H4n Question at DVinfo.net

Russ Ivey · December 29th, 2010, 01:05 PM

Okay, I have one last question (yeah right) about this device. Has anyone ever ran their mic into it, then line out directly into the camera? I would assume this eliminates having to sync it up in editing wouldn't it? If so, does it have any affect on the sound quality?

Guy Cochran · December 29th, 2010, 01:17 PM

Russ Ivey · December 29th, 2010, 01:54 PM

That's about as straight forward of an answer as you can give, hehehe

Sam Mallery · December 29th, 2010, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ Ivey

Okay, I have one last question (yeah right) about this device. Has anyone ever ran their mic into it, then line out directly into the camera? I would assume this eliminates having to sync it up in editing wouldn't it? If so, does it have any affect on the sound quality?

I did this when using the built-in mics on the H4n. Doing this would be similar using external mics. Here's a post I wrote about it, including a demo video:

Using a Zoom H4n as an On-Camera DSLR Mic | Sam Mallery

Russ Ivey · December 29th, 2010, 02:58 PM

Thanks for that post!! That helped a ton.

Sean Vergara · December 31st, 2010, 01:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ Ivey

That's about as straight forward of an answer as you can give, hehehe

Seriously...

Markus Nord · January 10th, 2011, 04:30 AM

I'm not an audioguy... But I got a question about using a cable like Guy Cochran or the need of the super expensive cable that Sam Mallery wrote about? I got a H1 that I will record abient sound with and would like to put that sound in to my 7D too...

Steve House · January 10th, 2011, 09:53 AM

$25 is not a super expensive cable! Hard to even get a burger and fries for you and a date at Mickey Dee's for that price!

Markus Nord · January 10th, 2011, 12:16 PM

Well... Ad tax, shipping to Sweden and you are up to $50+ or $5 for the other... And if the audio is good enouth for back up just with the $5 one I don't se the point (I'll still record with the H1)...

Sam Mallery · January 10th, 2011, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Markus Nord

I'm not an audioguy... But I got a question about using a cable like Guy Cochran or the need of the super expensive cable that Sam Mallery wrote about? I got a H1 that I will record abient sound with and would like to put that sound in to my 7D too...

If you have an H1 and a 7D, why don't you run a test? Get a regular, inexpensive 3.5mm stereo to 3.5mm stereo male to male mini-plug cable. Plug the headphone output of the H1 into one end of the cable, and plug the other end into the mic input on the 7D. Record a few seconds of yourself speaking a few feet in front of the camera. Listen to the playback on the 7D of the footage you just shot. If it's too loud and distorted, turn the headphone volume down on the H1, and shoot it again. If playback was too quiet, turn the volume up on the headphone output of the H1 and shoot it again. Keep this up until you find level settings that work for good audio, and remember them. If you can't find a good working level, and it sounds loud and distorted no matter what you do, then you need to purchase the Sescom cable in order to work this way.

Markus Nord · January 10th, 2011, 02:31 PM

Thanks Sam... I'll do some tests (my H1 will arrive in 1-2 days). Just asked if anyone do this on a regular bases (use a regular Y cable).

Cheers

Markus Nord · January 13th, 2011, 11:30 PM

I've done some quick tests now and it sounds ok... I was surprised that the H1 was so small, I tried it in my Rode chockmount for my NTG2 and it fits... I'm going to do some fine tuning to find the best set up.
Guy, if you are reading this, have you used your set up "in the fields"?

Don Litten · January 20th, 2011, 04:49 PM

Can someone splain how this is beneficial?

I haven't tried it because I use the camera audio as a scratch file and backup...and it seems like you'd still need a clapper to sync.

Maybe I'm just being dense...(Daily event) but I am really trying to see how this will help.

Dean Sensui · January 20th, 2011, 04:56 PM

With high quality audio from the H4N and scratch audio fed from that to the camera, you can use PluralEyes to automatically and perfectly sync the clips from the H4N with the clips from the camera without a slate.

Don Litten · January 20th, 2011, 05:07 PM

Ahhh. Pluraleyes.
I guess I'll try it again. I never got it to work when I tried the Evaluation model.

December 29th, 2010, 01:05 PM	#1
Russ Ivey Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Woodstock, GA Posts: 89	H4n Question Okay, I have one last question (yeah right) about this device. Has anyone ever ran their mic into it, then line out directly into the camera? I would assume this eliminates having to sync it up in editing wouldn't it? If so, does it have any affect on the sound quality?

December 29th, 2010, 01:17 PM	#2
Guy Cochran DVCreators.Net Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 892	H4N monitoring+recording straight to DSLR on Vimeo __________________ Guy Cochran DVinfo Sponsor, Cool Gear - DVeStore!

December 29th, 2010, 01:54 PM	#3
Russ Ivey Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Woodstock, GA Posts: 89	Hah That's about as straight forward of an answer as you can give, hehehe

December 29th, 2010, 02:58 PM	#5
Russ Ivey Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Woodstock, GA Posts: 89	Thanks Sam Thanks for that post!! That helped a ton.

January 10th, 2011, 04:30 AM	#7
Markus Nord Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Vastervik ,Sweden Posts: 639	I'm not an audioguy... But I got a question about using a cable like Guy Cochran or the need of the super expensive cable that Sam Mallery wrote about? I got a H1 that I will record abient sound with and would like to put that sound in to my 7D too... __________________ www.nordproduktion.se https://vimeo.com/nordproduktion

January 10th, 2011, 09:53 AM	#8
Steve House Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Posts: 5,742	$25 is not a super expensive cable! Hard to even get a burger and fries for you and a date at Mickey Dee's for that price! __________________ Good news, Cousins! This week's chocolate ration is 15 grams!

January 10th, 2011, 12:16 PM	#9
Markus Nord Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Vastervik ,Sweden Posts: 639	Well... Ad tax, shipping to Sweden and you are up to $50+ or $5 for the other... And if the audio is good enouth for back up just with the $5 one I don't se the point (I'll still record with the H1)... __________________ www.nordproduktion.se https://vimeo.com/nordproduktion

January 10th, 2011, 02:31 PM	#11
Markus Nord Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Vastervik ,Sweden Posts: 639	Thanks Sam... I'll do some tests (my H1 will arrive in 1-2 days). Just asked if anyone do this on a regular bases (use a regular Y cable). Cheers __________________ www.nordproduktion.se https://vimeo.com/nordproduktion

January 13th, 2011, 11:30 PM	#12
Markus Nord Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Vastervik ,Sweden Posts: 639	I've done some quick tests now and it sounds ok... I was surprised that the H1 was so small, I tried it in my Rode chockmount for my NTG2 and it fits... I'm going to do some fine tuning to find the best set up. Guy, if you are reading this, have you used your set up "in the fields"? __________________ www.nordproduktion.se https://vimeo.com/nordproduktion

January 20th, 2011, 04:49 PM	#13
Don Litten Major Player Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Richmond Va Posts: 400	Can someone splain how this is beneficial? I haven't tried it because I use the camera audio as a scratch file and backup...and it seems like you'd still need a clapper to sync. Maybe I'm just being dense...(Daily event) but I am really trying to see how this will help.

January 20th, 2011, 04:56 PM	#14
Dean Sensui Inner Circle Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 2,054	With high quality audio from the H4N and scratch audio fed from that to the camera, you can use PluralEyes to automatically and perfectly sync the clips from the H4N with the clips from the camera without a slate. __________________ Dean Sensui Exec Producer, Hawaii Goes Fishing

January 20th, 2011, 05:07 PM	#15
Don Litten Major Player Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Richmond Va Posts: 400	Ahhh. Pluraleyes. I guess I'll try it again. I never got it to work when I tried the Evaluation model.