GH2 Audio option.

T

thebighappyface

Active member
Ok, so I am pumped up about buying the GH2! I think today was a good day for the most part. My question is, what mic will be best for the gh2? Can I plug a h4n directly into the camera and use the audio from it so i dont have to sync in post? What mic would be best for doc work for the gh2? My main goal is to get great sound and not have to sync in post. Any suggestions would be awesome!
 
It appears that the mic options look limited to the same minijack as the GH1. I'm not sure we'll be seeing the end of the separate audio system for this cam. I've always used separate designated audio recorders for audio. I guess when someone gets their hands on one we will know more... come Oct 29th (or whatever the Japanese release date is) that someone might just be me...
 
Yeah well, at least its easy enough to get an adapter for the GH1's audiojack. I'm thinking they do that, so the most ignorant (no insult intended) customers will just buy the Panasonic shotgun mic. And now the audio gain seems to be fully manual so for doc work, i imagine it's good enough for that.
 
I'm planning on getting a Sennheiser MKE 400 and an 1/8" to sub-mini adapter to use it with the GH2 (if I decide to get a GH2 when they're available). The reason I want this mic is that it's really small, and it's decent for recording dialog at a close range.

I suppose you may be able to adapt the output of the H4n to plug directly into the GH2. There's a chance that by dropping the audio level on the GH2 to its lowest setting that it may be workable. However, I know people had to acquire a special in-line pad that dropped the line-level signal of the H4n's output low enough to plug into the mic input on other DSLR cameras. This may be necessary for the GH2 as well.
 
You can't negate calling someone ignorant by adding "no insult intended". Clearly it was.

I have used a number of audio solutions with the GH1, including Zoom H4N in combination with Sennheiser wireless systems and/or a Sennheiser shotgun.
I've also connected the Sennheiser shotgun to the GH1 using a 3.5 to 2.5mm adapter. Finally, I sometimes use the Panasonic shotgun with 2.5mm as well. There's nothing ignorant about it. It typically provides a good sound for matching to the H4N and often has very usable sound that ends up in the final edited video. Almost every time I've connected the Sennheiser to the GH1 via adapter, I've had at least one clip with no sound, due --I assume--to some connection issue with the adapter. So again, which is more "ignorant"?

Sorry if I'm snippy, but that was just a poor choice of words.

d1rockwild said:
Yeah well, at least its easy enough to get an adapter for the GH1's audiojack. I'm thinking they do that, so the most ignorant (no insult intended) customers will just buy the Panasonic shotgun mic. And now the audio gain seems to be fully manual so for doc work, i imagine it's good enough for that.
Click to expand...
 
d1rockwild said:
I'm thinking they do that so customers will buy the Panasonic shotgun mic.
Click to expand...

Another reason for Panasonic to go with a sub-mini mic input is to help keep the camera as compact as possible. I was hoping for an 1/8" input on the GH2. Oh well. A sub-mini input is still world's better than no input at all.
 
I was just trying to interpret why Panasonic decided on such a small jack. The size could also be a reason to keep the whole camera small. I don't mean to make a judgement call on someone who gets the Panasonic mic, but simply, what Panasonic may have been thinking.

And I just meant ignorant in not knowing something. Not knowing that you can easily get a converter to get another mic attached.

I mean you can keep feeling insulted, but I really didn't mean to insult anyone who has the panasonic mic.

Ron Rodenmeyer said:
You can't negate calling someone ignorant by adding "no insult intended". Clearly it was.


Sorry if I'm snippy, but that was just a poor choice of words.
Click to expand...
 
Also there's nothing ignorant about what you're doing with your audio, but I think it kinda sucks that you have to use the Panasonic mic for more reliable sound simply because of the jacks they chose. It's like they're saying "See? Just get a mic with the right jack and you'll get better results. Get the Panasonic mic!"

Ron Rodenmeyer said:
Almost every time I've connected the Sennheiser to the GH1 via adapter, I've had at least one clip with no sound, due --I assume--to some connection issue with the adapter. So again, which is more "ignorant"?
.
Click to expand...
 
Ok, I had some coffee and have gotten over the insult. Harha!

I agree, it would have been nice for them to use a standard mini plug. That being said, the little Panasonic mic is not bad for the price. Along with having a jack that actually fits (and stays in!) the camera, it's very light which is nice.

d1rockwild said:
I was just trying to interpret why Panasonic decided on such a small jack. The size could also be a reason to keep the whole camera small. I don't mean to make a judgement call on someone who gets the Panasonic mic, but simply, what Panasonic may have been thinking.

And I just meant ignorant in not knowing something. Not knowing that you can easily get a converter to get another mic attached.

I mean you can keep feeling insulted, but I really didn't mean to insult anyone who has the panasonic mic.
Click to expand...
 
Heh, honestly I think the Panasonic would be very cool to have as it was made for the GH1, so aesthetically i remain jealous. What's really the problem is the AGC more than the mic choice.

Oh, and sorry to have previously offended. Cheers.
 
There's some youtube stuff showing the el cheapo Zoom H1 compared with some on-cam mics, and for the price it seems to have promise in some situations.
 
Does anyone know the deal with the [LEVEL1] to [LEVEL4] audio on the GH2?

Are they all AGC, is one level number higher just moving it up higher towards 0db?

What if you were going to record a loud, live band using just the built-in mic, what level would you use?
Would any of them clip over 0db with loud music?

Thanks, I couldn't find the info in the manual.
 
Ozpeter said:
There's some youtube stuff showing the el cheapo Zoom H1 compared with some on-cam mics, and for the price it seems to have promise in some situations.
Click to expand...

Heck yeah- this is precisely what I do and the sound quality is excellent.

Noah
 
I use a Rode Video Mic Pro plugged into a H4N and then sync with plural eyes.

Don't trust the camera levels, if I can't use headphones.
 
Chaos123x said:
I use a Rode Video Mic Pro plugged into a H4N and then sync with plural eyes.

Don't trust the camera levels, if I can't use headphones.
Click to expand...

Well I hope to use it as a very lightweight run n' gun setup where sync sound is not possible.
It is those situations where size and weight will be the bigger determining factors than headphone monitoring...
...akin to visually putting the camera above you're head to try catch a shot and hope you get it (just as a video-side example)
 
Boncrek said:
Well I hope to use it as a very lightweight run n' gun setup where sync sound is not possible.
It is those situations where size and weight will be the bigger determining factors than headphone monitoring...
...akin to visually putting the camera above you're head to try catch a shot and hope you get it (just as a video-side example)
Click to expand...

That's what it is designed for. So no worries. I just use the mic with the H4n when I am shooting a situatuion I can somewhat control and I have a guy running the audio seperate.

For run and gun I use the VMP right on top of the camera with a 2.5 adapter plug, works great.
 
Chaos123x said:
That's what it is designed for. So no worries. I just use the mic with the H4n when I am shooting a situatuion I can somewhat control and I have a guy running the audio seperate.

For run and gun I use the VMP right on top of the camera with a 2.5 adapter plug, works great.
Click to expand...

I would love to see/hear footage if possible. Its good to see/hear before you buy lol
 
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