DSLR Audio

Just doing some research on audio recording gear for DSLRs.

I am shooting most of my project on DSLR - my own Pentax k7 and Changas Nikon d3s. The audio on these camera are good, but sometimes, better audio via better microphones are needed, so I will be recording audio separately - back to the old school way of doing things. I was settled on doing the traditional clapperboard sync, but my supervisor, Paul Ritchard, mentioned a piece of software that can do automatic sync. I googled it, and have become quite impressed.

It is called Pluraleyes - it automatically syncs your DSLR footage to your separately recorded audio by matching the footage audio with the audio captured on the separate device.

A problem with this software though is that there is currently no compatibility with Adobe Premiere CS4, which is what I primarily use to cut my work. Only FCP and Sony Vegas are supported thus far. They say a CS4 version will come out soon, so fingers crossed.

After discovering this, I went on to look up audio recording gear, which I intend to get soon to support my other work. Currently using a Marantz Solid State recorder hired out from uni. It's good, but quite big since it is old school. Not huge, just.. not as small as some you can get now-a-days.

The site dslrfilm.com has an article listing their top audio recorders for DSLR video. The Zoom h4n seems to immensely popular, and I will be looking into where to get it here in Melbourne, and how much - so anyone with that information, please contact me!

Also, Phillip Bloom has a useful article on the subject of DSLR filming and audio recording. Check it out.

A microphone will be next to look for on the list too.... damn so much money to be spent. I am looking at purchasing a new sleeping bag as well as my current one, thought immensely warm, is much too bulky to be taken on treks. Kathmandu has a huge sale on at the moment, and I am eyeing the $200 one... as well as a sleeping mat. *sigh*

Anyway, just got back from a long road trip up to Stawell to help Changas on a photo-doco shoot on a rodeo that was up there yesterday on good Friday. He's gotten some amazing stuff, which should be up on his blog some time soon. I managed to get a few good snaps too, as well as some footage of some bull-riding etc. I think I will cut my footage into a mini doco on Changas and documentary photography. I had a nice chat with Changas on the ride there and back, which I recorded on the solid state recorder. Will go through footage and audio material tomorrow to see what I can knock up. It seems there is a connection as well to my honours project on Asian-Australian identity - we were the only two Asians up at the rodeo, and we stood out like sore thumbs. We didn't get into any major incidents, but the issue did crop up during some moments.

Anyway, really tired and need some shut eye. Photos and more info should be up here soon. Watch this space.