Originally Posted by The Guru

'My sony hdr-hc3 doesn't have a mic jack'

I found that strange too... but having looked at the Sony specs, it doesn't seem to have a mic input at all, just the Sony-specific "hotshoe". This is presumably so that you have to buy the Sony microphone and can't buy anything better.

I find that disgusting, especially on a thousand quid (fifteen hundred dollar) camcorder. Sony are just forcing their own accessories onto their customers. That omission alone is a good reason not to buy this particular camcorder. Sony would probably bullsh*t and say that they're trying to keep the unit as compact as possible, but even my ultra-small palmcorder has a 3.5mm input, so that arguement wouldn't wash.

I know it doesn't help you Minsh, it looks like you've ended up a victim of Sony dictatorship