camera noise picked up by ntg - 1

[Terry Hulf]

My Ntg - 1 microphone is picking up noise from my Canon XH-A1, is there anything I can do about this.

[Vasco Dones]

Hi Terry,

try a shock mount.
There's fancier stuff around, but
the Azden SMH-1
(Azden | SMH-1 Shock Mount for Shotgun Mics | SMH-1 | B&H Photo)
is very cheap and works for me (NTG-2 or ME-66).

If you don't like the idea of having it on your hot shoe,
you can get yourself a J-rod (thej-rod.com)

Best

Vasco

[Terry Hulf]

I have purchaced a shock mount, but I am still getting a constant hum with the sound, is there anything I might possible have set incorrectly on the camera which might cause this problem.

[Colin McDonald]

Originally Posted by Terry Hulf

I have purchaced a shock mount, but I am still getting a constant hum with the sound, is there anything I might possible have set incorrectly on the camera which might cause this problem.

Camera noises are rarely constant. I found more issues with zoom/focus servo noise than tape transport when I used an NTG-2 in the A1's mic holder. It all stopped when I started using the Rode SM3 shockmount.

Your problem sounds like it might be something in the audio chain - can you replace the xlr cable and see if that helps?

Also can see what happens to the hum when you use the VCR stop function (PAL manual p26)? That should eliminate the motor.

[Vasco Dones]

Originally Posted by Terry Hulf

I have purchaced a shock mount, but I am still getting a constant hum with the sound, is there anything I might possible have set incorrectly on the camera which might cause this problem.

Terry,
how are you judging your audio?
If you're evaluating it on your headphones
plugged into the A1, then all the noise you hear might
just not be there: for some reasons (low quality components?)
the audio you get on a headphone connected to the A1
is rather poor and with much more noise than the actual audio
recorded on tape.
(believe me: I got scared more than once, until I was
convinced that the problem is in the headphone connector circuitry,
or whatever...)

And BTW, the few £ you spent on the schock mount are money
well invested anyhow...

Best
Vasco

[Bill Pryor]

Many times a hum indicates a cable problem.

[Vasco Dones]

Originally Posted by Bill Pryor

Many times a hum indicates a cable problem.

Yes, you're right, of course -
but are we sure that the "hum" is really a hum?
(it was described as "noise" in Terry's first post)

[Terry Hulf]

I should of said a noise which sounds like a hum, I can hear the hum when its played back
on the Mac.
I will take a look at vcr stop function.

[Lou Bruno]

If it is a steady HUM from the transport system then it it is a faulty lower head drum assembly vibrating.

[Robin Miller]

I'm using the NTG-1 on my XH-A1 -- always on Ch1 -- with the ch.1 "mic att" (switch right above the XLR plugs) enabled. I do not use the Canon mic mount at all, but the Rode mount with the little rubber bands that came with the mic. I have been plagued by some odd "floor" hiss to the point where I've considered sending the cam in for service, but with *very careful* sound settings I seem to have gotten rid of most of it.

The Rode NTG-1 is a very "hot" (high-gain) mic. Terribly sensitive, which is good. But you MUST isolate it well or it'll pick up lots of things you don't want, including the noise of your finger squidging on zoom controls. (The solution to this is, of course, to never touch the camera while taping; I use a Spiderbrace or tripod and a LANC control at all times.)