AC130: Sound issue

D

djp321

New member
Hi all,

I have an issue that really bothers me, and i havent been able to figure out if im doing something wrong, or if there's something wrong with the gear.
I have a AC130EJ camera and a RODE NTG-2 shotgun mic.

Here's the deal:

When i go into remote areas alone, i prefer using the sound from the camera with an attached shotgun microphone instead of carrying external sound recorders etc.
However – when i attach my shotgun microphone to the camera in the microphone holder, even the slighest touch on the camera body is easily heard in the recorded sound.
I can even hear it live in the headphones - easily.
The noise is extreme when i slide my fingers gently down the XLR cable (which is about 45 cm long).

Im using a RODE NTG-2 shotgun michophone, but using the original microphone holder that came with the camera.
The XLR cable were made by the dealer who sold the microphone to me - in order to get the right handy lenght.
I were told that the NTG-2 were quite directional, so it should not pick up that much "handling-noise".

In order to show the current settings, here's a picture of the external buttons:

settings.jpg
(Note: The "INPUT1" could also be in MIC - and on - it's the same issue)

And this is the internal menu settings:
Audiolimiter ON (for both channels)
Mic Gain 1 and 2 = –50dB

Now, i've tried basically every setting possible to mitigate this issue - but it seems impossible to avoid the extreme handling noise.
I've also tried "Auto" mode for the sound - but that just makes it even worse - Horrible actually.

So my questions are as follows:
- Could this be a defect sound-something on the camera?
- Could it be the XLR cable?
- Something wrong with the microhpone itself?
- Did the salesguy pull my leg when he claimed "the NTG-2 were so directional, so i shouldn't expect handling noise"?


I really hope someone have suggestions/ideas to this issue.

Thanks in advance!

Regards,
Dennis
 
djp321 said:
"the NTG-2 were so directional, so i shouldn't expect handling noise"
Click to expand...

That person doesn't know what they're talking about. All shotgun microphones are sensitive to handling noise.

You need to use a shockmount on your camera. There are shockmounts that feature shoes to mount to cameras for $50 and under on the market, but it's worth every penny to invest a little more into a good shockmount, like the K-Tek K-CAM-SM, if you're anything more than a hobbiest:

http://ktekbooms.com/audio/shock-mounts/
When you use a shotgun on a camera, you always have to be mindful of handling noise, no matter how good your mount and levels are.
 
Hi Sam,

Thanks for the feedback.

Okay - I understand that the original mic "mount" on the ac130 isnt good enough then.
(And i also get that the sales guy is a douche then :-) )

But is it normal that just touching (as in sliding a finger gently) the XLR cable, it creates crazy handling noise?


Thanks,
Dennis
 
If you spend a little time going back in the 130 thread you will see many different discussions about your mic, take your time and read the threads they will help. Yes they are touchy, and you dont want to touch it. You might need a pad, they are just hot mics.
 
This problem is caused by vibrations reaching the microphone. In order to minimize it, you need to do two things:


1) Make sure that the microphone holder is securely screwed in tight to the camcorder, and is not loose. If it is not a rock solid installation, then vibrations will play havoc with the microphone.

2) Use the two rubber O ring adapters provided with the AC130, and install them on your microphone, to dampen any vibrations when it is in the holder.


Otherwise, as others have suggested, get a good shock-mount for your microphone, and install it in the cold shoe at the front of the AC130. And just forget about using the factory microphone holder. That would be the best solution.

You don't mention using the rubber O rings. And without them installed, you would definitely have vibration issues.
 
Hi djp321,

As an ex-audio operator for TV and recording studio owner for 10 years, I can sympathise with you. When testing out the RODE camera shotguns a few years ago, after using a RODE studio mic as my main vocal mic for all of those ten years, I was thoroughly unimpressed with the isolation of the RODES NTG-2 and returned it. Even testing a 2nd one in the shop I could induce wind noise by a quickish pan of the camera, and found it unsuitable for run and gun ie. weddings. Every touch of the camera could be heard! Even though many people like them, I tested two of them and would not use them.

So I now have an AZDEN SMC 1000 to go on our 2nd camera, which seems to match my original Senheiser very well.

So my advice is try out some different mics, in a shop with headphones, some are much better than others at isolating handling noise, also try another cable (don't just trust a hand made one, no, ESPECIALLY don't trust a hand made one!), and when you have the quietest combination, then you can can make it even better by adding a good shock mount if you need to, although as we work on tripods these days I find our mics are fine as they are just using the camera mounts.

Hope this helps,

Vaughan

EDIT: Further to this, I must say the Gain and White Balance switches are the noisiest switches I ever had on any of my Sony/Panasonic cameras over the last 15 years, especially switching in gain in a quiet theatre. You'd have thought Panasonic would have thought about that by now.
Even a couple of rotary switches like the ND filter would have been much quieter......but I digress
 
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