No limiter, limiting, limited. at DVinfo.net

Allan Black · February 8th, 2007, 10:41 PM

So what's the answer for recording a wide dynamic range on the A1? Say an airshow where the levels can go from interview speech to, OH! good gravy!, at the drop of a hat.

Looking back through the forum I couldn't find any solutions, has anyone added a small mixer to their A1? Those twin gain controls seem hard to adjust on the fly.

Michael Mann · February 9th, 2007, 02:11 AM

The missing limiter was/is a big disappointment for me, too. Looks like Canon simply FORGOT about it. Let us hope that our wishlist might convince Canon that it is silly not to provide a limiter for a top audio cam like the A1.

I never adjust the gain control on the fly, and I never use a mixer. I always use the same (quite low) manual level (fourth dot) to prevent most clipping, but this sure is not the ideal way to go.

Allan Black · February 9th, 2007, 03:45 AM

Thanks Michael, yes I can't understand it either, poor design, cost factor, panic, whatever it's a sorry mistake and always makes one wonder what else is amiss.

There's a thread here which says to balance the gain strucure at input, and it seems there may be soft limiting, but the book says nothing about it.

What was Canon thinking, can there be that much miss communication in the planning dept? Well they would know about it now, wonder if an A1B will catch up.

For our use the only solution may be a mono shotgun on one fader or a small mixer with the feature Canon left off an otherwise great cam. Wonder who else is in the same predicament?

Eugene Presley · February 9th, 2007, 06:09 AM

Is there a limiter on the XH G1?

Allan Black · February 10th, 2007, 04:12 AM

Checking the specs, it doesn't seem so.

Greg Gerber · February 10th, 2007, 10:49 AM

page 49

12 dB w/ internal Mic or 20 dB w/ an external Mic

I have used a BeachTek DXA-4P with my GL-2 but I have not tried it on the A1

Stu Siegal · February 10th, 2007, 11:32 AM

We need your vote! Allan, check out the poll & cast your ballot if you haven't already, soft clipping/limiter is about 2/3 of the way down on the list, wish I had it every time out with this cam.

Allan Black · February 10th, 2007, 04:20 PM

You got it Stu! Isn't a limiter all built into the one chip though? I'm not a fan of the Beachtek sound, but...!!!

Yeah, without a limiter you always have that nagging thought about distortion etc. How do you cover wide dynamic ranges, very carefully I guess.
I have the RODE Stereo Video mic. wonder how it would mate to the A1? It has the 10db pad and a stereo minijack plug.

February 8th, 2007, 10:41 PM	#1
Allan Black Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Sydney. Posts: 2,927	No limiter, limiting, limited. So what's the answer for recording a wide dynamic range on the A1? Say an airshow where the levels can go from interview speech to, OH! good gravy!, at the drop of a hat. Looking back through the forum I couldn't find any solutions, has anyone added a small mixer to their A1? Those twin gain controls seem hard to adjust on the fly.

February 9th, 2007, 02:11 AM	#2
Michael Mann Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Kelkheim, Germany Posts: 375	The missing limiter was/is a big disappointment for me, too. Looks like Canon simply FORGOT about it. Let us hope that our wishlist might convince Canon that it is silly not to provide a limiter for a top audio cam like the A1. I never adjust the gain control on the fly, and I never use a mixer. I always use the same (quite low) manual level (fourth dot) to prevent most clipping, but this sure is not the ideal way to go. __________________ Michael

February 9th, 2007, 03:45 AM	#3
Allan Black Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Sydney. Posts: 2,927	Thanks Michael, yes I can't understand it either, poor design, cost factor, panic, whatever it's a sorry mistake and always makes one wonder what else is amiss. There's a thread here which says to balance the gain strucure at input, and it seems there may be soft limiting, but the book says nothing about it. What was Canon thinking, can there be that much miss communication in the planning dept? Well they would know about it now, wonder if an A1B will catch up. For our use the only solution may be a mono shotgun on one fader or a small mixer with the feature Canon left off an otherwise great cam. Wonder who else is in the same predicament?

February 9th, 2007, 06:09 AM	#4
Eugene Presley Major Player Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Antwerpen (Belgium) Posts: 220	Is there a limiter on the XH G1?

February 10th, 2007, 04:12 AM	#5
Allan Black Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Sydney. Posts: 2,927	Checking the specs, it doesn't seem so.

February 10th, 2007, 10:49 AM	#6
Greg Gerber New Boot Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Rochester, NH Posts: 24	page 49 12 dB w/ internal Mic or 20 dB w/ an external Mic I have used a BeachTek DXA-4P with my GL-2 but I have not tried it on the A1

February 10th, 2007, 11:32 AM	#7
Stu Siegal Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Boston Posts: 151	We need your vote! Allan, check out the poll & cast your ballot if you haven't already, soft clipping/limiter is about 2/3 of the way down on the list, wish I had it every time out with this cam.

February 10th, 2007, 04:20 PM	#8
Allan Black Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Sydney. Posts: 2,927	You got it Stu! Isn't a limiter all built into the one chip though? I'm not a fan of the Beachtek sound, but...!!! Yeah, without a limiter you always have that nagging thought about distortion etc. How do you cover wide dynamic ranges, very carefully I guess. I have the RODE Stereo Video mic. wonder how it would mate to the A1? It has the 10db pad and a stereo minijack plug.