A reader asked:

I am looking for a fair affordable lavalier for personal work before I start into commercial work. What is a sweet spot for good quality product for a good price? I am planning on buying the Zoom H2 and would just like your opinion and a few options from a Pro such as yourself. Thank. Samuel W.

My answer:

First, here’s a link to a post I wrote about a low cost audio kit for DSLR video – Complete DSLR Audio Kit for Less Than $450?

As I mention in the post, the price kicks up a lot if you need to go wireless.

Instead of $50 for the ATR-35s you’ll spend at least $150 for a VHF wireless. But VHF wireless units have very low usable range, pick up lots of static and can be pretty noisy (lots of hiss). A decent UHF wireless starts around $400. Professional systems start around $800 and go up. That’s why I recommend going straight to a small recorder with a lav if you want the best sound for the lowest budget.

Also, the ATR-35s seems to be discontinued. It’s been replaced by the Audio Technica ATR-3350 Omnidirectional Lavalier. The price is about the same and, though I haven’t tested it to make sure, it seems to be as good as the previous version. This is a wired omnidirectional mic that will plug directly into a DSLR or a Zoom recorder.

For a wired cardioid option at about the same price I recommend the Audio Technica Pro Series Cardioid Condenser Lavalier. The output is an XLR connector so you’ll need an XLR to mini adapter if you want to plug it into a DSLR or a Zoom recorder.

Whatever you go with I suggest having both omnidirectional and cardioid lavalier microphones.

Omnidirectional are the standard mic in almost all lav systems and they’re great for when you want to pick up everything around – like the bride, groom and minister at a wedding from one mic. But they are deadly in noisy environments when all you want is to pick up a single voice. That’s when you’ll want a cardioid or even a hyper-cardioid lav to cut the background sound.

Cardioids and hyper-cardioids are more difficult to use because you have to have them pointed at the sound source where an omni will work no matter which way it’s pointing. But it’s worth it to get the sound right on the recording.

I’m working on a real world test of omni and cardioid lavs and will post it soon.

-a-

Solid tutorial on syncing audio from a Zoom with footage from a DSLR in FCP X.

Seems easy enough, give this a try and let me know what you think.

How to Sync DSLR Footage with Final Cut Pro X on Vimeo on Vimeo

If you’re shooting video with a DSLR, chances are you’re going to want a small shotgun mic in your kit. With all the choices on the market it’s hard to know which one is right for you.

Chad Johnson has solved this problem for you – Shootout of the Mini Shotguns!

Shootout of the Mini Shotguns! from Chad Johnson on Vimeo.

For me, the number one factor in choosing a mic is how it sounds. My experience is that I can fix all kinds of problems in post production by taking out things I don’t want in the audio but it’s hard to put in what wasn’t there in the first place.

For my ear, the RØDE mics sound the best. And, in my experience with both mics, they are well made, reliable and easy to work with.

I know there are some situations where the off-axis rejection of a shotgun mic is the most important factor. In my experience those situations call for a high end professional shotgun operated by an experienced sound recordist. That’s not the same as mounting a shotgun on your DSLR and hitting the record button.

So, have a listen to Chad’s shoot out and decide for yourself. Then take a moment to leave a comment and let me know what you think.

-a-

Rode has a new shotgun microphone designed for DSLR cameras – the VideoMic Pro.

Rode VideoMic Pro from Team Digital on Vimeo.

It sounds great, is much smaller and you won’t have to keep a supply of rubber shockmounts on hand. (The original VideoMic uses small rubber shock mounts that get easily lost.)

Here are other key points about this great mic:

• Broadcast recording quality condenser microphone
• Compact design (only 150mm/6″ length)
• Ultra lightweight (only 85g/3oz)
• 9V battery powered, with up to 70 hours battery life (alkaline)
• Integrated shock mounting
• Integrated foam windshield
• 3.5mm stereo mini-jack output (dual mono)
• Two step High Pass Filter (flat, 80Hz)
• Three position level control (-10dB, 0, +20dB)
• Camera shoe mount with 3/8″ thread for easy boompole mounting
• Free DeadCat VMP furry windshield*
• Ten year warranty (following online registration)

Pre-order yours now!

If you want to hear how this mic sounds, here’s a video from Philip Bloom shot with the Rode VideoMic Pro – sounds great!

GH2: Movember Gala Party from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

A reader asked:

I’m putting together a D7000 rig for video shooting and I was wondering what the best approach to audio equipment would be?

My budget is about $450 and I am going to travel to Indonesia to shoot a pilot for a TV travel show.  I was thinking a Zoom recorder (not sure which was is the best), but also a wireless lavalier system so I can be mobile.

I was hoping to record the video with the Zoom for ambient sound while having the lavalier for subject audio.

On first glance, $450 for a complete DSLR audio kit seems too low. I mean, you can easily spend that much on a single professional microphone.

Then I started working through what you’d really need. It turned out that you could put together an pretty decent audio kit for $450. Here’s what I found.

First, I’d recommend going the other way around – use the camera to record ambient and the digital audio recorder for your subject. The D7000 audio quality is much lower and offers much less control than the digital audio recorder.

I recommend the Zoom H1 for the recorder. It’s great quality, low cost and very portable.

For the lavalier I recommend NOT going wireless.

You can plug the lavalier directly into the H1,  set levels, lock it and drop it into your talent’s pocket. Let it run for the whole session and edit it post.

It cost less, is one less device to carry along with fewer batteries, fewer possibilities for interference, and wires are more reliable.

An added benefit of this approach is that you’ll capture audio even if you’re not shooting video. You never know when something great will be happen. With the audio captured you can put together enough cover shots to make it work.

I like the Audio-Technica ATR-35S and at a price of less than $50USD you might even want two of them.

Budget so far – about $150 USD

I also recommend picking up an inexpensive shotgun mic.  You can mount it on the camera and improve the ambient recording quality significantly.

Also, I like to double mic talent with a lav and a shotgun then choose the best sound in post. This also create a backup track in case you have a problem with either mic or recorder.

I also recommend picking up a small Joby GP1 Gorillapod for a mic stand. It will let you put the mic much closer to the subject, costs very little, weighs a few ounces and can be attached to all kinds of objects.

If you want to do this you’ll need a 12ft 3.5MM EXTENSION CABLE so you can position the shotgun closer to the subject.

I like the Rode VideoMic for $149 USD. You could also go with the Sennheiser MKE 400 Shotgun Microphone for about $200 USD. Either way make sure you buy a “dead cat” Wind Muff so you can use the shotgun outside or anywhere there’s a breeze. Even the lightest wind will make a shotgun so noisy you can’t use it.

Budget so far – about $370 USD

I’d also highly recommend a decent set of headphones or earbuds. You want to check the sound every time before you start shooting. Sometimes a small change in mic placement or closing a window to a noisy street will produce a much better result and save hours in post trying to fix a bad audio track.

Ear buds are easier to carry and you can get great sound from them. For instance, the Etymotic Research MC5 are great as they block most of the ambient sound and, for $80 USD, offer dependable audio quality.

So here’s the full kit:

• Zoom H1 – $99 USD
• Audio-Technica ATR-35S – $45 USD
• Rode VideoMic – $149 USD
• Rode Deadcat Wind Muff – $39 USD,
• 12ft 3.5MM EXTENSION CABLE – $3.29 USD
• Joby GP1 Gorillapod – $15 USD
• Etymotic Research MC5 – $79 USD
• Total budget – $429.29 USD

Click here to see the whole list on Amazon.com

I would also recommend picking up a “Y” cable so you can plug both mics into one device, sending each mic to a separate channel. With this in your kit you can record the lav and Rode VideoMic to the H1 and use the D7000 for capturing ambient.

Or you could feed the lav and Rode to the D7000 and use the H1 to close mic a second speaker. If the H1 dies you can still feed the D7000 with both mics and create a backup track in one pass.

If you’re out in the field, I recommend carrying at least two of every cable, charger and adapter. That will push your budget over the top but you don’t want to be shut down because a cable broke.

If you want to be safe, consider picking up two of the lavs. As a backup for a dead mic or to mic two subjects you will get a lot for the extra $50 USD.

Good luck, let me know how it goes. I look forward to seeing your video on the web!
-a-

As they say on this site, audio is 70% of what you see. Most of the focus of the DSLR video world is about the camera and lenses but – like DSLR camera manufacturers – most people give too little time to the audio side.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. The fastest, lowest cost way to increase the production value of your project is to improve the sound track.

This program will help you do just that.

You can download these videos and watch on your computer or mobile device. They are engaging and fun. The information is first rate and clearly presented. For $59 USD it’s one of the best investments you can make to improve your productions.

I started out in this business as a composer and audio producer. With over 30 years of experience, I know my way around a shotgun, field mixer and portable recorder. Even still, these programs either reminded me of things I’d forgotten or gave me a new way of handling issues.

This is not an affiliate link, it’s just a great product. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Barry Greens Sound for Film and TV

Magic Lantern is coming to the Canon T2i (550D).

Magic Lantern – 550D/T2i port from Trammell Hudson on Vimeo.

If you want to shoot high-end video with this camera you’ve had to use a separate microphone and audio recorder to capture high-end audio. That’s all changing.

Magic Lantern is a firmware hack for the Canon 5D MarkII that turns off the auto-gain in the audio recording section of the camera. It adds stereo audio meters, audio level control and other features to make the camera more usable for professional video recording. Now it’s coming to the Canon T2i (55oD).

Here’s what the programmer of Magic Lantern has to say:

I am very proud to announce that we have started support for the Canon 550D / T2i in a branch of the Magic Lantern tree. Thanks to the assistance of arm.indy and an anonymous contributor, we were able to sign an initial Magic Lantern firmware image and port the existing code to work with the version 1.0.8 firmware in the 550D.

The first version will have audio meters, lens data and maybe manual audio gain plus monitoring on the A/V jack. I haven’t found the liveview video ram device yet, so zebra stripes and histograms won’t work for a little while. There might also not be a menuing system initially since there are no “spare” buttons on the 550D in movie mode and we still do not have a way to integrate with Canon’s menus.

Here’s the link to the thread on dvinfo.net.

This is “pre-alpha” – right now he’s demonstrating audio levels only and the installation process is complicated.

Here’s the link to the installation instructions and file download.

I do not recommend installing this version. Wait until the beta version with all the features is ready. You may be wise to wait until a fully tested 1.0 version is released.

Still, this is exciting news and I’ll be giving it a try as soon as the beta is ready.

Leave your comments and let me know what you think.

-a-

One of the best ways to increase the production value of your DSLR video is to record great audio. Here’s a short video that will help you record better audio whether you use a lavalier or a shotgun microphone.

Enter your email and I’ll let you know when I
post more information like this is online.

Take a moment and leave your comments and questions below.

A reader just asked:

“I just got a T2i kit (18-55mm). I also got a zoom lens (EF-S 55-250mm) and I considering buying some more equipment. I’m a high-end amateur photographer and in the past years fell in love with video editing too. I use to do my short movies on my Canon HV-10, but I always missed some of the more advanced options (such as a mic input). I plan to shoot most of my videos on the T2i now and I was wondering if I should invest in an mic + ext sound recorder or mic + prime lens? The options I’m considering are “Azden SMX-10 + Zoom h2″ or “Azden SMX-10 + Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II”

Interesting question! Plugging any microphone directly into the Canon T2i is going to result in an audio track that is noisy and poor quality. I’ve tried it and, from my point of view, it’s not usable audio for anything more than a reference track.

Plus, any microphone mounted on the camera will not capture the sound of your talent several feet away. The microphone needs to be as close to the talent as possible. So the Azden SMX-10 into the Canon T2i is not a good choice.

The 18-55mm kit lens and the EF-S 55-250mm will not shoot good video in low light. My recommendation would be to go for the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II prime lens for low light video.

For a recorder/stereo microphone I would get the new Zoom H1, which includes a nice stereo mic built-in plus has a 1/8″ microphone input, “VU” meters, and a headphone jack for $99.

I would also recommend a wired lavalier microphone like the Audio-Technica ATR-35S for $29. Plug it directly into the H1 hit the record button and drop the H1 into your talent’s pocket just like you would with a wireless transmitter. You’ll get great sound with no wireless interference.

The Zoom H1, Audio-Technica ATR-35S and Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II will cost around USD $240 total. All three for less than the cost of the Azden SMX-10 and the Zoom H2. You’ll get high quality audio and a prime lens for low light video.

Just keep the mic as close to the source of the sound as possible and check everything with headphones or ear-buds.

-a-

Here’s a quick and inexpensive way to trick the automatic gain control (AGC) in a DSLR from increasing the volume during the quiet parts of your recording.

It only works on cameras like the Canon 7D and T2i which have a microphone input. Also, the AGC function is just one reason the audio recorded on these cameras is less than great.

Pro audio recorders capture the sound in high resolution. Meaning that they use high sample rates and more bits per sample to capture a more accurate version of the sound. DSLR cameras use moderate sample rates with much fewer bits per sample.

What this means is that the audio may sound okay until you start to work with it in post production. Then, just like a poor quality video image, you’ll find you can’t do much with it.

So, give this trick a try to improve the quality of the audio recorded in your DSLR HD camera. And, if you’re out to make a film that you want to be as good as possible, spend the time and money to capture the sound with a professional microphone and recorder.

Yes, you have to lock the second audio track to your video in post but the results are well worth the effort.