How does the XA70 MIC input work?

[philipus]

Hello everybody

Will the MIC input on the XA70 record audio without the handle unit attached?

I saw this thread, which concerns the very similar XA50. The author says the XA50 does not record audio from a mike in the MIC input without the handle being attached. Reference is made to p. 79 of the manual which says:

Note that the asterix is placed at "INPUT terminals, not at the end of the sentence. The XA70 manual (p. 74) contains the same text as the above.

But each manual has a table which sets out mike + menu setting + recording combos (p. 80 and 75 respectively). The bottom two rows in each manual look like this:

[...]

I'm in the market for an XA70 and would like to be able to use it with a small mike in the MIC input but without the handle unit. I'd therefore very much like confirmation on whether that will actually work. Does anyone know?

Thanks a million in advance

Philip 

[philipus]

Greetings everyone

I have now tested this myself. The XA70 will record from an external microphone (overriding the built-in microphone which will not be recorded) when the handle unit is not attached. In other words, the camera operates just as the manual describes. In addition, with headphones attached the external microphone will be heard; the built-in will not.

I tested this with a Rode Video Micro II using the included TRS–TRS cable. If I use the included TRS–TRRS cable instead the camera will not pick up any sound from the microphone (and the built-in microphone will also not be active). 

Why the other user's XA50 (with an identically formulated manual on this point) did neither is odd but perhaps it had to do with the cable used.

Cheers

Philip