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I'm shooting a corporate video and we're using a canon 7d, I've got the mini jack connection, me 66, boom pole and all the works I just want to know very badly if the camera has an audio level setting in the menu??????

5 Answers 5

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I own a 7d, so I'll chime in here as well. The 5dMkII does have a firmware update that allows for user controlled gain, but the 7D does not. Some people hack the AGC by feeding a 20k tone into the left channel and the mic into the right, but I'd seriously advise against recording ANY audio to a still camera and hoping to use it.

Use an external recorder, do an audio slate and clap, and sync it back in post. that's far less trouble than trying to record anything usable directly to the camera. Trust me and everyone else here - you can't make a professional product using that as your audio capture device. If you do end up recording directly to the camera, don't expect any post houses to make it sound professional. It won't happen.

I'll say it again: Go dual system.

Even if you have to cheap out and go with a Zoom H1 or something, that'll be MILES better than the camera audio.

can I say it one more time? Don't use a still camera as an audio capture device. The circuitry in your cell phone is better, and that circuitry is crap. go dual system.

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  • @Rene Do you have any advice on shooting with 2 7ds and two Zoom H4Ns? One Zoom for 2 wireless lavs and one Zoom for a shotgun microphone. Would this be a quad system? Would sync be a problem if just using a hand clap on set?
    – knumbers
    Nov 15, 2010 at 16:42
  • if you slate properly you should be fine. say the slate loud enough for both cameras and both audio recorders to hear it, clap loud enough for everything to hear it and in a spot where both cameras can see it, and you're good. The tricky part with a system like that is having every piece of gear rolling on every take. :)
    – Rene
    Nov 15, 2010 at 22:23
  • @Rene That helps a lot I appreciate it!!
    – knumbers
    Nov 16, 2010 at 2:17
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You should really get a mixer for that, the preamps will be horrid.

According to the d.o.p I'm on set with, the 7d has level control. You need to switch off the automatic gain. On the Sound Devices website, there's an article on using the 5d directly onto a mixer, might be worth checking out.

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The DSLR cameras are a 2nd tier still photo camera, a somewhat usable video camera, and a not-at-all usable audio recorder. Do they record audio? Yes. Do they record audio WELL? No.

When I hear I'm on a shoot with a DSLR camera I require the production to rent my Sound Devices 744t and time code slate. Seeing as how my recorder costs far more than the camera I see it as a rather fair charge. I do highly recommend sending some sort of guide track in to the camera. You can use an old Sennheiser G2 system or something similar and pop it on the hot-shoe. Send a mono mix from your mixer and the editor will thank you!

But yes, record the audio externally. If the production insists on recording master audio on the camera walk away. don't turn your back...just slowly...walk...away.

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There is. Also, the audio is terrible. Record off-camera if at all possible. If people are freaked by recording off-camera, you can turn on the on-board mic and use any nubmer of plugins for FCP that automatically match the camera shot with the off-camera audio. Singular Software makes one that works well.

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I would go with a mixer and record sound onto a separate recorder! The built in audio on the 5D and th 7D is...erm...awful...to say the least.

Otherwise as mentioned above, check the Sound Devices website (www.sounddevices.com) for said article.

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