Canon 5D radio set-up for rifle mic? at DVinfo.net

Mike Goldwater · April 3rd, 2010, 04:31 PM

I am filming in an industrial environment with a Canon 5D mk2 and I need to be able to do cable-free off-camera sound.

My plan is to plug my Rode NTG-2 rifle mic into my Sony PCM-D50 digital sound recorder so that sound assistant can monitor the audio (and record as a back-up), but primarily use the PCM-D50 as a mixer and connect the line-out from the PCM-D50 to the transmitter unit of a Sennheiser ew 100 ENG G2 which I am about to buy.

With the EW 100 receiver plugged into the 5D, and with the camera's audio set on manual (using the new manual levels now available with the Canon 2.0.4 firmware upgrade for the 5D) to a pre-tested level I will (I hope) get sync sound recorded onto the 5D cable-free.

I realise that the line-out from the MD50 may well be at the wrong level for the EW 100 transmitter so I may need some PAD cables to get input levels to match.

Any suggestions about the practicality/pitfalls of this possible set-up gratefully received.

Many thanks,

Mike

www.mikegoldwater.com

Jon Goodman · April 3rd, 2010, 06:23 PM

Hi Mike,
I would suggest that you use a mixer. I might be wrong, but line out on your recorder is just that. Line level output on playback. You could use the headphone out to send a signal to your transmitter, but then you wouldn't be able to monitor. Use a field mixer and send an output at mic level to your wireless and a line level to your recorder. Another advantage is that you can send tone to calibrate camera and recorder recording levels.
Cheers
Jon

Mike Goldwater · April 4th, 2010, 05:05 PM

Hi John,

Thanks for your reply. I agree I could use a small field mixer but I am trying to save a few hundred pounds and I already have the Sony PCM-D50. I tested the line out from the PCM-D50 today and the line out levels are mic-level dependent.

Do you know what pad cable would I need to use to balance the line out from the PCM-D50 or similar recorder to feed into the Sennheiser ew 100 ENG G2?

Thanks, Mike

Chris Soucy · April 4th, 2010, 07:46 PM

Before you do anything else, connect it together as proposed and then see how far down you can crank the input sensitivity of the EW 100.

I don't have mine to hand but there's a distant memory that it can crank down to handle line level.

Won't hurt to try.

CS

Rick Reineke · April 5th, 2010, 10:12 AM

The SK-100 body pack transmitter can be configured to accept unbalanced -10dB line-level. (which has been discussed previously on this forum) Adjusting the software sensitivity alone, will not 'pad' the analog input stage.

Mike Goldwater · April 10th, 2010, 06:19 AM

Hi Rick,

Thanks, based on your advice and Chris's comment I have bought the Sennheiser ew G2.
By adjusting the input sensitivity of the transmitter and the output of the receiver the whole system works a treat!

Thanks again, Mike

April 3rd, 2010, 04:31 PM	#1
Mike Goldwater Tourist Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: London, England Posts: 3	Canon 5D radio set-up for rifle mic? I am filming in an industrial environment with a Canon 5D mk2 and I need to be able to do cable-free off-camera sound. My plan is to plug my Rode NTG-2 rifle mic into my Sony PCM-D50 digital sound recorder so that sound assistant can monitor the audio (and record as a back-up), but primarily use the PCM-D50 as a mixer and connect the line-out from the PCM-D50 to the transmitter unit of a Sennheiser ew 100 ENG G2 which I am about to buy. With the EW 100 receiver plugged into the 5D, and with the camera's audio set on manual (using the new manual levels now available with the Canon 2.0.4 firmware upgrade for the 5D) to a pre-tested level I will (I hope) get sync sound recorded onto the 5D cable-free. I realise that the line-out from the MD50 may well be at the wrong level for the EW 100 transmitter so I may need some PAD cables to get input levels to match. Any suggestions about the practicality/pitfalls of this possible set-up gratefully received. Many thanks, Mike www.mikegoldwater.com

April 4th, 2010, 07:46 PM	#4
Chris Soucy Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Fairfield, Dunedin, New Zealand Posts: 3,689 Images: 18	Hi Mike.............. Before you do anything else, connect it together as proposed and then see how far down you can crank the input sensitivity of the EW 100. I don't have mine to hand but there's a distant memory that it can crank down to handle line level. Won't hurt to try. CS

April 3rd, 2010, 06:23 PM	#2
Jon Goodman Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 74	Hi Mike, I would suggest that you use a mixer. I might be wrong, but line out on your recorder is just that. Line level output on playback. You could use the headphone out to send a signal to your transmitter, but then you wouldn't be able to monitor. Use a field mixer and send an output at mic level to your wireless and a line level to your recorder. Another advantage is that you can send tone to calibrate camera and recorder recording levels. Cheers Jon

April 4th, 2010, 05:05 PM	#3
Mike Goldwater Tourist Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: London, England Posts: 3	Hi John, Thanks for your reply. I agree I could use a small field mixer but I am trying to save a few hundred pounds and I already have the Sony PCM-D50. I tested the line out from the PCM-D50 today and the line out levels are mic-level dependent. Do you know what pad cable would I need to use to balance the line out from the PCM-D50 or similar recorder to feed into the Sennheiser ew 100 ENG G2? Thanks, Mike

April 5th, 2010, 10:12 AM	#5
Rick Reineke Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: New York Posts: 2,039	The SK-100 body pack transmitter can be configured to accept unbalanced -10dB line-level. (which has been discussed previously on this forum) Adjusting the software sensitivity alone, will not 'pad' the analog input stage.

April 10th, 2010, 06:19 AM	#6
Mike Goldwater Tourist Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: London, England Posts: 3	Hi Rick, Thanks, based on your advice and Chris's comment I have bought the Sennheiser ew G2. By adjusting the input sensitivity of the transmitter and the output of the receiver the whole system works a treat! Thanks again, Mike