Tutorial: Mastering Dual-System Audio for DSLR Production

I've had the opportunity in the past few years to do some shooting at videography conventions and at the last few I was asked to use a DSLR for the footage since DSLRs are quickly becoming the cameras of choice for many event videographers and filmmakers. As I would roam the convention hallways looking for b-roll and people to interview, there were 2 questions that seemed to be prevalent from many shooters not completely familiar with the DSLR style of shooting:

1. How do you get around the 12-minute record limit (or, with the Nikons, the 19-minute limit)?
2. How do you handle audio with no XLRs, no way to monitor the audio, and no way to adjust levels on the fly?

In 2011, after a few years of experimenting with DSLRs and using them in select shooting situations, I decided to sell off all my tape-based Canon XH A1 cameras, and settled on a slightly different version of the DSLR-style camera. I went with the Micro 4/3 Panasonic Lumix GH2. In the US version, the answer to Question 1 above was solved, as the GH2 has a continuous recording time limited only by your available battery power or the size of the memory card. That was a welcome change from the Canon T2i and 7D I owned previously.

For audio, the workflow remained the same as if I had chosen a Canon or Nikon DSLR, which meant that I needed to devise a dual-system audio recording strategy that was less obvious or intuitive than capturing professional-quality audio had been with the XH A1s and other traditional video camcorders. My goal in this article is to define how I work with audio with the GH2's limited in-camera audio capabilities. It's worth noting that a few firmware releases have come out for many DSLRs that help out a little with some of the audio issues, but none allow the level of audio control we used to have with camcorders that came standard with XLR inputs.

My Audio Arsenal

My audio arsenal is actually a hodgepodge of different solid state recorders and a single UHF wireless mic (which is still legal ... at least for another year or two). Many DSLR shooters may have a more standardized workflow with solid state audio recorders that are larger and more expensive, with devices like the Edirol R44 and similar form factor products from other manufacturers. These units are amazing and have impressive capabilities, but they come with a price tag that is steeper than some videographers and streaming producers can justify in their businesses. My assorted recorders combined cost about what a single R44 costs, but having a range of recorders gives me a little more flexibility at the cost of a slight inconvenience.

The biggest inconvenience is each different recorder has its own unique menu system for setup. Some are more graceful and navigable than others. A few of these recorders are now out of production, but the manufacturers have replaced them with similar units at similar price points. Most of the time the updated version has improved functionality (but not always). Figure 1 (below) shows the different recorders I own.

Figure 1. My assembled recording stock