**recommendations** external sound system for Dslr film making.

[Richard Crowley]

We don’t know what you are trying to “step up”? What part of your current audio does not meet your expectations? Typically, the selection of the microphone, and its placement are major factors. But you seem to want to stick with a small consumer level microphone mounted on your camera (?)

You say you want to go to “double-system” where the audio is recorded on separate gear (vs. recording in the camera). While it is true that DSLRs are almost universally not terribly good at recording audio, we don’t know if that is the limiting factor in your desire to “step up” your audio quality?

Note that most (or all?) of the “nature” video you see has audio that was NOT recorded at the same time as the video. And in many cases, the audio track was “created” in the studio and no live sound was even used. You might find it interesting to watch this video documentary about sound for nature documentaries:

https://youtu.be/Li6TSwybqjU

It is almost always the case that the optimum time/location for shooting the video is NOT the same as the best time/place for recording the audio track.

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Recording audio without metering and monitoring is exactly like framing and focusing without looking at the viewfinder.

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[Laurence Loz]

Thanks you for the response.
I guess what I’m trying to say is I want the flexibility of recording quality sound without having to film as well, I could set up the zoom on a separate tripod to capture some background ambience of the scene whilst recording some footage else where.
sorry I find it very difficult explaining thing’s.

[Richard Crowley]

Neither the Rode Video Mic nor the Zoom H4n are notable for being particularly quiet. Recording ambient sounds typically takes low-noise gear because of the relatively low sound levels being so close to the noise floor of the microphone, and the mic preamp. You didn’t mention what kind of “landscape” you are talking about, but if it is relatively quiet, you may find that neither your Rode Video Mic nor a recorder like the Zoom H4n are quiet enough for that kind of application.

Of course if you could borrow, rent, or buy with option of return, there is no discussion on the internet that can substitute for actually trying it in YOUR situation(s). I would certainly choose the “worst case” (most quiet) situations to test it with. But be prepared to search for microphone and recorder with a lower noise-floor depending on what you are recording.

———————————————————————————
Recording audio without metering and monitoring is exactly like framing and focusing without looking at the viewfinder.