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Home: Video University Forums: Canon All Camcorders:
improve audio canon GL2 - HELP - HELP

 

 


slochner65
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Oct 18, 2009, 4:30 PM

Post #1 of 6 (651 views)
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improve audio canon GL2 - HELP - HELP Can't Post

Please Help….. anybody… I just filmed my first wedding yesterday, and I am a little frustrated and disappointed with my audio. I have a Canon GL2. I have a Beachtek –DXA4P attached to the camera and I used a Rode NTG2 shotgun mic for my audio outdoors and indoors. I have a hum noise and a there seems to me an echo on my recordings. Should I use a different mic indoors, I do have CANON DM50 smaller shotgun mic. Please help.

Steve


MLiebergot
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Oct 19, 2009, 7:02 AM

Post #2 of 6 (642 views)
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Re: [slochner65] improve audio canon GL2 - HELP - HELP [In reply to] Can't Post

The problem is not your mic it's the fact that your audio is on your camera.
When you capture audio on your camera, especially for a wedding, you are far to far away to capture the audio accurately and if yiou are indoors you will be getting a LOT of audio reflection back to your mic, thus the echo. The bigger the place the worse the echo. A shotgun mic will give you decent audio outdoors to around 10 feet or so. Since shotgun mics don;t have the best side noise rejection, they are not recommended for indoor use, unless you are close to your subject like on a boom.
A hyper cardioid mic is recommended for indoor use, because it has such a narrow pickup pattern and very good side noise rejection.

The main thing about capturing good audio is that your mic HAS to be close to your source.
So the key is off camera audio. Since you have a Beachtek this can be done by the use of wireless sent to one channel on your camera camera and use onboard shotgun mic for ambient audio or even quick interview of talent.
The other way is the use of digital audio recorders to capture your audio which is mixed in post.

Also, your other hum problem you have, is probably the Beachtek adapter.
Beahtek adapters, except for one, which is expensive, don't have active pre amps. This is what keeps hum, which you picked up and is most likely air conditioner hum, and the noise floor low. this gives you clean audio.
For on camera XLR adapters, I highly recommend picking up a Juicedlink CX211 adapter. These have active low noise pre amps, you need 9v batteries to run, and are even cheaper than the Beacktek's. Get one, you won't be disappointed.

Michael

Cameras: (3) Sony FX1, Canon HV20
Audio: Marantz PMD620, Edirol R44, ZoomH4N, ZoomH2, Sennhesier G2
Mics: Rode NT5, Rode NT3, Rode M3, Rode NTG2, Shure SM57, AT822
Software: Sony Vegas, Final Cut Studio
Computer: MAC BABY! MacPro, MacBook Pro


slochner65
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Oct 19, 2009, 7:37 AM

Post #3 of 6 (640 views)
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Re: [MLiebergot] improve audio canon GL2 - HELP - HELP [In reply to] Can't Post

WOW,thanks, great info, I ws getting so frustrated, thanks, what hyper cardioded mic do you recomened for my canon GL2.


MLiebergot
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Oct 19, 2009, 8:14 AM

Post #4 of 6 (639 views)
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Re: [slochner65] improve audio canon GL2 - HELP - HELP [In reply to] Can't Post


Quote
WOW,thanks, great info, I ws getting so frustrated, thanks, what hyper cardioded mic do you recomened for my canon GL2.

I wouldn't recommend a hyper cardioid mic for the G2, because you should be getting your critical audio off camera.
A shotgun mic is fine for ambient on camera use, I use Rode NTG2 mics for ambient on camera audio. But for my critical audio I use wireless systems or audio recorders (Zoom H2, Zoom H4n, Marantz PMD620, Edirol R44).

For a wedding ceremony, I will use a wireless mic on the groom going to my camera, and the shotgun mic for ambient audio. Then I use a H2 for musicians, Marantz PMD620 on the lectern for readings or maybe on an officiant with a lav mic for officiant capture. For a reception I use a Zoom H4n on a mic stand with a pair of Shure SM57 (micing PA stacks) mics in XLR 1/2 and the onboard mics to capture ambient crowd audio. Then I use a Rode M3 mic with a plug in transmitter, clamped to the same mic stand micing the PA stack and send that signal to my camera for redundant backup, sync audio.

I use the off camera audio and sync in post in my NLE. 80-90% of my audio is off camera, and the only times I might use camera audio is for ambient purposes or for groom/bride and officiant ceremony audio.
Off camera audio will ALWAYS produce superior audio to that from your camera.

I woudl suggest reading through some of the posts in the audio forum for audio advice.
Myself and others have posted some very valuable information and
equipment reviews over there.



Michael

Cameras: (3) Sony FX1, Canon HV20
Audio: Marantz PMD620, Edirol R44, ZoomH4N, ZoomH2, Sennhesier G2
Mics: Rode NT5, Rode NT3, Rode M3, Rode NTG2, Shure SM57, AT822
Software: Sony Vegas, Final Cut Studio
Computer: MAC BABY! MacPro, MacBook Pro

(This post was edited by MLiebergot on Oct 19, 2009, 8:16 AM)


slochner65
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Oct 19, 2009, 8:43 AM

Post #5 of 6 (636 views)
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Re: [MLiebergot] improve audio canon GL2 - HELP - HELP [In reply to] Can't Post

What if I have to record the bride/groom getting ready, maybe a segment about how they met interview etc, What if some the recording is inside a house and maybe some is outside in a romantic setting.


MLiebergot
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Oct 19, 2009, 8:53 AM

Post #6 of 6 (634 views)
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Re: [slochner65] improve audio canon GL2 - HELP - HELP [In reply to] Can't Post


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What if I have to record the bride/groom getting ready, maybe a segment about how they met interview etc, What if some the recording is inside a house and maybe some is outside in a romantic setting.

For some audio of people getting ready, this is simply ambient audio and if I'm getting well wishes during this time, I am filming close enough where an onboard shotgun mic will work just fine.
And if I'm filming outside then a shotgun works fine, as there's no noise reflection going on. Actually shotguns are best used for outdoor use anyway. but once again if you want critical audio, then you have to be filming close to your source.

I have never had the need to use audio for romantic staged photo shots, and in most cases even prep shots. As this audio is simply used as ambient audio and used with music to enhance my edit and is mixed in post this way.
If I'm interviewing the couple before the ceremony, I pull them in a quiet area and use the onboard mic and am shooting close to the couple to get this audio. It's worked just fine.

For any other story type audio, this is recorded generally before or after the wedding, where I use wireless for audio capture, and again mix in post.


Michael

Cameras: (3) Sony FX1, Canon HV20
Audio: Marantz PMD620, Edirol R44, ZoomH4N, ZoomH2, Sennhesier G2
Mics: Rode NT5, Rode NT3, Rode M3, Rode NTG2, Shure SM57, AT822
Software: Sony Vegas, Final Cut Studio
Computer: MAC BABY! MacPro, MacBook Pro