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TIPS #012 MOUNT 2 CAMERAS ON ONE CAGE When you don't have space for two tripods, what works really well is to mount 2 cameras on 1 cage (just make sure the camera on top has IBIS). THE DETAILS This kind of goes with the "always shoot with 2 cameras" tip, but it's more detailed. (See that other tip for WHY to always shoot with 2, or more, cameras). So, how do you mount two or more cameras to a single cage? An easy way is to just get one of those cages that is not specific to a certain camera...so more of a universal one. There are a lot of these out there but the most important thing is to get one that is strong enough to mount a ball head to the top of it somewhere. Don't try a half-cage, because you want a solid frame (especially to reduce vibration for the top camera). You can usually get away with a small ball head, but it will depend on the size/weight of your camera (with lens). I have a blog post about how I operate the two cameras, but for static interview shots (talking heads) it is really easy and works really well because all you have to do is set the focus and hit "Record"...and you only need one tripod. I have used this rig handheld as well, but it takes practice! ©2021 SilverLight Photo Co.

[TESTING...] TIFFEN UV Panasonic GX85 + SHIFT (Perspective Control Adapter) Nikon 18-55 ii Natural "PHOTO STYLE" -2 CONTRAST -3 SHARPNESS -0 NOISE -4 COLOR -0-0 HIGHLIGHT SHADOW OFF iDYNAMIC OFF iRESOLUTION 16-255 LUMINANCE LEVEL Unsharp Mask* ADOBE POST-PRODUCTION AMOUNT 44 RADIUS 5.5 THRESHOLD 49 REAL RATINGS After testing each lens-sensor combo, I like to know if the rendering is going to look realistic SOOC (S traight O ut o f C amera) or if it will need a LUT (to match the shots to other lenses and cameras). CONTRAST ? IS THE CONTRAST "REAL"? SHARPNESS ? IS THE SHARPNESS "REAL"? NOISE ? IS THE NOISE "REAL"? COLOR ? IS THE COLOR "REAL"? *Click here to learn more about "REAL" Ratings . These ratings are AFTER my custom settings are applied (most combos don't look real good with default settings). Published: June 9, 2021 at 6:22:03 PM [TESTING...] My goal for these camera settings is to improve the "lens-sensor relationship" by adjusting the contrast, sharpness, noise reduction and color with the result that it produces an image that looks less "digital" and more "organic" (more like film, etc). The first step is to apply these settings while shooting (produces an image that looks pretty good straight out of camera) but keep in mind there may need to be slight color grading (or a LUT) applied to finalize each shot. SPECIAL THANKS TO

SPECIFIC TO THIS AUDIO RECORDER: When used at the "HI" REC. LEVEL, this mic sounds pretty good, and captures an original file that is at a good level (doesn't require much of a boost in post). This is good because this is NOT a 32-bit float recorder, and it can be difficult to match to the output level of certain microphones because it has a very few REC. LEVEL increments. With non-32-bit float, you need to make sure the level is not too low when recording (I know, it's funny to have to remind myself of this; 32-bit float is starting to make me feel spoiled). Also specific to this microphone-audio recorder combination, I like that the headphone output is in stereo (both ears) because it isn't on the Zoom H1 and H1n and only shows up as mono on those (that is more difficult to monitor, because you only hear it in one ear). GENERAL NOTES (MIC-SPECIFIC): I've got quite a few notes about this mic (and most of them apply to any audio recorder). The first thing I'm noting, is that this mic does NOT sound good with the FURRY windscreen I've been testing recently (the Comica CVM-MF1). It does sound good (natural and "REAL") with the included stock FOAM windscreen. So, until I find a furry windscreen that matches this mic well, I cannot recommend this for OUTDOOR use (I'm looking into the white versions of the Ursa and Movo furry windscreens because the copy I have of this mic is white). Next, this microphone does NOT do a good job of reducing background noise. I know, it's an omnidirectional mic, but in comparison to a lot of the other lavaliers I've tested, it doesn't do well here. This can be used to your advantage in certain situations, however. One example might be if you're recording somebody like a comedian (or anyone speaking in front of a large crowd) as it may do a good job capturing a bit of the audience's reaction, etc. This can be helpful if you want to avoid combining multiple audio sources in post (i.e. one for the crowd noise, one for presenter). "LAV" Proximity [7 inches / 17.78 cm] Zoom F1 [NO AUX. BOOST] Saramonic SR-M1W (for Blink 500) WINDSCREEN: Stock (Foam) 96k 24bit REC. SETTINGS OFF REC. LOWCUT OFF REC. LIMITER "HI" REC. LEVEL AUX. SETTINGS N/A AUX. BASS N/A AUX. HIGH-LOW N/A AUX. OUTPUT MIC. SETTINGS N/A MIC. LOWCUT N/A MIC. HIGH PASS N/A MIC. BOOST (RFI) RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE GOOD LESS THAN 1.1ft / 0.34m JUST OKAY BETWEEN 1.1ft / 0.34m -2.2ft / 0.67m BETWEEN 2.2ft / 0.67m -3.3ft / 1m BETWEEN 3.3ft / 1m -4.4ft / 1.34m Published: January 5, 2023 at 1:20:49 AM REAL RATINGS After testing each microphone, I like to know if it sounds realistic (accurate lows/bass, mids, highs/treble) in combination with the recorder and/or AUX. amplifier, to see if it needs EQ. LOWS/BASS B DO THE "LOWS" SOUND REAL? MIDS A DO THE "MIDS" SOUND REAL? HIGHS/TREBLE B DO THE "HIGHS" SOUND REAL? NOTES: SPECIFIC TO THIS AUDIO RECORDER: When used at the "HI" REC. LEVEL, this mic sounds pretty good, and captures an original file that is at a good level (doesn't require much of a boost in post). This is good because this is NOT a 32-bit float recorder, and it can be difficult to match to the output level of certain microphones because it has a very few REC. LEVEL increments. With non-32-bit float, you need to make sure the level is not too low when recording (I know, it's funny to have to remind myself of this; 32-bit float is starting to make me feel spoiled). Also specific to this microphone-audio recorder combination, I like that the headphone output is in stereo (both ears) because it isn't on the Zoom H1 and H1n and only shows up as mono on those (that is more difficult to monitor, because you only hear it in one ear). GENERAL NOTES (MIC-SPECIFIC): I've got quite a few notes about this mic (and most of them apply to any audio recorder). The first thing I'm noting, is that this mic does NOT sound good with the FURRY windscreen I've been testing recently (the Comica CVM-MF1). It does sound good (natural and "REAL") with the included stock FOAM windscreen. So, until I find a furry windscreen that matches this mic well, I cannot recommend this for OUTDOOR use (I'm looking into the white versions of the Ursa and Movo furry windscreens because the copy I have of this mic is white). Next, this microphone does NOT do a good job of reducing background noise. I know, it's an omnidirectional mic, but in comparison to a lot of the other lavaliers I've tested, it doesn't do well here. This can be used to your advantage in certain situations, however. One example might be if you're recording somebody like a comedian (or anyone speaking in front of a large crowd) as it may do a good job capturing a bit of the audience's reaction, etc. This can be helpful if you want to avoid combining multiple audio sources in post (i.e. one for the crowd noise, one for presenter). Keep in mind, these settings will not establish the exact level you'll need for every scene (where the audio level "bounces" around -12) but my goal is to provide a good starting point (that comes out clean, after boosting in post). It's also important to use these "recommended settings" for my microphone-specific EQ files to work properly (they won't work as intended if any of the "audio variables" are different). The EQ file was created to correct any sonic imperfections of the microphone or wind protection (foam, furry) and have been created with Audacity (the free audio editor) to make them as affordable as possible. Also, it's important to always monitor (accurate headphones) your audio while recording so you can hear any problems and make any changes needed to your audio. GAFFER TAPE SUPPLIED BY

UPDATE: I'm happy with the how my final Highlight Shadow compensation worked, but the notes below about lack of realism still apply. If your goals for a lens-sensor combination include either realism or accuracy, this combination isn't good. If you're going for a vintage look however, this might be worth a try. I do add the word "might" though, as what I'm struggling with is the overall CONTRAST of the lens (it's good, it's a bit too much FOR THIS SENSOR, resulting in too wide of a dynamic range being covered; more than this sensor can handle). I'm still experimenting with Highlight Shadow compensation to see if I can remedy this, but so far doing this undercuts certain other positive traits of the lens in the process (it tones down the pretty red and blue fringing/chromatic aberrations). [UNFILTERED] Panasonic GX85 +TILT (Tilt-Only Adapter) Kiron 28-85 2.8-3.8 Natural "PHOTO STYLE" +1 CONTRAST +2 SHARPNESS +3 NOISE -0 COLOR -4+2 HIGHLIGHT SHADOW OFF iDYNAMIC OFF iRESOLUTION 16-255 LUMINANCE LEVEL Unsharp Mask* ADOBE POST-PRODUCTION AMOUNT RADIUS THRESHOLD REAL RATINGS After testing each lens-sensor combo, I like to know if the rendering is going to look realistic SOOC (S traight O ut o f C amera) or if it will need a LUT (to match the shots to other lenses and cameras). CONTRAST A IS THE CONTRAST "REAL"? SHARPNESS C IS THE SHARPNESS "REAL"? NOISE A IS THE NOISE "REAL"? COLOR C IS THE COLOR "REAL"? *Click here to learn more about "REAL" Ratings . These ratings are AFTER my custom settings are applied (most combos don't look real good with default settings). Published: May 12, 2023 at 12:49:45 AM UPDATE: I'm happy with the how my final Highlight Shadow compensation worked, but the notes below about lack of realism still apply. If your goals for a lens-sensor combination include either realism or accuracy, this combination isn't good. If you're going for a vintage look however, this might be worth a try. I do add the word "might" though, as what I'm struggling with is the overall CONTRAST of the lens (it's good, it's a bit too much FOR THIS SENSOR, resulting in too wide of a dynamic range being covered; more than this sensor can handle). I'm still experimenting with Highlight Shadow compensation to see if I can remedy this, but so far doing this undercuts certain other positive traits of the lens in the process (it tones down the pretty red and blue fringing/chromatic aberrations). My goal for these camera settings is to improve the "lens-sensor relationship" by adjusting the contrast, sharpness, noise reduction and color with the result that it produces an image that looks less "digital" and more "organic" (more like film, etc). The first step is to apply these settings while shooting (produces an image that looks pretty good straight out of camera) but keep in mind there may need to be slight color grading (or a LUT) applied to finalize each shot. SPECIAL THANKS TO

RFI WARNING: The Zoom H1 (v1) has noticeable RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) when used at less than 5 FEET from an iPhone 13 Pro max. This is a major limitation, especially for LAV use, because if the recorder is in the pocket of a groom, and they have an iPhone somewhere in their coat, this is going to cause RFI. "BOOM" Proximity [35 inches / 88.8 cm] Zoom H1 AUX: Neoteck NTK059 Saramonic SR-VM4 + Foam (Stock) WAV 24-bit/96kHz REC. SETTINGS OFF REC. LOWCUT OFF REC. LIMITER 37 REC. LEVEL AUX. SETTINGS OFF AUX. BASS LOW AUX. HIGH-LOW @FULL AUX. OUTPUT MIC. SETTINGS ON MIC. LOWCUT N/A MIC. HIGH PASS +20 MIC. BOOST (RFI) RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE LESS THAN 1.1ft / 0.34m BETWEEN 1.1ft / 0.34m -2.2ft / 0.67m BETWEEN 2.2ft / 0.67m -3.3ft / 1m BETWEEN 3.3ft / 1m -4.4ft / 1.34m Published: May 4, 2022 at 6:59:50 PM REAL RATINGS After testing each microphone, I like to know if it sounds realistic (accurate lows/bass, mids, highs/treble) in combination with the recorder and/or AUX. amplifier, to see if it needs EQ. LOWS/BASS DO THE "LOWS" SOUND REAL? MIDS DO THE "MIDS" SOUND REAL? HIGHS/TREBLE DO THE "HIGHS" SOUND REAL? NOTES: RFI WARNING: The Zoom H1 (v1) has noticeable RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) when used at less than 5 FEET from an iPhone 13 Pro max. This is a major limitation, especially for LAV use, because if the recorder is in the pocket of a groom, and they have an iPhone somewhere in their coat, this is going to cause RFI. Keep in mind, these settings will not establish the exact level you'll need for every scene (where the audio level "bounces" around -12) but my goal is to provide a good starting point (that comes out clean, after boosting in post). It's also important to use these "recommended settings" for my microphone-specific EQ files to work properly (they won't work as intended if any of the "audio variables" are different). The EQ file was created to correct any sonic imperfections of the microphone or wind protection (foam, furry) and have been created with Audacity (the free audio editor) to make them as affordable as possible. Also, it's important to always monitor (accurate headphones) your audio while recording so you can hear any problems and make any changes needed to your audio. GAFFER TAPE SUPPLIED BY

Wow...the final results on this lens-sensor (and speed booster) combo are great! All of the properties of contrast, sharpness, noise and color all look REALLY good (even though they're not perfectly realistic). Since the color from this camera is almost always more saturated than my other cameras (currently testing GH4, G85, GX85) I knew it would be a bit on the vivid side and turning it down any more can leave too much work for the LUT to do accurately (in post-production). Another thing I'm considering, is that while the Panasonic G7 seems to produce a lot of color saturation, it may be good to leave my settings a bit on the colorful side if you're going to upload straight to YouTube. However, most of the time I would have to run these through Davinci Resolve (to assemble multiple clips) anyway, so I could easily just add a LUT (or my "YouTube color bump" settings) to deal with the color saturation. [UNFILTERED] Panasonic G7 VIVITAR 2x (Macro Helicoid) Nikon 50 1.8 D Natural "PHOTO STYLE" -0 CONTRAST +2 SHARPNESS +3 NOISE -1 COLOR -4+2 HIGHLIGHT SHADOW OFF iDYNAMIC OFF iRESOLUTION 16-255 LUMINANCE LEVEL Unsharp Mask* ADOBE POST-PRODUCTION AMOUNT RADIUS THRESHOLD DEFAULT Nikon 50 1.8 D VIVITAR 2X Panasonic G7 NATURAL -0-0-0-0 HS -0-0 CUSTOM Nikon 50 1.8 D VIVITAR 2X Panasonic G7 NATURAL -0+2+3-1 HS -4+2 REAL RATINGS After testing each lens-sensor combo, I like to know if the rendering is going to look realistic SOOC (S traight O ut o f C amera) or if it will need a LUT (to match the shots to other lenses and cameras). CONTRAST IS THE CONTRAST "REAL"? SHARPNESS IS THE SHARPNESS "REAL"? NOISE IS THE NOISE "REAL"? COLOR IS THE COLOR "REAL"? *Click here to learn more about "REAL" Ratings . These ratings are AFTER my custom settings are applied (most combos don't look real good with default settings). Published: August 19, 2023 at 8:25:18 PM Wow...the final results on this lens-sensor (and speed booster) combo are great! All of the properties of contrast, sharpness, noise and color all look REALLY good (even though they're not perfectly realistic). Since the color from this camera is almost always more saturated than my other cameras (currently testing GH4, G85, GX85) I knew it would be a bit on the vivid side and turning it down any more can leave too much work for the LUT to do accurately (in post-production). Another thing I'm considering, is that while the Panasonic G7 seems to produce a lot of color saturation, it may be good to leave my settings a bit on the colorful side if you're going to upload straight to YouTube. However, most of the time I would have to run these through Davinci Resolve (to assemble multiple clips) anyway, so I could easily just add a LUT (or my "YouTube color bump" settings) to deal with the color saturation. My goal for these camera settings is to improve the "lens-sensor relationship" by adjusting the contrast, sharpness, noise reduction and color with the result that it produces an image that looks less "digital" and more "organic" (more like film, etc). The first step is to apply these settings while shooting (produces an image that looks pretty good straight out of camera) but keep in mind there may need to be slight color grading (or a LUT) applied to finalize each shot. SPECIAL THANKS TO

RFI WARNING: The Zoom H1 (v1) has noticeable RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) when used at less than 5 FEET from an iPhone 13 Pro max. This is a major limitation, especially for LAV use, because if the recorder is in the pocket of a groom, and they have an iPhone somewhere in their coat, this is going to cause RFI. "CLOSE" Proximity [3.5 inches / 8.89 cm] Zoom H1 (NO AUX. Amplifier) Saramonic SR-VM4 + Foam (Stock) WAV 24-bit/96kHz REC. SETTINGS OFF REC. LOWCUT OFF REC. LIMITER 20 REC. LEVEL AUX. SETTINGS AUX. BASS AUX. HIGH-LOW AUX. OUTPUT MIC. SETTINGS ON MIC. LOWCUT N/A MIC. HIGH PASS +20 MIC. BOOST (RFI) RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE LESS THAN 1.1ft / 0.34m BETWEEN 1.1ft / 0.34m -2.2ft / 0.67m BETWEEN 2.2ft / 0.67m -3.3ft / 1m BETWEEN 3.3ft / 1m -4.4ft / 1.34m Published: May 4, 2022 at 6:58:17 PM REAL RATINGS After testing each microphone, I like to know if it sounds realistic (accurate lows/bass, mids, highs/treble) in combination with the recorder and/or AUX. amplifier, to see if it needs EQ. LOWS/BASS DO THE "LOWS" SOUND REAL? MIDS DO THE "MIDS" SOUND REAL? HIGHS/TREBLE DO THE "HIGHS" SOUND REAL? NOTES: RFI WARNING: The Zoom H1 (v1) has noticeable RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) when used at less than 5 FEET from an iPhone 13 Pro max. This is a major limitation, especially for LAV use, because if the recorder is in the pocket of a groom, and they have an iPhone somewhere in their coat, this is going to cause RFI. Keep in mind, these settings will not establish the exact level you'll need for every scene (where the audio level "bounces" around -12) but my goal is to provide a good starting point (that comes out clean, after boosting in post). It's also important to use these "recommended settings" for my microphone-specific EQ files to work properly (they won't work as intended if any of the "audio variables" are different). The EQ file was created to correct any sonic imperfections of the microphone or wind protection (foam, furry) and have been created with Audacity (the free audio editor) to make them as affordable as possible. Also, it's important to always monitor (accurate headphones) your audio while recording so you can hear any problems and make any changes needed to your audio. GAFFER TAPE SUPPLIED BY

It looks pretty good, but there is still a little bit too much contrast, which makes it difficult to stay within the dynamic range capabilities of this camera. In the future I'd like to try a Tiffen GlimmerGlass or Tiffen Black ProMist to see if it will help. FILTER: Promaster HGX UV Panasonic G7 + BOOST (Metabones XL .64x) Canon 70-200 2.8 CineLike D "PHOTO STYLE" -0 CONTRAST -5 SHARPNESS +5 NOISE +1 COLOR -2, +2 HIGHLIGHT SHADOW OFF iDYNAMIC OFF iRESOLUTION 16-255 LUMINANCE LEVEL Unsharp Mask* ADOBE POST-PRODUCTION AMOUNT RADIUS THRESHOLD REAL RATINGS After testing each lens-sensor combo, I like to know if the rendering is going to look realistic SOOC (S traight O ut o f C amera) or if it will need a LUT (to match the shots to other lenses and cameras). CONTRAST B IS THE CONTRAST "REAL"? SHARPNESS A IS THE SHARPNESS "REAL"? NOISE IS THE NOISE "REAL"? COLOR A IS THE COLOR "REAL"? *Click here to learn more about "REAL" Ratings . These ratings are AFTER my custom settings are applied (most combos don't look real good with default settings). Published: June 4, 2022 at 4:55:34 PM It looks pretty good, but there is still a little bit too much contrast, which makes it difficult to stay within the dynamic range capabilities of this camera. In the future I'd like to try a Tiffen GlimmerGlass or Tiffen Black ProMist to see if it will help. My goal for these camera settings is to improve the "lens-sensor relationship" by adjusting the contrast, sharpness, noise reduction and color with the result that it produces an image that looks less "digital" and more "organic" (more like film, etc). The first step is to apply these settings while shooting (produces an image that looks pretty good straight out of camera) but keep in mind there may need to be slight color grading (or a LUT) applied to finalize each shot. SPECIAL THANKS TO

[TESTING...] [UNFILTERED] Panasonic G85 + BOOST (Viltrox NF-M43x .71x) Tamron 75-300 4-5.6 LD Natural "PHOTO STYLE" - 4 CONTRAST +4 SHARPNESS -0 NOISE - 2 COLOR Standard HIGHLIGHT SHADOW OFF iDYNAMIC OFF iRESOLUTION LUMINANCE LEVEL Unsharp Mask* ADOBE POST-PRODUCTION AMOUNT RADIUS THRESHOLD REAL RATINGS After testing each lens-sensor combo, I like to know if the rendering is going to look realistic SOOC (S traight O ut o f C amera) or if it will need a LUT (to match the shots to other lenses and cameras). CONTRAST ? IS THE CONTRAST "REAL"? SHARPNESS IS THE SHARPNESS "REAL"? NOISE IS THE NOISE "REAL"? COLOR IS THE COLOR "REAL"? *Click here to learn more about "REAL" Ratings . These ratings are AFTER my custom settings are applied (most combos don't look real good with default settings). Published: June 9, 2021 at 6:19:55 PM [TESTING...] My goal for these camera settings is to improve the "lens-sensor relationship" by adjusting the contrast, sharpness, noise reduction and color with the result that it produces an image that looks less "digital" and more "organic" (more like film, etc). The first step is to apply these settings while shooting (produces an image that looks pretty good straight out of camera) but keep in mind there may need to be slight color grading (or a LUT) applied to finalize each shot. SPECIAL THANKS TO

Started test with macro helicoid adapter (no optic in adapter). [UNFILTERED] Panasonic GX85 + HELICOID (Macro Helicoid Adapter) Nikon 50 1.8 D Natural "PHOTO STYLE" -0 CONTRAST -0 SHARPNESS +3 NOISE -1 COLOR Standard HIGHLIGHT SHADOW OFF iDYNAMIC OFF iRESOLUTION LUMINANCE LEVEL Unsharp Mask* ADOBE POST-PRODUCTION AMOUNT RADIUS THRESHOLD REAL RATINGS After testing each lens-sensor combo, I like to know if the rendering is going to look realistic SOOC (S traight O ut o f C amera) or if it will need a LUT (to match the shots to other lenses and cameras). CONTRAST ? IS THE CONTRAST "REAL"? SHARPNESS IS THE SHARPNESS "REAL"? NOISE IS THE NOISE "REAL"? COLOR IS THE COLOR "REAL"? *Click here to learn more about "REAL" Ratings . These ratings are AFTER my custom settings are applied (most combos don't look real good with default settings). Published: August 24, 2021 at 6:21:52 PM Started test with macro helicoid adapter (no optic in adapter). My goal for these camera settings is to improve the "lens-sensor relationship" by adjusting the contrast, sharpness, noise reduction and color with the result that it produces an image that looks less "digital" and more "organic" (more like film, etc). The first step is to apply these settings while shooting (produces an image that looks pretty good straight out of camera) but keep in mind there may need to be slight color grading (or a LUT) applied to finalize each shot. SPECIAL THANKS TO

With the (stock) FOAM windscreen, this mic has too much BASS (I think it's because the foam is so thick). Also, this microphone does NOT reduce the background noise as much as some similar mics (even some less expensive ones like the Takstar SGC-598 and SGC-600). This means I can't really use this for recording NARRATION, VOICEOVERS or a PODCAST without being in a sound-treated room. That means this microphone would only be good for situations where having some background noise is a GOOD thing (such as when you're vlogging OUTDOORS and trying to tell a story). "CLOSE" Proximity [3.5 inches / 8.89 cm] Zoom F2 (NO AUX. Amplifier) Rode VideoMic Pro R WINDSCREEN: Foam (Stock) 32-Bit Float REC. SETTINGS OFF REC. LOWCUT N/A REC. LIMITER N/A REC. LEVEL AUX. SETTINGS N/A AUX. BASS N/A AUX. HIGH-LOW N/A AUX. OUTPUT MIC. SETTINGS ON MIC. LOWCUT N/A MIC. HIGH PASS +0 MIC. BOOST (RFI) RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE GOOD LESS THAN 1.1ft / 0.34m BAD BETWEEN 1.1ft / 0.34m -2.2ft / 0.67m BETWEEN 2.2ft / 0.67m -3.3ft / 1m BETWEEN 3.3ft / 1m -4.4ft / 1.34m Published: December 26, 2022 at 8:26:41 PM REAL RATINGS After testing each microphone, I like to know if it sounds realistic (accurate lows/bass, mids, highs/treble) in combination with the recorder and/or AUX. amplifier, to see if it needs EQ. LOWS/BASS C DO THE "LOWS" SOUND REAL? MIDS B DO THE "MIDS" SOUND REAL? HIGHS/TREBLE A DO THE "HIGHS" SOUND REAL? NOTES: With the (stock) FOAM windscreen, this mic has too much BASS (I think it's because the foam is so thick). Also, this microphone does NOT reduce the background noise as much as some similar mics (even some less expensive ones like the Takstar SGC-598 and SGC-600). This means I can't really use this for recording NARRATION, VOICEOVERS or a PODCAST without being in a sound-treated room. That means this microphone would only be good for situations where having some background noise is a GOOD thing (such as when you're vlogging OUTDOORS and trying to tell a story). Keep in mind, these settings will not establish the exact level you'll need for every scene (where the audio level "bounces" around -12) but my goal is to provide a good starting point (that comes out clean, after boosting in post). It's also important to use these "recommended settings" for my microphone-specific EQ files to work properly (they won't work as intended if any of the "audio variables" are different). The EQ file was created to correct any sonic imperfections of the microphone or wind protection (foam, furry) and have been created with Audacity (the free audio editor) to make them as affordable as possible. Also, it's important to always monitor (accurate headphones) your audio while recording so you can hear any problems and make any changes needed to your audio. GAFFER TAPE SUPPLIED BY

UPDATE 2: I just finished the updated settings! I think it still could benefit from doing some tests with some kind of diffusion filter (like the Tiffen GG or BPM) but I have to note that this is my last test with this camera because the shutter speed dial completely stopped working (when I turn it, it only goes HIGHER). The problems with this camera started after using a Viltrox EFM2ii (Canon mount focal reducer/speedbooster) during which the screen glitched, then the camera froze. Since then, it has gotten worse, and now I can't use it at all. (I love the Nikon mount version of the Viltrox focal reducer, the non-electronic version, but now I'm going to warn people about using the Canon mount version (because it has electrical contacts, and tries to communicate, and pull power from, the camera). One thing that is really interesting about these settings, is that the SOOC JPEG (in still photo modes) looks really good (and, in fact a bit more accurate than the video footage, because the video footage is still a LITTLE bit over-sharpened). UPDATE: I recently talked with another photographer about this lens (as well as talking with others in the past) and most people don't like it much. I've been working to figure out CUSTOM SETTINGS that help each lens look its best (specific to each camera sensor) and haven't been able to get this combo to look realistic (it looks too "digital"). I've started testing some lenses using Tiffen Black Pro Mist 1/8 filters and may try that here. What the filter does is smooth the transition of light from the highlights to the shadows, keeping the light projected onto the sensor within the dynamic range of the camera. This also causes SHARPNESS to decrease, but I have it turned all of the way down right now, so I can then turn it up on the custom settings, and it should make the image look less digital. [UNFILTERED] Panasonic GX85 No Lens Adapter (Native Mount) Panasonic 14-42 ii Natural "PHOTO STYLE" -1 CONTRAST -4 SHARPNESS +4 NOISE -0 COLOR -2+3 HIGHLIGHT SHADOW OFF iDYNAMIC OFF iRESOLUTION 16-255 LUMINANCE LEVEL Unsharp Mask* ADOBE POST-PRODUCTION AMOUNT RADIUS THRESHOLD REAL RATINGS After testing each lens-sensor combo, I like to know if the rendering is going to look realistic SOOC (S traight O ut o f C amera) or if it will need a LUT (to match the shots to other lenses and cameras). CONTRAST A IS THE CONTRAST "REAL"? SHARPNESS A IS THE SHARPNESS "REAL"? NOISE C IS THE NOISE "REAL"? COLOR A IS THE COLOR "REAL"? *Click here to learn more about "REAL" Ratings . These ratings are AFTER my custom settings are applied (most combos don't look real good with default settings). Published: June 24, 2021 at 8:47:25 PM UPDATE 2: I just finished the updated settings! I think it still could benefit from doing some tests with some kind of diffusion filter (like the Tiffen GG or BPM) but I have to note that this is my last test with this camera because the shutter speed dial completely stopped working (when I turn it, it only goes HIGHER). The problems with this camera started after using a Viltrox EFM2ii (Canon mount focal reducer/speedbooster) during which the screen glitched, then the camera froze. Since then, it has gotten worse, and now I can't use it at all. (I love the Nikon mount version of the Viltrox focal reducer, the non-electronic version, but now I'm going to warn people about using the Canon mount version (because it has electrical contacts, and tries to communicate, and pull power from, the camera). One thing that is really interesting about these settings, is that the SOOC JPEG (in still photo modes) looks really good (and, in fact a bit more accurate than the video footage, because the video footage is still a LITTLE bit over-sharpened). UPDATE: I recently talked with another photographer about this lens (as well as talking with others in the past) and most people don't like it much. I've been working to figure out CUSTOM SETTINGS that help each lens look its best (specific to each camera sensor) and haven't been able to get this combo to look realistic (it looks too "digital"). I've started testing some lenses using Tiffen Black Pro Mist 1/8 filters and may try that here. What the filter does is smooth the transition of light from the highlights to the shadows, keeping the light projected onto the sensor within the dynamic range of the camera. This also causes SHARPNESS to decrease, but I have it turned all of the way down right now, so I can then turn it up on the custom settings, and it should make the image look less digital. My goal for these camera settings is to improve the "lens-sensor relationship" by adjusting the contrast, sharpness, noise reduction and color with the result that it produces an image that looks less "digital" and more "organic" (more like film, etc). The first step is to apply these settings while shooting (produces an image that looks pretty good straight out of camera) but keep in mind there may need to be slight color grading (or a LUT) applied to finalize each shot. SPECIAL THANKS TO