SOUND

Sound is generally the weakest link in the tool-kit of production equipment because the out-of- the-box solution is poor. Consequently, additional attention must be given to the audio component of your production to produce professional results.

• Set camera to 16-bit sound quality mode (don’t bother with 12-bit).
• Use an external microphone for improved sound quality
• Shotgun mike for documentary style shooting in the field
• Lapel mike for interviews or piece-to-camera style shooting
• Consider using a converter box to connect and convert professional microphones (balanced audio) to DV cameras (unbalanced audio)
• Set sound levels in camera (manual or auto) or use an external mixer for multiple sound source
• Monitor sound quality with lightweight headphones