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Matt James Smith ?

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  1. Like
    Matt James Smith ? got a reaction from leslie in Best Control Surface?   
    Here's the desk setup:

    I'm trialing the numeric keypad with macros before I splurge on a Stream Deck.
  2. Like
    Matt James Smith ? got a reaction from Jimmy G in Stereo mic recommendations please (for in-camera ambient location/field recording)   
    Just grabbed a used SVMX on eBay. It’s in pretty rough shape cosmetically but I got a decent price (£290) and doubt I’ll ever be looking to sell it on so as long as it works perfectly I’m happy. 
     
    Thanks for all the advice everyone!
  3. Thanks
    Matt James Smith ? reacted to kye in Custom keypad for video editing?   
    WINNING!
    TLDR; The combo of a eBay keypad and the USB Overdrive utility (for Mac) is a winner with Resolve, and likely other NLEs too.
    Longer version....
    My portable editing setup now includes the BM Speed Editor, the Beatstep controller and Beatstep Resolve Edition software, and now this little custom keypad.
    The keypad and USBOverdrive allows macros, so you hit one key and it sends the computer a string of keyboard commands.  In combination with the keyboard shortcuts in your NLE, you can make it do pretty cool stuff.
    In the Cut page, the Speed Editor works in a certain way which creates limitations, and Resolve has a few bugs (in my version at least) that also limit things.
    I have set keys that highlight the current clip, trim start/end to playhead, then unselect all clips.  Or similar but splitting the clip.  Or similar but ripple deleting the clip.  These are mostly workarounds to the peculiarities of Resolve and the Cut page and Speed Editor, but I think it's an excellent addition to using it.  
    I can navigate using the wheel on the Speed Editor, hit a key and trigger a macro, and then fine-tune on the Speed Editor if further refinement is required, and then keep going.  I had some, let's say, distracting, workarounds that I had to do in order to perform these functions involving not only having to take my hands off the controller, but also triggering my frustration with BM at not building things in more flexible ways, which really took me out of the zone!
  4. Like
    Matt James Smith ? reacted to kye in Best Control Surface?   
    Addendum, I got my keypad working with some custom software to enable macros and it's a great compliment to the Speed Editor..  
    Post here: 
     
  5. Like
    Matt James Smith ? reacted to Kisaha in Best Control Surface?   
    Kensington trackballs are amazing, the wheel can be used as a jog wheel. I am so psyched about them that I have 2 big ones and a smaller one to take with me when/if edit with my laptop.
    That and a good mechanical keyboard are enough for me.
    Get well soon!
  6. Like
    Matt James Smith ? reacted to Trek of Joy in Stereo mic recommendations please (for in-camera ambient location/field recording)   
    Nice! I have a Sennheiser G3 wireless handheld/lav system I don't use very much, was thinking about listing on Fleabay. This may be the route I go as well and just flip the G3 into the SVMX. 
    Cheers
    Chris
  7. Like
    Matt James Smith ? got a reaction from Trek of Joy in Stereo mic recommendations please (for in-camera ambient location/field recording)   
    Just grabbed a used SVMX on eBay. It’s in pretty rough shape cosmetically but I got a decent price (£290) and doubt I’ll ever be looking to sell it on so as long as it works perfectly I’m happy. 
     
    Thanks for all the advice everyone!
  8. Like
    Matt James Smith ? got a reaction from Trek of Joy in Stereo mic recommendations please (for in-camera ambient location/field recording)   
    Exactly the same - I have the mke 600 as my main mic and really don’t need to add another big mic to the rig. 
     
    The AT8022 looks really nice - if I knew I just wanted a stereo mic to swap out with the 600 sometimes I’d go for it.
  9. Like
    Matt James Smith ? reacted to Geoffrey in Stereo mic recommendations please (for in-camera ambient location/field recording)   
    Thanks for this thread - exactly what I am grappling with at the moment.
    Right now I use a Sanken radio mic / Sennheiser setup for the mono voice (moving around freely outdoors) and a spaced pair of DPA mics mounted on the camera on a bar. All mixed in the field via a Juiced link 4-channel mixer mounted below the camera. I can easily use it all hand held and have great freedom moving around which is what I need (having separate devices, trailing leads etc would make life so much harder and in the end, worse footage as a result). The setup works very nicely and gets a wide ambience and nice focused vocal which is what I want ... but phasing issues occur especially when I get closer to the Sanken mic and it can compromise things in a way that annoys.
    I need to solve this rather unpredictable problem and the most obvious thing is to replace the A/B DPA pair with an XY mic, so the info on this thread is invaluable. From what I have read, the SVMX or AT8022 look like the best bet. The Sanken CMS-50 looks lovely but the price is way above anything else and too much for me but maybe the BP4025 is also in the running here.

    Do let us know how you get on with the SVMX.
  10. Like
    Matt James Smith ? reacted to Trek of Joy in Stereo mic recommendations please (for in-camera ambient location/field recording)   
    I'm leaning toward the Stereo VMP for now just for convenience and availability. I have the MKE 600 shotgun for more directional stuff and don't want to rig another large mic. I'm also shooting smaller cameras than you - mostly the a7sIII. The X does look next level for these smaller on cam mics though. The other options will need another shock mount and larger cables LOL! Damn supply chain issues....
    Cheers
    Chris
  11. Like
    Matt James Smith ? got a reaction from Trek of Joy in Stereo mic recommendations please (for in-camera ambient location/field recording)   
    This guy has several videos. If you skip towards the end of this video to the shots of the lake, you get a good feel for the wide soundstage of the mic.
     
  12. Like
    Matt James Smith ? got a reaction from Trek of Joy in Stereo mic recommendations please (for in-camera ambient location/field recording)   
    Yeah I'm currently trying to figure out which recorder has the best XY mics built in, and how simple it'd be to mount it with a line-in to the camera, but I'm loathe to complicate my kit any further seeing as the C200 has 4 tracks and good preamps. 
  13. Like
    Matt James Smith ? reacted to Jimmy G in Stereo mic recommendations please (for in-camera ambient location/field recording)   
    Ahh, my bad, I just reread your original post...you want to add ambience via 3.5mm stereo mic to your XLR mics, got it! That so, I've enjoyed my RØDE VideoMicro and Audio-Technica Pro24-CM very much as ambient mics going back to my 5D MarkII/7D days though I was not a fan of either mic's shock mounts (the former is front heavy with the furry requiring delicate balance on the single lyre, and the latter allowed too much handling noise through, though if one could/would work with/around those limitations the mics both sounded and worked great for my needs at the time).
    Since moving to Panasonic I am in love with their own DMW-MS2 mid-side mic for my S1's (I have one for each body plus a backup unit!), have you considered (or added to your list) Canon's own DM-E1 offering either directional shotgun or switchable 90° and 120° stereo fields (methinks with those abilities this might very well be a mid-side mic though they don't specifically state such)?
    To me, mics are like shoes, ya gotta try a lot on to see which fit best! 😉 Keep us posted on your decision!
  14. Like
    Matt James Smith ? reacted to Emanuel in Stereo mic recommendations please (for in-camera ambient location/field recording)   
    Speaking of really affordable offers, here's also this bargain at the low-cost side:
    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Deity-Microphones-Dual-Capsule-Camera-Mount-Smartphones/dp/B08D5XNRJT/
    David above-mentioned up there has hinted here the brand BTW :- )
  15. Like
    Matt James Smith ? reacted to bjohn in Stereo mic recommendations please (for in-camera ambient location/field recording)   
    I wouldn't be too optimistic...the Zoom F1 might actually sound better, as bad as it is. But if you are after a low-fi retro sound it might be an option!
  16. Like
    Matt James Smith ? reacted to Jimmy G in Stereo mic recommendations please (for in-camera ambient location/field recording)   
    Hi Matt,
    I am curious as to what type of sound environments (i.e. do/have you take/taken to taking SPL measurements of your locations?) you'll be looking to record in, it should help better inform community response.
    I bring the matter of "better understanding one's sound environment" up as it helped me decide on how to move forward with a mic choice for my nature/wildlife recording adventures for the upcoming year. I recently resurrected my Roland R-26 (which had found light usage due to noisy handling issues when trying to use the internal mics) for use with an XLR stereo mic. That choice was the Audio-Technica BP4029 mid-side mic...which, quite literally, just arrived yesterday!
    Spec-wise, at...
    Mid: 72dBSPL,1kHzat1Pa;
    Side: 68 dB SPL, 1 kHz at 1 Pa;
    LR stereo: 70 dB SPL, 1 kHz at 1 Pa
    ...it's not the quietest mic on the market (i.e.~23dB self-noise) but my mostly suburban/exburban/rural recording locations are ambiently noisy enough that I'm not too concerned (based on scouring the internet for audio samples) with its expected satisfactory performance.
    I cannot, as yet, comment on the performance of this combo as first tests await the arrival of a 10.5' RØDE RT4-DXLR 5-pin-to-dual-3-pin stereo splitter cable to supplant the (inadequately too-short for handheld use) supplied ~30" splitter cable that came with the 4029. Ha!
    As the BP4029 can send signal as either mid-side or separate mid and side channels, and since the R-26 can either accept the mid-side stereo signal from the mic or decode the separate mid and side mic signals internally or record the separate mid and side channels as-is (which then can be manipulated in a DAW), there's a lot of versatility to be had and I will be running a bunch of tests to see if there are preferable setups for my usage.
    Anyhoo, just sharing some information on what decision worked for me, I hope it's of some help for you.
    Best, 🙂 Jimmy G
     
  17. Like
    Matt James Smith ? reacted to kye in Stereo mic recommendations please (for in-camera ambient location/field recording)   
    @Matt James Smith ? I have several pieces of advice..  they're a little controversial, but well intended.
    Firstly, don't believe ANYONE on the internet, even me, when discussing "quality".  
    Only trust your own ears by listening to samples taken by competent people in real situations similar to what you will do.  
    I produced music as a hobby for over a decade, and have been into hifi ($250k+ systems) for over two decades and made a lot of components from scratch (DACs, preamps, amps, speakers, acoustic treatments, etc), so I have a solid basis in the technical aspects of what is going on as well as understanding theory vs practice vs snake oil vs psychoacoustics.
    I went through a phase of researching microphones and while I watched/listened to dozens of video "reviews" of various products, I didn't find a single review where the person understood even the first thing about audio, or what is important.
    Secondly, don't confuse audio quality with audio frequency response.  
    This seems to be a common thing with "reviewers".  They compare two microphones, they like the EQ on one better than the other, and declare that the quality is better on that one.  This is bullshit.  EQ is so easily adjusted in post that it's practically a non factor.  Judging the sound from a mic without processing it is like saying the iPhone has better quality than an Alexa because the Alexa footage looked all grey and dull-looking.  
    Understand what matters for your context.
    If you are making recordings that will be used within a larger mix, processed, and will only form the background to a visually driven piece then obviously you won't need (or be able to appreciate) as much quality as if you are producing nature videos with long sections of straight binaural audio.
    Best of luck!
  18. Thanks
    Matt James Smith ? reacted to BTM_Pix in Stereo mic recommendations please (for in-camera ambient location/field recording)   
    I did a quick thing about it when I first picked one up. Nothing special in terms of testing, just putting it on top of the camera while recording some fixed position wallpaper stuff.
    The audio in the video in the thread is from its down mixed live binaural line output straight into the camera (it can produce this output simultaneously whilst its recording the individual tracks of each capsule to the recorder).
    The original files are downloadable so you can try it with their software to experiment with the re-positioning aspect.
    It is an interesting device to supplement other microphones rather than replace them but I'm hoping at some point that Zoom produce a higher end one with better capsules.
     
  19. Like
    Matt James Smith ? reacted to Trek of Joy in Stereo mic recommendations please (for in-camera ambient location/field recording)   
    Interesting topic. I've been looking for something to capture ambient sound as well. The Rode Stereo Videomic X is at the top of my list too. But yeah, not easy to come by these days. Everything else that mounts on cam is low budget stuff. I've also been considering using the zoom H3VR until I can find the X, but using it in the field while shooting looks like a bit of a challenge LOL!
    https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1434530-REG/zoom_zh3vr_h3_vr_360_vr_audio.html/?ap=y&ap=y&smp=y&smp=y&lsft=BI%3A514&gclid=Cj0KCQiA15yNBhDTARIsAGnwe0Uv0Np2mQoQNyITewv0KPjHEsczvXVA9vdTPe30B27cIBfELOBKyQEaAg1yEALw_wcB
    Hopefully some other options pop up here.
    Cheers
    Chris
  20. Like
    Matt James Smith ? reacted to newfoundmass in Stereo mic recommendations please (for in-camera ambient location/field recording)   
    It really depends on how much you're looking to spend. I've used a Zoom H1 into a camera before, and currently use two Tascam TM-2X into my GH5 and G85 for sporting events where I want crowd noise. Both those two are pretty budget friendly and are "good enough" though I'd love to eventually upgrade. 
    I've heard good things about the Sennheiser MKE 440 and is probably what I'll end up upgrading to. Audio Technica also has the AT8022 and the more expensive BP4025 but there aren't a ton of reviews out there for them. 
  21. Like
    Matt James Smith ? reacted to bjohn in Stereo mic recommendations please (for in-camera ambient location/field recording)   
    At the cheaper end of the scale, a little-known option is the Wooden Camera VX mic, for about $300 US:
    https://woodencamera.com/pages/vxmic
    Might be worth checking out. I haven't tried it myself but have been tempted a few times since it's quite affordable.
  22. Thanks
    Matt James Smith ? reacted to bjohn in Stereo mic recommendations please (for in-camera ambient location/field recording)   
    What I like about the Sanken is that it's an entire M/S rig inside a reasonably small shotgun mic. I built a similar rig for myself some years back using a Sennheiser 8050 supercardioid as the mid mic with an Ambient Emesser (figure 8 mic) clipped on top. That works really well and is very portable (and fits into one of Rycote's smallest windjammers) but there's something to be said for an all-in-one solution.
    The big selling point for M/S is its versatility: you can use just the mid channel for interviews or if you want some ambience you can bring it in with the sides. And you can use it to record ambient sounds for B-roll etc.
    I can't actually use camera-mounted mics as my camera has a cooling fan that's loud enough to be heard on most recordings with a camera-mounted mic; instead i carry a separate tripod and mount my rig and recorder on that.
  23. Like
    Matt James Smith ? reacted to bjohn in Stereo mic recommendations please (for in-camera ambient location/field recording)   
    Whatever you do, don't buy the Zoom F1. I made that mistake; I started using it with a binaural mic and then switched to Zoom's M/S module (since I like using M/S stereo), but the sound quality is just not up to snuff; certainly it pales in comparison to my Sound Devices MixPre with good mics.
    I know you said the Rode Stereo Videomix is too expensive for you, but one of the most interesting new camera-mountable stereo mics is the Sanken CMS-50. It's pricey but this looks like the most promising single stereo mic solution I've seen.
  24. Like
    Matt James Smith ? reacted to PannySVHS in Stereo mic recommendations please (for in-camera ambient location/field recording)   
    Good question, the right one for our friend and sound master @IronFilm
  25. Like
    Matt James Smith ? got a reaction from PannySVHS in Is the EOS-M *THE* Digital Super-8 Camera?   
    Here's the footage I shot (and threw a load of film emulation effects on top of). It's not edited into anything interesting it's just 20min of stuff ... so skim through and find the bits you like.
    Some other nice stuff posted here folks - nice to see! The main tips I'd give are:
    1. Be aware of the horrific aliasing - tree branches against a bright sky look just horrific. I've added a strongwomen Tiffen Digital Diffusion or HDTVFX filter to the front of the already soft 6mm lens, which suits the consumer 8mm look I'm going for and deals with most of the aliasing. Adding grain in post helps diffuse it too.
    2. Rolling shutter. It's awful. Put the strap on the camera and pull it taught around your neck (or use a loupe) to avoid jitters. A pistol grip handle helps too as the EOSM is not an easy camera to hold steady. Then stabilise the footage and correct the rolling shutter in post as best you can (I use Lock & Load).
    Here's the vid. I'm pretty pleased with it as a Super 8 simulation.
    Pw: S8mm
     
     
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