An Audio Tutorial for Recording Quality Audio Into the Panasonic GH3
In this Part II Audio Tutorial, Robert from juicedLink and I talk audio recording solutions for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 Mirrorless Digital Camera using a Preamp like the juicedLink RM333 Riggy Micro. For Part I on the Blackmagic CInema Camera (( click here )).
The Panasonic GH3 has added headphone monitoring directly into the camera, where the GH2 suffered in this area of audio recording. This means that purchasing a preamp (for better signal to noise audio recording) can be more cost effective since users now have the ability to utilize a smaller preamp like a juicedLink RM333 Riggy Micro, rather than the larger RA333 Riggy Assist Low-Noise Preamp that provides audio meters. A preamp like the juicedLink RM333 allows you to throttle back the noisy gain from the camera and replace is with clean gain from the low-noise preamp. Robert explains that you’ll want to set your GH3 to the lowest gain setting and leave it there in order to capture the best sound quality.
With the RM-333 Preamp, you also have the ability to use quality XLR microphones with your GH3. The RM333 provides Phantom Power and an Audio Output Bracketing Option. Audio Output Bracketing is a camera overload protection technique to prevent your in-camera audio recording from clipping. Here’s how this works: you’ll want to mix your mics together, set to mono then attenuate the right channel. You’ll have two tracks recording the exact same thing from your camera with one track recording at about 16Db lower. This way, if one track blows out the audio recording, there is a safety file saved that you can pull out in post.
*Robert and I also talk briefly about properly grounding your juicedLink Preamp. For a video tutorial on this (( click here )).
juicedLink RM333 Riggy Micro Low-Noise Preamp
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Black)
how do you connect the Sennheiser ew 112-p G3 to it?
do you need an xlr cable or adapter?
do you recommend to connect to it a different mic?
is it better to connect the wireless mic straight to the microphone jack, with out the preamp?
or do you need both?
what is the difference between this juicedlink and the Beachtek DXA-SLR PRO?
does it have better features/quality?
how is panasonic shotgun mic compare to senhieser?
is using a tascam dr-40 better?
thanks!
@igalk474 Here is a response from Robert, himself:
how do you connect the Sennheiser ew 112-p G3 to it?
The wireless receiver comes with a XLR cable. This will go directly into the XLR input of the juicedLink Riggy-Micro. The output of the juiced link Riggy-Micro will go directly into the microphone input of the GH3.
You will be able to record directly to the camera with excellent signal to noise performance. So, there will be no need to synchronize your audio and video together in post production. The juicedLink will also make it easy for you to mix multiple microphones, accurately and quickly set the signal levels with the front panel potentiometers (as opposed to the having to open up the wireless receiver and change the AFout setting, which only provides 6dB increments in adjustment). And use other features, such as audio output bracketing.
Make sure that you add one of the RB200 or RB401 riggy brackets, to take advantage of the valuable real estate next year camera for mounting accessories, like your wireless receivers.
Remember, never apply phantom power to an unbalanced source like a wireless receiver, otherwise you’re basically shorting 48 volts to ground.
do you need an xlr cable or adapter?
See above.
do you recommend to connect to it a different mic?
Not sure which are asking …
is it better to connect the wireless mic straight to the microphone jack, with out the preamp?
As mentioned above, the preamp will also make it easy for you to mix multiple microphones, accurately and quickly set the signal levels with the front panel potentiometers (as opposed to the having to open up the wireless receiver and change the AFout setting, which only provides 6dB increments in adjustment). And use other features, such as audio output bracketing.
or do you need both?
I use both for the reasons above.
what is the difference between this juicedlink and the Beachtek DXA-SLR PRO?
The Riggy-Micro is so much smaller and lighter. It also has advanced features like audio output bracketing (for camera overload protection), selective power down (to extend battery life), the RM333 has 3 XLR inputs (vs 2), plus it has ‘riggy’ features. Regarding the audio they are capable of, check out this blog post HERE.
does it have better features/quality?
how is panasonic shotgun mic compare to senhieser?
is using a tascam dr-40 better?
See the comparison video above …
what if i don’t need to connect many microphones, and don’t need to set the levels,an don’t need audio output bracketing…
i need 1 mic(Sennheiser ew 112-p G3) ,
and can adjust the levels in the camera settings
will it be enough to get high quality audio in the gh3?
or is there a big difference in quality between conecting the mic directly and using the RM333 that worths the price even if i don’t use RM333′s other features?
thanks
@igalk474 We have connected a lav mic directly to the camera without a preamp in the past and it worked just fine for us. For better quality audio, I suggest using a preamp. If you’re asking if you can get by without it and not have the audio suffer much, in my opinion and experience, yes, it is possible.
thanks!
Hey Olivia,
Love your videos!
You touched on this briefly in the video, but just to clarify: If you’re mounting a riggy micro on the GH3′s cold shoe mount, do you set the ENC Ground to “normal” or “lift?”
@Christian Set the ENC to “lift”
Great work Olivia and team!
Question on the gh3.
The Panasonic DMW-MS2 Stereo Shotgun Microphone for Panasonic DMC-GH3 needs power from the camera as I understand it.
Can it get it from the juicedlink instead?
I want to use a wireless lav and the ms2 shotgun. How do I do it?
Have you tested the ms2?
Cheers
@Filmlover7 First, the Panasonic DMW-MS2 Stereo Shotgun Microphone for Panasonic DMC-GH3 is powered by the camera, yes. You will need a 3.5mm to XLR adaptor for the MS2 and your lav mic will also need to have an XLR cable type. If you want the lav to have a 3.5mm connection, be sure you purchase the correct juicedLink preamp for this. Also, the juicedLink cannot power a 3.5mm mic (Panasonic MS2). The Panasonic MS2 is a stereo mic, the audio recording will be recorded into two channels, one for each mic. This means your shotgun mic will be recorded as mono- something to keep in mind!
This is more a question about the GH3. Robert talks about audio bracketing, I come from an ENG camera back ground so having dual audio channels is nice for protecting audio. Does the GH3 have separate audio channels? Obviously I would need something like the riggy micro to separate and adjust incoming audio levels. But would the recorded audio then be mixable in post? Such as having a host on one channel and a guest on the second?
@Bo The Gh3 records in stereo. If you wanted to record two microphones and mix them in post, you would need to interface with something like a juicedLink.
Hi,
Many thanks for this excellent video. It really helped me decide to go with the JuicedLink RM-333, which is now working a treat with my GH3. I am just slightly disappointed that a hotshot mount wasn’t included. I was concerned when I saw the new Tascam dr60 released with all its buttons, fancy display and smooth curves. But in all honesty, for size, weight and pure performance I have no regrets. The JuicedLink is a cracking little device that does its job extremely well. I would choose it over the Tascam. The only thing that is bad is the logo,
. Thanks to both of you again.