5DM2 Audio Headphone Monitoring

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drdimento

Well-known member
Recently recorded some video and unkowningly the condenser mic battery had died and thus the entire movie scene was shot without sound. To resolve this repeat we then purchased a Zoom H4N and use it also at the same time and will continue to do so just for 100% back up . . however . . wondering if anyone has found a workaround to hear what the camera is recording?

BTW, we have the latest software update to the camera, are using a mini jack splitter so we are recording both CH1 and CH2 as separate tracks along with recording a duplicate copy of the tracks via the H4N (which is AWESOME !!!) but would love to hear what is being recorded NOT heading into the camera but what is actually being laid down on audio.

Thanks in advance for all who contribute.
 
Firstly the audio the camera is recording is rubbish as the on board amp is crap, the audio you are recording on your H4N will be great. You cannot monitor the camera audio.
The pro workflo is sound via H4N use camera sound for sync ref only, sync with clapper or Pluraleyes
 
I bought this cable for my 5D/H4N setup: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/750963-REG/Sescom_LN2MIC_ZMH4_MON_3_5mm_Line_to_Mic.html

Works like a dream. It allows you to listen to the audio that is going into the Canon from the H4N. I keep the headphone volume at 85 and the 5D audio in Manual Control at (see picture).
audio.jpg


Note that the 5D takes the stereo mix from the H4N and turns it into a mono mix (not an issue if you are only using one mic). Nonetheless, with the right settings, you have the same audio you are recording in the H4N recorded into your 5D (making it way easier to sync in post manually or with pluraleyes). One advantage I found is that the H4N can be in pre-record and the 5D records the audio.

Regardless, in post, I always use the stereo mix recorded on the H4N audio.

I highly, highly, highly recommend doing your own testing for levels.
 
derekhillier said:
Firstly the audio the camera is recording is rubbish as the on board amp is crap, the audio you are recording on your H4N will be great. You cannot monitor the camera audio.
The pro workflo is sound via H4N use camera sound for sync ref only, sync with clapper or Pluraleyes
Click to expand...

thanks for this post. so . . hmmmmm, how does that cord get in the connection to the camera and why can't you do stereo? can you show a pic of the connections/set up? also, how did you get a nice pic screen shot of your 5dm2 screen? another camera?
 
derekhillier said:
Firstly the audio the camera is recording is rubbish as the on board amp is crap, the audio you are recording on your H4N will be great. You cannot monitor the camera audio.
The pro workflo is sound via H4N use camera sound for sync ref only, sync with clapper or Pluraleyes
Click to expand...

no disrespect intended "derekhiller" but the sound quality that i listen to out of the 5dm2 doesn't sound bad at all. maybe its the feed you are giving it. we are feeding it with an audio technica 192 or 197 (can't remember) with a sennheiser butt plug and sennheiser receiver mounted on the cam and using two of them we get full stereo capabilities and the sound we're getting is awesome. crystal clear and full resonance without clipping. however, as ive pointed out, without any way of monitoring, we have lost an entire scene of about 3 hours work due to no sound which was why we added the h4n which i love if for no other reason . . back up.
 
drdimento said:
thanks for this post. so . . hmmmmm, how does that cord get in the connection to the camera and why can't you do stereo? can you show a pic of the connections/set up? also, how did you get a nice pic screen shot of your 5dm2 screen? another camera?
Click to expand...

Here is the setup:
IMG_20110301_181952.jpg


Sorry, I got my wording wrong. The 5D does record stereo audio - it will record channel one and channel two from the H4N - it just mixes them in each channel. For example: Into the H4N in Stereo Mode, I have a shotgun in channel 1 and a lav in channel 2 = recorded onto the H4N is a audio file with the shotgun on channel 1 and the lav on channel 2. When I send that signal to the 5D via the Sescom cable the 5D records the shotgun and lav mixed in channel 1 and in channel 2.

Keep in mind that the most important thing this Sescom cable does over your regular splitter is that it has a 25dB Attenuator into the camera. It takes the feed coming out from the H4N down 25dB so that it doesn't read so fraking hot on the 5D.

Check out Sescom's website - they have a cable for about any situation: http://www.sescom.com/sescom-product-index.asp

And I just took that picture of my 5D LCD screen with my phone's camera.
 
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"joshsgibson" nice set up.

EDIT: just realized looking at the pics and studying the set up again . . this still doesn't listen to the 5dm2 it only listens to the h4n which can be done anyway without the rig just a couple channels in and use the h4n as a backup or primary whatever tricks your trigger.

i do however like the rig although i think we'll do it slightly different. also, that also looks like the redrock rod system? i think we're gonna get the cinecityDV rig for just under 900 that has the matte box, follow focus, and the shoulder rig, to save a little money . . cuz at present we do as much photo as video so we don't want a fortune in the video side.

i think we'll come out of the h4n in stereo, split the signal to two stereo's with one to the head phones the other to the camera. don't know why that wouldn't work?

top split to headphones
out of h4n stereo mini ----<
bottom split to canon mic in (in stereo)

i love this idea. i think we'll mount the h4n off to the side along with two sennheiser wireless receivers.
 
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joshsgibson said:
....Nonetheless, with the right settings, you have the same audio you are recording in the H4N recorded into your 5D (making it way easier to sync in post manually or with pluraleyes). One advantage I found is that the H4N can be in pre-record and the 5D records the audio. .....
Click to expand...

what's "pluraleyes" ??
 
joshsgibson said:
......The rig is the Jag35 Offset Shoulder Rig: ..... About the same prices as Cinecity. I bought my rig for $750.00
Click to expand...

did urs come with the matte box and follow focus? ima getting the one with the matte box and follow focus. here i think: LINK

thanks for the info on pluraleyes. for this movie i was gonna use "scriptsync" in media composer but maybe will check out the free download if its at least a couple weeks long. our script supervisor has been doing a good job of keeping them on track with lines and when the crash out we mark the take thusly using the meta fields. however, switching audio now has complicated matters significantly.
 
drdimento said:
did urs come with the matte box and follow focus? ima getting the one with the matte box and follow focus. here i think: LINK

thanks for the info on pluraleyes. for this movie i was gonna use "scriptsync" in media composer but maybe will check out the free download if its at least a couple weeks long. our script supervisor has been doing a good job of keeping them on track with lines and when the crash out we mark the take thusly using the meta fields. however, switching audio now has complicated matters significantly.
Click to expand...

I did not get a matte box and follow focus with mine. Yours looks like a really great deal. Let me know how it turns out.

And good luck on your film!
 
I also use the Sescom cable, however you may also monitor the 5d through the av out if you use the magic lantern firmware. That way you are sure the 5d is getting the proper signal level.
 
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