PMW-200 Motor Noise at DVinfo.net

Ashley Gasper · October 25th, 2012, 02:57 PM

Hi, wondering if anyone else has problems with "motor" noise in the pmw 200 even when using an external mic, to be specific, I am using the ext. mic that comes with the FS-700. Its pretty bad.
thanks

Les Wilson · October 25th, 2012, 09:37 PM

You talking about zoom motor noise or something internal?

Alister Chapman · October 26th, 2012, 01:30 AM

If you put a microphone next to a motor, your going to hear it. The PMW-200 zoom servo is very quiet, but like any noise if you stick a mic next to it you will pick it up, especially if the audio gain is on auto and there is no other sound to make the gain decrease to sensible level. Mic's on cameras are for the capture ambient sound and atmos. If you want to do any serious audio you really want to use an off-board mic, with any camera. Even on a full size $30K camera with a $10k broadcast zoom, you'll hear the zoom servo if the audio is on auto and your in a quiet environment.

Jack Zhang · October 26th, 2012, 02:57 AM

A good thing to do if you're on Auto AGC audio leveling is to set the AGC to the lowest level, so it only compresses/limits really loud sounds.

Alister Chapman · October 26th, 2012, 07:43 AM

Nice thing about the 200 is that you can have manual audio control with a separate limiter and you can choose the limiter level.

Ashley Gasper · October 26th, 2012, 11:42 AM

I figured out what it is, its the auto focus, its quite loud both with external mic and without. I'm aware of acceptable camera noise, but this is a quite loud "grinding" noise.

Duane Dubiel · October 26th, 2012, 06:44 PM

I was monitoring this thread, as my first PMW 200 auto focus, also was extremley loud. I could hear it from eight feet away. BandH had me send it back for replacement. The second PMW 200 was ok. Now I can hear the auto focus from only a few inches and it compares to my EX1. I never use auto focus, but the point is, that the first camera wasn't right.

Sara Jourhmane · October 26th, 2012, 08:30 PM

My PMW200 AF Motor is as silent as my Canon L lenses.
And that's Silent with Capital S.

Sara

John M. Kim · December 18th, 2012, 05:49 PM

When I put my ear about 6 inches away from the PMW200 body in autofocus mode I am able to hear slight bits of what sound like electronic noise -- static, almost. I take it that is normal, correct?

I own Canon L glass, and the PMW200 is certainly not as quiet as that.

Luc De Wandel · December 20th, 2012, 02:29 AM

Autofocus? On a camera like the PMW200? WTF? Never, ever use autofocus on a camera like this.

John M. Kim · December 20th, 2012, 07:47 AM

Just how many times do we have to hear people macho up about not using autofocus?

Yes. We. Get. It. Because it's been said a million times before.

But for those of us that **sometimes** use it, or **sometimes** use Push-AF when it's needed (because fortunately the union I belong to doesn't prohibit it) -- just how quiet is the motor noise of the PMW-200 in AF supposed to be? I am trying to diagnose whether or not the unit I have is faulty.

Zoran Vincic · December 20th, 2012, 09:26 AM

And don't forget the IS.

Luc De Wandel · December 20th, 2012, 01:48 PM

[QUOTE=John M. Kim;1768815]Just how many times do we have to hear people macho up about not using autofocus?

Yes. We. Get. It. Because it's been said a million times before.

If manual focusing is macho, then I must be a supersissie, because I trust on autofocus all of the time. On my DSLR for still shots, that is. On any professional videocamera it's a pain in the neck, because of hunting, unwanted focus on the wrong subject, lack of control in general and... noise. So. I'll. Keep. Pointing. This. Out. Macho. Or. Not.

Les Wilson · December 20th, 2012, 06:16 PM

Hanging out the window of a Land Rover during golden hour on a road made for animals, I am certain I was being quite macho yet neither LCD nor VF could be used for focus or exposure. I was very glad for FULL AUTO on my EX1r. I got the shot nicely exposed and in focus.

John M. Kim · December 21st, 2012, 08:26 AM

I have to say, if you've shot fast moving verité using various focal lengths for several hours at a time several days at a time (like I did on a bicycle project not long ago) you WILL use Manual Focus Assist and you will, occasionally -- resort to autofocus.

It has its place, guys. End of story.

October 25th, 2012, 02:57 PM	#1
Ashley Gasper New Boot Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 5	PMW-200 Motor Noise Hi, wondering if anyone else has problems with "motor" noise in the pmw 200 even when using an external mic, to be specific, I am using the ext. mic that comes with the FS-700. Its pretty bad. thanks

October 25th, 2012, 09:37 PM	#2
Les Wilson Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Boca Raton, FL Posts: 3,014	Re: PMW-200 Motor Noise You talking about zoom motor noise or something internal?

October 26th, 2012, 01:30 AM	#3
Alister Chapman Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bracknell, Berkshire, UK Posts: 4,957	Re: PMW-200 Motor Noise If you put a microphone next to a motor, your going to hear it. The PMW-200 zoom servo is very quiet, but like any noise if you stick a mic next to it you will pick it up, especially if the audio gain is on auto and there is no other sound to make the gain decrease to sensible level. Mic's on cameras are for the capture ambient sound and atmos. If you want to do any serious audio you really want to use an off-board mic, with any camera. Even on a full size $30K camera with a $10k broadcast zoom, you'll hear the zoom servo if the audio is on auto and your in a quiet environment. __________________ Alister Chapman, Film-Maker/Stormchaser http://www.xdcam-user.com/alisters-blog/ My XDCAM site and blog. http://www.hurricane-rig.com

October 26th, 2012, 02:57 AM	#4
Jack Zhang Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Burnaby, BC, Canada Posts: 3,053	Re: PMW-200 Motor Noise A good thing to do if you're on Auto AGC audio leveling is to set the AGC to the lowest level, so it only compresses/limits really loud sounds.

October 26th, 2012, 07:43 AM	#5
Alister Chapman Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bracknell, Berkshire, UK Posts: 4,957	Re: PMW-200 Motor Noise Nice thing about the 200 is that you can have manual audio control with a separate limiter and you can choose the limiter level. __________________ Alister Chapman, Film-Maker/Stormchaser http://www.xdcam-user.com/alisters-blog/ My XDCAM site and blog. http://www.hurricane-rig.com

October 26th, 2012, 11:42 AM	#6
Ashley Gasper New Boot Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 5	Re: PMW-200 Motor Noise I figured out what it is, its the auto focus, its quite loud both with external mic and without. I'm aware of acceptable camera noise, but this is a quite loud "grinding" noise.

October 26th, 2012, 06:44 PM	#7
Duane Dubiel New Boot Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Whitehall WI Posts: 15	Re: PMW-200 Motor Noise I was monitoring this thread, as my first PMW 200 auto focus, also was extremley loud. I could hear it from eight feet away. BandH had me send it back for replacement. The second PMW 200 was ok. Now I can hear the auto focus from only a few inches and it compares to my EX1. I never use auto focus, but the point is, that the first camera wasn't right.

October 26th, 2012, 08:30 PM	#8
Sara Jourhmane Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: New York City Posts: 37	Re: PMW-200 Motor Noise My PMW200 AF Motor is as silent as my Canon L lenses. And that's Silent with Capital S. Sara

December 18th, 2012, 05:49 PM	#9
John M. Kim Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: United States Posts: 38	Re: PMW-200 Motor Noise When I put my ear about 6 inches away from the PMW200 body in autofocus mode I am able to hear slight bits of what sound like electronic noise -- static, almost. I take it that is normal, correct? I own Canon L glass, and the PMW200 is certainly not as quiet as that.

December 20th, 2012, 02:29 AM	#10
Luc De Wandel Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Knokke-Heist, Belgium Posts: 963	Re: PMW-200 Motor Noise Autofocus? On a camera like the PMW200? WTF? Never, ever use autofocus on a camera like this.

December 20th, 2012, 07:47 AM	#11
John M. Kim Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: United States Posts: 38	Re: PMW-200 Motor Noise Just how many times do we have to hear people macho up about not using autofocus? Yes. We. Get. It. Because it's been said a million times before. But for those of us that sometimes use it, or sometimes use Push-AF when it's needed (because fortunately the union I belong to doesn't prohibit it) -- just how quiet is the motor noise of the PMW-200 in AF supposed to be? I am trying to diagnose whether or not the unit I have is faulty.

December 20th, 2012, 09:26 AM	#12
Zoran Vincic Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Split, Croatia Posts: 189	Re: PMW-200 Motor Noise And don't forget the IS.

December 20th, 2012, 01:48 PM	#13
Luc De Wandel Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Knokke-Heist, Belgium Posts: 963	Re: PMW-200 Motor Noise [QUOTE=John M. Kim;1768815]Just how many times do we have to hear people macho up about not using autofocus? Yes. We. Get. It. Because it's been said a million times before. If manual focusing is macho, then I must be a supersissie, because I trust on autofocus all of the time. On my DSLR for still shots, that is. On any professional videocamera it's a pain in the neck, because of hunting, unwanted focus on the wrong subject, lack of control in general and... noise. So. I'll. Keep. Pointing. This. Out. Macho. Or. Not.

December 20th, 2012, 06:16 PM	#14
Les Wilson Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Boca Raton, FL Posts: 3,014	Re: PMW-200 Motor Noise Hanging out the window of a Land Rover during golden hour on a road made for animals, I am certain I was being quite macho yet neither LCD nor VF could be used for focus or exposure. I was very glad for FULL AUTO on my EX1r. I got the shot nicely exposed and in focus. Last edited by Les Wilson; December 21st, 2012 at 04:13 PM.

December 21st, 2012, 08:26 AM	#15
John M. Kim Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: United States Posts: 38	Re: PMW-200 Motor Noise I have to say, if you've shot fast moving verité using various focal lengths for several hours at a time several days at a time (like I did on a bicycle project not long ago) you WILL use Manual Focus Assist and you will, occasionally -- resort to autofocus. It has its place, guys. End of story.