Level ajustment for 3.5mm camcorder input?

G

GavinGear

Active member
Hi all- I'm looking for something I could put inline between my 3.5mm jack on my mic, and my camcorder (in this case Canon 7D) mic input to adjust the level. The mic is hot, and the AGC on the 7D is a bit crazy.

Looking for something afordable that will get the job done.

Thanks!
 
Hey,
There's a pretty solid solution we've come up with. Juicedlink has been doing very well with creating a nice portable XLR adapter and input solution for DSLR's with HD Video (ex. Canon 7D) and are currently producing an attachment that will add headphone out to these devices.
Though, this by itself doesn't counter the AGC. The best solution we've found is to take an external recorder (ex the Tascam DR-100) and record into it (also giving headphone out abilities as well as XLR in) and then run a line to the DSLR. To do this, you'll also need a cable with an audio pad, to convert line level to mic level for the DSLR.
 
Thanks everyone for the responses! To clarify, I'm taking 3.5mm input from my lav mic, and want 3.5mm out to the 7D external mic input, so it doesn't look like the juiced link type systems will work (they have XLR inputs).

Looks like the DVcreators Line to Mic Cable would help here... Anyone using that cable with the H4N? That would be another option is to feed the lav into something like the H4N, and use this type of cable from the H4N to the 7D. That way I could use the H4N mic setup or the lav setup, or both.
 
GavinGear said:
Thanks everyone for the responses! To clarify, I'm taking 3.5mm input from my lav mic, and want 3.5mm out to the 7D external mic input, so it doesn't look like the juiced link type systems will work (they have XLR inputs).

Looks like the DVcreators Line to Mic Cable would help here... Anyone using that cable with the H4N? That would be another option is to feed the lav into something like the H4N, and use this type of cable from the H4N to the 7D. That way I could use the H4N mic setup or the lav setup, or both.
Click to expand...

That's exactly what the cable is for. You're most likely going to want to use the audio from the H4N in post, but being able to hook it up to your 7D will allow for much faster syncing.

The H4N should work fine, we just happened to use the DR-100 in our testing of this solution.
 
Thanks- two questions:
1. The cable: padding at -50db, is that functionally equivalent to a line level control (turned down) inline?
2. What's the best way to adapt a 3.5mm jack input to XLR?

Thanks!
 
GavinGear said:
Thanks- two questions:
1. The cable: padding at -50db, is that functionally equivalent to a line level control (turned down) inline?
2. What's the best way to adapt a 3.5mm jack input to XLR?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

1. Yes, this cable is designed to pad as accurately as possible FROM line-level to mic-level. (Line level being the hotter signal)
2. There is an accessory on this page (scroll down a bit) that converts from 3.5mm to XLR. Just a simple adapter, but it does the job very well. If you lack a 3.5mm input on yoru audio device (H4N, etc) this is a great fit.
 
A 50dB attenuator is likely too much to tame a hot mic level source.

Not clear why you need a 3.5mm to XLR adapter when you have 3.5mm input on your camcorder?

Sounds like what you need is a 3.5mm attenuator. I can make one, but I don't know that anybody sells them?

Or you could try other methods of reducing the mic output level such as moving it farther away, etc.
 
Most likely because plugging a 3.5mm microphone directly into a 7D or 5D Markii is going to yield horrible audio. (well, relatively) Without headphone out, AGC disabling or VU meters, (which Magic Latern helped with on the 5D) there's no point in plugging any mic directly into the DSLR.
So if all youv'e got is a Rode Videomic or something that already terminates in 3.5mm but want to use a Juicedlink for control or a H4N or something, then it does indeed make sense to jump up to XLR.
The 50db pad cable has only one function: the camera can only accept mic level in, but an external audio device like an H4N or DR-100 can only output in Line Level, which is far too hot for that input. This is so you can record externally yet still be able to directly sync your audio in post from the outside source to your camera.
 
RandomHero said:
Most likely because plugging a 3.5mm microphone directly into a 7D or 5D Markii is going to yield horrible audio. (well, relatively) Without headphone out, AGC disabling or VU meters, (which Magic Latern helped with on the 5D) there's no point in plugging any mic directly into the DSLR.
So if all youv'e got is a Rode Videomic or something that already terminates in 3.5mm but want to use a Juicedlink for control or a H4N or something, then it does indeed make sense to jump up to XLR.
The 50db pad cable has only one function: the camera can only accept mic level in, but an external audio device like an H4N or DR-100 can only output in Line Level, which is far too hot for that input. This is so you can record externally yet still be able to directly sync your audio in post from the outside source to your camera.
Click to expand...

An XLR connector won't remedy "horrible audio" (or even "relatively horrible audio"). Nor will any other kind of external apparatus. The audio section of a DSLR is what it is. Even "broadcast grade" video camcorders have very pedestrian audio sections. DSLRs only have enough audio to capture "audio notes" about the still shot you are taking. OK perhaps as a "guide track" for syncing in post-production to the "real" audio recording.

Any $200 pocket audio recorder almost certainly has an order of magnitude better audio than any DSLR known today. Perhaps the old saying about making a silk purse out of a sow's ear is more difficult to relate to these days, most of us having never grown up on a farm.
 
Exactly my point. The cable to the DSLR from the external audio recorder would be for syncing purposes. However, I'd still rather have a few good mics through a Juicedlink into the DSLR than nothing at all, so there is still that option too, especially since the new DN-101 by Juicedlink will provide headphone out and some other features for DSLR users.
 
Assuming I'm going to record on an H4N or similar, and then sync in post (I have Sony Vegas 9.0 Platinum, that's it currently) what would be the best way to sync in post? Clapperboard and manual sync? Other software?

Thanks again.
 
A clapper board or any type of audio/visual spike will usually make it fairly simple. There's also some software we tried called Pluraleyes, by Singular Software, That worked pretty well with syncing multiple camera-angles and audio streams in post. A clap is still recommended even with software like this, but it should do most of the legwork for you.
 
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