If you’re a videographer using a DSLR for your productions, you might have encountered the annoying hiss noise in your audio recordings. This is a common issue, especially when using external shotgun microphones. But don’t worry, there’s a quick and easy fix for this. In this blog post, we’ll guide you on how to eliminate that hissing noise from your audio.
The Problem with DSLRs and Audio
DSLRs are fantastic for video recording, offering high-quality visuals without the hefty price tag of professional film cameras. However, they fall short when it comes to audio recording. The pre-amplifiers in DSLRs are not the best, which often results in a hissing noise in the audio when using external microphones.
The Solution: Adjusting the Gain
The key to eliminating the hiss noise lies in adjusting the gain on your microphone and DSLR. If your microphone has a gain adjustment feature, you should set it to the highest possible level. On your DSLR, you should set the audio recording to manual and lower the gain.
This might seem counterintuitive, as most professional video cameras and camcorders recommend recording audio levels that peak at around -12. But DSLRs are a different beast, and this method won’t work for them.
The Result: Clear Audio Without the Hiss
By adjusting the gain on your microphone and DSLR, you can significantly reduce if not completely eliminate, the hissing noise from your audio. Your voice will come out clear and crisp, without the distracting background noise.
Remember, it’s crucial to get your audio right during the recording. Spending time in post-production trying to fix the hissing noise is not a practical solution. With this quick fix, you can ensure your audio is as good as your video right from the start.
What kind of shotgun microphone is best for DSLR recording?
Recording with DSLR is very common these days but the built-in microphone is so horrible. You do need an external microphone if you want to achieve the highest possible quality of recording. There is no way around it.
You can go higher on the price but if you’re tight on the budget I would recommend Rode NTG microphones.
The biggest mistake while recording is to boost gain in your camera. But this is exactly what creates that hissing noise. So what we have to do is to reverse it. Lower the gain on the camera as much as you can and then boost the gain on the microphone. This way you’re basically not using DSLR’s pre-amplifier at all!
And all of a sudden the hissing noise is gone.
BTW if you found my advice helpful, please subscribe to my YouTube channel, I’m going to publish more tutorials on editing and filming. If you have any questions, let me know in the comment section.
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