Great points guys yes absolutely, like real effective macro flash you have to get the mic off the hot shoe as well. The lens noise is a total killer I agree. I got to play around with the ME-1 today actually after renting one to cover a labour strike in Seoul along with some stills. Going to need a lot of editing software to remove the noise or at least lesson it now...

My two cents on this is only derived from what I have seen wedding and professional videographers use - camcorders and not the $1,000 ones either. One of the long-lasting professionals around me who does TV, commercial, weddings, etc, and always had $15k+ rigs has now dumped them all and has gone with BestBuy camcorders for almost everything. Surprised me, but he has been doing this stuff for 25years and knows what he is doing. He said the video quality along with stabilization has moved to a level in those systems that he couldn't dream about 5 years ago, and the big systems don't add much more to justify buying them. He does rent them though.

He said to me, it never is about the video, but it is the audio that makes the experience. For that he had tons of remote mics hooked to people and booms everywhere and separate recording devices outside his cameras. He said that is where all the systems fall short, but he did say the D800 had one of the better systems out there. I'll be damned if I know how to use that though.

Hi all,

The old adage has it that audio is 90% of video. It's likely true. An audience will probably forgive weak video, but won't put up with bad audio.

Do a search at B&H or Adorama for a shock mount & shoe clips. Rode SM3 is one I recommend, Pearstone DUSM-1 is a clone of it, and you'll you others, too.

You'll want a highly directional shotgun microphone. I have two Audio Technicas, (an AT879 - which I got with the Rode SM1 and a Low to High Impedance Matching Transformer (1.5') cable ---- that kit now has the Pearstone DUSM-1 shock mount, but still it's $249 for the kit and it's a good deal - search B&H # AUAT897K2 or you can see other Audio Technica kits by searching "Audio Technica Kits". My long shotgun is an AT815 and has a more narrow pickup.

As Tom said, getting good audio is hard, and if you are doing this professionally, you'll do yourself proud to have someone who knows what their doing do it for you. That'll take a load off you.

That said, if I have to do it, I try to make sure that my audio is taken from a microphone off camera if the subject is static (such as in interview), and is speaking into the mic as much as possible. Ideally, I'll capture two versions of the session, one short gun on the mic stand into a digital recorder (TASCAM DR100) and another track on the long shotgun (which is likely also on a stand) into the D7000 (I'm waiting for my D800 ;-0 ). That last track is terribly important; it's the synchronizing track to the first track, or if both are great, and sometimes, I'm lucky, it becomes the stereo track when that is available. Depending upon which software one uses, the waveform of the audio makes the synchronization easy.

I would have some additional recorder. I have two TASCAM devices, but there are others. You might want to consider that audio microphones are typically XLR or 1/4" inputs and the inputs on DSLRs are not (3.5mm), so that's a pain. A Low to High Impedance Matching Transformer cable will be necessary for connecting to the camera and possibly to the device, if you decide to get one.

You haven't asked about wireless microphones, but I also have two of those. They are old and tired like me. I use them only when I have to, and they provide some good results. The best are god awful expensive and sound terrific, but sterile and vacant. Don't expect to get anything under $600 a kit to produce much that will sound any more than amateurish. If you have the opportunity to listen to Late Night with David Letterman or the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, compare that with much superior (content wise) Charlie Rose (sorry everyone not in the USA - I've forgotten a lot other programming), Rose's programming is so clear you can hear each phoneme as it is pronounced, but Letterman and Leno is more like human sound, a tad musty and noisy. Rose's show is almost like an operating room it is so clean.

You pay a fortune to get the sound like Leno and Letterman, it's a magnitude beyond Rose's show in the nature of sound quality in that has been made more 'natural' by be less quality... Funny, huh?

Their microphones, of course, run into 4-5 figures before the transmitters and receivers are even considered.

I've shot for several shows and networks, but I'm mostly retired, now. The last thing was a few scenes for PBS that I doubt are going to make it into the final show. The subject was elderly and the interview didn't go so well. There might be a few cutaways, but we'll see.

My best,

Mike

Not sure if this was covered, but I have found VR to be relatively worthless and bothersome for video if you're shooting a telephoto lens. I do not use the VRII on my 70-200 when shooting video because you get a jagged shift effect in the video whenever you bounce outside of the range of the VRII movement.

On the other hand, I've noticed the VRII on my 16-35 is acceptable when shooting video underwater. I don't notice as big of shift in video when the VR has to "kick back".

-Andy

A fundamental to understand when putting a short "shotgun" mic on your camera. It's still terrible.

A shotgun mic does not reach out and record things as distance. It reduces sounds coming from the sides (and back). That's it.

You still need to be within a few feet of the subject talking. Think seven (7!) feet as a max distance. Beyond that, things get boomy, or echoey, and the audio quickly sounds bad.

In professional circles, shotgun mics are placed as close as possible to the speaker -- just out of the shot.

True, a Rode or Sennheiser on your camera will sound better than the built-in mic, but that's a mighty low standard to use. This morning, I was using a Sanken short shotgun on a camcorder, but that was really just for better ambient sound. The real audio was from a lav mic running into a wireless transmitter. This gets the mic within a foot or two of the speaker's mouth, which is ideal.

Bottom line . . . mics need to be really close to sound good.

I have just started using my D800E to shoot video. I don't do this for money, so am trying to do the best I can with what I have. I have never used a camcorder seriously so am in no position to provide advice, but who's to stop me? Here are some thoughts.

The shape of a DSLR makes it difficult to use handheld for video. You can spend a fortune on rigs etc for your DSLR - I have bought a cheap(ish) Cam Caddie which makes handling much easier.

Focusing and zooming can also be difficult to do without disturbing the camera. Again there are attachments aplenty that can help you. So far, I have stuck to shooting with fixed zoom and fixed focus.

The DSLR's screen is in an awkward place once you start using a rig. An external monitor would be a great help, especially if it has focusing aids.

As people have said, audio is a problem. I have used an external Sony shotgun mic that is a great improvement on the built-in one.

In summary, I think the camera can be used as a camcorder replacement. But you can easily spend so much money on accessories that it'd be cheaper to buy a camcorder.

Thanks Jared!

Dave said:
Kanuck,

I heard the Nikon ME-1 mics are not that great due to they pick up bad motor noises from the lens. The ones I am being told to get are the Rode or Sennheiser mics which are much better not picking up the lens motor noises.

Wrong assumption on the culprit - it's not the mic, that is the lens that is the issue. Two simple fix ways around this (to help), move the mic off the top, or block the sound from getting to the mic (note card between the mic and lens fixed to the lens or mic.)

If you search youtube there are a ton of really good videos describing various methods. Go figure right?;)

kanuck said:
... From what I have heard your 24-120 is a fine choice for a lens and acts similar to the 24-105 IS lens that so many Canon video shooters love to use.

One of my former co-workers in Japan who was a big fan of the 5D Mk II is very fond of his 24-105. Yesterday he sat down with a Mk III and a D800E and decided to buy the D800E. He took delivery with the 28-300, but has a 24-120 on order, as they are hard to come by right now.

He currently has quite a few older manual Nikkor lenses, and the AF 80-200 from the '90s. So I expect he will be buying new lenses.

He had been doing lots of video with his 5D, mostly local school sports, so we'll see what he does. He is specifically buying the 24-120 because he is so used to the 24-105.

I have pretty much retired my camcorder since I started using the D800. I do use the ME-1 microphone but have it mounted on an off-camera flash mount, so I don't have a problem with lens noise. I haven't been using zooms as much as the fixed focus lenses. mostly the 85 and 105.

I use a 32 GB CF card. Recording at 1280 x 720 30 FPS a typical 15 minute video (my longest) is about 1.3 GB, so there is plenty of room on the card. I generally set up in live view mode with the eyepiece shutter closed and leave it that way all day, which means I have to change batteries once in a while.

Kanuck,

I heard the Nikon ME-1 mics are not that great due to they pick up bad motor noises from the lens. The ones I am being told to get are the Rode or Sennheiser mics which are much better not picking up the lens motor noises.

I think you should that SD card for overflow and maybe acquire a 32 or 64 CF card if you can. The Sandisk 32 GB and even more practical for video the 64 45 mb/s are usually on sale at one location or another. You also might want to invest in the Nikon ME-1 stereo microphone to get the most out of the D800 video ability especially if you plan on using it to replace an actual camcorder. From what I have heard your 24-120 is a fine choice for a lens and acts similar to the 24-105 IS lens that so many Canon video shooters love to use.

Thanks Tom! This is a great help with not knowing the motor on the longer lenses will pick up the sounds with the internal mic.

How about using an external mic like a Rode on top of the camera? Will that reduce or eliminate the motor noises from the longer lenses?

While you can shoot video with the DSLR, it's not a camcorder. There are some shortcomings to address. The primary one is audio.

Now, if you don't need audio (and will put in music or voiceover in editing), then life is good. Fire away with the D800.

If you do need audio (and this usually is the case), then you need to learn about audio. Video with bad audio is just bad video.

I use the D7000 for a lot of shots for two national television series, but we are recording audio on other video cameras or onto a separate audio recorder. Using the 10.5mm or 16mm fisheye gives cool video, as do the longer lenses (135mm f/2 DC and 70-200 f/2.8 VR). Note that the sound of the VR motor doing its thing will screw up your audio if you are using only the mic built into the camera.

Just something to consider. You probably need a separate audio recorder.

Of all the CF cards I have, I have found anything below 30mb/s really effects the use unless shooting 1 shot here and there. I have a couple of 45mb/s which seem to do well but I would say anything above 45mb/s WRITE speed would be optimum. Just be careful, not all posted #s are write speed and can be the read speed. Not all class 10s are fast either. For a CF card to know if you are getting something good, the cost will be around $40 for a 16gb on the cheap sale end and a slower but ok card.

Current or last gen Sandisk Extreme PROs are what I use and don't bog down at all.

@ Dave The Exif data says 4.47 meters or about 15 feet. And just FYI, by clicking on the photos which are posted from Flickr, one can go to Flickr and see the image in a larger version. Also, up at the top left, under "Actions" there is a menu item "Exif data" and this has all the recorded information on an image, provided t has not been erased. In addition on Flickr, clicking a couple more times brings up a menu "see all sizes" which in many cases allows the image in its full size, or at least a larger size than on PAD.

Welcome to the Nikon Rumors Forum

How far were you from that shot?

Yes it is Msmoto is a VR lens.

I think the 24-120mm f/4 G Nikkor is a VR lens, correct, Dave? In any case, the next step might be the 70-200mm f/2.8VRII. See my PAD of today for this lens handheld at 1/50th second wide open. This will allow you to get out another 67% from the 120mm. For more, possibly the AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR. But, this is getting a bit slow. One can also place a TC-14EII on the 70-200 for 280mm f/4 with VR.

any zoom lens with vr would be a good choice, 24-120vr or 24-85vr, especially if you arent using a tripod. not too familiar with how recording works, but i always trust the latest san disk cf cards.

16-35mm vr should work, but you'll have to get close to the action

I would like an opinion - I currently brought a new D800 just a few weeks ago and I'm considering to using the camera to not only take pictures but also as a camcorder. I hate carrying more equipment that I need to. Although I know I'm limited to the time of only 30 mins video max I would not have any events that I use the camcorder with that would go as long as 30 mins. I'm currently filming Crossfit events with many athletes competing in our gym.

Also I would greatly appreciate any suggestions on lenses and CF cards to use for video. I currently use the 24-120 f/4G as my all around lens. I would and might need to lean towards a stronger lens due to some places I can't get close enough to the event to do the video. I don't have a CF card but open to know if it's worth having one to use for the video only. I use the 64GB SDXC as my only memory card.

Thanks