Hello,

I am still wiating to get the new 5D... got to love Canada and tech!

What i am wanting to know had anyone hooked up and BeachTek box to the camera yet.
If so i would love to know a few things

1) Can you monitor Audio using head phones through the box?
2) I know the camera auto levels the audio but if you are using the BeachTek box can you adjust it before it gets to the camera?
3) Is there a version BeachTek box that would be better to mount to the camera?

Thanks
Michael M
still waiting for his new baby......

1. Unfortunately, no.

2. Yes but that might not help much since the camera will automatically adjust them anyway.

3. I think they all mount just about the same.

Chris,

Most of the Beachteks have a fixed camcorder style mounting with an extra pin which stops it mounting properly on a 5DmkII. Some kind of spacer or bracket will be required.

I believe there will be a special Beachtek especially for the 5dmkII soon.

Dan

Thanks Dan -- hopefully it'll have a headphone jack!

It's the Beachtek DXA-5D; Beachtek hasn't announced it formally yet:

http://dancarrphotography.com/blog/2008/11/30/video-accessories-for-the-canon-5d-mark-ii-part-1-microphones/

Dual XLR inputs, level meters, headphone jack. Presumably would still run into AGC problems though, which would negate most of the reason for meters in the first place...

IPresumably would still run into AGC problems though, which would negate most of the reason for meters in the first place...

You would think that if you have the sound controlled before going into the camera, that AGC would not be "called on" inside the the Camera. Doesn't AGC deploy only as the level reach the upper levels ?

Doesn't AGC deploy only as the level reach the upper levels ?

Hard to know until someone can test this - some of them will keep cranking the levels up when it's quiet, which will make any noise in the beachtek very apparent, and then clamp it back down when audio comes back. Others are less aggressive and act more like a limiter only. Should have my camera on wednesday so I'll check this out if someone else doesn't first.