Audio - Portable Field Recorder and Mixer

[srbclarke]

Hey guys, can someone please tell me why I need a Portable Field Recorder (such as a Marantz PMD-661 Recorder) instead of recording straight to my camera?

Is the only reason people use mixers on a film production so that there's more precise control over the audio and to have less people around the camera?

Do either of these option result in a higher quality recording?

 

[Alcove Audio]

1. You are not tethered to the camera.

2. An audio recording device is dedicated to recording audio; a cameras primary function is to record picture and many manufacturers use cheap mic-pres, etc. as a cost saving measure (another way of saying that camera sound may not be as good as that of a dedicated recorder).

3. As a dedicated device it will have many more audio specific functions.

4. They generally have higher bit/sample rates.

5. As you get up in price the availability of more audio channels. (The Zaxcom Deva gives you 16 channels of 24bit/196kHz audio; 8 hardware faders; EQ, notch filter, compressor and delay on each channel; MetaData and touchscreen control for only $15,000.)


The primary thing, however, is the skill with which the signal chain is balanced and the boom & mic are used. Budget gear in the hands of a pro will sound pretty good, the best pro gear in the hands of whichever PA isn't busy will still yield crappy audio.

A pro sound cart:

 

[Gonzo_Entertainment]

"You are not tethered to the camera."

Works both directions. My DP, when I was interviewing him for my first film basically said "I won't do it unless you run separate sound because I'm not going to have those wires in my way while I'm trying to operate the camera".

You can get a "good" field recorder in the $1000 range that records to either Sd cards or a hard drive (SD cards is better).