Bamboozled in the UK with Canon XH A1 wedding audio

[Peter Dunphy]

Originally Posted by Tom Hardwick

No, they're describing how to set the audio recording manually, though I've not come across one that has manual level settings yet doesn't have a switchable limiter.

My favourite at the moment is the Sony MZ-R900. It's the size of 3 Minidiscs stacked one on top of another and runs from a rechargeable, slim, internal NiMh cell. It's a lot smaller than my radio mic sender unit and fits in any pocket the groom has spare.

It has a 'hold' switch on the back and is hard-wired in the sense that a radio mic certainly isn't.

tom.

That's great Tom I'll have a look for that one

Here is the one I was looking at that's on sale for £10 - £35 - not sure about whether it has a switchable limiter though:

http://www.minidisc.org/manuals/shar...t80_manual.pdf

[Ian Wright]

the H2 drift rate may also be a function of the chosen sampling frequency. When I got 4 frames/hour I was using 48KHz. The crystal pulses are divided down to provide the required clock, like 48KHz. Some of these synthetic frequencies will be less accurate than others.

It would be an interesting experiment to record an hours worth at each of the available sampling rates and measure the varying drift rates. It would only take a day or 2!

Ian
Festival Video and Audio Previews - Festival Previews Ltd

[Tom Hardwick]

I had this very same Minidisc recorder Peter - but it was 'lifted' from the top table. The thief left behind my table-top mic and the mic itself, but of course he took all my speeches on the disc itself. Thank goodness for backup.

Know what? I can't remember if it does have an AGC built-in, but I guess it has as I can't remember having recordings spoilt by distortion. The instruction book doesn't mention it though.

tom.

[Peter Dunphy]

Originally Posted by Tom Hardwick

I had this very same Minidisc recorder Peter - but it was 'lifted' from the top table. The thief left behind my table-top mic and the mic itself, but of course he took all my speeches on the disc itself. Thank goodness for backup.

Know what? I can't remember if it does have an AGC built-in, but I guess it has as I can't remember having recordings spoilt by distortion. The instruction book doesn't mention it though.

tom.

Thanks Tom very helpful.

Yep as far as I'm concerned the more backup the merrier. If I can pick up a couple of these Minidisc Recorders as backup I think I'll be much more relaxed about each wedding shoot. They're all being old pretty cheaply! I suppose not that many people use them anymore since the advent of 'hard drive' MP3 player/recorders such as the ones from Creative etc

[Anthony Smith]

Isn't 2 microphones good enough for a wedding ?

1 wireless for the groom and 1 directional microphone on top of the camera. No complains from anyone so far and the sound were very good. The more microphones you use the hassle there will be.

[Peter Dunphy]

Originally Posted by Anthony Smith

Isn't 2 microphones good enough for a wedding ?

1 wireless for the groom and 1 directional microphone on top of the camera. No complains from anyone so far and the sound were very good. The more microphones you use the hassle there will be.

My biggest concern would be picking up various different speakers sat along a long table at a wedding reception. I'd love to have just one minidisc up there on the table with them, as a 'failsafe' should the wireless one not pick them up properly.

I've done one wedding before only, my sister's, 8 years ago, on a boat in San Francisco, and I experienced wireless crackle and hiss just as they were about to say their vows with the captain! I immediately had to disconnect the wireless mic and resorted to the handheld shotgun I had. Ultimately I guess the sound turned out okay but that was only because I was close to them with the camera.

[Tom Hardwick]

Originally Posted by Anthony Smith

Isn't 2 microphones good enough for a wedding ?

It's the bare minimum Anthony. Remember pictures is easy, sound are hard. I invariably have two radio mics, one shotgun and one Minidisc. More hassle maybe, but what's peace of mind at the edit bench worth?

[Anthony Smith]

Originally Posted by Tom Hardwick

It's the bare minimum Anthony. Remember pictures is easy, sound are hard. I invariably have two radio mics, one shotgun and one Minidisc. More hassle maybe, but what's peace of mind at the edit bench worth?

i saw alot of wedding videos. They cut out everything accept the exchanges of the vowels and the speeches at the reception. The rest is all cd music on top and live music at the reception.

[Anthony Smith]

Originally Posted by Peter Dunphy

My biggest concern would be picking up various different speakers sat along a long table at a wedding reception. I'd love to have just one minidisc up there on the table with them, as a 'failsafe' should the wireless one not pick them up properly.

I've done one wedding before only, my sister's, 8 years ago, on a boat in San Francisco, and I experienced wireless crackle and hiss just as they were about to say their vows with the captain! I immediately had to disconnect the wireless mic and resorted to the handheld shotgun I had. Ultimately I guess the sound turned out okay but that was only because I was close to them with the camera.

Don't worry too much Peter. Your camera microphone is good enough at the reception. If the guests CAN'T hear the speeches , its the DJ's fault. If they can hear, your camera also can hear. Its a wedding and not a movie production.

[Tom Hardwick]

Originally Posted by Anthony Smith

Don't worry too much Peter. Your camera microphone is good enough at the reception. If the guests CAN'T hear the speeches , its the DJ's fault. Its a wedding and not a movie production.

It may well be a wedding, but you've been paid to record it as faithfully and artistically as you can. If the guests can't hear the speeches on the day it's your job to make sure they can hear them word-perfect on your DVD - that's why you've been paid.

A camera mic certainly isn't good enough, and having the mic placed where the camera happens to be is invariably a huge audio compromise. Shotgun mics are still designed to be used close up to the noise - shotgun simply describing the pick-up pattern.

tom.

[Peter Dunphy]

Originally Posted by Peter Dunphy

That's great Tom I'll have a look for that one

Here is the one I was looking at that's on sale for £10 - £35 - not sure about whether it has a switchable limiter though:

http://www.minidisc.org/manuals/shar...t80_manual.pdf

I've put a bid in for a Sony MZ-R900 wish me luck ;o)

[Peter Dunphy]

Originally Posted by Tom Hardwick

No, they're describing how to set the audio recording manually, though I've not come across one that has manual level settings yet doesn't have a switchable limiter.

My favourite at the moment is the Sony MZ-R900. It's the size of 3 Minidiscs stacked one on top of another and runs from a rechargeable, slim, internal NiMh cell. It's a lot smaller than my radio mic sender unit and fits in any pocket the groom has spare.

It has a 'hold' switch on the back and is hard-wired in the sense that a radio mic certainly isn't.

tom.

Happy days - i managed to get one of these Sony MZ-R900 for about £50 :o) Handy backup. Tom can you recommend anywhere in the UK good for buying blank Minidiscs in bulk please?

[Nicholas de Kock]

Originally Posted by Anthony Smith

i saw alot of wedding videos. They cut out everything accept the exchanges of the vowels and the speeches at the reception. The rest is all cd music on top and live music at the reception.

Anthony, I'm not sure where you get your info from and certainly hope you don't shoot weddings, with your attitude you can't deliver a professional product/keep sake. In the highlights and promotional material you obviously only show the highlights and cut the rest, but my clients always want the full church service in the full production and they want to hear what was said.

As for one mic on the groom and shotgun, that's not a good setup for a professional production, but not everyone is pro. The sound you get off that groom mic is terrible, it echos, and sometimes the bride and groom whispers sweet things to each other that can't be included, if that was your main audio source you are screwed, it's only good for vows. As for a shotgun, like Tom clearly points out it's pretty useless for quality sounding audio unless you have it right in front of people or on a boom above their heads. Simple concept: expensive mic far away from speaker sounds crap, cheap mic right in front of speaker sounds awesome, placement is critical :)

[Peter Dunphy]

deleted - received reply from Nicholas :o)

[Tom Hardwick]

Peter - Minidiscs are about a pound wherever you look now. You won't need to buy in bulk - they can be reused for years and years.