T7i has no external mic level control???

[scott4video]

Please, someone tell me that there is a way to adjust the audio recording level on the T7i. I went out of my way to get a camera with a mic input for high-quality audio in my videos, but unlike the T6i, 70D, etc., it looks like Canon decided to remove the ability to manually adjest the input level from the T7i. I hope I'm wrong and someone here can tell me how to access that setting.

Thanks in advance...

[kvbarkley · Accepted solution]

It is right in the manual, page 300 or so. I suspect you are in a basic zone mode. You need to be in a creative zone mode, PAS or M, see the little star?

[scott4video]

@kvbarkley -- Thank you! You made me realize I was reading the wrong manual. 🙂 (I thought the Basic Instruction Manual was the main one, and the BIM says nothing about manual audio settings.)

I have since learned that not only do you need to be in one of the Creative modes to access the manual audio settings, but you also have to stay in a Creative mode. If you switch to automatic, the external mic input switches back to automatic level control.

Setting the level manually significantly reduces the background noise and hiss. Also, I tried using an AC adapter (battery replacement) and it added a bit of 60Hz hum to the background noise when using the external mic. The adapter wasn't the Canon brand, so I'm not sure if that would provide a cleaner DC voltage. I opted to forgo buying an adapter and bought extra batteries instead.

[RobertTheFat]

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@scott4video wrote:

@kvbarkley -- Thank you! You made me realize I was reading the wrong manual. 🙂 (I thought the Basic Instruction Manual was the main one, and the BIM says nothing about manual audio settings.)

I have since learned that not only do you need to be in one of the Creative modes to access the manual audio settings, but you also have to stay in a Creative mode. If you switch to automatic, the external mic input switches back to automatic level control.

Setting the level manually significantly reduces the background noise and hiss. Also, I tried using an AC adapter (battery replacement) and it added a bit of 60Hz hum to the background noise when using the external mic. The adapter wasn't the Canon brand, so I'm not sure if that would provide a cleaner DC voltage. I opted to forgo buying an adapter and bought extra batteries instead.

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A sensible decision, IMO. There's probably no maintenance operation more easily accomplished on-the-fly than changing the camera battery. That's basically why I'm convinced that battery grips are largely a waste of money.

Context: I was once taking pictures of our City Manager and his family a few minutes before his inauguration began. I had to stop and change flash units while he and his wife waited on the set because my 580EX suddenly crapped out. I ordered a 600EX-RT the next morning. (Or was it after I got home that same day?) If it had just been the camera battery, I wouldn't even remember the incident.

Incidentally, I'm not an electrical engineer, but my impression is that that kind of hum usually results from a ground fault. If your adapter had a 3-pin plug, there's a good chance that the outlet's ground wire wasn't properly connected.

[qxinfinity]

👍, great save.