Hi all

I’m trying to get some video footage on my Canon 650d DSLR, but after taking some test footage I’ve found the AF lens (Canon EF 18-55mm stock lens) motor is audible on the sound track (it’s really loud!)

I’ve researched this and found it’s a common issue, and it is advised to use manual focus. Obviously this isn’t ideal and a suggested alternative is to invest in an external microphone.

Video and audio isn’t my forte so can anyone point me in the direction of a reasonably priced hotshoe/3.5mm external mic that will capture nice audio but not the sound of the AF lens?

Sell you old kit lens and get one of the newer STM lenses that ship with the 700D, they are much quieter.

No direct experience and am also interested to see what people say.
Am looking to buy also.

Everyone on the DSLR video sites recommends the Rode Videomic, but they are expensive. Seem to go for £50+ second hand on Ebay.
It’s also quite large.

I’ve got this one saved in my ebay watch list:
http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/2859171#forum-post-36174112

But I’m put off by the silly CR2 3V battery. I given up on devices that don’t take aaa or aa rechargeables.

I’m reluctant to buy a new lens (even though the STM lenses look good) as I won’t get much, if anything, for the stock lens to fund a new purchase. In the short term a separate mic would be cheaper.

Alex – do you have the 18-55 EF-S autofocus lens? I’m concerned even a hotshoe mic would pick up the loud AF motor in the lens.

I’ve got the Rode – seems great and much much better than using the internal mic.

Rode VideoMic for directional recording; Rode Stereo VideoMic for, well, stereo recording. If the camera is in a more or less fixed position, the SVM is probably the better tool, but if you’re going to be moving around, then the stereo image may start to sound a little freaky – so the VM is better suited. I’m also pretty sure that the VM is 9V. The SVM certainly is.

Here’s an excellent deal on eBay: link

I wouldn’t recommend selling lenses to try and deal with the problem. The in-camera mic will be picking up your hand movement and wind noise, as well as the sound of the lens, and the only way to eliminate those issues is with an external mic. And that’s all without the consideration of the fact the in-camera mic, and indeed pre-amp, are both relatively poor quality.

On a side note: learn to manual focus. It will bring you complete control over what is being presented in the frame and eliminate the highly distracting (for the viewer) pulsing and shifting that will invariably happen when you shoot busy scenes.

Grum – what camera/lens are you using?

5D mk II and various lenses. I am manual focussing too btw (partly through necessity as I don’t have AF in video mode).

No leelovesbikestoo, but I have the even noisier Canon 50mm f1.8

These shotgun mics are directional but a couple of videos on YouTube show the Sony and Nikon cameras still have AF noise on the Rode Videomic.

Saying that, on all the videos I’ve done so far, I haven’t used autofocus during video. I’ve only used focus once and that was to create a DoF effect so I did it manually.

A good cheap STM lens would be the Canon 40mm f/2.8 STM Pancake – £100 from certain sellers. I would probably buy it in preference to the 50mm 1.8 if I was buying now.

Isn’t manually focussing a bit of a pain?

I guess it depends on what you’re doing.
If you’re filming your son’s football match from the touchline, then yes, I would use AF. Same if I was filming my toddler running around the house.
If you’re creating a movie, then you’d be surprised how infrequently focus changes during filming.

The 650D was the first canon camera to feature AF during movie mode, so many DSLR video users don’t even have the option!

Ah I didn’t know that! I’ll consider myself lucky and quit my moaning 😉

I’ll practice my manual focussing in that case then, but still might buy a shotgun hotshoe mic as I think the on-board mic and audio processor is a bit pants.

Isn’t manually focussing a bit of a pain?

It’s an essential skill if you’re serious about DSLR video. They don’t use AF on Hollywood films. 😉

Well, I’m no Steven Spielberg! Will get my focus fingers on.