Sound recording still faulty after removing buzz with GH4

[vulture]

I had my Pana GH 4 at an approved Panasonic service for removal of the buzz.
No buzz anymore, but sporadic strange "stuttering" noise. It comes and goes, no regular pattern.
I record 4K, 25p/s; Sennheiser MKE 400, mostly outdoors. Anybody else with this problem?

[Christopher Sanderson]

The intermittent noise may be related to auto-focus or aperture correction. Only 'HD' Panny lenses should be used when recording sound.

And honestly, I must say that recording any sound other than for reference is fraught with problems on these little cameras. You are far better off using a separate 'outboard' recorder like a Zoom H4/6 or similar (iPhone works great). The resulting quality will be much higher.

[vulture]

Thanks Chris,
I am using an redrock lens adapter with my Canon L lenses. It's aperture control is powered by a 9V supply,which is completely separate from the camera & sound circuits. How can it affect the sound recording? I never had that with my 5D M 2 on the same sound recording set up.
 

[Christopher Sanderson]

... How can it affect the sound recording? I never had that with my 5D M 2 on the same sound recording set up.

The interference may not be related to lens controls. The only way to find out is to do some testing. Canon's sound recording setup is more robust I believe - possibly better shielding?

[Chrisso26]

Yeah, I use in-camera audio for reference only.
Get a small portable recorder, or maybe even use a smart phone or iPad.

[vulture]

<possibly better shielding?>
That's probably the hint.
Thanks, Cris. I'll  check this. [The Sennheiser cable is not  shielded.]

Generally the in-camera sound is fine. Every additional device is just giving you more operational problems with wildlife filming. The MKE 400 is producing excellent sound track with the Pana GH4 so far - just that issue.
I'll see & give feedback after test with shielded mic cable.

[vulture]

I think I sorted out the problem: The disturbing noise occurs only if I push the mini jack of the Sennheiser MKE 400 completely into the socket. If left just a bit off (1,5 mm) both channels get still full track recording and the intermittent disturbing noise is gone.
No idea how to explain this - maybe no correct match of Sennheiser plug & Panasonic socket?

[eronald]

I think I sorted out the problem: The disturbing noise occurs only if I push the mini jack of the Sennheiser MKE 400 completely into the socket. If left just a bit off (1,5 mm) both channels get still full track recording and the intermittent disturbing noise is gone.
No idea how to explain this - maybe no correct match of Sennheiser plug & Panasonic socket?

I think the issues come partly from the fact that the Pana has a 4-contact jack like the iPhone, for use with its proprietary shotgun mike, and you are shoving in a 3 contact sleeve-ring-tip stereo jack.

Or maybe not

Edmund

[bcooter]

I think the issues come partly from the fact that the Pana has a 4-contact jack like the iPhone, for use with its proprietary shotgun mike, and you are shoving in a 3 contact sleeve-ring-tip stereo jack.

Or maybe not

Edmund

3.5mm sucks.  Not just on a panasonic but on anything, including the Scarlet and Epic.   

I've never shot on location with 3.5mm where some clip doesn't have an issue with a pop or a cord pulling loose.  3.5mm is just not reliable without some form of lock and even then you'd have to test 10 jacks to find one that works.

Actually as ugly and weird as the yagh thing is it's worth it to get xlr inputs, (though the downside is your going to have to mount a goldline or v mount on your belt to power it.

IMO

BC

[eronald]

3.5mm sucks.  Not just on a panasonic but on anything, including the Scarlet and Epic.  

I've never shot on location with 3.5mm where some clip doesn't have an issue with a pop or a cord pulling loose.  3.5mm is just not reliable without some form of lock and even then you'd have to test 10 jacks to find one that works.

Actually as ugly and weird as the yagh thing is it's worth it to get xlr inputs, (though the downside is your going to have to mount a goldline or v mount on your belt to power it.

IMO

BC

Look at the Sennheiser wireless. They have 3.5 jacks done the right way - with a lock-thread protruding, and a screw collar round the jack. I also like Senn's trick of just setting the gain up in the menu so you can drive line or mike inputs however you prefer, with no additional hardware involved.  There's no reason jacks cannot be made systematically with lock-threads like this, or with a bayonet-lock shell  except the laziness of all the companies - and their wish to distinguish "consumer" from "pro".

Think of the HDMI port -  an even worse nightmare for anyone needing to use an external recorder.

There used to be mod houses for cameras, in fact I know there is still one for gopros. The GH4 cries for someone to buy the Australian model with no recording limitation, put in some decent jacks and a connect box for power, add some sort of locking connector for hdmi out and supply some cables that fit a standard plug on the other end, add a locking power plug, drill in a couple of new hard-point for coldshoes straight off the left side of the magnesium housing to mount a wireless xmitter, mike, or small mixer, and ship the whole thing as a GH4-pro-no-wire-pops-out.


Edmund

[bcooter]

Look at the Sennheiser wireless. They have 3.5 jacks done the right way - with a lock-thread protruding, and a screw collar round the jack. I also like Senn's trick of just setting the gain up in the menu so you can drive line or mike inputs however you prefer, with no additional hardware involved.  There's no reason jacks cannot be made systematically with lock-threads like this, or with a bayonet-lock shell  except the laziness of all the companies - and their wish to distinguish "consumer" from "pro".

Think of the HDMI port -  an even worse nightmare for anyone needing to use an external recorder.

There used to be mod houses for cameras, in fact I know there is still one for gopros. The GH4 cries for someone to buy the Australian model with no recording limitation, put in some decent jacks and a connect box for power, add some sort of locking connector for hdmi out and supply some cables that fit a standard plug on the other end, add a locking power plug, drill in a couple of new hard-point for coldshoes straight off the left side of the magnesium housing to mount a wireless xmitter, mike, or small mixer, and ship the whole thing as a GH4-pro-no-wire-pops-out.


Edmund

I have the Sein inputs, even a 3.5 to xlr box, but still 3.5mm sucks.

In regards to rigging the camera in Hollywood someone like Able, or HR cameras can rig anything for a price.  I've seem I phones rigged with PL mount lenses but you have to ask why?

The  beauty of a gh4 is a small 16mm like camera that shoots fairly easily and quickly.   Anything past that you spend more than just buying more robust equipment.

Doesn't take away from the gh4, because if you have a good story, don't shake around too much and get decent sound, nobody will notice noise, detail even coloration.

It's all about the audience, whether it's a home movie or huge production.

Most people think moving imagery is the same as stills and it's not.    A "video" is only about the audience, how they perceive it how the story is told, does it hold their attention, touch them, make them cry, or laugh or both.

Directors, DP's even self funded are only successful when they shoot for the audience.

IMO

BC

[eronald]

In regards to rigging the camera in Hollywood someone like Able, or HR cameras can rig anything for a price.  I've seem I phones rigged with PL mount lenses but you have to ask why?

BC

The GH4 sold in Europe are limited to 30 minutes - and B&H have told me they won't supply anything else to Europe, although the B&H guy who attended SATIS in Paris seemed a bit jet lagged so maybe he just doesn't know for sure.

So there's already a good reason for someone to get the "good version", test them, put in some mic and HDMI jacks that don't fall out, and resell them in Europe for $500 over list which would include the 5% tariff. It would be well worth it for anyone who wants to shoot an interview, or doesn't want the thing to drop video or sound at the wrong moment on location, IMO.

Anyway, yes, movie is all about the audience - there is some piece of film theory that posits that the spectator "works" mentally as he sees the movie, and this "work" by the audience is what you need to anticipate channel when making the film ... I don't know who wrote this, but in a way it does make sense. I guess if you make a thriller you really need to think this way ...

I have now done my first FCPX edit. Like Photoshop it seems to have a learning curve

The clip is the on my vimeo page. It's made *without a camera*. When doing this I found out that if you connect an iPad to the Mac you can record the screen action as a video, and thus do little fragments of storyboards quickly - and also that the noise cancellation on my Macbook Pro built-in mike is superb, giving voice-over results which are actually better than my Lavalier which picks up a lot of ambient in my noisy home. I recorded with a lav to a Nagra and synced the sound and processed the track in FCPX, but the unprocessed built-in mic sound of the Mac was better!
 
Now all I need to do is point my 3 year old at the numbers video. BTW, in case you haven't seen it. "Joyeuses Fêtes" means Happy Holidays

Edmund