Does anyone think the zoom is noisy in the A1? at DVinfo.net

Herbert Bolander · November 17th, 2006, 07:51 PM

Does anyone think the zoom is noisy in the A1?

It was recorded on the tape, during zooming in and out.
Also, there's a funny noise when the zoom reaches its
wide or telephone end.

I had my friend sit about 6 feet away in the recital hall.
Had her read a speech for tomorrow's gig. I recorded about
5 minutes. When I played back the tape, the zoom is
clearly audible, if I zoom in/out in-between her sentences. :(

Has anyone noticed this?

Thanks!

Noel Evans · November 17th, 2006, 08:29 PM

I havent recorded during zoom, but with my ear next to the cam I can hear it and if I were using the internal mic I guess it could be picked up.

Solution
1/ Dont zoom during recording - Select your zoom then record.
2/ Get yourself another mic and get it as close to the talent as possible.

Chris Hurd · November 17th, 2006, 08:37 PM

External microphone and a Lightwave Mini-Mount. Problem solved.

(Link is for the XL but will work with an XH; it's the same mic clamp).

Henry Cho · November 17th, 2006, 08:39 PM

maybe it's just me, but i've experienced some degree of zoom motor and handling noise with an onboard mic on every camera with a similar form factor. even the xl series had issues, hence all the third party noise dampeners. if you're going to use the onboard mic, i agree with noel... don't zoom, get a shock mount for the camera shoe, or, even better, run sound off-camera as close to the talent as possible. if you have to zoom into the talent, i imagine the sound would be pretty hollow with the on-board mic anyway.

Henry Cho · November 17th, 2006, 08:48 PM

chris, i tried to fit the lightwave minimount onto the xh when i first got the camera, and it seems the mic mount on the xh cams is slightly smaller than the ones on the xl cams. it was a pretty rough fit. the xh mount seems closer, or might even be the same, to the mount on the ma-300, which was several mm smaller in diameter than the xl mount. if you try fitting an xl mic into the clamp, you'll see what i mean. i think a camera shoe shock mount would be the best option for running on-camera audio at this point.

Chris Hurd · November 17th, 2006, 09:05 PM

Thanks for the report, Henry. I wonder if LWS would consider milling one to fit the XH clamp...

Meanwhile there's another LWS alternative. Take the mic clamp off, and use a Lightwave Universal Mini-Mount instead. Same thing, but it attaches to the accessory shoe.

Dave Ferdinand · November 17th, 2006, 09:34 PM

Why would you need a mini mount? Doesn't the A1 come with a external mic mount? At least the watchdog pics seem to show that.

Chris Hurd · November 17th, 2006, 09:41 PM

Read the Mini-Mount product page using the links I provided and you'll see why. It does something that the pre-packaged XH mic clamp won't do... it completely isolates an external mic from tape transport and lens motor noise.

Larry Huntington · November 18th, 2006, 09:35 PM

I've noticed the motor noise is worse when monitoring with headphones- not as drastic when it hits the tape.

Peter Ferling · November 18th, 2006, 09:43 PM

The headphones pick it up but not the mic? The zoom motor is antenuating at given frequency. What kind of phones are you using? (I wonder if it's present/absent with different kinds?)

John Dewey · November 21st, 2006, 04:31 PM

So how bad is the sound of the lens motor?

I have not had a chance to actually use one of these cameras, but if the lens motor noise is too obtrusive, it may be a deal breaker for me.

I find myself shooting alot of B-Roll footage that nat sound is required along with zooming. If I have to purchase an aftermarket item just to get useable audio, that seems unacceptable to me.

I have been seriously looking into getting one of these cams, but I guess I need to find out just how bad the noise level is on this model.

Holly Rognan · November 21st, 2006, 06:45 PM

It isn't horrible and shouldn't be a deal breaker by any means. It is a sweeet cam, but it is noticeable and audible on tape in a quiet room.

Philip Williams · November 21st, 2006, 07:14 PM

I suspect that if audio levels are set to manual and not cranked way up that there would be no noticable zoom noise. I bet in a quite room the AGC boosts the audio so high that it'll pick up just about anything.

Honestly, I just zoomed back and forth a couple of times with mine and, at least just listening with my ears, its a very quiet zoom. My guess is that if I ever get that on tape, it'll be a spot of audio that I can just supress anyway. I suspect that any other noise and/or manual audio settings will eliminate this.

So quick question to people that are hearing the zoom: are you sitting in your quiet living room testing out your new cam and then noticing the noise on tape? Or are you actually recording somewhere with primary or background noise present (a conversation, a street, etc...)?

Cody Lucido · November 22nd, 2006, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Hurd

External microphone and a Lightwave Mini-Mount. Problem solved.

(Link is for the XL but will work with an XH; it's the same mic clamp).

I have a lightwave mini mount from my XL1s, but when I tried to use it on the A1, it was too big. I'm thinking that maybe the mount doesn't fit the A1. Chris do you know?

Jeff Rhode · February 14th, 2007, 05:54 AM

I just found this older thread. The J-Rod fits the A-1 perfectly, and gives you the option of using any shock mount, or mounting a radio receiver. I think that the clamp on the XL is larger, so the lightwave may not fit.

Check it out at www.thej-rod.com

November 17th, 2006, 07:51 PM	#1
Herbert Bolander Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 40	Does anyone think the zoom is noisy in the A1? Does anyone think the zoom is noisy in the A1? It was recorded on the tape, during zooming in and out. Also, there's a funny noise when the zoom reaches its wide or telephone end. I had my friend sit about 6 feet away in the recital hall. Had her read a speech for tomorrow's gig. I recorded about 5 minutes. When I played back the tape, the zoom is clearly audible, if I zoom in/out in-between her sentences. :( Has anyone noticed this? Thanks!

November 17th, 2006, 08:37 PM	#3
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	External microphone and a Lightwave Mini-Mount. Problem solved. (Link is for the XL but will work with an XH; it's the same mic clamp). __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

November 17th, 2006, 09:05 PM	#6
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	Thanks for the report, Henry. I wonder if LWS would consider milling one to fit the XH clamp... Meanwhile there's another LWS alternative. Take the mic clamp off, and use a Lightwave Universal Mini-Mount instead. Same thing, but it attaches to the accessory shoe. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

November 17th, 2006, 09:34 PM	#7
Dave Ferdinand Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 359	Why would you need a mini mount? Doesn't the A1 come with a external mic mount? At least the watchdog pics seem to show that. __________________ Do or do not, there is no try.

November 17th, 2006, 09:41 PM	#8
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	Read the Mini-Mount product page using the links I provided and you'll see why. It does something that the pre-packaged XH mic clamp won't do... it completely isolates an external mic from tape transport and lens motor noise. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

November 17th, 2006, 08:29 PM	#2
Noel Evans Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Tokyo, Japan Posts: 157	I havent recorded during zoom, but with my ear next to the cam I can hear it and if I were using the internal mic I guess it could be picked up. Solution 1/ Dont zoom during recording - Select your zoom then record. 2/ Get yourself another mic and get it as close to the talent as possible.

November 17th, 2006, 08:39 PM	#4
Henry Cho Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: NYC Posts: 516	maybe it's just me, but i've experienced some degree of zoom motor and handling noise with an onboard mic on every camera with a similar form factor. even the xl series had issues, hence all the third party noise dampeners. if you're going to use the onboard mic, i agree with noel... don't zoom, get a shock mount for the camera shoe, or, even better, run sound off-camera as close to the talent as possible. if you have to zoom into the talent, i imagine the sound would be pretty hollow with the on-board mic anyway.

November 17th, 2006, 08:48 PM	#5
Henry Cho Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: NYC Posts: 516	chris, i tried to fit the lightwave minimount onto the xh when i first got the camera, and it seems the mic mount on the xh cams is slightly smaller than the ones on the xl cams. it was a pretty rough fit. the xh mount seems closer, or might even be the same, to the mount on the ma-300, which was several mm smaller in diameter than the xl mount. if you try fitting an xl mic into the clamp, you'll see what i mean. i think a camera shoe shock mount would be the best option for running on-camera audio at this point.

November 18th, 2006, 09:35 PM	#9
Larry Huntington Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Grass Valley, California Posts: 350	I've noticed the motor noise is worse when monitoring with headphones- not as drastic when it hits the tape.

November 18th, 2006, 09:43 PM	#10
Peter Ferling Trustee Join Date: May 2005 Location: Wyomissing, PA Posts: 1,141 Images: 57	The headphones pick it up but not the mic? The zoom motor is antenuating at given frequency. What kind of phones are you using? (I wonder if it's present/absent with different kinds?)

November 21st, 2006, 04:31 PM	#11
John Dewey Major Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Tinley Park, Illinois Posts: 288	So how bad is the sound of the lens motor? I have not had a chance to actually use one of these cameras, but if the lens motor noise is too obtrusive, it may be a deal breaker for me. I find myself shooting alot of B-Roll footage that nat sound is required along with zooming. If I have to purchase an aftermarket item just to get useable audio, that seems unacceptable to me. I have been seriously looking into getting one of these cams, but I guess I need to find out just how bad the noise level is on this model.

November 21st, 2006, 06:45 PM	#12
Holly Rognan Major Player Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Coalville America Posts: 244	It isn't horrible and shouldn't be a deal breaker by any means. It is a sweeet cam, but it is noticeable and audible on tape in a quiet room.

November 21st, 2006, 07:14 PM	#13
Philip Williams Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Snellville, Georgia Posts: 614	I suspect that if audio levels are set to manual and not cranked way up that there would be no noticable zoom noise. I bet in a quite room the AGC boosts the audio so high that it'll pick up just about anything. Honestly, I just zoomed back and forth a couple of times with mine and, at least just listening with my ears, its a very quiet zoom. My guess is that if I ever get that on tape, it'll be a spot of audio that I can just supress anyway. I suspect that any other noise and/or manual audio settings will eliminate this. So quick question to people that are hearing the zoom: are you sitting in your quiet living room testing out your new cam and then noticing the noise on tape? Or are you actually recording somewhere with primary or background noise present (a conversation, a street, etc...)?

February 14th, 2007, 05:54 AM	#15
Jeff Rhode Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: NJ, USA Posts: 169	I just found this older thread. The J-Rod fits the A-1 perfectly, and gives you the option of using any shock mount, or mounting a radio receiver. I think that the clamp on the XL is larger, so the lightwave may not fit. Check it out at www.thej-rod.com