Horrible Grinding Noise when shooting Video 550D

I

ibjim

New member
Hi everyone, just got my 550D and eager to start shooting :D Unfortunately I've run into a bit of a problem that I hope you can help me with. I have two lenses, the Canon EFS 18-55mm which came with the camera and a Canon EF 28-135mm.

When shooting with the EFS 18-55mm everything is fine, but with the EF 28-135mm I get a horrible grinding noise when IS is turned on. It's very audible and can clearly be heard in videos from the camera.

I have done some reading up and a few people have the same issue, but it's very hard to gauge if there's is better/worse and if it's a malfunction. Is this just a eccentricity of this lens, have I got unlucky with a particularly noisy one or is this a malfunction?

Unfortunately I purchased this lens online, and if I send it back I will be charged if it is found to not be faulty (new and sealed when purchased).

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advanced. Can't wait to really see what this camera can do :D

Jim
 
Try using an isolated shotgun mic

Try using an isolated shotgun mic

Try using an isolated shotgun mic like a Rode VideoMic or a Sennheiser MKE 400. These will be isolated from camera vibaration. They also are focused to pickup sound in front of camera and reduce noise from the camera itself.

Better yet get a Zoom hand H4n Handy Mobile 4-Track Recorder and record near your sound source, far from the camera and its noise.
 
Me too - thought I was in trouble

Me too - thought I was in trouble

ibjim said:
Hi everyone, just got my 550D and eager to start shooting :D Unfortunately I've run into a bit of a problem that I hope you can help me with. I have two lenses, the Canon EFS 18-55mm which came with the camera and a Canon EF 28-135mm.

When shooting with the EFS 18-55mm everything is fine, but with the EF 28-135mm I get a horrible grinding noise when IS is turned on. It's very audible and can clearly be heard in videos from the camera.

I have done some reading up and a few people have the same issue, but it's very hard to gauge if there's is better/worse and if it's a malfunction. Is this just a eccentricity of this lens, have I got unlucky with a particularly noisy one or is this a malfunction?

Unfortunately I purchased this lens online, and if I send it back I will be charged if it is found to not be faulty (new and sealed when purchased).

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advanced. Can't wait to really see what this camera can do :D
Click to expand...

I have exactly the same problem: same camera, same lens, and same noise, same purchasing source. So came to this site looking for ideas. It is definitely the IS that brings out the noise, and it mechanical not electrical as it is not present when I switch audio recording off, or turn the dial to pics instead of video.

Has to be a bug as I cannot imagine Canon letting something like this through on purpose as it makes IS unusable for video recording, plus something in the lens is 'vibrating' constantly, and that must lead to wear.

David - who is not sure what to do next. Maybe talk to Canon though they may not want to talk to me as I bought the lens overseas (but camera came from Canon Australia)
 
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The mic that is in the body of the 550d/t2i camera (see the little mic holes above the letters E.O.S) ... well that mic is fixed onto the inside body shell of the camera.
It will pick up any vibration from the IS of any lens and it will also pick up any handling noise from your fingers. Lets face it, DSLR's are not camcorders,
they do not have mics shielded with a shock mount and DSLR's have crap pre-amps and auto gain control that introduces hiss.
Record your sound separately and use the on camera sound for sync.

DonalDuc said:
... or buy a Lumix GH1 :-))))) ... with a noiseless lens, Canon/Nikon cannot make ...
Click to expand...

Well I've owned both cams and I can assure you they suck equally. At least the canon on board mic points forward. The oh-so-clever gh1 designers put the gh1 mic on top of
the camera pointed upwards to the camera mans nose. Great if your are shooting porn and need heavy breathing recordings I suppose.
Furthermore it is on the flash shoe so if the flash button gets bumped the CLUNK is headphone shattering afterwhich the mic ponts backwards to the camera mans throat.

Seriously tho, lets not put up the gh1 over the t2i because of audio - which is not the strong point of any DSLR.
 
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NO ONE should be recording audio with the built in mic on HDSLR's. even prosumer cameras, the built-in mics are HORRIBLE.
 
recording for professional purposes, the internal mic. is not a good idea to be using. But, when filming for fun, which I do sometimes, I don't really care about audio and use the internal mic.
Even with the IS on, on my lens, I don't hear any 'vibration noise' through the built in mic.
 
quietguy said:
Has to be a bug as I cannot imagine Canon letting something like this through on purpose as it makes IS unusable for video recording, plus something in the lens is 'vibrating' constantly, and that must lead to wear.

David - who is not sure what to do next. Maybe talk to Canon though they may not want to talk to me as I bought the lens overseas (but camera came from Canon Australia)
Click to expand...

Both the 18-55IS and 28-135IS were built and designed before video on DSLR's was possible, neither lens is "designed for video", they are photography lenses.
 
J Davis said:
[...]The oh-so-clever gh1 designers put the gh1 mic on top of the camera pointed upwards to the camera mans nose. Great if your are shooting porn and need heavy breathing recordings I suppose.
Click to expand...

It's not always great. It depends. A lot of camera operators breathe through their noses. Then you've got to start thinking about internal nostril circumference and fluctuations in nasal mucus quantity and position.
 
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