Topic: Canon HF100 / First attemp filming - settnings?

[roxia]

So I have gotten myself a Canon HF100 1080p camcorder and I will be using it for the first time the 12th of November (soon).
It will be a rock concert at a pretty small club place (not extremely small though)

I've read some tips on this forum that manual focus should be used and set while you have zoomed in on the drums / backdrop (something in the back of the stage)

But to my question... I will be using the built-in microphone and I wonder if I should use auto or manual for audio levels on the mic? What is the best to use? And if I should have the manual-function. Is it correct that the meter shouldn't go over -12 dB as the user-manual says?

I will also have a Edirol (built-in mics) with me but I want the audio on the videorecording so be as good as possible just in case something happens. You probably know what I mean.


Sorry for my bad english. Hope you guys can help me out here

Thanks in advance.

[nickee]

Starting with the settings... You should enable "microphone attenuation" or something similar if you plan to record amplified music. It's somewhere in the settings with the 4 or 5 tabs.

IIRC the automatic gain control in the camera will not max out the levels at -12db and instead try to keep it as close to 0db as possible. When you are taping music from a PA it's fairly easy to set the levels manually but when for example recording speech and less loud sources that have greater dynamics than a rock n roll band it can probably be tricky. So I guess that the recommendation in the manual to keep it under -12db is mostly in order to keep it safe and avoid distortion. I'd try to set it to manual and have the levels as close to 0db while being comfortable.

I think the manual focus trick is mostly if you tape from far and having problems getting the autofocus to work due to the light show. Should not be necessary in smaller clubs.

[roxia]

Should "Wind screen" function be on or off ?

[tailschao]

I'd turn wind screen off. I filmed a show with it turned on once, and I think it was hearing some of the rumbling bass guitar as wind and rolling it off. Either way, you'll be indoors - so there's no need for it, and no point having a random setting that changes the sound switched on if you won't need it.

[SClassical]

Yeah I sometimes really don't understand why some people put wind screen on their mics when recording in an in door setting with no wind. I always see it and it really confuses me.

I'd turn wind screen off. I filmed a show with it turned on once, and I think it was hearing some of the rumbling bass guitar as wind and rolling it off. Either way, you'll be indoors - so there's no need for it, and no point having a random setting that changes the sound switched on if you won't need it.

[stevetoney]

Yeah I sometimes really don't understand why some people put wind screen on their mics when recording in an in door setting with no wind. I always see it and it really confuses me.

I think it's mostly a leftover habit from the days when clubs allowed smoking.  Some people have thousands invested in their mics and prefer the peace of mind of having the mics covered by the screens indoors to provide a cig smoke barrier.  They also provide some measure of insurance for random breezes that can exist inside the club, such as from HVAC or perhaps from someone walking by and creating a breeze.  Super sensitive mics can still rumble even with a small breeze.  Personally, I prefer running without screens indoors, but I always ALWAYS have them handy, because you just never know when you'll need them and wind ruins a recording faster than Danica Patrick in her race car.