Crisis with Audio for a scheduled shoot at DVinfo.net

Ansab Khan · December 11th, 2010, 08:34 PM

Hi everyone,

I have a scheduled film shoot for a short film to be filmed in an apartment in a couple of days and the sound guy has back off at the last moment.

We will be using a Rode NTG-2 shotgun mic with boom and a ZOOM H4N to record the sound

Will some one be able to provide with the settings for the ZOOM H4N in order to record FULL HD AUDIO filmed by a 5D Mark II?

Thanks

Jon Fairhurst · December 11th, 2010, 08:48 PM

Most any setting would work. Your DAW should be able to take in whatever you record with the H4n.

I'd recommend 48 kHz. Recording 24-bits doesn't hurt, though I know for a fact that the preamps won't give you more than 16-bits of signal. If you have limited storage, record in 16-bits. Certainly record uncompressed WAV rather than MP3.

Make sure the guy who controls the levels is wearing headphones. Record hot, but not so hot that it risks clipping.

Ansab Khan · December 11th, 2010, 09:49 PM

i will be using only one external input of the boom mic into the H4N. should i record on single track (stereo mode) or dual track (using multiple track recording MTR mode) on the zoom h4h?

thanks

Inna Lantsman · December 12th, 2010, 10:27 AM

By the way Zoom H4n has the new firmware out V1.70

Download Software

Denis OKeefe · December 12th, 2010, 03:31 PM

You can record on the zoom and run a stereo mini to stereo mini from the zoom headphone to the canon 5D to record there too. Set your levels manually so you are not too hot. You'll have a solid audio track for syncing later on and if something goes wrong on either recording you have some insurance.

Bill Pryor · December 13th, 2010, 03:25 PM

To pass through the Zoom to the camera you need a cable with a pad. DVCreators.net sells one for $45. You need to load some -12db tone to your Zoom, play it back and calibrate the camera meters so they read what the Zoom is reading. But be careful because if you adjust your headphone gain up or down, you also change the Zoom's output to the camera. And if you use a Y-cable for monitoring, that will cut the output down as well, so you need to do the calibration with the Y cable in place.

Dennis O'Clair · December 14th, 2010, 09:26 AM

There's a better and less expensive cable that was just released. It is a splitter designed for the Zoom H4N which has 25db pad and a headphone jack. Calibrate with the cable and with the headphones plugged in.

Sescom LN2MIC-ZMH4-MON 3.5mm Line to Mic with 25dB Attenuator for Zoom H4N with Headphone Monitoring Jack:

http://www.sescom.com/product.asp?item=LN2MIC-ZMH4-MON

Denis OKeefe · December 14th, 2010, 10:55 AM

My partner the soundman heard my request to feed the Zoom headphone out to my 5D, laughed up his sleeve, shook his head at my naivety and fed me a padded signal direct from his mixer.
Which by the way worked great.

Chris Hurd · December 14th, 2010, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dennis O'Clair

Sescom LN2MIC-ZMH4-MON 3.5mm Line to Mic with 25dB Attenuator for Zoom H4N with Headphone Monitoring Jack

I just checked with B&H and although this item is not listed on their site, it is indeed available by special order.

Bill Pryor · December 15th, 2010, 01:25 PM

Good find! Better and cheaper that what I got, and I had to buy the additional Y cable at Radio Shack. This is more compact and eliminates that extra connection. And cheaper. Nice.

December 11th, 2010, 08:34 PM	#1
Ansab Khan Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: New York Posts: 27	Crisis with Audio for a scheduled shoot Hi everyone, I have a scheduled film shoot for a short film to be filmed in an apartment in a couple of days and the sound guy has back off at the last moment. We will be using a Rode NTG-2 shotgun mic with boom and a ZOOM H4N to record the sound Will some one be able to provide with the settings for the ZOOM H4N in order to record FULL HD AUDIO filmed by a 5D Mark II? Thanks

December 11th, 2010, 08:48 PM	#2
Jon Fairhurst Inner Circle Join Date: May 2006 Location: Camas, WA, USA Posts: 5,513	Most any setting would work. Your DAW should be able to take in whatever you record with the H4n. I'd recommend 48 kHz. Recording 24-bits doesn't hurt, though I know for a fact that the preamps won't give you more than 16-bits of signal. If you have limited storage, record in 16-bits. Certainly record uncompressed WAV rather than MP3. Make sure the guy who controls the levels is wearing headphones. Record hot, but not so hot that it risks clipping. __________________ Jon Fairhurst

December 14th, 2010, 10:55 AM	#8
Denis OKeefe Major Player Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Wayne, PA Posts: 207	Right you are Bill - My partner the soundman heard my request to feed the Zoom headphone out to my 5D, laughed up his sleeve, shook his head at my naivety and fed me a padded signal direct from his mixer. Which by the way worked great.

December 11th, 2010, 09:49 PM	#3
Ansab Khan Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: New York Posts: 27	i will be using only one external input of the boom mic into the H4N. should i record on single track (stereo mode) or dual track (using multiple track recording MTR mode) on the zoom h4h? thanks

December 12th, 2010, 10:27 AM	#4
Inna Lantsman Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Dallas Texas Posts: 74	By the way Zoom H4n has the new firmware out V1.70 Download Software

December 12th, 2010, 03:31 PM	#5
Denis OKeefe Major Player Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Wayne, PA Posts: 207	You can record on the zoom and run a stereo mini to stereo mini from the zoom headphone to the canon 5D to record there too. Set your levels manually so you are not too hot. You'll have a solid audio track for syncing later on and if something goes wrong on either recording you have some insurance.

December 13th, 2010, 03:25 PM	#6
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	To pass through the Zoom to the camera you need a cable with a pad. DVCreators.net sells one for $45. You need to load some -12db tone to your Zoom, play it back and calibrate the camera meters so they read what the Zoom is reading. But be careful because if you adjust your headphone gain up or down, you also change the Zoom's output to the camera. And if you use a Y-cable for monitoring, that will cut the output down as well, so you need to do the calibration with the Y cable in place.

December 14th, 2010, 09:26 AM	#7
Dennis O'Clair Tourist Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Woodstock, NY Posts: 1	There's a better and less expensive cable that was just released. It is a splitter designed for the Zoom H4N which has 25db pad and a headphone jack. Calibrate with the cable and with the headphones plugged in. Sescom LN2MIC-ZMH4-MON 3.5mm Line to Mic with 25dB Attenuator for Zoom H4N with Headphone Monitoring Jack: http://www.sescom.com/product.asp?item=LN2MIC-ZMH4-MON

December 15th, 2010, 01:25 PM	#10
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	Good find! Better and cheaper that what I got, and I had to buy the additional Y cable at Radio Shack. This is more compact and eliminates that extra connection. And cheaper. Nice.