Is HD-24p 1280×720 good enough? Indie Movies & Documentaries

[Norman Willis]

>>I actually use Cakewalk Sonar for additional audio but plan to get the Zoom H4 as a more portable recording medium. Though I do use Cakewalk for studio recording music etc.

You are right audio sucks from most cams especially in wind.

My Zoom H4 conked out after less than 30 hours of use, and Zoom refuses to repair it (because it went outside the 30 days, or something).

I do not recommend the Zoom H4. It is very confusing, and difficult to navigate. If you don’t want to go for the Edirol, then at least get the Zoom H4N (but I would stay away from Zoom, unless you purchase an outside warranty, like a SquareTrade warranty).

However, your audio on the camcorder is competent. You just need an XLR adapter, such as a BeachTek, or (better yet), a JuicedLink.

I purchased the JuicedLink CX431, and now use the camcorder for all of my audio recording as well. Just throw away the video stream.

It’s a thought.

Norman Willis
http://www.nazareneisrael.org

[Alan Andrews]

Actually I just went to look at the Tascam DR-1 at guitar center it has great reviews so I will be purhcasing one in a couple of days.

With directional and optional mic inputs this offers great flexibility

$299 but saves me lugging a laptop for good audio

[Dave Haynie]

As with camcorders, I have a collection of field recorders. I still use my Sony MD recorder on occasion… it’s a bloody pain to have to do an analog transfer back to the PC, but it’s very compact.

I also have a Tascam recording interface for a PC, which provides phantom power for condenser mics. That’s useful in situations that don’t require much portability.

My main field recorder is the Tascam DR-1… same idea as the Zoom, only it doesn’t break as easily. It only does stereo, but at 24-bit, 48kHz uncompressed, it’s a happy stereo. You can hook up an external dynamic mic, or run a condenser in via a preamp.

Audio on the camcorder is ok.. but just ok. If you’re recording in high definition, you’re probably recording compressed audio. HDV uses MPEG Layer 2, straight AVCHD uses AC-3, and some of the generic MPEG-4 cameras use AAC. So you can get better audio off-camera.

The big improvement, though, is bit depth. Unless you have a sound guy, you’re likely to run into trouble field recording when you have at least a 16-bit target (DVD or Blu-Ray), but you’re recording in 16-bit. AGC usually crapifies the sound, but if you have 20 to 24-bit audio (always a question just how many of those bits are actually marketing bits), you have plenty of head and leg room.

There are two reasons to use an XLR adaptor… you’re running 50ft XLR cables to the camcorder, or you’re trying to hook up better microphones, those that don’t exist on 1/8″ plugs.

You don’t need the low-noise (differential signaling) of XLR going the foot or so from the mic to the camcorder, and there are plenty of good mics available battery powered and capable of hooking into an 1/8″ jack. I do have XLR with my Sony (came with), and better mics (one Rode NG-1.. a decent one, about 1/2 the price of the HF-20, though you can spend as much for mics as you did for your camcorder and not be cheated). If you’re just after better audio, you can do as well with something like the Rode VideoMic.

-Dave

[Alan Andrews]

Thanks Dave
I actually went and got the Tascam DR-1 then returned for a DR-07 it was better in my opinion and $100 less and they both do MP3 in addition to WAV.

Yup long cables, ground lift etc that’s where direct boxes help also.

Cheers
Alan