GH4 audio bug

[jurgen]

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?323353-audio-bug-discovered

http://suggestionofmotion.com/blog/panasonic-gh4-audio-buzz/

An audible "buzz" that can be heard with the GH4, one that changes frequency based on modes/shutter speeds.

I can recreate the "problem" on my copy (as can seemingly everyone), though I would never have noticed had someone not mentioned it.

The second link has the steps to recreate, if anyone else is interested.

Curious!

[varicam]

This is bad! I have just placed an order of the GH4 yesterday. 

[Julian]

Might be a good idea to mention it only shows up while monitoring the audio with headphones - not in recorded file...

[Quirky]

This is bad! I have just placed an order of the GH4 yesterday. 

 

Why is it so bad? 

 

 

There isn't any buzz is a marketing trick of a sony lovers :) they see their A7S surpassed in everything from GH4.

 

Umm... how old are you? 

 

 

Might be a good idea to mention it only shows up while monitoring the audio with headphones - not in recorded file...

 

So in real life it's a non-issue, huh.

 

Sounds like a poorly grounded or cheaply done audio out plug and/or amp on the motherboard. A bummer, but surely not a "serious bug," as someone screamed. Hopefully they'll fix it in the next batch of hardware. Meanwhile, just go out and shoot something. Go and listen to the buzz of a bumblebee or a ladybug to distract you from the headphone buzz.

 

 See? An alleged Panasonic hating Sony shooter defending Panasonic, how can that be?   :P

 

it's a headphone impedance problem. Panasonic advanced manual tell what max OHM impedance headphones are supported

 

Yeap, that sounds more like it. Either that, or dodgy electronics/workmanship in general behind the line out plug. Hopefully the better headphones designed for audio monitoring are the ones supported by Panasonic.

[rndmtsk]

Might be a good idea to mention it only shows up while monitoring the audio with headphones - not in recorded file...

 

Is this true? That's not what I've been seeing people say. The second link jurgen provided says:

 

• The buzz is always there: It is present whether or not a microphone is plugged into the GH4 and at all audio gain levels.
• The buzz is recorded to all clips created by the GH4 (see below for samples).

[jurgen]

 

Is this true? That's not what I've been seeing people say. The second link jurgen provided says:

 

• The buzz is always there: It is present whether or not a microphone is plugged into the GH4 and at all audio gain levels.
• The buzz is recorded to all clips created by the GH4 (see below for samples).

 

There is some dispute about whether it's actually being recorded or whether that particular poster is improperly normalizing his audio. What we might be hearing is the noise floor, heavily boosted.

For what it's worth, in video mode, with both the on-board mic and my standard Rode VideoMic, at all gain settings (-12 to +6), it sounds "normal" on playback. Shitty with the gain up so high, but "normal". No motorcycle like buzz.

[jurgen]

There isn't any buzz is a marketing trick of a sony lovers :) they see their A7S surpassed in everything from GH4.

Is a artificial sound make at computer :) and impossible sound beacous there isn't mecanical shutter in videos ;)

Ask Andrew he has tested the cam and not reported this

 

If the sound is true is a iusses of that cam not all GH4 but the sound is unnatural and tremendous artificial :)

curious ;)

... I own a GH4. Everyone in that thread owns a GH4.

[varicam]

 

Is this true? That's not what I've been seeing people say. The second link jurgen provided says:

 

• The buzz is always there: It is present whether or not a microphone is plugged into the GH4 and at all audio gain levels.
• The buzz is recorded to all clips created by the GH4 (see below for samples).

 

That is very disturbing. 

[rndmtsk]

There is some dispute about whether it's actually being recorded or whether that particular poster is improperly normalizing his audio. What we might be hearing is the noise floor, heavily boosted.

For what it's worth, in video mode, with both the on-board mic and my standard Rode VideoMic, at all gain settings (-12 to +6), it sounds "normal" on playback. Shitty with the gain up so high, but "normal". No motorcycle like buzz.

That's reassuring. Obviously recording your master audio to a DSLR itself is never ideal but sometimes you just gotta do it.

[Emanuel]

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/907000-REG/Panasonic_dmw_ms2_External_Stereo_Mic_For.html

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/943375-REG/panasonic_vw_vms10_stereo_microphone_plug_in.html

 

And for different kind of budgets... LOL If possible to say it : ) you can always add one of those:

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/929347-REG/tascam_dr_60d_4_ch_track_linear_pcm.html

[JackHorror]

So is there an "audio bug" or no? Cause i want to order a gh4..

[jurgen]

Here's the scoop on mine:

In modes other than video, there's a "beep" that gets recorded that varies with shutter speed. Not an issue, because you're not in video mode. This seems to be on every GH4.

In video mode, if I plug my VideoMic into the mic port and don't turn it on, a hum/buzz gets recorded to the file. I don't know if this is normal for any camera with something plugged into the port, but it seems to be true for the GH4.

With the mic on, I can't hear a thing. Boosting gain to +6, headphones maxed, there's no noise. It sounds like shit because everything is being topped out, but if there's an "unnatural" noise it's entirely covered by the noise floor. I cannot hear anything in a practical situation (mic plugged in and on), and I have tried my hardest to isolate noise and provoke a buzz.

Right now, the only "problem" with the GH4 is a few firmware quirks with the way the menu operates. I would say that if you want one, it's a definite buy. Worse comes to worst, you get it fixed under warranty if a problem ever develops (so many people seem to forget that these things come with full warranties!)

[rndmtsk]

Yeah, definitely seems like a non-issue if this doesn't occur in video mode. I feel like that little tid-bit could've been made clearer by the dude who broke this. He was so keen to broadcast it like fucking everywhere but it wasn't until Andrew mentioned this in passing that I realized this important detail.

 

As for the hum/buzz without the VideoMic on - this happens with every DSLR I've ever used.

[jurgen]

Yeah, definitely seems like a non-issue if this doesn't occur in video mode. I feel like that little tid-bit could've been made clearer by the dude who broke this. He was so keen to broadcast it like fucking everywhere but it wasn't until Andrew mentioned this in passing that I realized this important detail.

 

As for the hum/buzz without the VideoMic on - this happens with every DSLR I've ever used.

Indeed. You can hear something in video mode if you turn your plugged in mic off and boost your gain and headphones to max volume, but then ... why would you do that? And why would you think that's a problem?

I've tried to give a rundown of my experience on that dvxuser thread, but my account has been in a queue for activation since Saturday, so ... apparently they aren't too keen on any new users.

Ah, well.

[jgharding]

Perhaps it's a grounding issue, since the socket is designed for TRRS jacks, so this signal should go to ground but instead it's oscillating the recording when a TRS jack is used...