5D Mark II headphone monitoring solution?

[bjdowns]

I was reading about how you can't monitor sound using an external microphone with the 5DM2, and I had a workaround in my head, but I might be too noobish to realize this won't work:

-XLR mic plugged into Beachtek or XLR to 1/8" adapter.
-1/8" jack from adapter to female/female adapter
-2-way stereo splitter into female/female adapter
-1 line from splitter to headphones
-1 line from splitter to camera's 1/8" jack

I suppose this could be used with a mic like the Rode VideoMic, and just not using the Beachtek or XLR to 1/8".

Could someone please tell me why this won't work? I know it's too simple to be true :).

[mrbrycel]

It might, but I wouldn't recommend the BeachTek adapter for anything professional. I got one for my Sony VX1000 (since it has no XLR inputs), and regardless of what mic you used with it, it had a faint hissing sound.

You'd probably be best using a slate, and syncing it with audio recorded to a 702 or something. Audio to camera is convenient, because you don't have to sync it, but it's not always the best option.

[egproductions]

I don't hold much hope for in camera audio for this camera. Still photos.... of course, Video...possibly, audio...no way.

Even if you use the best Mic the pres in the camera are not going to recognize the mics potential.

[bjdowns]

It might, but I wouldn't recommend the BeachTek adapter for anything professional. I got one for my Sony VX1000 (since it has no XLR inputs), and regardless of what mic you used with it, it had a faint hissing sound.

You'd probably be best using a slate, and syncing it with audio recorded to a 702 or something. Audio to camera is convenient, because you don't have to sync it, but it's not always the best option.


I don't hold much hope for in camera audio for this camera. Still photos.... of course, Video...possibly, audio...no way.

Even if you use the best Mic the pres in the camera are not going to recognize the mics potential.

Okay, this is all fine and dandy, but I am still wondering if this will work.
There are many people who will use audio to camera (including me), and would like a monitoring solution.
(Albeit, it may not hold up to the prestigious standards of the dvxuser community.)

[egproductions]

your setup works logistically andthere are are other variations of what you said that would work however, this is no good.

Even if your mic audio makes it to the camera input, you can't listen to a microphone without it being amplified. In essence what you are trying to do it hook up headphones str8 to a microphone. Try it, it won't work.

Best way of recording in camera audio and monitoring, is to hook up a mixer like SD mixpre and monitor through the mixer. Your audio will also come out better (although it doesn't look like the camera has an unbalanced audio input which is not ideal for using a mixer.)

The best way to record audio in general and to monitor sound is to record off camera audio. Of course these two solutions might not help you when shooting an event and not a big production, which is what I am assuming you are interested in.

For shooting part of an event, I wouldn't waste the effort monitoring audio. This camera just isn't made for live even't because of the audio and because of the recording time limitation.

[drk3p]

your setup works logistically andthere are are other variations of what you said that would work however, this is no good.

Even if your mic audio makes it to the camera input, you can't listen to a microphone without it being amplified. In essence what you are trying to do it hook up headphones str8 to a microphone. Try it, it won't work.

Isn't that how tin cans on a string works?lol

[egproductions]

Isn't that how tin cans on a string works?lol

Now theres a monitoring solution!

[Lee Wilson]

-1 line from splitter to headphones
-1 line from splitter to camera's 1/8" jack

You still would not be monitoring the 5D2, you would be monitoring the input signal prior to recording.

So if the 5D2 records the signal too low, or the signal is too hot, or the AGC causes excessive hiss due to the wrong impedance (or any other number of issues that might happen at the 5D2 stage) this problem will not appear on your headphones.

The point of monitoring is to hear what the 5D2 is 'laying to tape' (CF card) - simply monitoring the input signal leaves you open to missing audio issues.

[danap]

The 5DMKII brings us all back to MOS cameras' good old days. What you can do is:
1. to record the sound to a small digital sound recorder and branch off sound to the 5DMKII.
2. to use the sound track as a pilot track for synchro. Or forget all about the in-cam sound and use good old' clap to synch the sound (or my iPhone's software clapboard).
3. to use a good field mixer is also a must. The Beachtek might help a bit, but this gear will not bring you to pro sound.

In order to get pro sound you need mike preamp + field mixer + monitor + distance from the camera and its operator + close distance to the voice source + boom pole or lavs.
There are NO shortcuts or work-arounds to obtain high quality sound. You'll have to do the hard way.

Sound is much harder than moving pictures.

Sorry to bring these realities into this discussion :-)

The RED is not better in this regard...

[bjdowns]

You still would not be monitoring the 5D2, you would be monitoring the input signal prior to recording.

So if the 5D2 records the signal too low, or the signal is too hot, or the AGC causes excessive hiss due to the wrong impedance (or any other number of issues that might happen at the 5D2 stage) this problem will not appear on your headphones.

The point of monitoring is to hear what the 5D2 is 'laying to tape' (CF card) - simply monitoring the input signal leaves you open to missing audio issues.

True, and it is a setback for that you cannot monitor the 5D2 directly. However, for me, more of a "guerrilla" college filmmaker, I would just like to hear what is coming from the mic, and whether my boom operator needs to move the mic, lower the boom, or stop shaking it so much.
I know this is by no means a "pro" solution, but I don't think the 5D2 is meant for printing to film.

[henry cho]

beachtek is coming out with an audio adapter specifically for the 5dm2 in early 2009. there's a sneak peek of it on their site. it mounts below the camera and looks about the size of a battery grip. preliminary word indicates it will provide 48v phantom and permit headphone monitoring. i agree with mbrycel... beachtek's preamps can be a bit too noisy for me. but the form factor and features look great for the camera.

[benn]

Henry, I couldnt find it on the beachtek site. Do you can send a link?
Thanks benn