A Marriage of Equals
Audio is one of the most important aspects of making a good video. You can produce good work by having mediocre footage and good audio but you cannot have a good video with bad audio. Therefore, it is important to consider which microphones you will be using in which situation.
Interviews
For interviews in a controlled environment, where you have prepared a set, the best microphones to use are the lavalier mics, which are available in either wired or wireless form in the ER. These are snapped onto to the subject's clothing. Remember to tell the interviewee not to touch the mic while speaking.
If you plan to do street interviews, or in "on the fly" situations, the shotgun mics are ideal. These mics are directional and therefore must be pointed at the subject in order to get good sound.
Voiceovers
One of the best microphones ITP has for voices is the RODE NT1-A (the silver microphone). This is great for recording voiceovers in the sound booth and works on phantom power. If you wish to record a song, you might consider purchasing a pop filter for a high quality professional recording.
Stereo Recording
If you wish to record something in stereo, ITP has the Audio Technica AT822 stereo microphone. It is very important that you use the correct cable with this mic. This is a stereo mic and it MUST use its own proprietary cable to work properly. The cable comes in two forms: either a PSEUDO-XLR connector that branches to two MONO mini plugs (with screwable 1/4" adaptors attached), or a PSEUDO-XLR connector with a stereo mini plug at the other end. The PSEUDO-XLR to mini stereo plug is easy to recognize, since it's one-of-a-kind. The split stereo cable has uniquely shiny connectors (nickel steel) at the mini plug ends. You MUST use one of these cables!
Tips
Always remember to check the audio levels on the camera before starting a shoot! Make sure the readings are no more than 12 dB and when testing the sound, the levels remain in the green zone.
Some mics run on phantom power, meaning they do not require a battery. However, there are mics that do not run on phantom power and DO require a battery. Make SURE that you insert a battery if one is needed.
The BeachTek audio adapter allows you to plug in a microphone and adjust the levels on the BeachTek. This is recommended, as it gives you more control and allows you to set permanent levels for the entire shoot.