V1U on the Appalachian Trail
 

Saturday, we decided to give my new V1U a REAL tryout. We were shooting to a TV show up on Max Patch (one of the mysterious mountain 'balds' in the Pisgah National Forest in Western North Carolina). The Appalachian Trail (as it meanders from Georgia to Maine) passes over Max Patch.

So we loaded up our backpacks, strapped on the tripods, and packed the V1U along with our HC1 and hiked up the Appalachian Trail to Max Patch.

Attached are three frame grabs.

Overall, I remain exceptionally pleased with the V1U... except for the low audio, alas.

Captions:

1. Ralph on the Appalachian Trail

2. Trailhead up Appalachian Trail and Max Patch

3. From top of Max Patch.

--Ralph

Nice stills.

Are you using the microphone that came with the V1U, or did you purchase a different one?

Thanks, Mike... the microphone that came with the V1U is pretty useless. ;-)

What I'm speaking of are my other mikes such as the Azden wireless in the phone, my AT shotgun mike, my Shure KSM dynamic studio mike I use for voices overs, a Rhode NT1... all these are 'hot' on my XL2 and Sony HC1 but very insensitive on the Sony V1U, even with the gain on manual and wide open.

Frustrating on an otherwise great cam.

--Ralph

Are you saying that even with a pretty hot mic like the Rode NTG1, you are still having low-audio problems on the V1U?
- I would have thought that something like the Rode would have more or less fixed the problem (in the sense that it's a 'workaround').

Can you say how much the audio is improved (or is louder) with the NTG1 please Ralph?

Yes, Stu... that's what I'm saying... I'll run some more tests.... Hope I have not got a bad cam.

Anyone else out there care to comment on V1U audio sensitivity, please?

Ralph, I submit either something is wrong with your cam, or you've got something set up incorrectly on the cam.
Having used V1-recorded for at least a dozen training products and for broadcast pieces, I have no issue with a V1 and AT899, 897, 835, or any number of other mics used for recording.

Ralph,

You're absolutely right it's not sensitive enough with the stock microphone; however - using either my Sennheiser EW 100 G2 wireless, or Edirol CS-50 stereo shotgun - I find the audio section adequate.

Well, I would LOVE to find how to gain sensitivity (pun, as ever, intended)... I've tried all the settings. Any tips would be GREATLY appreciated. Got an event coming up this week where I'll be doing a lot of interviewing.

--Ralph

I would double check to make sure the audio limiter is not on and that the audio is not being padded down with the MIC ATT (attenuator).