C100: Best general audio settings

J

jthabel

Well-known member
I'm shooting a short narrative project for a client next month, kind of a cheap indie run-n-gun, and all audio is going to be captured to the C100 (via a handful of XLR connected mics, and probably a mixer), recording mostly indoor dialogue. I know this is an incredibly general question, but what audio settings have you folks had the most success with? I've been fairly satisfied so far shooting manual audio, both channels using XLR connection 1 through a single MIC, with my audio limiter turned on for any unexpected loud noises, but I have a few lingering questions about what some of the audio settings are good for. Namely:

1) What and how useful is the audio attenuator?
2) What should I be setting my internal headphone volume to to ensure I'm getting the most accurate representation of what's actually being recorded? I've been leaving mine at the default value... I think it's "8".

Overall, I've been very impressed with the audio capabilities of this cam.

Thanks in advance for the advice.
 
If you have a dedicated audio guy feeding you from a mixer:
1) have him send you a LINE level signal
2) set the camera to LINE level AND MANUAL
3) have him send you 'tone' and set the camera levels to -20(you'll hear guys still refer to this as "0" or "zero out the camera" sometimes)
4) don't touch anything else on the camera audio wise. Your audio guy should be in control, now.

Your audio guy should also be monitoring the "return" if he's hardwired to you. As far as headphone levels, if the headphone amp is anything like on the C300, it will have to be cranked all the way up(+15 on the 300), but it will still be low going back to the mixer. If you're monitoring yourself, it will depend some on the individual headphones you're plugging directly into the camera.
 
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Thanks for the input. What if a mixer isn't involved, and we're plugging a single mic straight into the cam and using phantom power? Any preferred settings?
 
Hire a soundguy!!! , it"s a profession and not something to be taken lightly.
It's realy hard to keep your focus on making a pretty picture and checking the sound at the same time, one or both will suffer.

That being said make sure that the levels of a normal interviewed voice is around the -10db level .
lower levels can introduce noise when you have to raise the levels in post.
Don't ever let the levels go above 0 or in the red this can mean unrecoverable distortion.

The headphone amp. from the c100 is verry noisy so not realy good for confidence monitoring

I would suggest doing a few test runs.
good luck.
 
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Single interviews, I run mics straight into the C100 MKI and the sound is surprisingly good (Schoeps CMC641 and Countryman B6 lavaliere, sometime Audio-Technica AT875r), but if we get into more than one talent, movement, narrative or anything else besides single camera, single subject interview, I hire a sound mixer, the end result will almost alwyas be great. Sound mixers improve your cinematography too. Trying to worry about lighting, composition, exposure, latitude, backgrounds and camera movement, PLUS worrying about mics rubbing, sound issues, wireless issues, boom issues, sound issues is a receipe for craptastic sound and non-optimal camera work and lighting. Even with a tiny crew, ALWAYS demand a sound mixer. I work a lot of two and three man shoots and having a sound mixer always makes life and the end product better.
 
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