@cblok How did you set audio level adjust to screen fn button? I cant see this option in the fn button menu. I do however in my GH3. Whats wrong with me :) or my Gh4?

I have a Panasonic GH3 and a SoundDevices 552. I am connecting the mixer out to the GH3, to record audio direct as well as internally. So using the XLR's on Line Out, with the GH3 audio level set at about 14, awful noise floor and feedback on one of the mics (through the h/p's) Couldn't work it out at first, since 'I assumed' that the audio input would accept line in. Then 'just for fun' I switched the 552 XLR out to Mic output level and set the GH3 level at 1. Bloody Bingo! No more noise floor and no more feedback. So looked at the 552 output settings, seems Mic Out is -20dB@0.078vrms and I'm wondering whether that more or less corresponds to various comments above. There is the -10 setting, but that corresponds to +6dB@1.5vrms...

Hi @Imackreath If I'm using the Rode Videomic Pro as a top-mic and just recording your average person talking in the near vicinity of the camera, I usually set the GH4 to -6 and the Rode VideoMic Pro to 0. This gets me the levels I usually want.

Remember, you want voices to peak no higher than the white audio bar just before the red, preferably a little lower. And turn on the audio limiter.

Regarding trying to set the GH4 to -12... I know it might be a little less 'noisy' that way, but it also means I've got no extra room to bring down any loud noises / people when they occur during shooting. Whenever I'm setting the volume output of external sources I plan to plug into the GH4, whether they be audio from a mixing desk, a radio mic, or the Rode Videomic Pro, I usually try to adjust them so that I can set the GH4 to around -3 to -6 for average volumes. This way I can raise or lower the volume in the GH4 during shooting.

As for the built in mic, I wouldn't use it. In fact, the only time I'd use the Videomic Pro as a top mic would be for ambient noise or as a backup or reference track for syncing in post. For recording talent speaking, boom it or use a radio mic. The Videomic Pro is fairly decent but you need to get it nice and close to the person talking.

Cheers.

Good Morning all. I have a question re audio levels with the gh4 paired with the rode videomic pro. I want to know users experiences with best setting for general run and gun use, changing environments with different levels or noise.

I believe it is best to always bring down the internal mic to -12 to really cut away the use of the poor internal pre-amps, but then what do I set the rode to? I have been told setting to +20 is way to strong a signal, but then setting it to 0 may be too quiet? Any advise or real life experience would be beneficial thanks!

Hi everyone, thanks for your help. To help future GH4 users I thought I would answer my own questions after almost a year of using this camera in a professional environment:

1. Is it possible to adjust audio levels via a function button or some kind of PHYSICAL button on the camera? No, a touch screen button is the only option unfortunately.

2. If not, is the touch screen audio level adjustment actually useable during shooting or is it very fiddly? It's a bit fiddly but I've done it plenty of times during a locked off interview shot without any problems. I wouldn't want to be adjusting audio on the run, hand held, too much!

3. Assuming I buy a GH4 that doesn't have the buzzing issue, is the audio quality acceptable? I run either a Sennheiser radio lav mic or Rode Videomic Pro directly into the camera with excellent results. I found the best results are found when keeping the GH4's audio gain at -6 or lower. I try and keep vocal peaks on the last white audio meter bar before it goes red, no hotter!

4. Are there any random quirks to the audio of the GH4 I should know about? No. Apart from the fact that it's only a 3.5mm input rather than XLR.

5. Does the GH4 have any issues like the GH2 where the audio levels change slightly once the 'record' button is pressed? No

6. How is the audio level meter? Is it accurate / helpful etc...? Pretty accurate. Try not to have anything hit the red bars. These are around -6db and -3db and it starts to push the audio processor a bit hard at those levels. I turn the limiter on in the menu settings.

On a final note, I really enjoy using the Supertone picture profile that uses the Portrait setting. Skin tones are great and the image looks really nice and clean. http://www.supertone.dk/#!GH4-Optimal-Film-Setting-works-in-stills-too/c24o4/8E18836A-F271-4A14-AF0D-C575B9D5F4B6

Your shotgun mic will always work as a shotgun. A microphone's design doesn't change if you plug it into a different camera or amp.

Panasonic's mic is designed to provide different pickup patterns and the camera is able to detect this. Even if mics had an extra ring on the plug, you can't change their pickup pattern unless they were designed for that.

You need Panasonic mic for that. Rodes or any other wont allow any "special" things :)

Is there a line/mic switch on the preamp output?

I use my GH4 for informal interview with a splitter, Rode video Mic Pro in one channel, Sennheiser eg3 in second. With sound level input to -8db, output from Rode at +20 and sennheiser to +12, the quality is quite good. The problem I found is that between two different consecutive files, there is an approximatively quarter second hole in sound! So you have to calculate the time allowed by your compression. For long interview with 100 or 200 Mb/s image, I use my DR-680 recorder. Strangely, this problem never appears with my GH3.

@mrbill - I hope I am doing something wrong, but it just does not work. Do you have a DT454? If I turn the levels on the JuicedLink up, even just a tiny bit from zero, then it gets saturated too much. I suppose this has something to do with the Meter, but I have this already on the lowest setting... :(

I think the audio directly into the GH4 is actually very good. I set the audio levels at -12db and then use a Y cable to split the channel. One channel has a VideoMic Go on it and the other has a Lav mic. I leave the limiter to on. It doesn't 'increase' noise whatsoever. It just guards against spikes in volumes. I've recorded plenty of interviews this way with more than acceptable results. For using XLR mics, I record separately to a TR60.

@cblok

Keep about things mentioned in title.

Bout settings - http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/10255/gh4-best-video-settings/p1