I’m so busy setting up Halloween in my neighborhood that I barely take the time to look at new products in October. I was so excited to see the FotoWelt MK8 UHF Wireless Lavalier Microphone kit that I took some time to take a closer look at this USB charged device with on board monitoring. Let’s look in the box.
In the Box
The FotoWelt MK8 Wireless Lav Mic retail box is a lot bigger than you might expect. That’s because inside the black/red cardboard box is a very convenient zippered hard shell case compartmentalized to hold the MK8 Transmitter, Receiver, a box with the necessary cables. There is a removable foam piece which fits an additional transmitter if needed, or a battery charger for your camera, and a large spandex net big enough to hold extra batteries for your camera, storage cards, and all the cables. FotoWelt has supplied a 3.5 mm patch cable from the receiver to your DSLR, a 3.5 mm patch cable to connect the MK8 to your smartphone, a dual micro USB cable so you can charge both units at one time, and a Lavalier mic which attaches to the Transmitter with a threaded collar. All the patch cables are gold coated for the best connection and are labelled “Camera Cable” or “Mobile phone cable.” The case also holds the multi language instruction manual and a few extra windscreens for the microphone. Let’s hook it up!
Check It Out Now
Since we spend a lot of time running about the Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas every year, we have a lot of experience using wireless microphone solutions. The FotoWelt MK8 UHF Wireless Lav kit was really easy to install to the shoe on top of my Canon DSLR. Slide it into the shoe and tighten down the plastic nut. The Receiver and transmitter are very light weight at just over 2 ounces for the receiver. The transmitter includes a strong steel belt clip, and weighs just under 3 ounces including the microphone. On the FotoWelt MK8 receiver you will find a 3.5 mm Line Out on the left side when mounted and a 3.5 mm headphone jack for live monitoring of the signal on the right side of the unit. Next to the headphone jack is a volume switch from low to high if needed. On the back panel you’ll find the micro USB charge port and a charging level indicator LED. On the top of the Receiver is the power button, as well as two Blue LEDs which indicate power on, and Transmitter connected. The FotoWelt MK8 Transmitter pack has a small attached antenna, a LCF (Low Cut Filter) switch and the Mic in screw type connector. The top panel has a bright white LED screen which indicates battery power, transmission signal level, and the frequency of the Channel. To the right of that screen are two buttons; the top button selects the channel (out of 4 available) and the bottom button is the power switch. When you change the frequency of the MK8 transmitter, the MK8 receiver automatically changes to the same frequency as long as both units are powered up and connected. On the right side of the MK8 transmitter you will find a 3.5 mm line input to connect other devices to the pack like a mixing board, DAP, or similar device for transmission to the receiver. Finally, at the bottom you will find the Micro USB charging port and the charge indicator LED. Using the dual Micro USB cable is genius because it ensures that both units are charged to the same level at the same time, every time you use the FotoWelt MK8. No batteries, no fumbling to find batteries. It’s a great feature. The maximum range for the MK8 kit as tested is 50 meters. I didn’t actually go much farther than 100 ft because of the limitations of our facility, and 50 m is just beyond any reasonable video need which means you will always have strong power and a clear signal to your recording device, be it a DSLR, Video Camera, Smartphone, or Tablet. I did test the units with my iOS tablets, my Amazon Fire Tablet, and various Android phones and tablets. Using the correct cable is the most important need and it’s great that FotoWelt put clear labels on all of the patch cables.
The Funk Soul Brother
The FotoWelt MK8 UHF Wireless Lavalier Microphone kit is very simple to use and operate. All the necessary patch cables are included when connecting to a DSLR, smartphone, or tablet. There is a very nice(ly) set up hard-shell case with foam fitted compartments and a stretchy pocket. Four available frequencies will allow the majority of home users to find clean channels to create great home videos without the hassle of buying endless boxes of batteries or having long cables connected to a microphone as a trip hazard at your niece’s wedding. Our testing team found the sound as recorded in a DSLR, or smartphone to be more than adequate and the open box video below actually uses the unit to record some of the audio portions of that production. FotoWelt does suggest using unnamed apps when using your smartphone to ensure the audio and video are properly recorded and time-aligned. When using the volume boost I did notice some obvious distortion so I kept the switch in the minus position for my testing, and when utilizing the LCF I couldn’t really detect any difference in noise reduction or even low cut. One Microphone, pretty pricey and useful to a person who is only using the lav mic to record a “Live on the street” news type event. If you’d want to use more than one mic, for an extra 100 dollars you can purchase the FotoWelt upgraded system with two transmitters and a more professional looking receiver. 8 out of 10 for a new product from a relatively new company. Looking forward to seeing more products like this in the future!!
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Our Rating | Average Price* $129.99 |
*Average price is based on the time this article was published
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