Video Noob

I've got a 5D and a 7D that I'd like to start shooting video with for work. Yesterday I gave it a try for the first time. My setup was the 5D on a tripod for the main shot and I used the 7D for small details that I could edit into the finished video.

Here's my delima, the 5D looked great through the Live View window, when I hit record, the image would dim, almost like it was adjusting to compensate for the lighting in the room. I lit the room specifically for the video, lighting was great, the 7D didn't seem to have this issue so I'm assuming that I've got something set incorrectly on the 5D causing this. Any guesses?

Next question, I use a Rode stereo mic and while it did a great job picking up noise, it picked up every noise in detail. I need to switch over to a lavalier type mic. Anyone have a good recommendation there?

Jason

If you're shooting in auto for video, then the camera will pick the exposure setting, which will cause the camera to adjust when recording.
Sounds like your mic was turned up too high.
These are all just assumptions since I can't actually see the setups. Hope it helps

^Yup, auto will do that. 7D unfortunately doesnt have manual audio controls so a firmware hack will be required to get the best quality out of the Rode mic. Im not sure if Magic Lantern has a 7D version or not.

As far as lavalier mic do you need it to be wireless? Wireless = expensive. I picked up a cheap wired lapel mic (Audio-Technica ATR-35S) and was satisfied with the results. We shot in windy conditions and indoors but the quality was better than I expected. The audio from the lapel mic was less noisy than the audio from our XHA1.

You don't want a lav. You want a good cardioid mic on a boom or at least a shotgun on a boom.

And as far as wireless goes... don't ever use wireless unless you ABSOLUTELY have no other options.

Bheims wrote in post #12799187
As far as lavalier mic do you need it to be wireless? Wireless = expensive. I picked up a cheap wired lapel mic (Audio-Technica ATR-35S) and was satisfied with the results. We shot in windy conditions and indoors but the quality was better than I expected. The audio from the lapel mic was less noisy than the audio from our XHA1.

Word. If possible, go wired lav. Wireless is convienient but you pay for it.
Also sounds like your shotgun mic could be too far away from the subject, so the level had to be turned up, which pics up more ambient sound.

Yea, my brother (an audio guy) got me straightened out on the mic thing. My worry with cardioid or shotgun on a boom were, I'm filming instructions on table assembly. I was afraid the shotgun would pick up too much of the banging around of the table and a cardioid would be muffled as the instructor turned their head as they interacted with the product. This is the mic I use for my car stuff, while good, it was a little too good, picking up the faintest noise like the fans in my lights.

The video's got me stumped, here's how I set up the 5D
Shooting Manual Focus with an 17-40L
Color Space - Adobe RGB
Picture Style - Neutral
Highlight Alert - Disabled
Highlight Tone Priority - Disabled
Auto Lighting Optimizer - Disabled
Noise Reduction - Disabled

The picture looks great when I am not recording, as soon as I hit record the image darkens. You can actually see it in the video clips. I feel like I've still missed a setting.

My guess, because I've never filmed with a 5d, is that your shutter or ap settings are the culprit. Basically your video is underexposed. On my 550, even if I'm letting the camera control exposure, I can still open or close the aperture, and I can see what the exposure is on the meter (as well as the live view image getting lighter or darker). Same with the shutter.

What were your actual settings (Aperture and shutter speed)? I think that the other guys may have hit the nail on the head with the auto/aperture priority mode comment.

jskwarek wrote in post #12797932
I use a Rode stereo mic and while it did a great job picking up noise, it picked up every noise in detail. I need to switch over to a lavalier type mic. Anyone have a good recommendation there?

Jason

I have that mic on my 5DII, for ambient recording. I had to add a JuicedLink preamp to it to increase the gain (clean gain), otherwise there is so much hiss from the underpowered camera amp that the sound is useless, for my purposes.