Can't mute Audio on FZ-2500. at DVinfo.net

Larry Johnson · February 1st, 2017, 01:42 PM

I mentioned in another thread that I thought I had this figured out, but I don't. I recorded in MP4 (LPCM) in both 4K (100m/30p) and FHD ALL-i (200m/60p). During 4K recording Silent Mode was Off and Silent Operation was off, but boom mic was on. No mic connected to camera. Turned Boom mic off and made two clips in FHD, but audio still records. What function turns off the internal mic.

Edit: I had to turn off the Mic Level Limiter in order to prevent recording audio. Oddly, Silent Mode doesn't mute audio if Mic Level Limiter is On.

Roger Gunkel · February 1st, 2017, 05:45 PM

I'll ask an obvious question, why do you want to turn audio recording off? You can just simply delete the audio track in your editing software. The other alternative is to plug in an external mic to override the internal one and switch it off so that it records nothing.

Roger

Larry Johnson · February 3rd, 2017, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roger Gunkel

I'll ask an obvious question, why do you want to turn audio recording off? You can just simply delete the audio track in your editing software. The other alternative is to plug in an external mic to override the internal one and switch it off so that it records nothing.

Roger

If I must explain, I will. Pond5 prefers clips without audio. I plan to make many clips. It seems simpler to me to mute the audio at the source rather than delete it from each and every clip chosen for upload. Least I forget. Not to mention that the less editing I have to do on an (in the words of Apple) obsolete macbook pro, all the better.

That said, I'm beginning to think that it's not possible toshut off audio recording from the camera's menu. The test I did before heading to the field yesterday lead me to believe that I successfully muted audio recording, but upon review on the computer all 50 clips that I recorded had audio. I believe all I did by engaging silent operation and/or silent mode was to mute the camera's speaker so that audio could not be heard upon playback in the camera. I don't have mic that could be attached and shut off as you suggested.

Chris Harding · February 3rd, 2017, 07:51 AM

Hi Larry

If you REALLY want your audio disabled then get a 3.5mm jack plug and plug into mic input. That will switch off the internal mics and since nothing is connected to the jack plug you have no signal ...Just in case the camera tries to lift the audio level turn the limiter off and set the mic level to as low as it can go and that should work! Otherwise plug in a powered mic and turn it off ....that allows you to easily turn audio back on by switching the mic back on ....Sadly I sometimes do that on my B-Cam and forget to turn the mic on before starting the shoot so I get no audio

Roger Gunkel · February 3rd, 2017, 11:00 AM

So Larry, are you planning to send your video clips to Pond5 without editing or processing them in any way? If so I can see why you want no audio recorded. Of course if you intend to process the clips first, then it is simply a matter of muting the entire audio on your time line, or deleting as I suggested earlier.

If you absolutely don't want to record any audio, then follow Chris's advice to insert a blank plug, or a cheap mic with an on off switch.

Roger

Jay Massengill · February 3rd, 2017, 12:44 PM

Don't forget to bring along your slate and a piece of chalk. (Sorry, couldn't resist)

I can see your desire to remove a step from your workflow, but as was asked, are you REALLY not going to process or trim the clips on an editor after the fact?

I would be more stressed out trying to edit in-camera...

Even for the most simple tasks I'll be putting the footage on a timeline and since the editing software audio mute button is just one click, that's what I would recommend.

What if you capture the most amazing shot in the world and it needed audio?

Larry Johnson · February 3rd, 2017, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roger Gunkel

So Larry, are you planning to send your video clips to Pond5 without editing or processing them in any way?

Roger

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay Massengill

Don't forget to bring along your slate and a piece of chalk. (Sorry, couldn't resist)

I can see your desire to remove a step from your workflow, but as was asked, are you REALLY not going to process or trim the clips on an editor after the fact?

I would be more stressed out trying to edit in-camera...

Even for the most simple tasks I'll be putting the footage on a timeline and since the editing software audio mute button is just one click, that's what I would recommend.

What if you capture the most amazing shot in the world and it needed audio?

Maybe you two should re-read my post. Where does it say or imply that I won't be doing any editing.
Maybe get a new pair of reading glasses first(sorry, couldn't resist).

Jay Massengill · February 3rd, 2017, 09:06 PM

In that case simply mute the master audio output in your editing software, you don't need to do anything else on a per track or per clip basis. It will just be one click per editing session before you render out the clips.

Roger Gunkel · February 4th, 2017, 06:00 AM

Hi Larry,

The reason I asked you if you are sending your clips without editing at all, is not to be facetious or confrontational, but because you asked for help. If you are sending raw clips without audio and no processing or editing, then I understand your need for no audio at the recording stage. However you were not clear as to why you needed no audio and to get a helpful answer you need to be clearer about what you are asking.

As Jay quite correctly pointed out, you may get some fantastic audio opportunities that you may regret not recording after the event. If you want to record silent movies, that's fine, but although you didn't say you wouldn't be editing, we are not psychic. In view of the fact that you have previously asked for help with mics for audio, it's reasonable to ask why you want no audio at source. You wanted no audio and you have pointed out that you have very limited video experience, so to those of us with years of experience it is quite obvious that we would just use the audio mute on the time line as a global mute. We may also use the audio on the camera as a slate, which is not a sarcastic comment, but a reference to using audio to make reference notes at the time of filming to clarify which clip is which. Jay's comment was ironic not sarcastic.

Roger

Chris Harding · February 4th, 2017, 08:40 AM

In that case it's really easy. In your editor simply delete the audio track ..then you have no audio or as Jay says just mute it. If I'm doing a Facebook Slide show for advertising I actually delete the audio track as FB by default mute the audio so people seldom have speakers on.

Simple solution and if you do get a one in a lifetime shot that needs audio you have it!!

Larry Johnson · February 6th, 2017, 01:02 PM

Guys, I do appreciate the suggestions and solutions. Since first posting my questions I've learned how to detach the audio from video in iMovie and delete it. I also understand that I can buy a mic, plug it in, and turn it off or simlpy plug in a blank plug into the mic jack so that audio isn't recorded. However, these solutions still don't answer my initial question. How can audio be disabled using the camera's menu. It's so simple to do so with my canon. I would expect that a camera with the amount of video features as the FZ-2500 would also have that capability and I'd like to understand how to use its features.

P.S. I'm not buying the "once in a lifetime shot" argument. From what I read on this forum and all over the internet, the internal mic of these prosumer cameras are not up to par, besides audio for wildlife clips is added after the fact. At least that's what everyone told me in a previous thread.

February 1st, 2017, 01:42 PM	#1
Larry Johnson Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 75	Can't mute Audio on FZ-2500. I mentioned in another thread that I thought I had this figured out, but I don't. I recorded in MP4 (LPCM) in both 4K (100m/30p) and FHD ALL-i (200m/60p). During 4K recording Silent Mode was Off and Silent Operation was off, but boom mic was on. No mic connected to camera. Turned Boom mic off and made two clips in FHD, but audio still records. What function turns off the internal mic. Edit: I had to turn off the Mic Level Limiter in order to prevent recording audio. Oddly, Silent Mode doesn't mute audio if Mic Level Limiter is On. Last edited by Larry Johnson; February 1st, 2017 at 04:45 PM.

February 1st, 2017, 05:45 PM	#2
Roger Gunkel Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: LIncolnshire, UK Posts: 2,213	Re: Can't mute Audio on FZ-2500. I'll ask an obvious question, why do you want to turn audio recording off? You can just simply delete the audio track in your editing software. The other alternative is to plug in an external mic to override the internal one and switch it off so that it records nothing. Roger

February 3rd, 2017, 07:51 AM	#4
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Can't mute Audio on FZ-2500. Hi Larry If you REALLY want your audio disabled then get a 3.5mm jack plug and plug into mic input. That will switch off the internal mics and since nothing is connected to the jack plug you have no signal ...Just in case the camera tries to lift the audio level turn the limiter off and set the mic level to as low as it can go and that should work! Otherwise plug in a powered mic and turn it off ....that allows you to easily turn audio back on by switching the mic back on ....Sadly I sometimes do that on my B-Cam and forget to turn the mic on before starting the shoot so I get no audio

February 3rd, 2017, 11:00 AM	#5
Roger Gunkel Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: LIncolnshire, UK Posts: 2,213	Re: Can't mute Audio on FZ-2500. So Larry, are you planning to send your video clips to Pond5 without editing or processing them in any way? If so I can see why you want no audio recorded. Of course if you intend to process the clips first, then it is simply a matter of muting the entire audio on your time line, or deleting as I suggested earlier. If you absolutely don't want to record any audio, then follow Chris's advice to insert a blank plug, or a cheap mic with an on off switch. Roger

February 3rd, 2017, 12:44 PM	#6
Jay Massengill Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Burlington Posts: 1,976	Re: Can't mute Audio on FZ-2500. Don't forget to bring along your slate and a piece of chalk. (Sorry, couldn't resist) I can see your desire to remove a step from your workflow, but as was asked, are you REALLY not going to process or trim the clips on an editor after the fact? I would be more stressed out trying to edit in-camera... Even for the most simple tasks I'll be putting the footage on a timeline and since the editing software audio mute button is just one click, that's what I would recommend. What if you capture the most amazing shot in the world and it needed audio?

February 3rd, 2017, 09:06 PM	#8
Jay Massengill Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Burlington Posts: 1,976	Re: Can't mute Audio on FZ-2500. In that case simply mute the master audio output in your editing software, you don't need to do anything else on a per track or per clip basis. It will just be one click per editing session before you render out the clips.

February 4th, 2017, 06:00 AM	#9
Roger Gunkel Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: LIncolnshire, UK Posts: 2,213	Re: Can't mute Audio on FZ-2500. Hi Larry, The reason I asked you if you are sending your clips without editing at all, is not to be facetious or confrontational, but because you asked for help. If you are sending raw clips without audio and no processing or editing, then I understand your need for no audio at the recording stage. However you were not clear as to why you needed no audio and to get a helpful answer you need to be clearer about what you are asking. As Jay quite correctly pointed out, you may get some fantastic audio opportunities that you may regret not recording after the event. If you want to record silent movies, that's fine, but although you didn't say you wouldn't be editing, we are not psychic. In view of the fact that you have previously asked for help with mics for audio, it's reasonable to ask why you want no audio at source. You wanted no audio and you have pointed out that you have very limited video experience, so to those of us with years of experience it is quite obvious that we would just use the audio mute on the time line as a global mute. We may also use the audio on the camera as a slate, which is not a sarcastic comment, but a reference to using audio to make reference notes at the time of filming to clarify which clip is which. Jay's comment was ironic not sarcastic. Roger

February 4th, 2017, 08:40 AM	#10
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Can't mute Audio on FZ-2500. In that case it's really easy. In your editor simply delete the audio track ..then you have no audio or as Jay says just mute it. If I'm doing a Facebook Slide show for advertising I actually delete the audio track as FB by default mute the audio so people seldom have speakers on. Simple solution and if you do get a one in a lifetime shot that needs audio you have it!!

February 6th, 2017, 01:02 PM	#11
Larry Johnson Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 75	Re: Can't mute Audio on FZ-2500. Guys, I do appreciate the suggestions and solutions. Since first posting my questions I've learned how to detach the audio from video in iMovie and delete it. I also understand that I can buy a mic, plug it in, and turn it off or simlpy plug in a blank plug into the mic jack so that audio isn't recorded. However, these solutions still don't answer my initial question. How can audio be disabled using the camera's menu. It's so simple to do so with my canon. I would expect that a camera with the amount of video features as the FZ-2500 would also have that capability and I'd like to understand how to use its features. P.S. I'm not buying the "once in a lifetime shot" argument. From what I read on this forum and all over the internet, the internal mic of these prosumer cameras are not up to par, besides audio for wildlife clips is added after the fact. At least that's what everyone told me in a previous thread.