Anyone using the Tascam DR 60
 

HI all,

Recently purchased a GH4 and looking for a good way of recording quality sound. I am seriously considering the Tascam DR 60 so I can use my sennheiser microphones and for the double sound recording. Anyone have experience with this combo? I do a lot of Dance Concerts and Events.

Thanks - Salvatore

Re: Anyone using the Tascam DR 60
 

I have used my dr60 in combination with my gh3, not with my gh4 yet, I used a wireless handmicrophone and a azden receiver that was connected to the dr60 and I had a live feed directly into the camera. I ended up using the sound that went straight into my gh3 as I didin't have to sync anymore, that sound quality was a bit less then what the dr60 recorded but it was more then sufficient for my needs. The soundquality that was recorded onto my dr60 was very good, I"m not a audio specialist but it sounded very clean and noise free to me.

Re: Anyone using the Tascam DR 60
 

I've had the DR-60 for about 8 or 9 months and this is my go to recorder over the pair of Zoom H4n recorders I also have. Why? Great quality, I absolutely love the ability to record two different levels for the same input (usually I record one at -6db lower than the other) so if you're talent of environment gets too noisy you have an instant backup.

I also love the sync beep for almost instant dual system syncing.

I've only just got the GH4 and so haven't done extensive testing of this pair but my initial tests show it works very well.

Re: Anyone using the Tascam DR 60
 

Thanks Guys,

I guess I'll go ahead and order the DR 60 this week. By the way, how are you liking the GH4?

Thanks - Salvatore

Re: Anyone using the Tascam DR 60
 

Been using the GH4 with the Tascam DR60 for a few months now. Lots of broadcast projects, I shot "Dick Cavett's Watergate" which aired on PBS this week with this combo and I am shooting a lot of Fox projects with it. Camera is great but is not a large sensor camera so it is not a low light monster like the 5D MKIII was, or the C300. You need to light for it very well and do NOT shoot green screen at anything over ISO 200, I did and the compositor was not happy with me. Light it well and you will be happy.

DR60 works well with it, just baby it, they are flimsy and not pro quality. Power the DR60 with a huge lithium ion battery for the extra $40.00, the DR60 eats AAs all of the time but if you plug it into this battery, Amazon.com: USB External Battery Pack 13000mAh 5V/4.2A (Black Limefuel Blast L130X) Charger with Flashlight for iPad Air, Mini, iPhone 5S, 5C, 5, 4S, Galaxy S5, S4, S3, Note 3, Nexus 4, 5, 7, 10, HTC One, One 2 (M8), Motorola Droid, LG G2, G3, MOTO X it will power it ALL day long.

Re: Anyone using the Tascam DR 60
 

Great tip on the batterypack Dan! Had no idea that existed, how do you connect it to the dr60, is that cable supplied with the batterypack? Do you still have to look at the battery status on the dr60 or on the batterypack?

Re: Anyone using the Tascam DR 60
 

Since the power comes to the DR-60 via the USB cable rather than a battery port you have to monitor the power via the battery pack, which is of course yet another thing to remember to charge and carry with you.

Re: Anyone using the Tascam DR 60
 

That DR 60 when it started shipping was all $399 and then all of a sudden it was $199. Wa happened? It's been $199 for months now. Maybe even a year...

Re: Anyone using the Tascam DR 60
 

Thanks Dan. Do you have a method to attach the battery to the DR60?

Re: Anyone using the Tascam DR 60
 

I've just been Velcroing the battery to my shoulder pad on my rig. It's not that heavy. It uses a USB full size to mini USB connector for the DR60, just route the cable safely so it doesn't snag on stuff. I shot five 90 minute interviews with it and it only went down about 1/3rd in power, it's a big ass battery as far as milliamps.

Re: Anyone using the Tascam DR 60
 

Thanks Dan.

Re: Anyone using the Tascam DR 60
 

That's actually a little disappointing. I was hoping for more time than that. I've recorded more than 3 hours (180 mins) of seminar on the DR-60D using Eneloop 2500mha AA batteries, though to be fair I was getting a little nervous towards the end and changed them ASAP.

It would be interesting to set up the DR-60D with a large card and see just how long you could actually go with that battery.

Re: Anyone using the Tascam DR 60
 

That seems pretty good to me. 7.5 hours and only using up 1/3 of the battery?

Re: Anyone using the Tascam DR 60
 

Oops! I completely missed the 'five' !!!! for some reason I read that as 'live'. Doh! Sorry! OK - SOLD.

Re: Anyone using the Tascam DR 60
 

Have not tried it, but it felt as if I could have shot for quite a few more hours with it after rolling almost eight hours of continuous footage. 13,000MaH is pretty huge. For me, if a single battery can get me through an entire day of shooting, and I mean shooting pretty much all day, that is unprecedented.

Re: Anyone using the Tascam DR 60
 

I have another question regarding the Tascam DR 60. If I plan on using it, should I still send out the GH4 for servicing the audio buzz or will the DR 60 resolve the issue?

Re: Anyone using the Tascam DR 60
 

The DR60 does not resolve the audio buzz in the GH4. That is still there and if you patch the DR 60 to the GH4 you could still potentially run into the buzz problem if you try to use the GH4 audio track.

I sent mine in for the "fix", they try to give it 3 day "turnaround" at the McAllen facility. They had mine for 3 business days.

I plan on using the DR 60 in dual mode with one track -6db lower than the main, but I'll also take the signal from an output and run it to the GH4 mic in and if that is good enough it simplifies things, otherwise I'll use the audio from the TASCAM and sync in post.

Re: Anyone using the Tascam DR 60
 

I would agree with the other posters on the DR60. I have had it a while now, and would not consider it for field use with batteries as it eats them. When I use it I *always* plug it in. I rely on my Marantz PMD 661 for those kind of field recordings. While the DR60 is a great little cheap recorder, I can see why the field pros rely on SD recorders. you can use Sony batteries with them, they last all day, and the recorders are rugged as you would hope. While we all love our cheap substitutes, and they often work fine where they fit, if you are going to need long battery life, low hassle, and superb sound floors, then save up and buy the real deal, SD.

Re: Anyone using the Tascam DR 60
 

I use this approach to feed a GH3 and G6 from the out jacks for interviews. Because camera preamps can introduce hiss and pumping, I typically use the recordings from the Tascam as the main audio in post. It's pretty clean.

Re: Anyone using the Tascam DR 60
 

Thanks Guys, for all your input (no pun intended). I think I'll send in my GH4 now because I have a few paying gigs in couple weeks. Also will order the DR60. I'm not doing any field work but will order the optional battery pack.

Re: Anyone using the Tascam DR 60
 

This is exactly how we use it, with the added bonus that the sync button (produces a fixed tone) makes it trivial to sync in post, even by hand.

Re: Anyone using the Tascam DR 60
 

Hi Bruce,

Is there an official form that I have to fill out and where do I get it?

Thanks so much

Re: Anyone using the Tascam DR 60
 

I ran one for a day and a half powering a shotgun using Energizer Lithium AAs.

If you are going to mount the GH4 on top of it, get this cable.