High Definition

Question

Just upgraded from making iMovies with 30 second clips from a stills camera to making them with a Sony High Definition Camcorder, HDR-HC7E(DV Tape) and would appreciate some advice on a few things regarding the 1080i high definition-I have made a few of these in iMovie and export them back to the camcorder for viewing through an HDTV. Since I have not yet bought the latter, I cannot view in HD.
The first question is what happens to stills(say from iPhoto) imported into an HD project in iMovie. I use stills selectively not only in the canned themes but also with a Ken burns effect to make some point in the movie. Specifically, does iMovie convert the imported still into a high definition clip if the project is high definition and does it matter?
Secondly, when exporting directly back to camcorder or via a file, a menu box pops up at or near the end of the transfer and asks if you want to make another copy. If you click no thanks the camcorder is disconnected. Is this what should happen?
Thirdly, can anybody recommend any useful sites/books for getting the best out of camcorder audio accessories- I have a clip on Lavalier which seems straightforward and substantially improves commentary audio whilst filming but I do not really know how to make the most of the shotgun mike which I also have.
Finally an observation. This camcorder is fantastic and works well with iMovie.

Answer 1

..mmm. delicious..
Where was I..?
Sony's own mics for your camcorder are shown here (click on that link), and they clip onto the camera's 'Accessory Shoe'. Other mics can be plugged into the mic socket at the front of the camcorder.
Note that Sony cams have a 'plug-in power' socket for external microphones: that means that low voltage power is provided inside the microphone socket, to power those mics which can make use of that, instead of their needing a separate battery of their own. Not all external mics are wired the right way to make use of that. So MOST external mics work OK when plugged into a Sony; SOME work excellently, without needing a separate battery of their own (e.g; the wonderful little Vivanco EM216, which has terrific bass for a stereo mic so tiny!); and SOME mics give very poor results in that Sony external mic socket, because their own internal wiring is incompatible with the way that Sony send a low voltage though the socket. "Try before you buy" is the best motto.
Your own clip-on 'Lavalier' mic must be one of those which does work well with Sonys.
Many people buy the popular 'Audio-technica'-brand shotgun mics, but I'm very disappointed by them, finding them rather "thin" and "tinny", but - as with all mics - you've nothing to compare them with till you DO compare them with other brands of a similar type ..and perhaps many people are satisfied with them - or perhaps they've bought them, and then discarded them.
You don't say which shotgun mic you have.
You say "..I do not really know how to make the most of the shotgun mike which I also have.."
Generally, a shotgun mic picks up sound from directly ahead, and good sound from perhaps 6 feet (2 metres) away. But it WON'T pick up much sound from the sides, or behind it.
So you wouldn't use one at a party - because you'd miss all the general noise and "atmosphere" all around - unless someone was giving a speech, and you wanted to clearly pick up everything they said instead of it being drowned in the general noise, in which case you'd point the shotgun mic directly at them. So you'd use it at a wedding, to pick up the minister's words, and the bride's and groom's, and for speeches; but you wouldn't use it at a fairground, or a beach, or anywhere you wanted to pick up sound from all around.
It's like a telescope; it doesn't pick up what's everywhere around and nearby, but it picks up, and sharply focuses on, what's rather more distant. You wouldn't use one to record a conversation, unless the people talking were right next to each other and a few feet in front of you ..because it would pick up only the one person it's pointed at, and wouldn't pick up any others. But you WOULD use it to distinctly pick up someone at the other end of a fairly quiet room; someone giving a talk or a speech, or someone on stage, or the striking of a distant clock, or a distant whispered conversation.
Outdoors, shotguns can be quite susceptible to wind noise, so they generally come with a "windshield", but you often get better results with a specialist "fuzzy" cover such as a "Rycote".