Using the Panasonic HC-V770

GarethWilliams79

I've just realised you need to film in ACVHD (and thus 1080x1920) to use the external mic socket. However, this is Ok. I can import the file or files through the “Photos” application where it turns it into an .m4v file. The .m4v file can be imported into Premiere and from there exported at a smaller size (e.g. 960x540) and in .Mp4. It does mean that I will be dealing with slightly larger files than I'd like off the V770 but it still does the job at the end of the day.

dosdan

This is not the case! I always shoot in MP4 and use the ext. mic input with a Rode VideoMic. The audio differences:
MP4 has an AAC audio stream. AVCHD has an AC-3 audio stream. (Both container formats use AVC for their video stream and the video quality is similar, but MP4 does offer a 50Mbps option, whereas AVCHD stops at 28Mbps. Note: avoid all AVCHD formats except 1080p - all the other AVCHD formats are interlaced, i.e. 1080i, and are technologically obsolete.)MP4 is always 2ch. AVCHD can be either 2ch or 5.1ch. (5.1ch is only available when using the int. mics.)
This is important: To see an on-screen mic level/headphones level control on the screen you need to plug in headphones. Or a plug into the headphones socket - even just a a lead connected to nothing, it's the act of having something plugged into this socket - you could use this as a Line Out to a monitoring amp. Doing so will add a new icon on the LHS menu. Note: in this menu both the mic levels and headphone level can be altered during the recording. Just plugging in a ext. mic, by itself, will not show this icon! You can also access a different mic level control via Menu | Record Setup | Mic Level | Set/AFC On or Set AGC/Off.  But that menu can not be accessed once recording starts.

The camera has a dynamic "Wind Noise Canceller" with Normal | Strong | Off settings. But this is only available when using the internal mics. When an ext. mic is plugged in, this position on the menu becomes "Lowcut". But in my opinion the Lowcut filter kicks in far too high in the freq range and cuts out an awful lot of bass.

Dan.

GarethWilliams79

Thanks Dan. I'll have another look at that on Monday. I would rather film in MP4 if I can.

12harry

Confusing, isn't it . . .and most you have to discover yourself as Mfr of Cameras only want to tell you how to use their bit of kit.... whereas you want to use what you've recorded.

BTW there is a slight issue with large files - as they can be chopped into smaller files to maintain the FAT limit.  In practice it makes little difference, but some folks have complained they can lose a few seconds of Audio, when the file-change happens... It appears to be somewhat random - as the files are exactly the same size . . . not even that close, either.

Beware also that "Terfyn's Holiday Folder" ( see earlier suggestion ), is likely to contain a lot of low-number files, unless the file-numbering remembers the last number.... Mine doesn't - so after FORMAT, the card starts at 0000. This can cause a nightmare when Editing files which were started at high-numbers then continue onto a new card, since the later material has the lower numbers....
I fix this my having several Media-Bins, in the Editor: HD-1, HD-2, etc. so the earliest stuff goes in HD-1.... irrespective of the start-finish file numbers. Since the Cards are marked, they tend to form a Date-based "Master Record" - so IF the HDD is in the PC.... you can use Paste-Shortcut ( so there is only a reference recorded in the Project folder ) - this save a lot of space on the drive, over time.  Also, if it happens to be the same-drive then there is little benefit in having two identical copies of the full-file.
. . . . . . . Well, it confuses me . . . .

GarethWilliams79 - you may soon find you need an external HDD just to keep all these files . . . and maybe another external drive as a Back-up.  Files can go missing for all sorts of reasons.... just when they are needed most.

Good Luck.

Terfyn

This has never caused a problem for me Harry. The file numbers do not affect the thumbnails in the editor library and I have often added files from different shoots to the same folder, But when I know I am carrying out several shoots on the same subject I do not re-format the card.

GarethWilliams79

Thanks for that. I put the phones in and got the gain controls in Mp4, so yeah, thanks … I can totally film with the mic socket in MP4. I didn’t actually reset up all my gear to try it with the line in again but I will assume (for now) it works the same. i.e when the Movo is in it will take the sound source from there and -30 will produce the same results. Though annoyingly, I can’t remember now if I had automatic gain control on or off. :-( I’ll just have to hope it doesn’t make much difference.

Thanks for the advice about the AVCHD formats. I will keep that in mind for sure and have copied and pasted that info in case I can’t find this thread in future when I need to revisit that advice.

When I did my line in test last week I filmed in AVCHD HG1080/50i, this is the default how the camera is set up when you first turn it on. It transferred from the camera to my Mac successfully through Photos which converted it into to .M4v, it easily imported into Premiere and without any issues exported out as a 960x540 mp4 sounding and looking really good. I have also since uploaded that to YouTube smoothly and without any problems.

Today I tested the Mp4 (720) but without setting up the line in for audio. I just tested it out normally. It drops into my Mac in a more straight forward way than the AVCHD. You can just drag it out of the folder onto the desktop. That’s the good thing about the Mp4 format!

Although MP4 720 was easier to drop in and a bit smaller in file size I didn’t think the picture looked as good, though I was not filming the same place so it’s not a direct comparison with the AVCHD but my sense of it was the pictured looked crapper. This might have been just to do with what I was filming but anyway …

My plan now is to use the AVCHD HG1080/50i set up for my first filmed practice session which will hopefully be next week because I think the picture is nicer and I know the sound is great when taking a line in from the mixer into the mic socket in AVCHD HG1080/50i. Although the sound might be identical through the mic socket in Mp4 720 format I have not tried it out yet and I don’t want to have any nasty surprises after driving 40 minutes to the practice room and filming 10 songs!

However, I will try out the Mp4 720 format with the line in through the mic socket at some time in the future. Maybe even at my second session in the practice room or a practice at home in. If I find that goes smoothly and the line in sound is just the same I may switch to that format to make it quicker to transfer the footage onto my Mac. I will also try it in AVCHD 1080/50p which you advised is the best of the AVCHD formats. I might find that transfers onto the Mac in the conventional way for the reasons you gave. Though it might not.

Thanks again for your help. I hope I will not need to visit this forum again with any more problems but I expect I will!

Terfyn

Its been a looooong road but you've got there.
Keep experimenting, there is much to learn about the camera.
Good luck.
What have you got on YT?

GarethWilliams79

I recorded a few bits of some songs in my spare room. (it was a bit cramped!) I don't think you can post a link on this forum but if you search Gazza Williams Acarre (Part of) in TY, you should find my video. Three short videos where I played directly into the HC-V770 from a mixer through the Movo.

12harry

Terfyn, I'm curious how yr Editor puts Thumbnails in Order  (You say it ignores the file Numbers)... I can't imagine they are in a hopeless muddle... So the thumbnails must rely on something other than the file number.  I'm surprised they don't use the Time/Date which would at least put them in historical Order...but that's no good for a Movie-Shoot where scene One is maybe done later than scene Ten.
Editors may well use different schemes . . . to align with their customer-demands . . .  Yet it would be nice if there was a single Standard to learn ( and thereby avoid confusion ).

I use a file called "Starter" ( which is renamed to "project-name" once on the Timeline ), -this sets up the Titles, and the audio-fader ( "Rubber-band"  as well as the visual Fade-to Colour... In addition it creates a standardised set of Media Folders, and their Tracks.

Whilst it's not perfect, it means all the things I like are already created - although remembering to "Save As New Project" is something that can be forgotten, I've included a pale Title "File Name" that shows up when playing from the Start 0000. This will normally have the Rendered File details, so I can check where the movie came from ( and the version!)....when projected it is easily overlooked by the Audience as there is something moving to distract their eyes..... but I can read it.

Cheers.

Terfyn

They sound really good. The guitar comes through clearly and the balance between voice and guitar could be biased more to the voice.
Lighting: All cameras take an average of the light viewed so the camera aperture closed down because of the window behind you. Options (1) turn your set around so you face the window or (2) set the camera to manual and open the aperture. The window will be "burnt out" (which does not matter) but you will be seen better.
Lighting inside can be a major problem. Things you could try.(1) Arrange the setup to use the ambient light from the window, (2)get some lights in front of you, even a couple of table lights may help, (3)try a reflector made of aluminium foil or,(4) finally, invest in a LED camera light.
Some might suggest a halogen worklight but, for me, these run very hot and need a mains supply (normally) I have three LED floodlights, two have 306 LEDs in an array and are incredibly bright and the smaller one has 60 LEDs and will fit easily on the camera cold shoe. All are battery driven.
Anyway a very good try, keep experimenting. I for one will keep watching.