snyc-easy
 

Could some of you share easiest ways to sync with VX2100's. I use a flash now but wondered if there could be an easier solution than having to get three camera's pointed at me and popping a flash.

Not much easier than that I'm afraid.

I sometimes use the soundtrack but that is a bit dangerous if the cameras are at different distances from the event as sound travels much slower than the visual component.

All of them can shoot the same clock at the same time. That works only if it has a sweep second hand and it only gets you within 30 frames or so.

A clapper board works too but the sound will be off if the board isn't in the geometric center of the cameras.

The flash should be seen by the cameras even if they are pointed at the action unless you are talking outdoors at great distances.

Setting up each camera to free-run timecode then presetting the time of day is a traditional method. There will be some drift, and the method is not precise, but it should get you within 10 frames if you do it carefully. (not sure if the VX2100 supports this, the PD150/PD170 do)

Then, flash your strobe on the subject, this should be seen by all cameras in most setups, providing fine sync.

I've also been pretty happy with fine syncing via sound. Having the TC for rough is great. Vegas is an NLE that provides an easy ability to slip/slide a track. With double-system sound, the sound track timing can be adjusted with sub-frame (sample) accuracy. (clips containing video should only be adjusted to the nearest frame).

Granted, sound takes time to travel through the air. But this is (nearly) a constant value for a given temperature & humidity, about 1130 feet per second. A correction can be figured in if your lipsync looks off. In practice, there needs to be at least a 20' difference between camera distances before it can be heard by someone listening carefully for it. Sound can travel almost 40' in the duration of an NTSC video frame.

Are you lost yet? The best sync reference audio in a multicamera shoot will be from a mic close to the subject. But people use camera mics for sync reference all the time.