no line level input on GL2

I can't believe you guys are not screaming at Canon for not puting a line level input on this 2500 dollar camera! Having to mix at mic level is stupid. I have read 4 reviews of this camera all praising it's virtues for the most part and not one bothered to mention it won't take a standard feed of a mixing board.

I am going to buy XM2....

For me line input is quit important because I normally do concert video.
There might be a way but I want to hear about it.

[Aaron Koolen]

Can someone explain to me this line level, mic level stuff. Is it just a voltage thing or what? I'm assuming mic level will be fine for everything in a dramatic movie setting (shotgun to XLR adapter, lavs etc). Also wouldn't most mixing decks have a mic level output? A mixer is one thing I'm thinking of for my movie making so it'd be good to know what it's all about.

Mic inputs are about 55db below line level inputs. That means if you hook a consumer cd player or equivalent to the gl2 it will overload the input and cause terrible distortion if not damage the circuts.

Yes you can hook any mic directly to the camera, no problem. Yes, you can buy special mixers for video that work at line level, or have an attenuator switch on the output to reduce the voltage back down to mic level befor it goes into the camera. BUT that's just another circut you have to feed your signal through and also the resistance loads must be matched up properly.

All general pro audio mixers have the meters set up to work at line level, so if you turn the mixer down, the meters don't display right.

There are work arounds, but it's just limiting and irritating!
robert

[Don Palomaki]

Price point and the target market are the key. Adding line level would bump up the cost a wee bit. Folks who need the pro audio capability will buy the accessories (Beacktek//Studio One) or a next step up in camcorder.

Consumer line level is typically -10 dBV (about 0.3 volts). PRO audio line level is about +4 dBU, or about 1.22 volts into 600 ohms.

It is relatively easy and distortion free to pad a unbalanced line level output down to the -35 dBV or so needed for the MIC ATT setting.

[Don Berube]

If you are inputting a line level signal using the included AV cable, you can adjust for a hot line level signal by switching to Manual audio level control and in the VCR Setup Menu, activate the Audio ATT control. This should adjust for a hot line level signal.

Since most board feeds have XLR outputs, you will find it easier to use the MA-300 and take advantage of the MA-300 XLR inputs.

If you are using a BeachTek adaptor, set the BeachTek unit to Line level input.

You really shouldn't have any problem.

I do a large amount of field audio recording and I always carry with me some SHURE mic-line adaptors, as well as some attenuators and phase barrels, regardless of whether I am going to DAT, recording direct to a miniDV camera or any other higher end camera.

[Don Palomaki]

Does the MA-300 support line level input? I know the MA-100 saturates/clips at around -7 dB or so.

[Dave Grey]

I have heard exellent things about this unit:

http://www.audio-technica.com/guide/other/access/inline.html#AT8202

You should be able to find it for ~$50.


lyd

[Don Berube]

Hello Don (great first name!),

Yes, the MA-300 will accept line level signal as well. As I understand, it works with the "Advanced Accessory Shoe" technology and will "auto-sense" whether you are inputting mic or line level signal.

Canon did a great job in designing a top-mounted XLR transformer-balanced XLR adaptor for the people who wanted the same type of top-mounted XLR inputs that the Sony PD-150 has. However, I was never a big fan of placing heavy XLR connectors on top of the lens and even when I use a PD-150, I prefer to use a bottom-mounted XLR adaptor, which I feel places the weight in a better spot which helps to balance out the camera - underneath.

If you find you have a high end professional +4 or +8 XLR audio output and you want to input that into the XL1S and still be able to maintain a decent level control without any oversaturation or clipping, using a couple of inline XLR attenuators will do the trick. I would suggest to carry a couple of shortie 2' XLR cables to use with these inline attenuator barrels, so that you are not plugging the barrel directly to the XLR outputs of the sound output device or directly into the MA-100. This will prevent any unnecessary strain on the XLR connectors of either unit from having a barrel protruding from it, which is susceptible to people knocking into it, etc.

THE "SWISS ARMY KNIFE" OF AUDIO ADAPTORS:
The Studio 1 Productions "XLR-Pro" (camera mount) or "XLR-BP-PRO" (belt pack style) is a very handy tool to keep in your bag when it comes to field audio recording, will work not only with DV cameras, but also any type of audio recording device that has a 1/8" audio input: (can also use it with any device that has a 1/4" audio input by using a 1/8" female to 1/4" male adaptor cable)

http://studio1productions.com/xlr-bp_pro.htm

Note that this type of unit has not only an individual mic/ line level switch for each input, but also a ground removal switch, a mono/ stereo/ mix output switch, a seperate 1/8" and 1/4" aux input, individually audio level controls, a voltage block circuit and two high-quality shielded transformers. Not only can you use this to input XLR and/ or anything else into your camera and mix them together, you could pretty much also use it as a sort of "direct Interface" box as wll - say you have to take a 1/8" or 1/4" audio feed and send that signal output via balanced XLR over a distance without inducing any EMI or RFI noise, great for people who do live sound recording to MD or DAT, etc.