C100: Replace top handle with MixPre

D

DNN

Well-known member
I've always been lukewarm about the C100 top handle which always seems to come loose. And the controls are not that great to use while shooting. So I plan to put a Sound Devices mixer in front of the camera because of the better meters, dials, pre's and limiters. I was going to buy a 302 but am now thinking I can get away with a Mixpre-D since I can even mount that to the camera. I just bought a Wooden Camera top plate and was wondering if I could just eliminate the Canon handle all together and mount the Mixpre in it's place via the 1/8" jack. Maybe mount the Wooden Camera handle to the top of the Mixpre-D. I know it's unbalanced but the line is obviously very short. Would I lose much sound quality by ditching the camera handle and it's proprietary connector into the camera?

Mic setup is typically two wireless lavs, a handheld dynamic or two boomed mics on stands. I also would use an external on camera mic for roving stuff and when shooting b-roll so never use the Canon's internal handle mics. With the Mixpre, I can run a mixed down scratch track to my b-camera via TA3 and one mixed track to a recorder for backup via the 1/8" out. The line to the recorder would be very short. Thanks for any help.
 
Don't know about the actual sound quality, but why not mount the cam on top of the MixPre-D? I think it would be more balanced and not so top heavy that way.
 
That's a good idea but I'm not sure if you'd be able to see the meters and manipulate the controls as easily when below the camera. Especially since I use a Z-finder on the LCD. I'll have to give it a try when I get the Mixpre in a few days.
 
I would mount the MixPre-D "sideways", that is, with the knobs and meters facing the left. I think it should be usable that way.
 
I wonder if the wooden shoe handle mount has a tighter fit with the handle.
Has anyone tried that after getting the wooden top plate?

The loose handle is indeed annoying...
 
You will love the MixPre D...great preamp, great limiters, perfect metering and proper kob. And, it's built like a tank!
 
Chiskon said:
I wonder if the wooden shoe handle mount has a tighter fit with the handle.
Has anyone tried that after getting the wooden top plate?

The loose handle is indeed annoying...
Click to expand...

WC plate takes all of the play out of the handle mount on mine. Rock solid now.

Ben.
 
So, I've been experimenting with the MixPre but am finding that line out of the MixPre (set to line on both XLR) to my C100 seems to net worse noise performance than mic's straight in. And that's with the handle set to manual settings and line set on both XLR ports. I'm testing this with a couple of Audix SCX1 hyper's on each channel. In fact, I get better floor going mic to mic with the camera's input trim turned up +12 db. Anybody experience this? Is the MixPre's XLR line setting too low for the C100's line setting? It does seem to work pretty well going into the 1/8" mic jack through tape out (with attenuation set on the C100) or through the ta3 line.
 
Hmm... That's strange. I haven't tested mine, but I do know that the C100 has proper gain staging if you set the XLR inputs to external and line level and auto. You should not be setting the C100 to manual if you want to rely on the MixPre for optimal sound quality.
 
Well, for anybody that's interested. I've been running tests for the past few days with many different mics, different configs and I find that the MixPre line out doesn't work that well with the C100. In fact, 1/8 to 1/8 (with attenuation on) or tape out to 1/8 seems to net the lowest db noise level by a decent margin. At least I'll be able to ditch the Canon handle and use the Wooden Camera cheese handle. Even with the Wooden Camera plate and shoe adapter, I, disappointingly, still get a little side to side with the Canon handle.
 
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