ABOUT: At this "VLOG" proximity, it's going to need a custom EQ, because it really needs the 150 Hz MIC. LOWCUT (to remove handling and background noise) but it strips way too much BASS out, so that will need to be added back with the custom EQ. I think these settings create a much better starting point than leaving the LOWCUT off, but it really doesn't sound good (without the EQ). UPDATE: Nice! I have super good news...I figured out how to remove the RFI from this combo. All you have to do is TURN OFF the wireless RECEIVER! That's right, if it's off there's no problem with RFI, but if it's ON, there is constant static from RFI, especially when it's closer than 3 feet. I'm going to test this some more, but for now this is a quick and easy fix, if you don't need to use the wireless receiver, that is. There is a TINY amount of RFI noise when I turn the MIC. BOOST all of the way down (to "0") on the dial, but when you have it at a normal level, this noise is not noticeable. PREVIOUS NOTE: I'm just starting this test, and I'm not sure if the RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) will render this microphone/audio recorder combination useless or not. The reason I don't know yet, is that I have identified that if the wireless RECEIVER is too close to the cable that attaches the microphone to the TRANSMITTER/Recorder, there is a ton of RFI. However, when I move the RECEIVER further away, it lessens considerably...and when I turn it OFF, the RFI MIGHT BE LOW ENOUGH to not cause a problem...so I'm still testing... As noted before, the shock mount that is included with this mic doesn't do a very good job of protecting it from the sound of bumps and/or wiggles, so you'll have to hold it steady in that case. (If I can find an affordable, aftermarket shock mount, I will update this review). "VLOG" Proximity [22 inches / 55.5 cm] 7RYMS iRAY DW30 (Recorder) (NO AUX. Amplifier) Comica CVM-VM20 (Shotgun) Windscreen: FOAM + FURRY (Stock) 48k 24-bit REC. SETTINGS N/A 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 150 Hz MIC. LOWCUT N/A MIC. HIGH PASS @5 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: February 22, 2023 at 6:56:20 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: ABOUT: At this "VLOG" proximity, it's going to need a custom EQ, because it really needs the 150 Hz MIC. LOWCUT (to remove handling and background noise) but it strips way too much BASS out, so that will need to be added back with the custom EQ. I think these settings create a much better starting point than leaving the LOWCUT off, but it really doesn't sound good (without the EQ). UPDATE: Nice! I have super good news...I figured out how to remove the RFI from this combo. All you have to do is TURN OFF the wireless RECEIVER! That's right, if it's off there's no problem with RFI, but if it's ON, there is constant static from RFI, especially when it's closer than 3 feet. I'm going to test this some more, but for now this is a quick and easy fix, if you don't need to use the wireless receiver, that is. There is a TINY amount of RFI noise when I turn the MIC. BOOST all of the way down (to "0") on the dial, but when you have it at a normal level, this noise is not noticeable. PREVIOUS NOTE: I'm just starting this test, and I'm not sure if the RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) will render this microphone/audio recorder combination useless or not. The reason I don't know yet, is that I have identified that if the wireless RECEIVER is too close to the cable that attaches the microphone to the TRANSMITTER/Recorder, there is a ton of RFI. However, when I move the RECEIVER further away, it lessens considerably...and when I turn it OFF, the RFI MIGHT BE LOW ENOUGH to not cause a problem...so I'm still testing... As noted before, the shock mount that is included with this mic doesn't do a very good job of protecting it from the sound of bumps and/or wiggles, so you'll have to hold it steady in that case. (If I can find an affordable, aftermarket shock mount, I will update this review). Remember to always monitor your audio while you're recording (using accurate headphones) because good settings can't fix bad audio. Also, these settings will not establish the exact level you'll need for every scene, but the goal is to provide a good starting point that will become clean, after adjusting in post. Additionally, these "custom settings" are used to make the Microphone-Specific EQ files work (as they won't work as intended if any of they aren't used). The EQ files were created to correct any imperfections of the microphone and/or wind protection (FOAM and/or FURRY) and were made in Audacity (the free audio editor) to make them as affordable & universal as possible.

This lens is AMAZING...it delivers so much contrast and color that I had to tone those down (to get a "REAL" image) and the SHARPNESS is almost a perfect match for this sensor (not to sharp, etc.) though I had to use some NOISE REDUCTION to keep things looking real. Any links below are affiliate links. FILTER: None Sigma 75-300 4.5-5.6 ADAPTER: Nikon F/G-M43 Panasonic GH4 CineLike D "PHOTO STYLE" LENS-SENSOR LUT CONTRAST SHARPNESS NOISE SATURATION HIGHLIGHT SHADOW OFF iDYNAMIC OFF LUMINANCE LEVEL Unsharp Mask* ADOBE POST-PRODUCTION AMOUNT RADIUS THRESHOLD Blur / Sharpen DAVINCI RESOLVE POST-PRODUCTION LENS @FULL WIDE LENS @MID-ZOOM LENS @FULL TELE 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 B 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). NOTES: This lens is AMAZING...it delivers so much contrast and color that I had to tone those down (to get a "REAL" image) and the SHARPNESS is almost a perfect match for this sensor (not to sharp, etc.) though I had to use some NOISE REDUCTION to keep things looking real. The goal of our camera settings is to improve what we call the "lens-sensor relationship" by adjusting the contrast, sharpness, noise reduction and color to create an image that looks less digital and more organic (more like film, etc). Therefore, the first step is to apply the custom settings while shooting, and the second is to add a lens-sensor LUT, to finalize the image.

WARNING: This microphone does not work with this transmitter/recorder (too much RFI). LONG VERSION: There are a lot of bad things about this combo (and nothing against Saramonic or 7RYMS). The first thing is that the signal this lavalier mic puts out is way too weak for this transmitter/recorder to record a decent level. As I've mentioned in other tests of this transmitter/recorder, when the level starts out and is brought up in post-production, you can clearly hear the (normally unnoticeable) low-level RFI that (I think) is caused by this device (a transmitter) continually "looking" for the RECEIVER. This mic also just doesn't sound good on this recorder (the LOWS, MIDS and HIGHS don't match what the recorder captures very well. Some recorders ADD bass/lows and certain mics sound good with this, but this transmitter/recorder starts out pretty neutral, and this mic doesn't sound good with that. "LAV" Proximity [7 inches / 17.78 cm] 7RYMS iRAY DW30 (Recorder) [NO AUX. BOOST] Saramonic SR-M1W (Lavalier) Windscreen: FOAM (Stock) 48k 24-bit REC. SETTINGS N/A 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 N/A MIC. LOWCUT N/A MIC. HIGH PASS N/A MIC. BOOST (RFI) RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE BAD LESS THAN 1.1ft / 0.34m N/A BETWEEN 1.1ft / 0.34m -2.2ft / 0.67m N/A BETWEEN 2.2ft / 0.67m -3.3ft / 1m BETWEEN 3.3ft / 1m -4.4ft / 1.34m Published: February 24, 2023 at 4:14:54 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: WARNING: This microphone does not work with this transmitter/recorder (too much RFI). LONG VERSION: There are a lot of bad things about this combo (and nothing against Saramonic or 7RYMS). The first thing is that the signal this lavalier mic puts out is way too weak for this transmitter/recorder to record a decent level. As I've mentioned in other tests of this transmitter/recorder, when the level starts out and is brought up in post-production, you can clearly hear the (normally unnoticeable) low-level RFI that (I think) is caused by this device (a transmitter) continually "looking" for the RECEIVER. This mic also just doesn't sound good on this recorder (the LOWS, MIDS and HIGHS don't match what the recorder captures very well. Some recorders ADD bass/lows and certain mics sound good with this, but this transmitter/recorder starts out pretty neutral, and this mic doesn't sound good with that. Remember to always monitor your audio while you're recording (using accurate headphones) because good settings can't fix bad audio. Also, these settings will not establish the exact level you'll need for every scene, but the goal is to provide a good starting point that will become clean, after adjusting in post. Additionally, these "custom settings" are used to make the Microphone-Specific EQ files work (as they won't work as intended if any of they aren't used). The EQ files were created to correct any imperfections of the microphone and/or wind protection (FOAM and/or FURRY) and were made in Audacity (the free audio editor) to make them as affordable & universal as possible.

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. OVERVIEW: This mic sounds pretty "REAL" and natural at this proximity, with these settings. LONG VERSION: This test was performed using the official Rode VMPR Deadcat (FURRY windscreen) on top of the stock FOAM windscreen (which is how it is designed to work). It sounds great at this "BOOM" proximity, as this microphone normally suffers from having too much BASS, especially at closer proximities (due to the "proximity" effect). I'm also using both the MIC. LOWCUT and the REC. LOWCUT and this helps to both reduce the amount of BASS and to lessen the unwanted sounds created by handling noise. Speaking of handling noise, the shock mount is pretty good, but the thing that you have to watch out for is the cable rubbing against the mic or whatever it's plugged into (but this is lessened by the use of the two LOWCUT filters). SPECIAL NOTE: Most places recommend not using a boom microphone at a distance greater than 3 feet, but I don't think that is practical (especially when shooting a WIDE shot) and so I've been experimenting with a number of mics up to 4 feet away, and this is one of those you can make work at that distance. Keep in mind that you'll have to boost the levels more in post, as I do not recommend going above a REC. LEVEL of 50 to get a clean signal from this audio recorder (and certainly not above 63). "BOOM" Proximity [35 inches / 88.8 cm] Zoom H1 AUX. Amplifier: None Rode VideoMic Pro R Windscreen: FOAM + FURRY (Stock) 96k 24bit REC. SETTINGS ON REC. LOWCUT OFF REC. LIMITER 37-50* 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 +20 MIC. BOOST (RFI) RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE OKAY LESS THAN 1.1ft / 0.34m GOOD BETWEEN 1.1ft / 0.34m -2.2ft / 0.67m GOOD BETWEEN 2.2ft / 0.67m -3.3ft / 1m BETWEEN 3.3ft / 1m -4.4ft / 1.34m Published: May 4, 2022 at 2:24:35 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 B DO THE "LOWS" SOUND REAL? MIDS A DO THE "MIDS" SOUND REAL? HIGHS/TREBLE A 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. OVERVIEW: This mic sounds pretty "REAL" and natural at this proximity, with these settings. LONG VERSION: This test was performed using the official Rode VMPR Deadcat (FURRY windscreen) on top of the stock FOAM windscreen (which is how it is designed to work). It sounds great at this "BOOM" proximity, as this microphone normally suffers from having too much BASS, especially at closer proximities (due to the "proximity" effect). I'm also using both the MIC. LOWCUT and the REC. LOWCUT and this helps to both reduce the amount of BASS and to lessen the unwanted sounds created by handling noise. Speaking of handling noise, the shock mount is pretty good, but the thing that you have to watch out for is the cable rubbing against the mic or whatever it's plugged into (but this is lessened by the use of the two LOWCUT filters). SPECIAL NOTE: Most places recommend not using a boom microphone at a distance greater than 3 feet, but I don't think that is practical (especially when shooting a WIDE shot) and so I've been experimenting with a number of mics up to 4 feet away, and this is one of those you can make work at that distance. Keep in mind that you'll have to boost the levels more in post, as I do not recommend going above a REC. LEVEL of 50 to get a clean signal from this audio recorder (and certainly not above 63). Remember to always monitor your audio while you're recording (using accurate headphones) because good settings can't fix bad audio. Also, these settings will not establish the exact level you'll need for every scene, but the goal is to provide a good starting point that will become clean, after adjusting in post. Additionally, these "custom settings" are used to make the Microphone-Specific EQ files work (as they won't work as intended if any of they aren't used). The EQ files were created to correct any imperfections of the microphone and/or wind protection (FOAM and/or FURRY) and were made in Audacity (the free audio editor) to make them as affordable & universal as possible.

WARNING: This combination does not work (too much RFI). The RFI is coming from the transmitter/recorder itself (whether or not the RECEIVER is on) so there's no hope for this mic/audio recorder combination. I (unless I add an AUX. amplifier, but it would have to be the Comica Dual Lav, as this mic requires plug-in power). The test with the receiver ON makes the RFI even worse (and it's constant, no matter what the distance). I'm going to have to remove this mic from the list of mics I can use with this transmitter/recorder. "CLOSE" Proximity [3.5 inches / 8.89 cm] 7RYMS iRAY DW30 (Recorder) [NO AUX. BOOST] Rode VideoMicro Windscreen: FOAM + FURRY (Stock) 48k 24-bit REC. SETTINGS N/A 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 N/A MIC. LOWCUT N/A MIC. HIGH PASS N/A MIC. BOOST (RFI) RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE BAD LESS THAN 1.1ft / 0.34m N/A BETWEEN 1.1ft / 0.34m -2.2ft / 0.67m N/A BETWEEN 2.2ft / 0.67m -3.3ft / 1m BETWEEN 3.3ft / 1m -4.4ft / 1.34m Published: February 24, 2023 at 3:31:22 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: WARNING: This combination does not work (too much RFI). The RFI is coming from the transmitter/recorder itself (whether or not the RECEIVER is on) so there's no hope for this mic/audio recorder combination. I (unless I add an AUX. amplifier, but it would have to be the Comica Dual Lav, as this mic requires plug-in power). The test with the receiver ON makes the RFI even worse (and it's constant, no matter what the distance). I'm going to have to remove this mic from the list of mics I can use with this transmitter/recorder. Remember to always monitor your audio while you're recording (using accurate headphones) because good settings can't fix bad audio. Also, these settings will not establish the exact level you'll need for every scene, but the goal is to provide a good starting point that will become clean, after adjusting in post. Additionally, these "custom settings" are used to make the Microphone-Specific EQ files work (as they won't work as intended if any of they aren't used). The EQ files were created to correct any imperfections of the microphone and/or wind protection (FOAM and/or FURRY) and were made in Audacity (the free audio editor) to make them as affordable & universal as possible.

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. This test was at BOOM (4 feet) proximity with the MIC. BOOST at +10, the REC. GAIN at 37, the AUX. amp at HIGH/Full Dial. "BOOM" Proximity [35 inches / 88.8 cm] Zoom H1 AUX: Neoteck NTK059 Takstar SGC-598 + Foam (Stock) WAV 24-bit/96kHz REC. SETTINGS Off REC. LOWCUT Off REC. LIMITER 37 REC. LEVEL AUX. SETTINGS OFF AUX. BASS HIGH AUX. HIGH-LOW @FULL AUX. OUTPUT MIC. SETTINGS Off MIC. LOWCUT N/A MIC. HIGH PASS +10 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: April 3, 2022 at 4:22:03 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. This test was at BOOM (4 feet) proximity with the MIC. BOOST at +10, the REC. GAIN at 37, the AUX. amp at HIGH/Full Dial. Remember to always monitor your audio while you're recording (using accurate headphones) because good settings can't fix bad audio. Also, these settings will not establish the exact level you'll need for every scene, but the goal is to provide a good starting point that will become clean, after adjusting in post. Additionally, these "custom settings" are used to make the Microphone-Specific EQ files work (as they won't work as intended if any of they aren't used). The EQ files were created to correct any imperfections of the microphone and/or wind protection (FOAM and/or FURRY) and were made in Audacity (the free audio editor) to make them as affordable & universal as possible.

AUDIO RECORDER SPECIFIC: 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. This specific model of the microphone does NOT fully plug in (and you only get 1 channel of audio. I think it's the LEFT ear). I don't know if there is a non-locking version of this model, but there is of the more popular (and smaller) 044. I don't really like monitoring audio when it's just coming in through one ear, so I don't use this mic with this audio recorder. I did complete this test for reference (and in case I had to use it for some reason) and the REC. LEVEL I felt gave me the best results was at 55. This requires boosting the levels in post-production, but I tried going up to 63 (which is what I consider the highest level this recorder does well at before it introduces self-noise) and the audio didn't work as well with noise reduction (which some recordings with this mic may need, because it doesn't isolate too well). It's good to start with a slightly lower REC. LEVEL on a non-32-bit float recorder anyway, to give yourself more "head room". MIC-SPECIFIC: This is yet another test in which a mic sounds better with the Comica CVM-MF1 (Lavalier Furry). Also, this is one of the few mics that works (fairly well) WITHOUT a windscreen at all (I suspect it may have some built-in wind protection, because the top of the mic is bigger than any lavalier mic I've seen. To me, the fact that this sounds better with the FURRY is kind of a timesaver, because now I can leave the furry on for either INDOOR or OUTDOOR use (except for the fact that you need to wear it with dark clothing to hide it). "LAV" Proximity [7 inches / 17.78 cm] Zoom H1 [NO AUX. BOOST] JK MIC-J 017 (Lavalier) WINDSCREEN: Comica CVM-MF1 (Furry) 96k 24-bit REC. SETTINGS OFF REC. LOWCUT OFF REC. LIMITER 55 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 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: January 7, 2023 at 8:28:59 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 B DO THE "LOWS" SOUND REAL? MIDS B DO THE "MIDS" SOUND REAL? HIGHS/TREBLE B DO THE "HIGHS" SOUND REAL? NOTES: AUDIO RECORDER SPECIFIC: 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. This specific model of the microphone does NOT fully plug in (and you only get 1 channel of audio. I think it's the LEFT ear). I don't know if there is a non-locking version of this model, but there is of the more popular (and smaller) 044. I don't really like monitoring audio when it's just coming in through one ear, so I don't use this mic with this audio recorder. I did complete this test for reference (and in case I had to use it for some reason) and the REC. LEVEL I felt gave me the best results was at 55. This requires boosting the levels in post-production, but I tried going up to 63 (which is what I consider the highest level this recorder does well at before it introduces self-noise) and the audio didn't work as well with noise reduction (which some recordings with this mic may need, because it doesn't isolate too well). It's good to start with a slightly lower REC. LEVEL on a non-32-bit float recorder anyway, to give yourself more "head room". MIC-SPECIFIC: This is yet another test in which a mic sounds better with the Comica CVM-MF1 (Lavalier Furry). Also, this is one of the few mics that works (fairly well) WITHOUT a windscreen at all (I suspect it may have some built-in wind protection, because the top of the mic is bigger than any lavalier mic I've seen. To me, the fact that this sounds better with the FURRY is kind of a timesaver, because now I can leave the furry on for either INDOOR or OUTDOOR use (except for the fact that you need to wear it with dark clothing to hide it). Remember to always monitor your audio while you're recording (using accurate headphones) because good settings can't fix bad audio. Also, these settings will not establish the exact level you'll need for every scene, but the goal is to provide a good starting point that will become clean, after adjusting in post. Additionally, these "custom settings" are used to make the Microphone-Specific EQ files work (as they won't work as intended if any of they aren't used). The EQ files were created to correct any imperfections of the microphone and/or wind protection (FOAM and/or FURRY) and were made in Audacity (the free audio editor) to make them as affordable & universal as possible.

EQ STATUS: I do need to make a custom EQ for this combination. It needs more BASS and MIDS because of what the MIC. LOWCUT and REC. LOWCUT do. These are needed to reduce the background noise and the handling noise when using at this "BOOM" proximity, but they make the original file you have to capture not sound "REAL" or natural. OVERVIEW The short story is, at this "BOOM" proximity it needs the Neotek AUX. AMP. The only proximity the Zoom F1 sounds clean enough at, without the AUX. AMP, is at the "CLOSE" proximity (the REC. LEVEL options are very limited on the F1, and because the pre-amp gets noisy above "HI-" I can't get clean enough audio without using it to add what I call a BOOST. AUX. AMP SETTINGS*: 1. MIC. BOOST (gain on the MIC) = 3 (or 4 at 4 feet) 2. AUX. AMP High/Low set to LOW (a switch) 3. AUX. AMP gain dial set to FULL (all of the way up) *At this ("BOOM") proximity, these are the settings I'm using (in general, at 3 feet I use 3 on the MIC. BOOST, and though most people don't recommend booming further away than 3 feet, I tried it at 4 feet at 4 on the MIC. BOOST, and it still sounded pretty good). MIC. SPECIFIC: Another thing to note is that in low light (learned this while vlogging after dark) I can't read the MIC. BOOST (mic gain) dial well, because the paint is a red color...so if you need to see it in low light, I recommend painting over it with a lighter color (be careful to not change the position of the mark of course). REGARDING MIC. LOWCUT: When testing this mic on another audio recorder, using the MIC. LOWCUT (either setting) sounded really bad (not natural at all) yet, when using both the FOAM + FURRY (that are included with the mic) the MIC. LOWCUT setting of 150Hz sounds good (it sounds natural and "REAL" as I say). Another weird thing is that the REC. LOWCUT (the one on the audio recorder) didn't sound good with this mic/audio recorder combination (but it sounded better than the MIC. LOWCUT on a different recorder). Anyways, it is really good this higher lowcut setting (150 vs 75) sounds natural, as the shock mount that comes with this mic isn't very effective, and the extra lowcut really helps (which is the main reason why lowcut filters are included on mics anyway). Also, the fact that it sounds more natural with the FOAM + FURRY is great, because this means you can just leave the FURRY on all of the time (INDOORS & OUTDOORS!) AUDIO RECORDER SPECIFIC: An important note specific to this audio recorder, is that the "HI-" REC. LEVEL setting sounds "cleaner" to me (less self-noise) than the next lower setting "MID+". It doesn't seem like it should, because it's a higher gain setting, but that is how it's sounding to me (it's kind of like how the self-noise on the Zoom H1 v1 is lower at a REC. LEVEL of 37 than it is at 36!). Also, because the Zoom F1 doesn't have a lot of options for REC. LEVEL steps (not "numerical" as the Zoom H1) I suggest keeping the REC. LEVEL set to "HI-" on the audio recorder, and then just tweaking the gain (when needed) by adjusting gain dial on the microphone (which is pretty nice because you can set it anywhere between 0-10 with stepless adjustments). "BOOM" Proximity [35 inches / 88.8 cm] Zoom F1 AUX: Neoteck NTK059 Comica CVM-VM20 (Shotgun) Windscreen: FOAM + FURRY (Stock) 96k 24-bit REC. SETTINGS 120 Hz REC. LOWCUT OFF REC. LIMITER "HI-" REC. LEVEL AUX. SETTINGS OFF AUX. BASS LOW AUX. HIGH-LOW @FULL AUX. OUTPUT MIC. SETTINGS 150 Hz MIC. LOWCUT N/A MIC. HIGH PASS 3 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: February 8, 2023 at 6:28:06 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 D DO THE "LOWS" SOUND REAL? MIDS C DO THE "MIDS" SOUND REAL? HIGHS/TREBLE A DO THE "HIGHS" SOUND REAL? NOTES: EQ STATUS: I do need to make a custom EQ for this combination. It needs more BASS and MIDS because of what the MIC. LOWCUT and REC. LOWCUT do. These are needed to reduce the background noise and the handling noise when using at this "BOOM" proximity, but they make the original file you have to capture not sound "REAL" or natural. OVERVIEW The short story is, at this "BOOM" proximity it needs the Neotek AUX. AMP. The only proximity the Zoom F1 sounds clean enough at, without the AUX. AMP, is at the "CLOSE" proximity (the REC. LEVEL options are very limited on the F1, and because the pre-amp gets noisy above "HI-" I can't get clean enough audio without using it to add what I call a BOOST. AUX. AMP SETTINGS*: 1. MIC. BOOST (gain on the MIC) = 3 (or 4 at 4 feet) 2. AUX. AMP High/Low set to LOW (a switch) 3. AUX. AMP gain dial set to FULL (all of the way up) *At this ("BOOM") proximity, these are the settings I'm using (in general, at 3 feet I use 3 on the MIC. BOOST, and though most people don't recommend booming further away than 3 feet, I tried it at 4 feet at 4 on the MIC. BOOST, and it still sounded pretty good). MIC. SPECIFIC: Another thing to note is that in low light (learned this while vlogging after dark) I can't read the MIC. BOOST (mic gain) dial well, because the paint is a red color...so if you need to see it in low light, I recommend painting over it with a lighter color (be careful to not change the position of the mark of course). REGARDING MIC. LOWCUT: When testing this mic on another audio recorder, using the MIC. LOWCUT (either setting) sounded really bad (not natural at all) yet, when using both the FOAM + FURRY (that are included with the mic) the MIC. LOWCUT setting of 150Hz sounds good (it sounds natural and "REAL" as I say). Another weird thing is that the REC. LOWCUT (the one on the audio recorder) didn't sound good with this mic/audio recorder combination (but it sounded better than the MIC. LOWCUT on a different recorder). Anyways, it is really good this higher lowcut setting (150 vs 75) sounds natural, as the shock mount that comes with this mic isn't very effective, and the extra lowcut really helps (which is the main reason why lowcut filters are included on mics anyway). Also, the fact that it sounds more natural with the FOAM + FURRY is great, because this means you can just leave the FURRY on all of the time (INDOORS & OUTDOORS!) AUDIO RECORDER SPECIFIC: An important note specific to this audio recorder, is that the "HI-" REC. LEVEL setting sounds "cleaner" to me (less self-noise) than the next lower setting "MID+". It doesn't seem like it should, because it's a higher gain setting, but that is how it's sounding to me (it's kind of like how the self-noise on the Zoom H1 v1 is lower at a REC. LEVEL of 37 than it is at 36!). Also, because the Zoom F1 doesn't have a lot of options for REC. LEVEL steps (not "numerical" as the Zoom H1) I suggest keeping the REC. LEVEL set to "HI-" on the audio recorder, and then just tweaking the gain (when needed) by adjusting gain dial on the microphone (which is pretty nice because you can set it anywhere between 0-10 with stepless adjustments). Remember to always monitor your audio while you're recording (using accurate headphones) because good settings can't fix bad audio. Also, these settings will not establish the exact level you'll need for every scene, but the goal is to provide a good starting point that will become clean, after adjusting in post. Additionally, these "custom settings" are used to make the Microphone-Specific EQ files work (as they won't work as intended if any of they aren't used). The EQ files were created to correct any imperfections of the microphone and/or wind protection (FOAM and/or FURRY) and were made in Audacity (the free audio editor) to make them as affordable & universal as possible.

(These new settings are for using the lens with the Tiffen Black Pro Mist 1/8.) I started this test because I wasn't able to get this lens-sensor combo (or with G85) to work very well UNFILTERED (see my older notes below). So, while testing I noticed a number of interesting things, including that this filter (with the specific settings I use) is reducing the compression artifacts that were occurring in video (when using it UNFILTERED). Also, no surprise, but using this filter makes this lens more prone to flare (need a lens hood or matte box) and though this can reduce the contrast in certain lighting situations (i.e. pointing toward a light source) the flare doesn't look that bad. So, while I didn't like the results of this lens UNFILTERED, I now feel pretty good about using it with these settings (which include the Tiffen BPM18/Black Pro Mist 1/8). OLDER NOTES (from UNFILTERED test): When I started this test, I was surprised, as I had heard so many people say good things about this lens, but when compared with a lot of the vintage lenses I've been testing, this thing isn't very good...so let me explain. When I started this test (at -0-0-0-0 using the Natural profile) what immediately jumped out at me were the outlines on the edges of objects, which I'm pretty sure is due to over-sharpening...yet at the same time, the image was soft and needed sharpening! This is a problem, because to remove the outlines on the edges of things, you have to REDUCE the SHARPENING...but doing that will mean the image needs even MORE sharpening during post production, so I may have to see how far I can take the sharpening in post production (using Davinci Resolve). IDEA: I may try decreasing the NR (Noise Reduction) by 1 (to +3) and increasing the SHARPNESS by 1 (to -4) to see if I can get a little bit more film grain look (the NR is wiping out all of the texture, and you could add it in post, but I prefer to save TIME). Any links below are affiliate links. FILTER: Tiffen Black Pro Mist 1/8 Panasonic 12-60 3.5-5.6 ADAPTER: None (Native Mount) Panasonic G85 Natural "PHOTO STYLE" LENS-SENSOR LUT CONTRAST -0 SHARPNESS -3 NOISE +4 SATURATION -1 HIGHLIGHT SHADOW -3+3 iDYNAMIC OFF LUMINANCE LEVEL 16-255 Unsharp Mask* ADOBE POST-PRODUCTION AMOUNT RADIUS THRESHOLD Blur / Sharpen DAVINCI RESOLVE POST-PRODUCTION LENS @FULL WIDE LENS @MID-ZOOM LENS @FULL TELE 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 A IS THE NOISE "REAL"? COLOR B 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). NOTES: (These new settings are for using the lens with the Tiffen Black Pro Mist 1/8.) I started this test because I wasn't able to get this lens-sensor combo (or with G85) to work very well UNFILTERED (see my older notes below). So, while testing I noticed a number of interesting things, including that this filter (with the specific settings I use) is reducing the compression artifacts that were occurring in video (when using it UNFILTERED). Also, no surprise, but using this filter makes this lens more prone to flare (need a lens hood or matte box) and though this can reduce the contrast in certain lighting situations (i.e. pointing toward a light source) the flare doesn't look that bad. So, while I didn't like the results of this lens UNFILTERED, I now feel pretty good about using it with these settings (which include the Tiffen BPM18/Black Pro Mist 1/8). OLDER NOTES (from UNFILTERED test): When I started this test, I was surprised, as I had heard so many people say good things about this lens, but when compared with a lot of the vintage lenses I've been testing, this thing isn't very good...so let me explain. When I started this test (at -0-0-0-0 using the Natural profile) what immediately jumped out at me were the outlines on the edges of objects, which I'm pretty sure is due to over-sharpening...yet at the same time, the image was soft and needed sharpening! This is a problem, because to remove the outlines on the edges of things, you have to REDUCE the SHARPENING...but doing that will mean the image needs even MORE sharpening during post production, so I may have to see how far I can take the sharpening in post production (using Davinci Resolve). IDEA: I may try decreasing the NR (Noise Reduction) by 1 (to +3) and increasing the SHARPNESS by 1 (to -4) to see if I can get a little bit more film grain look (the NR is wiping out all of the texture, and you could add it in post, but I prefer to save TIME). The goal of our camera settings is to improve what we call the "lens-sensor relationship" by adjusting the contrast, sharpness, noise reduction and color to create an image that looks less digital and more organic (more like film, etc). Therefore, the first step is to apply the custom settings while shooting, and the second is to add a lens-sensor LUT, to finalize the image.

For the money, I don't currently recommend this camera if you're just getting into budget filmmaking. I've been testing this in addition to the G7, GX85 and G85, and I would spend my money on a G85, GX85 (or even a G7) before buying a GH4. The GH4 screen is so inaccurate, you need an external monitor to use it (the GX85 and G85 are better, the G7 screen okay). You can get decent results from the GH4 (especially with my custom settings) but the lack of IBIS makes it a no-go for me. CAMERAS Bridge Cameras Not all "bridge" cameras are worth using, but there are some that are pretty good. My first general rule is they must be able to record 4K video, but I'm testing as many of these as I can (to create CUSTOM SETTINGS for each lens and filter) so I'm including some older ones as well. CANON LEICA NIKON PANASONIC SONY OTHER ANYONE? ANYONE? CANON Canon Canon Powershot SX540 Canon Powershot SX60 Canon Powershot SX70 LEICA Leica Leica V-LUX 3 Leica V-LUX 4 Leica V-LUX 5 NIKON Nikon Nikon COOLPIX P900 Nikon COOLPIX P950 Nikon COOLPIX P1000 PANASONIC Panasonic Panasonic FZ80 Panasonic FZ200 Panasonic FZ300 NO FILTER ND8 Panasonic FZ1000 Panasonic FZ1000 ii Panasonic FZ2500 SONY Sony Sony Cyber‑Shot RX10 Sony Cyber‑Shot RX10 II Sony Cyber‑Shot RX10 III Sony Cyber‑Shot RX10 IV OTHER 1 Other (This area wa s intentionally left blank.) OTHER 2 Anyone? Nobody else wants to compete ? OTHER 3 Anyone? Anyone e lse want to make a bridge camera? LENS FILTER KEY: SETTINGS or UNFILTERED = No Filter UV = UV Protection ND8 = Neutral Density (and #) VND = Variable Neutral Density CPL = Circular Polarizer BPM = Tiffen Black Pro-Mist® GG = Tiffen Glimmerglass® ALWAYS CHECK THE "USED" MARKET! REMEMBER TO "REFRESH" PAGE TO SEE NEW DATA

This test (and almost all of my tests at the "VLOG" proximity) was with a FURRY windscreen, but sad to say, even with the official FURRY windscreen from Rode (the VMPR Deadcat) this combo can't handle either wind noise (OUTDOORS) or background noise (such as fans, air conditioners, etc.) INDOORS. What's interesting is that the Zoom H1 (the older version of this audio recorder) didn't have as much of a problem, but I know the internals (chips, A/D converters, etc.) are different in this newer version, so I just wouldn't recommend this combo for this "VLOG" proximity. "VLOG" Proximity [22 inches / 55.5 cm] Zoom H1n Rode VideoMic Pro R Windscreen: FOAM + FURRY (Stock) WAV 24-bit/96kHz REC. SETTINGS 160 Hz REC. LOWCUT OFF REC. LIMITER 5.5 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 2:25:09 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: This test (and almost all of my tests at the "VLOG" proximity) was with a FURRY windscreen, but sad to say, even with the official FURRY windscreen from Rode (the VMPR Deadcat) this combo can't handle either wind noise (OUTDOORS) or background noise (such as fans, air conditioners, etc.) INDOORS. What's interesting is that the Zoom H1 (the older version of this audio recorder) didn't have as much of a problem, but I know the internals (chips, A/D converters, etc.) are different in this newer version, so I just wouldn't recommend this combo for this "VLOG" proximity. Remember to always monitor your audio while you're recording (using accurate headphones) because good settings can't fix bad audio. Also, these settings will not establish the exact level you'll need for every scene, but the goal is to provide a good starting point that will become clean, after adjusting in post. Additionally, these "custom settings" are used to make the Microphone-Specific EQ files work (as they won't work as intended if any of they aren't used). The EQ files were created to correct any imperfections of the microphone and/or wind protection (FOAM and/or FURRY) and were made in Audacity (the free audio editor) to make them as affordable & universal as possible.