How do you do your Sound?

GeForce Junky

GeForce Junky

Suspended / Banned
Messages
475
Name
Chris Ratford
Edit My Images
Yes
Hello wonderful TP people

I'm looking to do a bit of video but I'm a bit nieve when it comes to sound. At the moment I've been using a mates 7D with its built in mic, but I'm planning on buying my own 550D to use with a DIY shoulder rig, LCDVF and maybe a focus follow. I shoot outdoor mountain bike events, which are often quite windy. Lowish budget is quite important.

1. So far it seams the Rode Videomic is very popular but should I be buying something else for outside work? The Rode is only £76 so its good for my budget. Is it worth spending £18 for a 'deadcat' cover?

2. I can use Magic Lantern to remove the auto gain on the 550D, but is it still much better to use a external sound recorder?

3. I have a Olympus DM-420 mp3 recorder that I could use as an external sound recorder, but how well would this work? What do I gain from using this instead of the 550D's system other than higher bitrate sound. I want to be able to monitor the sound with headphones, can I do this if I plugged the mic into the 550D? I don't want to spend as much as the Zoom H4N for now.

This is my mp3 recorder:
http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/product.asp?product=1472

4. If I use an external sound recorder, how do I sync the sound using Premier Pro CS5?

Cheers for the help
Chris
 
I use a Juicedlink preamp box which fits just under the 5dmk2, then connects to the camera with a 3.5mm jack. The box gives two XLR inputs so I connect a RODE NTG-2 Shotgun mic.

Ive used the mic via a boom pole and have got perfect clean sound with ML.

I do have some videos on vimeo I think which shows the sound. I'll see if I can find out although it might take a min as im in crete right now and have really bad internet reception.
 
Cheers for the help, you have some lovely stuff on your website. The NTG-2 and juicedlink is fairly expensive for my budget but it seams a great way to get good sound without having to record seperatly.
 
Last edited:
I managed to pick up the ntg-2 a while ago and used it for jobs when I had my canon XL1

I sold that last year figuring that non HD cameras are becoming a dying breed. Thankfully I got a good price for it and picked up a cheap Canon HD camera from the US and the juiced link box from there as well.
 
My current camera/audio rig is composed of:

1.) Canon 5D Mark II & Canon 550f
2.) LCDVF (x2) & TV-056 HD Monitor
3.) Zoom H4N sound box
4.) Rode VideoMic, NTG-1 and NTG-2
5.) Redrock DSLR Shoulder Mount
6.) Canon L Series: 17-40mm, 100mm Macro, 70-200mm IS
7.) Canon Primes: 50mm f1.4 and f1.8 Mk2
8.) Neutral Density filters ND2, ND4 and ND8

Post production includes; Final Cut Pro 7, Final Cut Pro X, Soundtrack Pro, Adobe After Effects CS5, Magic Bullet Effects Suite and Compressor.

I shoot on a 'to-scale' budget, so found this rig the most affordable for level of quality I need.
 
Justin, How do you find the difference between the videomic and NTG mics? My research seams to show the NTG-2 works almost as well on battery as it does on phamtom power so it seams a better option than the NTG-1.

My plan is a diy shoulder rig and cheap ebay LCDVF copy, but I'm still undecided whether to go pre-amp and record in camera or sepeate H4N recorder. This seams like an interresting and much cheaper option to the JuicedLink:

http://www.artproaudio.com/products.asp?type=90&cat=13&id=132

Cheers!
 
GeForce Junky said:
Justin, How do you find the difference between the videomic and NTG mics? My research seams to show the NTG-2 works almost as well on battery as it does on phamtom power so it seams a better option than the NTG-1.

My plan is a diy shoulder rig and cheap ebay LCDVF copy, but I'm still undecided whether to go pre-amp and record in camera or sepeate H4N recorder. This seams like an interresting and much cheaper option to the JuicedLink:

http://www.artproaudio.com/products.asp?type=90&cat=13&id=132

Cheers!
Click to expand...

I agree on the quality on the NTG-1 vs. NTG-2, however, I have found a slightly more even / consistent tone in voice when shooting in controlled conditions with the NTG-1.

I use the Zoom H4N so my sound / boom operator can work away from camera. Especially effective and useful when shooting a portrait shot from a distance using a 200mm focal length (amazing shots for styled Bokeh).

I typically use the Zoom only when a boom pole is needed, otherwise, straight into camera.

I use a cheap 'copy' LCDVF as well (essentially a magnetic loupe). The most useful tool is my matte-box and French Flag / Barn Doors - the ability to physically protect against Sun glare, as well as utilise two 4x4 filters is very useful.

I hope this is helpful. Feel free to email me if you have any more specific questions, via nobodybritish@me.com
 
The Redrock rig systems look amazing but are way way way out of my budget. Are your 4x4 filters big enough for wide angle work, I'm thinking of shooting as wide as 11mm on 1.6 crop. I'm guessing ND2, 4 & 8 with 2 filter slots gives you a very good range of darkening.
 
GeForce Junky said:
The Redrock rig systems look amazing but are way way way out of my budget. Are your 4x4 filters big enough for wide angle work, I'm thinking of shooting as wide as 11mm on 1.6 crop. I'm guessing ND2, 4 & 8 with 2 filter slots gives you a very good range of darkening.
Click to expand...

You'll find at 11mm, you're going to either have to invest in a 'slim line' filter holder for 4x4 filters, or even in a traditional ND Lens Filter. I would say though, that even at 17mm, I have terrible framing issues with my (admittedly chunky) Matte Box. I would suggest investing in a traditional, threaded, filter set first.

The Redrock is amazing, but costly. I would warn against anything that is under £300/£400, because you really do pay for what you get - and of something looks like a bargain, there is a reason. That said, when I started out, I made my own 'steadicam' rig out of a dumbbell (sawn in half) with a handle bolted on the side, and a tripod head attached to it.

The entire build cost £90 at the time (I was about 14, and made or with friends), but the results were better than I'd have gotten from an equally priced, or slightly higher costing, shoulder mount.

The ND2, 4 & 8 cover all grounds, from compensating for fast action outside, to screen glare and over exposure in interior, dark, environments. My set of traditional, filters were only £30' and my 4x4 came in at about £100 each. So again, you do get what you pay for, but be aware of framing and vignetting at lower focal lengths.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top