Handicam Wind Noise

[luckysideburns 0]

Hey there,

I'm jumping a Simon Wade glove with a CX-150 in it. The glove is great, but my only issue is that the front-mounted microphone is exposed to the windstream, and creates a hellaceous amount of wind noise while descending under the canopy. It almost drowns out the student's voice, and that's no bueno for the finished product. I tried slapping a little gaffers tape on, but that drowns out everything BUT the wind noise.

So, my question, what has everyone found to be the best solution to eliminate wind noise while keeping enough of the voice present? Videographers who fly with a camera box and other gloves are welcome to add to this as well, and post your experiences. I know that the Waycool gloves and knockoffs (as well as the Vert) all have enclosed neoprene and/or padded fabric coverings, but has anyone modified their gloves and/or boxes for better sound reproduction? I have the option of putting in a strip of neoprene or foam to help, but rather than trial and error it's easier to learn from other's experimentations.

Grazie ;).

Tan-I, AFF-I, S&TA, Freefall Photographer, Skydive University Coach

[PharmerPhil 0]

On my helmet-mounted cameras (top-mount, no box), I use a piece of "pick-n-pluck," open-cell foam from a Pelican case. I try to use as big a piece as I can without having to compress it much, and I make sure it is right up against the microphone grille. It makes a dramatic decrease in wind noise (think of windscreens for hand-held vocal microphones). I often talk to my tandem student after my canopy opens (congratulate them, etc.). Without this foam, the audio is often unusable.

Here is a picture of the foam on a Sony HC-5. the CX doesn't give you as much space, but there is still room for it.

[luckysideburns 0]

Thanks Phil, I hadn't ever noticed that on your setup before (This is Nicky, by the way, in case you couldn't tell from the account name..).

I also noticed on the picture that part of the foam mount includes a solid piece blocking the lower part of the microphone (essentially, i assume, creating a bit of a burble in freefall for the microphone). Looks like fiberglass or a composite of some sort. Also, is that pelican case foam a bit softer, or more firm?

Tan-I, AFF-I, S&TA, Freefall Photographer, Skydive University Coach

[soulbabel 0]

I don't have first hand experience with it, but you can try this mod:

http://sceneblock.com/2010/07/14/5d-mark-ii-wind-muff-with-video-results/

[davelepka 4]

Tape a piece of foam over the mic grill itself. Keep the tape off to the sides of the grill, but have the foam cover the grill completely. It's just like those covers they use on portable mics when the news guy is reporting from outside, it prevents the wind from hitting the case of the mic itself, letting it only hit the soft foam.

[PharmerPhil 0]

Hey Nicky (didn't know that was you). That block is really just a support for the lens to keep it secure and keep a line from getting under it. However it does help keep the foam in place (without the foam though, the block does nothing to get rid of wind noise).

But with my CX150 and Raynox 3035, the bottom of the lens is practically flush with the bottom of the cam. So no similar support is needed, and the foam is wedged between the microphone and the bottom/front of the lens. I'll try to post a pic, or check it out this week at the DZ.