GH2 How do you guys handle your audio?

Mic > Tascam DR-40 > Splitter > One end headphones, one the other into the GH2 via adapter.
This allows monitoring plus a higher quality version I can easily sync in post and the DR-40 records a safety track that is lower just in case your audio is too hot.
 
GrahamH said:
I fussed around for 6 months with y-cables, separate recorders, yada yada. Nothing was streamlined enough for the somewhat run-and-gun shooting I wanted to be able to do, so eventually I simply bought one of these: http://www.beachtek.com/dxaslr.html A bit pricey, but instantly solved all my issues - I love it! I run 3.5mm self-powered lav mic into the 3.5mm input, and a XLR cable from my on-camera shotgun into the other channel (supplied with 48V phantom power from the Beachtek). If one or the other is not needed I pull that plug and switch the remaining signal to both channels. Monitoring with headphones, obviously. Feed a nice strong signal to the GH2, with its seneitivity cranked down two notches, and I have zero complaints about the onboard recording quality. Signal strength monitored on the GH2's LCD, plus a clipping-indicator LED on the Beacktek. Oh and it comes with its own 3.5mm to 2.5mm output cable. Highly recommended!
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Cool.
But to be honest, I don't see how this is any more streamlined than any of the other recommendations so far. The simplest for run/gun setups seems to be just a y-splitter with a headphone amp. Once you are adding more components to that, you are introducing more places for things to go wrong, more devices to take out and rig up, that also need batteries and in the end you still can't guarantee that the camera is recording it as well as you are hearing it.

But any solution that works for you is the correct solution, IMO.
 
M. Gilden said:
Cool.
But to be honest, I don't see how this is any more streamlined than any of the other recommendations so far....
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I agree it's not streamlined in the sense of being physically compact. But in terms of (my) workflow, this setup lets me:
1) use my better mic, which needs phantom power;
2) combine a shotgun and lav, with independently adjustable levels;
3) crank up headphone volume when there's high ambient noise.

While your final point is true, we are able to at least monitor in-camera levels on the GH2's screen. If those levels are good, plus the headphone audio sounds good, then in practice so far I've had no problems with the final result.
 
I wouldn't bother with AGC disable device. I'm using ML with my T2i so it's already disabled, but personally, I would much more try to get the mic>preamp>recorder and monitor from the recorder directly. Then sync in post would be a breeze, provided you clapped your hands at the beginning (both to "mark" the start and to set your levels to avoid clipping).
My setup is usually the mic plugged into a JuicedLink CX211 (offering a good preamp for the price) and output that to a Tascam DR-05 (not the best, but with the JuicedLink I can get rid of the Tascam DR-05 noisy internal preamp and then record clean audio. Normalize in post and sync to get a good audio track.
 
Has anyone heard anything about the tascam DR100 MKII? Is it worth the extra cost over the previous version?
 
The coolest run'n'gun tip, I´ve recently got from a youtube video by DSLR Film Noob, is to get an xlr y-adaptor and to connect the shotgun mic to both inputs on the H4N. One channel is set up to record with high input levels, the other one with low levels. So no matter what happens in front of you, you´ll always have one track with good audio. I tested it yesterday at an Occupy demo. There was definitly clipping when the band was playing. I´ll be testing my footage later today.

Edit: Here´s the Video: Link
 
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JackBayer said:
... an xlr y-adaptor and to connect the shotgun mic to both inputs on the H4N. One channel is set up to record with high input levels, the other one with low levels.
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Nice tip. I can't really do it (Tascam DR-05 owner), but still, nice to know!
 
JackBayer said:
The coolest run'n'gun tip, I´ve recently got from a youtube video by DSLR Film Noob, is to get an xlr y-adaptor and to connect the shotgun mic to both inputs on the H4N. One channel is set up to record with high input levels, the other one with low levels. So no matter what happens in front of you, you´ll always have one track with good audio. I tested it yesterday at an Occupy demo. There was definitly clipping when the band was playing. I´ll be testing my footage later today.

Edit: Here´s the Video: Link
Click to expand...

That is actually pretty brilliant.
 
And it works. Yesterday I went out with one on 20% and one channel on 70%.
The lower end could have been a little higher, maybe 30-35%. But that´s of course different everytime.

The only one possible problem I could think of -but with no certainty- is phantom power. Does it double up? I don´t know.
 
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