Magic Lantern with T3i/60D Audio

NorBro

NorBro

Major Contributor
I've been using the T3i and really enjoy it.

I'm starting to record more pieces where audio is important. I've also been thinking about getting another T3i.

Do you think I should just get the 60D since I can have better audio options with ML? I think you're able to turn off AGC in that camera and that would be better than the T3i where you can't, right? Is there any difference at all with the T3i/60D as as far as recording audio goes (with equipment not the built-in mic)?

I'm thinking they cut well with each other too.
 
Yeah, the 600D (like the 60D) allows you to disable AGC out of the box (Canon firmware). The only differerence is in the Magic Lantern implemenation: on the 60D you can change the audio levels while recording, and on the 600D you can't. On the 600D you can only change the audio levels before you start recording (through the Canon menu). The audio levels will be visible during recording though (if you install Magic Lantern).
 
Can someone tell me how it is recording audio on the 60D? Any hissing?

On the T3i, you CANNOT disable AGC with ML. They explain why on the ML site.
 
No, on the 600D you can't control AGC disable/audio levels through ML, but AGC disable is already included in the Canon firmware.

I have a 60D and a my sister has a 600D, both with ML. On the 600D ML lantern only audio adds on-screen audio levels, but you can control the levels using the built-in Canon firmware.

I've recorded many interviews on the 60D with ML and the Rode Videomic Pro or Sennheiser wireless, and this gives me very clean audio, no hissing. As long as you keep the in-camera preamp low.
 
With the Canon firmware, just set the volume to one notch from zero. If you use ML I've found that if you stay around 17/20 dB of gain, you're fine.
 
Thank you for helping me out. Just wondering, is it possible (via some type of connection) to record audio straight onto the SDHC card with an external audio recorder? I'm not too familiar with them.
 
This is from a 60D with a videomic pro. AGC turned down to 2 clicks above off. Mic set @ +20 DB. The parts with mic start at around 2:27 but 4:06-4:26 really show it in a controlled environment. Straight out of the camera with no level adjustments. Camera mounted.

https://vimeo.com/36260677
 
It may be moot. Those Beachtek boxes are a bit behind the times. Why spend $400 on a box to disable AGC when the camera can do it for free, either natively or with ML? The AGC disable feature on the Beachtek also sacrifices one of the record channels.

I have a T2i with ML and I keep the AGC off. Does that improve the in-camera recording? Absolutely. It is not, however, something on which I rely for my production sound. These cameras have chintzy pre-amps, and even with AGC off and gain minimized it still has an impact on the sound quality. On top of that, the compression used to record the audio with the h.264 video does give the sound s characteristic sound of bandwidth limitation. Where sound matters, I always record on a separate device.

Oaken said:
This might be a mute point but honestly the only way I would record directly into the camera is with a Beachtech linked below. It disables AGC among lots of other things. But I have a T3i and a 5Dii and I only record to a H4N. It's just my two cents but if you really care about your audio I wouldn't trust the camera to record it.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/674344-REG/Beachtek_DXA_SLR_DXA_SLR_Active_Audio_Adapter.html
Click to expand...
 
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