Zoom H2 / GL2 Combo

[Fred Von Burg]

In a few weeks I will be shooting my first video. I will be using a Canon GL2 (standard definition miniDV) and a Zoom H2. It is a training / educational type video, 90% indoors, that will have voice over in parts. I will shoot some "B" roll footage, even though I only have one camera, and use Sony Vegas to mix up the "A" and "B" shots. I am truly a beginner, just learning about this field, and therefore am having trouble wrapping my head around how to do this, in particular joining the separate audio and video files.

1) In post production, how do I sync the sound from the audio file to the mouth movements of the speakers in the video file?

2) Is is easier to use a mic wired to the camcorder, instead of a standalone Zoom h2...that way the sound is synced to the video automatically? Or am I worrying needlessly because it is a simple matter to marry the Zoom H2 audio to the video in post production?

3) If I stick with the H2, should I record an MP3 or WAV?

[Seth Bloombaum]

There's no really good reason to do dialog recording on the H2, and plenty of reasons not to do it! A good recording on your camcorder is fine for dialog, and absolutely should be your workflow on your first video project! It isn't that syncing is particularly hard, but it is many extra steps, and more that can go wrong.

The simple principle of voice recording is to get your microphone close to the subject. This means that the on-camera microphone is not positioned correctly - an external mic such as a lav or boom is preferable.

The GL2 has an external microphone input, which can accept any mic that is self-powered with a 3.5mm plug. The GL2 does not supply power to the microphone, it's rather unique in this. I'm teaching on GL2s in my college course - we have Sennheiser EW100 G2 wireless mics that work well with the GL2, though the gain structure can be a little tricky to set up. See some posts over in the audio forum, search is your friend.

We also use beachtek adaptors to allow the use of XLR microphones - this gets us into the world of pro audio - mostly we use the beachtek for boom mics.

If you ever do want to supplement with recordings from the H2, be sure to record wav files at 16-bit 48KHz or 24-bit 48KHz for best syncing. You'd also record audio on the camcorder, put up both tracks on the timeline, and slip the H2 track to eliminate echo. More info on that in this forum - search is your friend!

[Fred Von Burg]

Thank you Seth. I think I'll go the route you suggest. However, the EW100G2 unfortunatley is out of my price range. I was hoping that I could get away with a cheaper alternative. Any ideas for a cheaper alternative to the EW100G2 would be welcome, as would suggestions for a lav to go with the beachtek adaptor. By way of background, my audio will be confined principally to a host introducing and summarizing segments, voice over, talking heads, a craftsman explaining how to assemble things at a workbench, etc., all under controlled conditions, inside, no air vents.

[Jeff Harper]

I use the H2 with a good quality lav microphone for weddings and it works well.

[Brian Luce]

Originally Posted by Seth Bloombaum

If you ever do want to supplement with recordings from the H2, be sure to record wav files at 16-bit 48KHz or 24-bit 48KHz for best syncing.

Why does 48khz sync better than 44khz?

[Graham Bernard]

Originally Posted by Brian Luce

Why does 48khz sync better than 44khz?

I'm thinking because it has a higher audio sampling rate, and therefore more digital information you have a greater opportunity to syncing the audio to visuals?


This is a very ruff! schematic and not to be viewed as mathematically correct!

Example 1 - 44khz
Visual Data: :.......:.......:.......:
Audio Data: :...........:............:

Example 2 - 48khz
Visul Data: :.......:.......:.......:
Audio Data: :.....:.......:......:.....:

Example 1 you get 3 options for sync, while example 2 you get 5 options.

If I am wrong, I am wrong. Always willing to learn.

Grazie

[Seth Bloombaum]

Originally Posted by Fred Von Burg

Thank you Seth. I think I'll go the route you suggest. However, the EW100G2 unfortunatley is out of my price range. I was hoping that I could get away with a cheaper alternative. Any ideas for a cheaper alternative to the EW100G2 would be welcome, as would suggestions for a lav to go with the beachtek adaptor. By way of background, my audio will be confined principally to a host introducing and summarizing segments, voice over, talking heads, a craftsman explaining how to assemble things at a workbench, etc., all under controlled conditions, inside, no air vents.

The EW100G2 represents the low end of useable wireless. But, you may not have to go wireless. The general rule is that if you can go with a wired lav, you should. Less to go wrong.

I've purchased some Giant Squid lavs with power boxes (needed because the GL2 doesn't supply micpower). These have worked really well for student projects, and are under $100. It is a really basic lav that doesn't hide under clothing too well (the clip is permanently attached), but it does the job. These can be plugged right into the external mic socket on the GL2, don't need the Beachtek. Get a 12' or 16' 3.5mm headphone extension cord from your local home electronics retailer to extend it to a useful distance.

Of course the beachtek or juicedlink adaptors open you up to the wide world of xlr lav mics, which cost anywhere from maybe $150-500.

Another alternative for wireless: rent!

Originally Posted by Brian Luce

Why does 48khz sync better than 44khz?

Because the video standard for audio is 48KHz. Any tracks that come off the cam will be 48K, the timeline should be 48K (confirm in project properties), etc. Now, Vegas is the best for handling different media types on the timeline, but even then there can be problems with different sample rates on the timeline. Sometimes the sound card won't cooperate. Usually the fix is going to be to resample to 48K. All this can play havoc with sync - stick to the standard and avoid problems!

[Seth Bloombaum]

Originally Posted by Graham Bernard

I'm thinking (48KHz) because it has a higher audio sampling rate, and therefore more digital information you have a greater opportunity to syncing the audio to visuals?...

Grazie, when you're slipping an audio event you can turn off quantize to frames and get *much* tighter sync than your math shows, literally down to the sample level (1/48,000 of a second!)

The trick is:
put up all tracks on the timeline,
then turn quantize off. (don't touch the video until quantize is back on!)
Do some sort of rough sync, looking at waveforms or TC, only slide the 2nd audio clip, not the camera's audio track.
Now, zoom way in, highlight the 2nd audio clip, play some loop section of audio, and slip the clip using the 4 and 6 keys on the numpad, until you reduce echo to nil.

Turn Quantize back on, maybe group the tracks - that's it. Vegas does this task extremely well.