Re: Newbie question: XLR for camcorder vs. digital recorder

["Marc Myers" buffymarmoset]

Jeff
The best audio recordings will result from using a separate recorder. But if 
you need the audio and video recording to be synchronized it can be fairly 
challenging to get them timed together particularly if you record a lot of 
material. Whatever microphone you choose, it's best to get it some distance 
from the camera. They sell boom arms that attach to the camera for this purpose 
if you are working alone. The line level inputs are almost always less  noisy 
than the mic level inputs on video cameras so yes, you should use a preamp. 
Microphones really depend on your circumstances. For interview I prefer a short 
shotgun and use it for most other work as well. The Sanken microphones are 
awesome but the ME66 is a good choice and gives you the option of using other 
capsules as well.
Marc