[Phil Balsdon]

I record my master audio on a Tascam DR100 and feed a line output to the 7D via a Beachtek DXA SLR. I found doing this the audio recorded on the camera was consistently 2 frames behind video. I attributed this to delay from Tascam output to Beachtek as recording with the mic directly into the camera didn’t do this.

I just shift all audio, after PluralEyes 2 frames.

You can check this by recording a slate and seeing if the clap vision and audio link up. (Doesn’t have to be a slate, just anything you can clearly see hear a clap and see the vision that caused it).

Cinematographer, Steadicam Operator, Final Cut Pro Post Production.
https://philming.com.au
https://www.steadi-onfilms.com.au/

[Phil Balsdon]

At the moment you’re a student on a limited budget. Buy the best kit system that suits your current needs that you can afford and get out there and start shooting. You will learn a lot about what you need without yet investing in an expensive lens that doesn’t suit your chosen genre of film making. You can then start saving for your first “quality” lens.

You might like to keep this in mind though. Canon make a great range of quality lenses but the limitation is the EOS system and getting the iris to function easily on other brands. That said Canon now has a wide range of camera systems that can use these lenses from HDSLR, through the C300 and soon to be released C100 and C500 (available with EF or PL mount). RED cameras can also carry the Canon EF mount. Cameras that go beyond these systems generally require a PL mount for fully fledged feature film making.

Zeiss CP lenses are specifically for film / video and the mount can be changed if you decide to change to different mount camera. They are also a lot more expensive than stills camera lenses though. Zeiss also make excellent stills lenses that are cost competitive with Canon L series and Nikon.

Nikon lenses overcome the non-manual iris of Canon EF and the iris can be de-clicked and fitted with adaptors to suit other lens mount cameras, including Canon EF, making them an excellent choice for video work. Their focus rotates the opposite direction to other brands though.

There are some great lenses for the 4/3 system cameras but these lenses may not cover the larger sensor area of some cameras.

Canon 60D, Panasonic GH3 or Sony NEX are all good reliable all round cameras that will get you started.

Cinematographer, Steadicam Operator, Final Cut Pro Post Production.
https://philming.com.au
https://www.steadi-onfilms.com.au/

[Phil Balsdon]

Same as Greg. Problem started after update to 6.02 fixed after going back to 6.01.

MacPro 4.1 / 2.8Ghz Quad / OS10.6.8 / Blackmagic Decklink Extreme.

Cinematographer, Steadicam Operator, Final Cut Pro Post Production.
https://philming.com.au
https://www.steadi-onfilms.com.au/

[Phil Balsdon]

I agree Rafael, and then after reading the manual he / she should have checked what the camera was outputting.

I am continually amazed by the number of stories of disaster that occur from people just plugging something in and hoping that what comes out will be okay.
This is common with audio and the operator not monitoring sound, nows it’s going to become common with external recording devices on cameras.
Some things can’t be fixed in post, nor should post be treated or thought of as a repair shop.

This could have been easily checked by plugging the output into a suitable monitor beforehand or doing a test record and replay.
It is the difference between a professional and an amateur. (As well the difference between being hired again or not).

Posted here in hope that someone will read it and not repeat this unnecessary mistake.

Cinematographer, Steadicam Operator, Final Cut Pro Post Production.
https://philming.com.au
https://www.steadi-onfilms.com.au/

[Phil Balsdon]

AGC is the abbreviation for Auto Gain Control, so yes switching to Manual turns it off.

Using a high output mic and low gain settings in the camera is helpful so long as your recording levels are normal. Camera pre amps are fairly poor so lifting levels in the camera to compensate for low level input will lft background hiss.

Better still add a Juicelink or Beachtek unit. These have better pre amps and will give a higher input level to the camera meaning you can keep your camera’s levels low (and thus lower levels of hiss).

Even better quality can be obtained if you record double system using a Zoom H4n or Tascam digital recorder and sync to the camera sound in post using PluralEyes or DualEyes (or manually with a clapper slate).

Cinematographer, Steadicam Operator, Final Cut Pro Post Production.
https://philming.com.au
https://www.steadi-onfilms.com.au/

[Phil Balsdon]

This video (from B & H) features both those mics. Gives recording comparisons from a number of mics suitable for on camera mounting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFw5C7xD7IA&list=UUHIRBiAd-PtmNxAcLnGfwog&index=6&feature=plcp

Cinematographer, Steadicam Operator, Final Cut Pro Post Production.
https://philming.com.au
https://www.steadi-onfilms.com.au/

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[Phil Balsdon]

Fluorescent setting is only for color balance and won’t fix the flicker.

Cinematographer, Steadicam Operator, Final Cut Pro Post Production.
https://philming.com.au
https://www.steadi-onfilms.com.au/

[Phil Balsdon]

This is a great video shot by my friend Rod Turnbull using the high speed function on a Sony NEX FS-700. Take a close look at the head lights of the red car. The LED trim lights around the bottom edges flicker very noticeably in slow mo shots. Not a problem in the static hero shots at the end though when using regular frame rate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNwi7xmrotU

Apparently this was also a problem for TV coverage in the Le Mans 24 hour race where some cars now use full LED headlights.

Cinematographer, Steadicam Operator, Final Cut Pro Post Production.
https://philming.com.au
https://www.steadi-onfilms.com.au/

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[Phil Balsdon]

This is probably an issue to do with electric current frequency powering the LEDs. Unlike good true video cameras HDSLRs do not have a variable clear scan shutter adjustment (most commonly used for syncing CRT computer screens or fluorescent lights in foreign countries). Clear scan allows you to set precise shutter speeds of say 1/59.6 and sync your frame rate to the current frequency or scan rate of a computer screen.

You are stuck with 1/25, 1/50, 1/60 etc. typical of still photographic cameras.

If this is the cause there’s virtually no fix in the camera.

Cinematographer, Steadicam Operator, Final Cut Pro Post Production.
https://philming.com.au
https://www.steadi-onfilms.com.au/

[Phil Balsdon]

I downloaded the CS6.01 update manually (IE not using Adobe updater) from the Adobe website and installed it over CS6.0 without issues too.

Cinematographer, Steadicam Operator, Final Cut Pro Post Production.
https://philming.com.au
https://www.steadi-onfilms.com.au/