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FOR THE RECORD The quality of audio canmake or break your movie project, so this issue we’re looking at some top options for better recording on location... SIGNAL TO NOISE!
WORDS KINGSLEY SINGLETON
W e all know that good audio is vital for professional filmmaking results – a poor quality soundtrack can really stop the viewer from engaging with your footage. Aside from your recording technique – which is a whole other subject – the most common problems are found with what you’re recording to. Put simply, if you’re expecting professional results from audio embedded in video file from your CSC or DSLR, then you’re likely to be disappointed. The most obvious offender is interference (hiss) caused by a poor quality pre-amp trying to boost the signal too hard, and compression in the sound as it’s recorded at a compromised bit rate along with the video. Both cause thin, grainy audio. The most common answer is to divert the audio recording to an external recorder that can produce clean and lossless audio – basically the equivalent of shooting in higher resolution. But external devices also mean you can record on separate channels, allowing you to mix the sound, for instance increasing the prominence of narration over ambience.
Obviously separate audio tracks then need to be synced with the footage in editing, but that’s a relatively quick and simple job compared to cleaning up low-quality sound, and many recorders have features to help do it. Recording externally is a little more work, but overall the advantages in quality are huge. There are other options, too, such as improving the signal and ultimately the sound quality of a video’s audio track. So what should you look for when shopping for an external recorder? Obviously the quality of sound is the most important thing – that’s why you went down this route in the first place – and that means the ability to easily monitor and control levels. You’ll also likely want some options to record lossless, multi-track files, as well as mixed down and compressed audio for reference. If you’re on the move, you’ll want it to be as lightweight and rugged as possible. The type of connections that the recorder offers will affect the mics you can use, and the recorder will probably need to provide phantom power to mics. Therefore battery life is important, too.
Want to keep size and weight to a minimum? Then Olympus’s LS-P4 recorder is well worth considering. At 75g, despite a metal body, it’s scarcely noticeable when hot shoe mounted, making camera operationmuch less of a weightlifting task. The LS-P4 is an all-in-one recorder that’s pitched for music and interview recording as well as video, and the sound quality is excellent. Recording is possible in a variety of formats, the highest quality of which is Linear PCM96kHZ at 24bit, which can be exported as versatile FLAC files as well as PCM, WAV or MP3 formats. Instead of the usual built-in stereo microphones, the LS-P4 has three. With all three running, it gives a frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz. Plug in an external mic and this should rise to 20Hz to 44kHz. The inbuilt mics don’t physically swivel like some other models, to change the modelling, but you can alter their ‘zoom’ settings digitally. There’s also a single mini-jack port to plug in an external mic, but no power output for it, so choose your OLYMPUS LS-P4 £149/$169 olympus.com
mics accordingly. There’s no XLR input, but there is a headphone out for monitoring. The LS-P4 has an 8GB internal memory, which equates to five hours of recording at the maximumquality, but you can also record to a micro SD card of up 32GB. The built-in USB connection is handy, as it means you don’t need a lead. The unit runs off a single AAA battery, and there’s an included Ni-MH rechargeable battery that can be charged using the built-in USB connector if you’re in the right mode. It gives over 16 hours of recording time. Mounting options are limited. The LS-P4 has a 1/4in thread on its rear, and a 3/8in adapter is included, as well as an adapter to mount in your hotshoe, but its streamlined designmeans it has no bays for mounting kit like a small mic. Although the LS-P4 has automatic modes for normalising low-noise recordings, and will capture up to 120dB
PROMOVIEMAKER RATING: 8/10 If you want the lightest recording option, it’s a great choice and produces high- quality sound, but mounting andmic options are limited.
without clipping, you can set levels manually andmonitor them via the LCD screen.
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PRO MOVIEMAKER SUMMER 2019
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