a live music two-camera shoot with my stereo  
line feed to one of the cameras:

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuaq_-hl0HE&feature=player_embedded#!>

pardon me for bragging, even if you don't like the music. But mic  
inputs only are inadequate.

<L>

On Dec 19, 2010, at 12:52 PM, Michael Biel wrote:

Unless you can sync the zoom's audio to the video, the use of a  
camera without external mics is useless to record a conference  
presentation or anything else where you must get the microphones up  
close to the speaker or performers.  A camera without mic imputs is  
useless except for home movies of the kids or sighseeing.  You don't  
make a video of a speech to see the speaker, you do it to HEAR him,  
and maybe also SECONDARILY to see him.

Check out the new line of Canon cameras, some of which have mic  
inputs.  Anything that doesn't have mic inputs is a toy.

Mike Biel  [log in to unmask]