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Activity Forums Panasonic Cameras AF-100 Audio

  • AF-100 Audio

    Posted by Mark Welch on December 12, 2011 at 10:22 pm

    I have been shooting with an AF-100 for a while now and I am totally pleased with the image it can render and the looks that can be achieved. However, audio is another issue. I was not pleased with the inherent noise floor, so I purchased a Sound Devices mixer which feeds the camera with a line level.

    While I believe it is an improvement, I still am not happy with the hiss that is always on the audio channels. I’ve recorded with Sony ECM 50’s, Lectrosonic wireless, Sennheiser shotgun and an Octavia mic and I still can’t get away from this horrid (to my discerning ear) noise. Sounds like someone is always frying eggs in background. Any one else dissatisfied with AF-100 audio? One good solution is to use a Sound Devices audio/video 10 bit recorder bypassing the Panny audio circuitry… I guess.

    Guy Mcloughlin replied 14 years, 5 months ago 3 Members · 2 Replies
  • 2 Replies
  • Noah Kadner

    December 13, 2011 at 3:16 am

    I’d suggest recording double system sound- get a Sound Devices full on recorder not just a mixer and your sound will be much much better. Also mic quality, placement and quality cabling are all critical.

    Noah

    Call Box Training.
    Featuring the Panasonic GH2 and GoPro HD Hero.

  • Guy Mcloughlin

    December 13, 2011 at 4:21 am

    The AF-100 has a noise floor of -63 dB, which is typical for most prosumer cameras in it’s price range. This means that you really don’t have much room to correct audio errors that took place while shooting.

    External digital audio recorders have noise floors from -60 dB to -120 dB, but as with anything, you get what you pay for.

    The low end Sony audio recorders PCM-M10 ( about $230 ) and PCM-D50 ( about $450 ) have noise floors in the -80 dB or better range, which gives you almost 20 dB more range to work with than a typical prosumer camera.

    Beyond this, you quickly move in to the Sound Devices price range to reach noise floors of -100 dB or better.

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