Letus Extreme On EX3: Hum On Audio Track

[Will Salley]

I’ve got the Letus Elite. It cannot be used when recording sync sound. Not even with a boom mic. The vibration is totally unacceptable in a professional environment and I don’t think it is very good for the camera lens as well.

I too, sent it back to Letus to attempt to reduce the vibration to no avail. I keep it around for some “beauty” shots but otherwise, I rent a Pro35.

Mac Pro 2×2.8 Quadcore – 10.6.3 – QT 7.6.3 – 22 GB RAM – nvidia8800GT – SATA internal & external storage – Blackmagic Multibridge Pro – Open GL 1.5.10 – Wacom Intous2 tablet – AJA io
SONY XDCAM EX3 – Letus Elite – FC7.0.2 – CS4 Prod Prem.

[Jeff Coffman]

Have you ever used your Letus on a different camera? I was able to record sync sound on my HVX without the noise. I wonder if it’s the way the EX3 is built.

[Mark Araujo]

I’ve been using it on a EX3 for a while with no problem – what is your exact setup? I can see if I can try to re-create the same noise.

[Jeff Coffman]

Hello

I don’t think there’s anything you’re doing differently from me. There’s nothing unusual about the setup: the Letus Extreme attached to the front of the EX3 stock lens.

So you’re saying if you monitor your audio in silence, then turn on the adapter, you can’t detect the motor?

Letus has asked me to send it back for a second time. They seem be suggesting they might send me another unit to test. I hope I can find a solution.

[Will Salley]

My setup is basic, using the EX-3 and the Letus Elite on the stock lens. It is supported by a split rail system (RedRock) and has the usual attachments (matte box, ff). The noise created is mechanical, in that it vibrates the camera, mattebox and tripod legs to the point where they emit a low frequency hum. Even when the Letus is mounted on the EX-3 with no other attachments and being operated handheld, the vibration resonates throughout the camera.

My theory is that the design is such that the ground glass is not counter-balanced as it should be.

Mac Pro 2×2.8 Quadcore – 10.6.3 – QT 7.6.3 – 22 GB RAM – nvidia8800GT – SATA internal & external storage – Blackmagic Multibridge Pro – Open GL 1.5.10 – Wacom Intous2 tablet – AJA io
SONY XDCAM EX3 – Letus Elite – FC7.0.2 – CS4 Prod Prem.

[Bob Pierce]

I’ve been using a Letus for years now on my EX1 with no problems. Maybe the ex3’s mics are more sensitive to vibration than the ex1. Did you try isolating the mic a bit?
Bob

http://www.lightstreamassociates.com

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[Jeff Coffman]

Mark, can you please let me know which shock mount, and which shotgun mic you are using? I would be willing to buy them just to try them out.

I’ve just sent my adapter back to Letus for the second time and they’ve said it’s working fine. It seems so strange to me that there would be such a drastic presence of hum on the EX3 vs the HVX, which I recorded great audio on.

If in fact it is the EX3 camera body that is the problem, I will be forced to sell the whole kit and go back to the HVX. If I can’t record sync sound with the Letus, as a one-man-band, I might as well shoot on a DSLR and jump through all the hoops you have to with that route.

Thanks

Jeff

[Jeff Coffman]

It’s a shotgun mic that I’m using in a shock mount, not the camera mic. The hum does appear however on the camera mic as well.

Of course in a perfect world I would have someone holding the mic at the end of a boom pole, however that is not practical for 99% of the professional work I do, or have done with successfully with the HVX.

Jeff