Audio On DSLR

[Denny Kyser]

I have not tested it on the 5d II but on the 1D IV, the audio is not totally worthless.

Does having audio on use up a ton more storage?

My main camera is the Sony EX1r, and I also have a Sony PCM-D50 audio recorder for audio but now wondering if I shouldn't leave the audio on when using video, if for no other reason to help sync multi cam footage later. I do not however want to give up a ton of storage to do so when it will probably never be used.

This will be my first year adding in the 1D IV, and 5D II video to my weddings, hoping to eliminate my other B cams and just use these, taking advantage of all the L glass I have.

[Marcus Marchesseault]

Audio is generally negligible in size compared to video. I don't remember seeing a discussion of this specifically, so wait for others with experience in this matter.

[Denny Kyser]

Originally Posted by Marcus Marchesseault

Audio is generally negligible in size compared to video. I don't remember seeing a discussion of this specifically, so wait for others with experience in this matter.

Thanks, I am hoping this is the case, I am willing to give up some space, just do not want to give up a Lot or give up performance.

[Jon Fairhurst]

The uncompressed audio is 1.5 mbps. The video is around 48 mbps.

[Bill Davis]

Originally Posted by Denny Kyser

I have not tested it on the 5d II but on the 1D IV, the audio is not totally worthless.

Does having audio on use up a ton more storage?

My main camera is the Sony EX1r, and I also have a Sony PCM-D50 audio recorder for audio but now wondering if I shouldn't leave the audio on when using video, if for no other reason to help sync multi cam footage later. I do not however want to give up a ton of storage to do so when it will probably never be used.

This will be my first year adding in the 1D IV, and 5D II video to my weddings, hoping to eliminate my other B cams and just use these, taking advantage of all the L glass I have.

Here's the problem.

"not totally worthless" is a standard far below what most of us who do work for money (or hope to) can accept.

Audio is VERY tricky. MUCH more difficult than video to get right because while visual problems are usually evident - audio problems can be much more subtle.

That audio that sounds just fine in the field being monitored off your laptop might actually be extremely crappy when it gets out in the real world. Audio pros are worried about the noise floor, about rumble and other nearly sub-sonic content, about how crisply sounds like "s" and "th" are reproduced. (these add clarity to speech) - the casual recordist puts on the headphones - hears audio that sounds pretty much like what they expect - and STOPS right there.

REAL audio pros are listening for a LOT more than just that the signal is getting recorded. This is because the CRAP that often infects amateur audio might not be a huge deal for a U-tube clip or for a $200 wedding video. But when that same clip gets played in an auditorium or theater, or even on a home theatre system with FULL RANGE sound, all the junk that couldn't be heard due to poor monitoring in the field JUMPS UP and spoils the professionalism of the entire presentation.

So most of us got out of "not totally worthless" very early in our careers. It's a BAD place to be.

Good luck.

[Denny Kyser]

Bill as mentioned already, it would never actually be used for the final footage, using the Ex1r and the Sony recorder for audio, but keeping the audio in the DSLR clip to help in syncing is what I was asking.

If it does not take up much storage, which it sounds like it doesn't, why not leave it in just to make editing a little easier.

[Marcus Marchesseault]

Definitely leave it in if your editing software supports Pluraleyes! It also helps in the editing process to hear what is going on in a clip by itself. Buy bigger memory cards if you are worried about storage.