topic Re: Canon SL2 Microphone - External no sound in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

Canon SL2 Microphone - External

ajredaelli — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 23:14:54 GMT

I have a brand new SL2. I am trying to setup an external lapel microphone. When I do that, my screen shows three ahlf circles, theicon of a mic, and the word "off" next to it. I cannot seem to get to microphone settings. What am I doing wrong?

Thanks!

Re: Canon SL2 Microphone - External

kvbarkley — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 13:31:53 GMT

I don't know if this is the problem, but often "advanced settings" are only available in one of the "Creative modes", like P.

Try setting the camera to P or M.

(You can tell if this is the case since the manual will have a * by the setting.)

Re: Canon SL2 Microphone - External

ajredaelli — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 13:54:15 GMT

I had it in M - I found where I can see the levels of the mic, but it just shows no activity at all. I know the mic works as it is the one I have used before with my Canon Vixia video camera. I have also read that the SL2 does support lapel mics. Not sure what I am missing.

Re: Canon SL2 Microphone - External

RobertTheFat — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 14:18:36 GMT

Consider the source, as I have no experience with video recording. But could this be a case where the microphone expects to draw power from the camera but the camera is incapable of providing it?

Re: Canon SL2 Microphone - External

ajredaelli — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 14:26:21 GMT

It could be. What I am surprised is that the camera is well-known as a great "vlogging" camera. I would imagine it would support most mics .... but yes, good point. I'm hoping someone who has tried this before may have some insight.

Re: Canon SL2 Microphone - External

TCampbell — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 16:31:22 GMT

You aren't "required" to use a powered microphone... but it's MUCH better if you do. If you don't, you end up having to boost the audio gain levels but quite a bit and that results in a lot of hiss (noise) ... think of this is in the same way you'd think of having to crank up the ISO a lot for a photo and that results in an image with a lot of visual noise. Same idea, and both are the result of having to "amplify" the signal. All "signal" contains some "noise" and when you apply "gain" you amplify both signal and noise ... and that's where the hiss comes from.

When you use a powered mic, the mic provides a very strong signal... you can leave the camera audio levels very low and don't need to apply gain... which means you don't have to also boost the noise... which means you don't end up with hiss.

For example... Rode makes something called the RodeLink Wireless Filmmaker Kit... it's a lav mic that connects to a transmitter (typically worn on a belt clip). It transmits to a receiver that mounts in the camera "hot shoe" (it's really a "cold" mount since it only uses the shoe as a mounting point ... there are no electronic connections used) and a separate wire comes from the receiver to plug into the camera's audio-input jack.

This provides a "powered" lav mic that attaches to a DSLR camera. It supports audio-gain in Rode system which means you can leave the audio gain levels on the camera set to a minimum to avoid hiss.

It's not cheap... about $400.

Re: Canon SL2 Microphone - External

kvbarkley — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 16:38:40 GMT

Which mic do you have?

Re: Canon SL2 Microphone - External

kvbarkley — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 16:45:19 GMT

Have you tried playing with the gain or attenuator settings?

Re: Canon SL2 Microphone - External

ajredaelli — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 16:57:23 GMT

Wow - that makes sense .... but $400.00 for that mic - that would be way too much. I understand what you are saying though. Thanks TCampbell.

Re: Canon SL2 Microphone - External

ajredaelli — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 17:13:38 GMT

Yes kvbarkley- but once I plug in the external mic., I get no signal, but then I was reading about a TRS adaptor - I wonder if I may be needing one of those (?)

Re: Canon SL2 Microphone - External

kvbarkley — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 18:12:08 GMT

I was thinking that, if you have a mono mic, you could be shorting one side, maybe both if you don't push it all the way in.

Re: Canon SL2 Microphone - External

ajredaelli — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 18:35:34 GMT

Right - that may be it. I will try and find an adapter and give it try. I know for a fact it was pushed all the way in .... believe me, I tried! 🙂

Re: Canon SL2 Microphone - External

ajredaelli — Sat, 21 Apr 2018 14:37:40 GMT

Just to share, I found a TRSS to TRS adaptor and that did the trick - bottom line is - the original 3.5 mm (TRSS) had three small rings (4 poles) while the TRS only has two rings (3 poles). Once I used the 3 poles (TRS) the issue was resolved. I hope I got that right 🙂

Thanks all for the good advice!

Re: Canon SL2 Microphone - External

BurnUnit — Sat, 21 Apr 2018 15:13:38 GMT

And thanks for reporting back with that information. Not everybody will take the time to do that.

Re: Canon SL2 Microphone - External

ajredaelli — Sat, 21 Apr 2018 15:14:53 GMT

My pleasure. Hopefully it will help someone in the future.

Re: Canon SL2 Microphone - External

parimiti_ds — Mon, 02 Jul 2018 15:27:18 GMT

initially external microphone worked but now it stopped and giving the same error as u had

Re: Canon SL2 Microphone - External

nickdura — Wed, 21 Nov 2018 16:36:52 GMT

I also had this same issue. From what I have found that does not mean the mic isn't working. It means the wind filter is turned off. I hope that's true and I am still getting decent audio. I will do a test tonight with the mic plugged in and pulled out. But almost positive that's what that symbol means. It has appeared to me in all most whether + or manual or any creative modes. Try setting wind filter to on and see if the symbol still sticks around.

Re: Canon SL2 Microphone - External no sound

Mbrein1 — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 23:49:33 GMT

Hi there,

I have the sound settings set to manual and I am still having a problem Recording any sound whether the external mic is on or off the camera. Still have a mic with three rings in the word off showing on the screen (in Manuel mode) when the external mic is plugged in. I am using the LOTURE external mic On my Canon EOS SL2.