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Audio advise required
Ok, i need to order an external audio recorder and that to in the next 12 hours so i have it in time for delivery in mid week.
I shoot on a Canon 550D and have a Rodeo Video Mic Pro, The main use of the cam and footage is interviews. The interviews are shot for the web with youtube being the primary distribution channel.
Issue recently we shot an interview and for some reason the magic lantern hack went wrong and the cam did not capture any audio. The solution i have come up with is not use magic lantern any more as we only used to disable the ACG but to use the Rode Video Mic Pro to capture the sound and save it directly onto an audio recorder directly. This i guess would help us from damaging the camera i guess by using mgaic lantern to hack it.
My budget is upto £150 for the device as we do this on a non profit basis and so every little bit helps.
My question i have noted most devices seem to have an issue with users complaining that the audio captured is very low? i am not sure if this is down the devices or the mics built onto the devises? In honesty we don’t intend on using the on board mics and i think the rode video mic pro is what would always be plugged in so taking that into account which recorder would you recommend.
Tascam DR-07mk2 – £116
Olympus LS-3 Linear PCM recorder – £140
Tascam DR-05 – £95
Roland R-05 Digital Recorder – £100
Any others?What i am ideally looking for is something that is less prone also to errors, i have heard of many Zoom’s having recording issues ie corrupt files.
Please can someone tell me what they would use of the above or another if they are aware
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9 Replies
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Dear Suley,
Audio is a key aspect of production and get it done properly is as important as your picture. I had worked with zooms and never had corrupt files, but yes, it happens, and it can ruin your entire day of work.
My advice is that you consider a strong audio recorder because if we are willing to spend a lot on cameras why not spend a little more in audio gear.
I understand you work for a non-profit but something the cheap solutions will be terrible in the long run because you can’t trust them, and is awful to finish your interviews and realize in post that your audio isn’t usable.
Here is a good article on audio equipment, it might be a little out of your budget but please, take a look at it. I’m sure it will help.Best luck.
Axel Arzola
https://twitter.com/AxelArzola
https://www.facebook.com/arzolafilm
https://www.linkedin.com/in/axelarzola -
Zoom H4N is fine.
https://www.wolfcrow.com – Workflow information and support for filmmakers, photographers, audiographers and videographers.
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I have a Zoom H1…no problems or complaints.
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Zoom H4N. We’ve been using one for years and it’s never let us down. Just ensure you get a reputable make of SD card for it (you’ll only need a 4 gig card and that will keep you going all day).
“There’s no point in filming if you don’t have fun”
Charles Meadows
Creative Director
Incubate Productions South Africa
http://www.incubatevideo.co.za -
The Tascam DR-40 is hands down (IMHO) the best bang for your money. I tested this out rigorously against the Zoom H4N and heard no difference. It’s less than half the price of the Zoom H4N, easy to use, allows you to record a back-up track at a lower db rate (in case your 1st track peaks). You can also record up to 4 tracks simultaneously. It’s a no brainer. I use it all the time with my lapel (and sometimes just the on-board mics – which sound really good too).
Check it out:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/821259-REG/Tascam_DR_40_DR_40_4_Track_Handheld_Digital.htmlDavid
ps – the only thing I like about the zoom over the Tascam is the body construction shell – it’s a little better. But this is not a deal breaker for me.
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My 2 cents:
I’d stick with the mic you have and disable the automatic gain control AND have individual gain control on your camera with Magic Lantern (https://magiclantern.wikia.com/wiki/Unified) – it’s a fast install and you can even make adjustments to the camera’s bitrate so you can get longer than 12 minutes (but still less than 30 minutes). I’ve been using ML for about 2 years now on and off. It’s not always appropriate and some directors/producers/DPs don’t like it, but the new version 2.3 is super stable. I personally use the T2i (550D) with ML almost exclusively now since you get so many more features you would normally expect on a pro video camera (not a DSLR).
-Jonathan
Jonathan Ziegler
https://www.electrictiger.com/
520-360-8293 -
[David Rehm] “The Tascam DR-40 is hands down (IMHO) the best bang for your money.”
Absolutely agreed!
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“Tragedy is a close-up; comedy, a long shot.” – Buster KeatonMe on Twitter (english/german)
https://twitter.com/FastFoodVideo -
Have the Zoom H1 myself and used to be a big fan of that device and still am in many aspects. It is indeed a fantastic little recorder. Astounding quality for it’s size (and price).
But after about one and a half years of use I “updated” to the Tascam DR-40 for the following reasons:– The Zoom has no XLR-inputs and no phantom power
– For almost any adjustments you have to get into the menu – find that a bit impractical in the field
– You have “only” one stereo-channelIf you plan to do anything next to professional with audio you’ll definitly need XLR and phantom power, so maybe the H1 is not the best choice. (The DR-40 is not really a professional high-end device – just like the H4N isn’t – but those two are IMHO as close as you can get on a budget)
Don’t get me wrong, I like the H1 and I use it frequently as a backup recorder or as a second recorder that can be placed at “unusual” places due to its size.
But IMHO I’d rather invest a *bit* more to get *much* more quality and flexibility.Just my two cents (again)…
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“Tragedy is a close-up; comedy, a long shot.” – Buster KeatonMe on Twitter (english/german)
https://twitter.com/FastFoodVideo -
I have an older Zoom H4. I’ve never had problems. The problems most people had is if they shut it down during recording. You need to stop recording first.
Mine is for sale since I now use a whole different set up for my audio guy.
Brent Dunn
Owner / Director / Editor
DunnRight Films
DunnRight Video.com
Video Marketing Toolbox.netSony EX-1,
Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 7D
Mac Pro
with Final Cut Studio Adobe CS6 Production
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