External clip on mic for Panasonic Lumix TZ30

[38Cto15E]

Hello guys, I need a teeny weeny bit of help.
I have recently bought a second hand TZ30 and I was thinking of adding an external mic so I can talk when filming video.
Can any members recommend a decent low cost mic and also help me with what lead I would need, the camera has an HDMI socket and an AV Out Digital socket.
Presumably there is something like a HDMI to a female USB which joins with a male USB which is attached to the mic.
TIA

 

[JohnB57]

Hello guys, I need a teeny weeny bit of help.
I have recently bought a second hand TZ30 and I was thinking of adding an external mic so I can talk when filming video.
Can any members recommend a decent low cost mic and also help me with what lead I would need, the camera has an HDMI socket and an AV Out Digital socket.
Presumably there is something like a HDMI to a female USB which joins with a male USB which is attached to the mic.
TIA

Your post is a week or so old so maybe you already have the answer.

However, both of the sockets on your camera are for output only, so I'm afraid there is no external microphone input possible.

 

[38Cto15E]

Thanks very much John, I have pretty much given up on the idea but from what I understand the mic on the Lumix TZ is not bad anyway.

 

[pdq]

If you want high quality stereo sound to go with video, you could use something like this https://www.gear4music.com/Recording-and-Computers/Tascam-DR-05-Portable-Handheld-Audio-Recorder/FDP then use some software like Magix Movie Edit Pro to sync the sound and video together. It's probably not worth it really and certainly isn't particularly low cost (the recorder is around £90 and the software £60 from memory). I've only used this method when recording concerts (legally!) where I put the sound recorder near the performers but then record the video from a decent vantage point further back.

For your idea of voiceovers, is it maybe something you could do in post-production? Then you could use a pretty low cost mic on a laptop (or even the built in one) and some more basic and cheaper video editing software. That way you can plan exactly what you want to say and how it's timed with the video.

 

[PaxVobiscum]

I was going to post this yesterday but decided not to complicate things since the OP seemed happy. However...

“Depending on what you are doing of course, you might be better recording the voice later. In many cases even when there is a mic input socket provided on the camera, it is not particularly easy to get good audio from what is after all a still camera which does video as an extra function. That includes some very expensive DSLRs too

Some thoughts on audio when using DSLRs here: https://www.desktop-documentaries.com/dslr-audio.html
and a zillion more on dvinfo.net

FWIW, I record my voiceovers after scouting the location, planning the story, filming, editing and writing the script (and they’re still cr@p ).

Enjoy yourself and good luck!”

 

[38Cto15E]

I have now abandon'd the mic idea. However I still need a bit more help.

This week I went on the GA short set for a couple of days and took some stills and video.
I transferred these without problem to my PC, Pictures/Windows 7.
The problem I have is that the videos are only showing as jpgs and I cannot watch them in video mode, yet when I watch them on my camera it is in video with sound.

If you can advise a numpty, TIA.
ps: I am very pleased with my compact Lumix TZ30.