Mechanical Humming Noise

hgbatiz

hgbatiz

Member
This has nothing to do with the known clunk sound when you move the camera back and forth.

I am new to Panasonic camcorders and have only used Canon in the past, I say this because the Canons are very silent.

I have recently purchased the DVX100B, Although everything functions properly on the camera, I have noticed that it humms when it's in Camera mode. It does not even have to be recording, just turned on with or without a tape in it. It is a very clear sound like a mechanical motor sound which does show up in recording when I use the on board mic.

I need to know if this is normal. If anyone with a 100B can just turn it on and listen it would be greatly appreciated. It is very noticeable when you switch it to VCR mode the sound completely goes away.

I just need to know if I need to send this one back or not.

Thanks for any and all help

Hector
 
Well, I know that my 100A hums a little when it's on, but it's not usually very noticable. and when I'm shooting a very quiet scene, I always have external mics recording sound. I'm sure someone with a 100B will be on here soon enough to chat with ya though.
 
Mine is silent, as well. I'd talk to the vendor you bought the camera from and explore your options.
 
Horsefilms:
Thanks for the info. If possible the next time you are with your camera in a "quite" room. Please turn it on, wait until after the mechanisms engage and listen, then switch it in VCR mode and let me know if there is a difference. That will be the true test, but you must be in a quiet room.

If you have time to do this, please let me know.

Thanks for your help.
 
Just checked mine in a dead silent room. VCR and Record mode. Head up against camera... Not a peep. Silent
 
Hmmmm. Yeah, I guess you could call it a hum. But, boy is it low. I mean it's not as quite as it is when it's off, but it is SOOOO low, I can't imagine it interfering with anything. If I hadn't read this thread then felt compelled to check it out, I'd have never noticed. If it's what I'm hearing, I don't think I'd worry about it. I'm not going to.

Mine is 100A, not B
 
Thank you for checking, it's probably just that I'm used to using Canon. I mean the Canon is dead quite. I'm very excited about the 100B, it is a vast leap from my GL2 and I think it's a fantastic camera, I just need to get past this humm. It's probably completely normal, thats why I posted it, I just needed to hear from other 100B owners.

Thank you for your help
 
I just checked my DVX100A and there is a very slight hum coming from it when in camera mode that goes away when switched to VCR mode. It's barely audible, but there (I had to put my ear up to the cam to hear it). It's nothing to worry about.
 
My new 100B has a quite noticeable mechanical hum that annoyingly comes and goes while shooting and gets recorded.

Today was my first shoot with a Rode Videomic on Ch 1 and the built-in mic on Ch 2.

I am going to go back over previous video taken outdoors to see if the same thing is in the audio from last week or if this is new.

Mine seems bad enough to make the audio quality highly questionable. I will evaluate it further when I get back to my studio.

If it was a constant hum I could probably remove it in Digital Performer using the Waves Restoration filters, but I sure don't want to have to jump through hoops to get usable audio.
 
joemondello said:
My new 100B has a quite noticeable mechanical hum that annoyingly comes and goes while shooting and gets recorded.
Click to expand...

I don't think I would be cool with that at all. :undecided Is this a glitch or is it considered normal?
 
I am also a new user and my camera humms also. I have the same problem you do.
I would say it is a problem with the camera design. Maybe some cameras are more quiet than others, but I would say that it is a issue and I am not sure what to do about
except to find a work around.
 
dakotapod said:
I don't think I would be cool with that at all. :undecided Is this a glitch or is it considered normal?
Click to expand...

Well, I am not cool with it either. Today was the first time I wore headphones cos I was actually interested in the audio (often I'm not), so it's the first time I heard this -- of course I've only had the cam since just before Christmas.

I seriously doubt this is normal, as everyone raves about the high Q of the audio on DVXs, so I need to test some more and see what's up.
 
I took this to an authorized dealer and compared it to a 100A, it made a similar sound, the tech there says that it's the auto focus mechinism spinning and that it's normal, I just dont think the camera should be able to record it's own sound. I did about 3 hours of fiming tonight and it all came out increadible, however I was recording the audio with an seperate audio recorder. So the camera films GREAT. I just need to find another 100B here in Dallas to find out if the sound is the same on all of them.

I will keep everyone posted.

Thanks allot for all the responses!
 
hgbatiz said:
the tech there says that it's the auto focus mechinism spinning and that it's normal
Click to expand...


Yeah, I thought that it might be the AF as it certainly happens when the shot changes in some way.

DANG! One of the reasons I wanted the DVX was all for it's great audio. Oh well. I guess I'll have to find a work-around or go MF.
 
joemondello:
I hate to tell you but switching it to manual focus does nothing. Seems that the sound stays the same, at least for me. I guess the mechinism is in an always ready state even when it's not engaged.
 
hgbatiz said:
joemondello:
I hate to tell you but switching it to manual focus does nothing. Seems that the sound stays the same, at least for me. I guess the mechinism is in an always ready state even when it's not engaged.
Click to expand...

Maybe we are experiencing different things. On my 100B, switching to MF immediately kills the noise. Switching to AF and then having it engage brings the noise back. Very distracting. Me no happy. :angry:
 
I've had the same experience last night as I was playing with my brand-new 100B in a very quiet room. I'd call that "whirring" rather than "humming", which makes me think it has something to do with the new tape transport mechanism introduced by Panny.

It is very low, but it's there, and it certainly wasn't (or at least not as "loud") with my 100A --even though I was never able to use my AT 897 shotgun in a quiet environment without picking up camera noise, even on a good shock mount on a separate arm that put the mic at least 20 cm from the camera.

For me, this has nothing to do with auto or manual focus, interlaced or progressive modes, OIS engaged or not. It is distinct from the zooming noise (which, as far as I can recall, is identical to the 100A's). The whirring is always there, regardless of settings.

It's the only downside I've found so far on the B v. the A model. It doesn't create a real problem as I've learned never to take the sound from an on-camera mic, except in noisy environments, but it *does* disappoint me a bit because it shows less attention to detail from Panny, and possibly some corner-cutting. :(
 
I would hope that when I buy a microphone and use it from the hot shoe
instead of the on camera mic. that would eliminate the camera noise. I am not sure?
Can anyone reassure me with testimonies of good sound from the 100B with that set up.Its really unfortunate because at least in my camera the noise is pretty noticeable.
I expected more from this camera
 
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