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[Micheal Lopsy]

Hey there, I am a musician who plays 2 gigs a week. I just got a Canon Vixia HF800 to record myself live (mixer) and in studio (audio interface). I am posting this content to youtube. I have a yamaha Stagepas 400 for a mixer and a scarlett 2i2 for an audio interface. I am able to hook up to the camera just fine, both scenarios have 3.5mm out with adjustable output level. I am wondering how to properly set output and input levels. I can adjust the output from the interface/mixer and I can adjust the input on the camera for an external mic. I've heard that most camera preamps are not good so it is much better to use as least possible as you can. My attemps so far to keep input at around 12 have come back over video as clipped. Can you have a clipped signal coming from the mixer? What's the best order of steps to have great sound quality. Thank you for the help.

Side note: Would it be easier for home recording to just record through interface and sync them up in video editing software?

[Craig Leerman]

Hi,
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Thanks
Craig

[Corey Scogin]

Side note: Would it be easier for home recording to just record through interface and sync them up in video editing software?

Yes.

Maybe get a portable recorder like a Zoom or Tascam for the live events.
Camera audio hardware, even on many nicer cameras, is often noisy.

[Dave Garoutte]

Yes.

Maybe get a portable recorder like a Zoom or Tascam for the live events.
Camera audio hardware, even on many nicer cameras, is often noisy.

My thoughts too.

[Mike Caldwell]

Whirlwind makes this handy box, I have one I bought used here on the marketplace a few years ago. Don't use it all the time but when I do it's great.

http://whirlwindusa.com/catalog/black-boxes-effects-and-dis/specialty-interface-solutions/lm2c-camera-mic-adapter

Here's a piece by Radio Design Labs, it's a little more DIY but also work great, I've put these into installs to get an audio feed into a cameras like yours.

https://www.rdlnet.com/product.php?page=163

With the RDL piece wire up the 1/8 TRS plug/cable so both the tip and sleeve connect to the mic + output, shield goes to ground, put a jumper between ground and the - mic output. Depending on your
system you may or may not need to put a jumper between the input ground and the mic output ground.

................or record on a portable recorder and sync it up in post.

[Taylor Hall]

Another vote for the Zoom units. They're only a few bucks more than the Whirlwind box above and has the added benefit of being a fully portable standalone recorder along with an audio passthrough.

[Keith Broughton]

Hey there, I am a musician who plays 2 gigs a week. I just got a Canon Vixia HF800 to record myself live (mixer) and in studio (audio interface). I am posting this content to youtube. I have a yamaha Stagepas 400 for a mixer and a scarlett 2i2 for an audio interface. I am able to hook up to the camera just fine, both scenarios have 3.5mm out with adjustable output level. I am wondering how to properly set output and input levels. I can adjust the output from the interface/mixer and I can adjust the input on the camera for an external mic. I've heard that most camera preamps are not good so it is much better to use as least possible as you can. My attemps so far to keep input at around 12 have come back over video as clipped. Can you have a clipped signal coming from the mixer? What's the best order of steps to have great sound quality. Thank you for the help.

Side note: Would it be easier for home recording to just record through interface and sync them up in video editing software?

It would be easier to use an external recorder but you should be able to get your setup to work.
That said, here goes...
Keep in mind that you are going into a microphone input on the camera and the output level from the mixer is line level...much higher than the camera wants!
Set the input on the camera to about 80% (defeat auto level if possible)and start with the mixer output VERY low. Make sure "mic power" switch is off ,if possible.
Increase the mixer output until the camera audio meters show about 80% level. If the camera has no meters. Do some test recordings.

Sometimes the mic input has power on it for condenser microphones and that can cause problems for the mixer, so another trick is to use a passive DI in reverse to lower the level to the camera.

[Chris Hindle]

Keep in mind that you are going into a microphone input on the camera and the output level from the mixer is line level...much higher than the camera wants!

Would this not be a good spot for a reversed DI box?
should get a lot closer to the level needed.....
Chris.

[Keith Broughton]

Would this not be a good spot for a reversed DI box?
should get a lot closer to the level needed.....
Chris.

See my last line of the post.
It would also iso the phantom power.

[Chris Hindle]

See my last line of the post.
It would also iso the phantom power.

ooops. 
Chris.

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