Taperssection.com
Gear / Technical Help => Photo / Video Recording => Topic started by: attheshow on March 15, 2013, 02:45:39 AM
-
I'm currently using an Olympus E-PM-1 with SEMA-1 (external 3.5mm stereo mic input), a Church Ugly Battery Box and CAFS-OMNI mics. This setup gives me no level meter and no way to attenuate the signal. I had settled on the CAFS OMNI + 9v power in hopes that it would handle any sound I could throw at it. At first I was very happy with the results. Here's a sample: http://youtu.be/e-V6ZosV5CY
However, on my last trip out the band was quite loud and I was not as pleased... It is possible that this was due to a weak 9V battery, I guess there's no way to know. Anyways, the bass gets a little muddy and there's a crackly effect at high volumes. It doesn't ruin things, but I want better. This is what I salvaged: http://youtu.be/adjQIDIgXA4
Does anyone here run a similar setup? Any ideas on what I might try for better results? I really wish the camera gave me some way to gauge the audio quality (or at least the levels) while I'm at the show. I also have an Edirol R-09. I don't really want to have to sync audio and video in post (I suppose that might be the best solution), but maybe there's a way I could wire up the R09 between the mics and the camera and use it to control the signal? Or is it easier than I think to sync a/v these days?
-
the nice part about learning something new, useful and relatively easy is you will end up using it over and over.
Run audio into your R09 and synch in post.
-
I'm coming from a photography background, so what I know about sound and video recording can be counted on the fingers of one foot. However, I did try filming some clips from a loud concert with an Olympus Pen E-PL1 and the external Olympus ME-51S microphone (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Olympus-145037-ME-51S-Stereo-Microphone/dp/B000BTAH62/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1363939789&sr=8-3), with predictably poor and distorted results: http://youtu.be/Pdcf7-rDSxE . I then bought an Olympus E-PM1 and Sound Professionals battery box (http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-SPSB-4). Results were a bit better, although still not great: http://youtu.be/lr6xF8a6OKU . I then bought some Sound Professionals SP-CMC-8 mics. (http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-CMC-8), and tried them out with the battery box recently at a quieter concert, sitting towards the back. The recording of the first song I recorded was better quality than with the Olympus mic., but surprisingly quiet, and other songs I recorded later got progressively quiet, which I can only presume was due to the battery in the battery box gradually running down? That's odd, as Sound Professionals claim a 30- to 50-hour battery life, and yet I can't have used it for more than two hours in total.
I've ordered a Church Audio Ugly ll pre-amp which should arrive soon, and I might even get a recorder and sync sound and video in post eventually, although I imagine it would be very awkward for one individual to to simultaneously record sound and video at once!?
-
I imagine you'd just have to set up audio recording first (set it and forget it) then focus on the video work. To get it right I think you'd have to record in 48Hz. And then there's the work of syncing it all up in post. I've never done this, but it sounds intimidating. This is why I'm hoping to find a solution that allows me to run audio straight into the camera without losing quality. I thought I had it nailed with the church battery box and CAFS omnis, but unfortunately this proved to be less foolproof than I originally thought. I would definitely like to hear more peoples ideas.
-
Sounds like we are trying to do the same thing, attheshow. I'll hopefully be trying out a few permutations with my EPM-1 over the next few months. Let me (us?) know how you get on.
-
Will do. Please do the same. I should have a chance to take another crack at it next week.
-
I imagine you'd just have to set up audio recording first (set it and forget it) then focus on the video work. To get it right I think you'd have to record in 48Hz. And then there's the work of syncing it all up in post. I've never done this, but it sounds intimidating. This is why I'm hoping to find a solution that allows me to run audio straight into the camera without losing quality. I thought I had it nailed with the church battery box and CAFS omnis, but unfortunately this proved to be less foolproof than I originally thought. I would definitely like to hear more peoples ideas.
I have done a similar thing with my Olympus EPL-1, the same SEMA-1 accesory (which was bought & shipped to me by a kind member of this board, btw) and CAFS powered by a usual Church Audio BBox; I had the same results as you, sometimes good, sometimes not as good - and it wasn't the battery's fault, just so you know ;) Then I changed to a Sound Proffessional battery box that has a knob to control the output (therefore it allows you to get the levels a little lower and avoid overloading SEMA's poor input). This is the mentioned SP SPSB-3L battery box: www.google.com/search?q=Sp-SPSB-3L ... I don't think they have it in stock but you might be able to find it somewhere. Or another BBox that has a similar level knob.