GH4 - Nauticam Macro Lens/Port Thoughts

 

The thing about these cheap mini-jack lavalier mics that can plug into the camera is that they're unbalanced. A balanced XLR mic running off the Shogun's phantom power would give better quality. Although possibly not that important underwater where everything is noisy and muffled anyway. If you want to do interviews, I bet you soon end up with a balanced mic that plugs into your Shogun.

 

Anyway I like your idea of mounting a small mic against the inside of the housing.

 

So, I have setup my experimental, internal-to-housing hydrophone.

After looking at a few, I bought this microphone:

Cost about $50 USD here in Singapore. It is marketed as a Lavalier mic for use with iPhones (there's an app for that). Rode has a good reputation (made in Australia) - I figured that they wouldn't damage their reputation by selling junk.

It works OK with the GH4. I did some quick comparisons and the sound quality is better than the inbuilt GH4 mic but not as good as my $500 shotgun mic. Of course, for $50, you can not expect high-fidelity --- but recording underwater sounds is not about fidelity.

The mic does fit into the housing. The jack just squeezes into the gap between the housing and the camera. Tight fit but the cable protector bends a bit. It doesn't affect the alignment of the camera or the o-ring housing seal - passed a 30 minute vacuum test.

The microphone head, without its clip and wind sponge fits nicely up in the top corner of the housing up above the internal arm of flash pop-up lever. That lever is helping hold the microphone in place (I never use flash). The mic head is surrounded by lots of blu-tac, holding the face of the mic firmly up against inside wall of the housing. It's not going to move. The blu-tac also stops most airborne sound from inside the housing reaching the mic. The only sound reaching the mic comes through the housing wall. The cable, looped tight with a couple of cable-ties, is held out of the way in the empty space above the camera's flash.

It works - in that it is picking up sound through the housing. The camera's display is showing that audio is being received from an external mic. I've set the camera to manual volume control (which switches on the meter display), so I might need to tweak the input volume then lock it into my underwater custom settings.

Will it record decent sound underwater? I will let you know when I'm back from Lembeh next week.

In any case, if it doesn't work out, I can always use the mic as a garrote. The cable is kevlar-reinforced and comes with a warning in the box, "strangulation hazard - the cable contains Kevlar - avoid looping the cable around the neck". My enemies better watch out!

Regards

Peter

Thats pretty cool...

Check your serial number, there was an issue with the early GH4's and using external mics where there was a buzzing sound recorded, when you increased the gain.

A serial number lower than WE4FC will be affected.

Sadly as I jumped on one the first week they were released, my suffers...

Thats pretty cool...

 

Check your serial number, there was an issue with the early GH4's and using external mics where there was a buzzing sound recorded, when you increased the gain.

 

A serial number lower than WE4FC will be affected.

 

Sadly as I jumped on one the first week they were released, my suffers...

I tested both my GH4s when this issue was first described. Neither of them have the problem.

As your camera must be still in the warranty period, why don't you send it to Panasonic to be fixed?

Regards

Peter

Yup, sometime I add 1 or 2 Jumbo stix floats depends on the light configuration (2 x sola 5k + 2 x Fix 7k).

 

I saw a photo of your rig with Stix floats on the arms. Have you dumped them now? And do you use just the 2 carbon float arms for both macro with tripod and for wide angle?

 

 

I'm just thinking for recording underwater audio. Often that audio gets thrown away but sometimes it's useful. Seems worth doing if possible as the Shogun features high quality audio recording.

 

 

Interesting. I would have thought the buoyancy of that dome would pull the front up anyway. I now have the equivalent Nauticam dome but not got my rig underwater yet.

As your camera must be still in the warranty period, why don't you send it to Panasonic to be fixed?

That is true...

Looking forward to seeing / hearing your next video!

Saw the Shotgun housing at Reef Photos today. If you can imagine, having a Samsung 8.4" tablet at the back of the GH4 housing, that's how big it's going to be, except the Shogun housing is about 2.5" thick. The cheese plate tray is huge and thick. Don't think I will ever get to that point of using the Shogun. Still trying to figure how to pack the GH4 housing and tripod set up for international travel, those darn airline that weight your carry on bag!

I think personally... that Atomos will keep the '4K' to the Shogun for a while to sell a few

But in the future, they must be looking at updating / releasing a less commercial centric model - like a Ninja3 and Ninja Blade2 for example.

Many people don't need SDI in/out nor a 7" screen.

This hopefully would bring about more reasonable sized housings.

The "housing hydrophone" that I described above worked well in Lembeh. It's picked up all the usual underwater sounds (breathing, bubbles, shrimps and crabs, boat engines) and recorded a clear, bright stereo audio track in my GH4. Not bad at all for the price.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

When do we get to see/hear your next video Peter?

BTW - Your Palau video has sold me on going next November!

Having seen a Shogun prototype at Photo Fair in Bangkok, and the pictures of the prototype Nauticam housing on the net, I sent this list of suggestions to Nauticam:

 

Nick, did Nauticam get back to you in regards to your questions?

I think Peter is definitely correct in getting the shogun mounted at the rear of the camera, even my Ninja gives me pitch issues if mounted on top.

When do we get to see/hear your next video Peter?

 

BTW - Your Palau video has sold me on going next November!

You will love Palau. Some amazing diving and great for video shooting with lots of action.

My next video is a rather long project that's going to take until mid-2015 to get done. I'm doing a scientific documentary on octopus intelligence.

Although, in March, I've been contracted to do a promo video for a dive resort in Indonesia, so that'll be the next one I publish.

Regards

Peter

Nick, did Nauticam get back to you in regards to your questions?

 

I think Peter is definitely correct in getting the shogun mounted at the rear of the camera, even my Ninja gives me pitch issues if mounted on top.

Regards

Peter

 

Nick, did Nauticam get back to you in regards to your questions?

Yes. 11 days ago.

It sounds like they will be including the vacuum sensor and valve.

They will make it compatible with as many batteries as possible (they referred me to the TVlogic 058 monitor housing, I assume as an illustration).

Still working on the best mounting solution. No mention of mounts for tripod legs. The mount seen at shows was just an old prototype.

Saw the Shotgun housing at Reef Photos today. If you can imagine, having a Samsung 8.4" tablet at the back of the GH4 housing, that's how big it's going to be, except the Shogun housing is about 2.5" thick. The cheese plate tray is huge and thick. Don't think I will ever get to that point of using the Shogun. Still trying to figure how to pack the GH4 housing and tripod set up for international travel, those darn airline that weight your carry on bag!

Hand carry your housing with port. They don't weigh camera.

Sometime I even carry with tripod attached.

You're a walking advertisement for Nauticam Eunjae.......LOL

My next video is a rather long project that's going to take until mid-2015 to get done. I'm doing a scientific documentary on octopus intelligence.

 

That sounds like a great project. i can't wait to see updates on this project as it develops.

EunJaelm, it really depends on the airline I think. The next time if they want to weight my carry on, I will try to take my camera and housing out, and see what they say. Singapore airline weighted my whole bag, and I didn't think about taking anything out.

Singapore airline weighted my whole bag, and I didn't think about taking anything out.

I live in Singapore and Thailand and travel on SQ, TG, MI, GA, MH, KR, VN, etc. all the time and have never had my carry-on bag weighed. My underwater camera fits in a maximum-size backpack and weighs 15kg and it has never been weighed.

In fact, apart from the budget airlines, I've never even had a problem with overweight checked luggage. Just chat friendly with the staff, tell them what you do and they are usually very cooperative.

Maybe you need to hone your chatting technique...

Regards

Peter

Hey Peter Unless you met a rookie behind the desk like the one at manado..... Yup I agree SQ flights I carry almost 20kg on my Thinktank on my back and a hand camera back. Just a pleasant chat and smile. work wonders

Peter, SQ weight my carry on 2 trips the last time I went back to Asia. I got weighted in Houston Texas. They enforced the 7kg rules and gate checked my carry on. They don't weight everyone. The first time they would walk around the boarding area and look for big bag, the 2nd time they wait at the door when you show them your boarding pass to board the plane.