GH2 Just got the VideoMic Pro, a few questions

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peripatew

Well-known member
I plan on primarily shooting with the VMP plugged straight into an H1. I've got PluralEyes, and LOVE IT.

But, if I plug straight into the GH2 (with adapter), what's the best settings to use in terms of the mic switches and camera volume levels. I search, but could find the post I was looking for that seemed to mention the GH2 AGC taking over. I'm ok with that, as long as I understand how best to set it up. I want the flexibility of both options.

I know experience will be the best indicator of which settings to use, but thought the dvxuser hivemind could point me in the right direction.

What have you found to work best for you?

Thanks!
 
I would start with the VideoMic Pro set to 20+ dB and your GH-2 set to the lowest recording setting. ( level 1 )

See how this works, and if the levels are clipping then drop the VideoMic Pro back to the 0 dB setting.

The AGC of the GH-2 acts more like a limiter than an AGC, so it's actually helpful to have it on. ( no way to turn it off so far )
 
I usually end up setting my GH2 to audio level 1 and setting my VMP to -10dB. Your best bet is to do some tests and listen to your footage. Keep you audio meters live on your display at all times and keep an eye on them.
 
Sam Mallery said:
I usually end up setting my GH2 to audio level 1 and setting my VMP to -10dB. Your best bet is to do some tests and listen to your footage. Keep you audio meters live on your display at all times and keep an eye on them.
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Make sure you get a dual mono adapter or will have to double up the audio in the editing process.
 
So far what works best for me is switching on the +20 db gain and then putting a -11 db attenuating cable between the mic and the camera--effectively giving me +9 db of gain before it reaches the cameras preamps.
 
Slightly OT, but I got caught out with a battery that went flat on me the other day. I'd already shot for 3 hours on another shoot, then the next day had 4 interviews scheduled - 2 in the morning, 2 in the afternoon. My afternoon interviews were significantly quieter coming off the disc, so much so I'm up to my armpits in adobe audition with noise reduction plugins. I definitely wouldn't give a battery longer than 8 hours with this mic.
 
mr bill said:
I got caught out with a battery that went flat on me the other day
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I'm thinking about getting the Video Mic Pro but am concerned about the battery issue as well. Is there such a thing as a mic that can be powered by the GH2 or will all external mics be battery-powered? 9 volt batteries aren't cheap ;)

Also, regarding the VMPro, is it entirely necessary to use a separate audio recorder (as opposed to just plugging the mic into the GH2) if you are recording mostly close-proximity dialogue? What are the benefits of using a separate recorder like the H1 or H4N? Sounds like it just adds the extra step of having to re-sync the audio in post.

Thanks for your info!
 
Battery life shouldn't be a issue. I have been using the same 9 volt battery since I got it and have shot over a terabyte of footage. I even left it on accidentally a couple times. But you should always carry extra battery's with you anyway. My H4N needs new batteries almost after every shoot.
 
Chaos123x said:
Battery life shouldn't be a issue. I have been using the same 9 volt battery since I got it and have shot over a terabyte of footage. I even left it on accidentally a couple times. But you should always carry extra battery's with you anyway. My H4N needs new batteries almost after every shoot.
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I've ran mine about 7 hours so far, and haven't noticed any issues either. Makes me glad I'm sticking with my H1 for now! Only changed the battery once in about 6 months!
 
I edit mostly with FCP and Avid. I've heard Plural Eyes makes syncing a non-issue.

But I'm still curious as to the main benefits of using a separate audio recorder with the GH2 instead of wiring the VMPro directly into the camera, aside from shoots where a shotgun/boom is needed. Is it for audio monitoring? Or better gain controls? Or audio fx? Or is it really not necessary?
 
I use an H1 so that I have two audio sources, just in case one of them messes up. Same reason a lot of people use multiple cameras (outside of multiple perspectives).

I can monitor audio with the H1, and this also lets me bypass the GH2's AGC.

That being said, I've been shooting a lot of the VMP plugged directly into the camera, and will likely use this method a lot when shooting simple.
 
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