VIXIA HF G40 & Surround sound microphone

[rhckm49]

I just ordered a SM V1 microphone for my Vixia HF G40 and nothing is happening with the camera microphone.

[Nick2020]

Hi rhckm49,

Thanks for checking in with us.

Before using that microphone with the Vixia HF G40, you'll want to update the camera's firmware so that it will work with that mic. We put together an illustrated guide for doing that on the link below. Note that step two will be different for your camera. Instead of putting the camcorder in the playback mode, you'll want to put it in the camera mode. 

https://support.usa.canon.com/infocenter/index?page=content&id=ART108319&actp=search&viewlocale=en_U...

After you do the update, you can reference the illustrated steps for attaching the microphone.

[robertrx]

I updated the firmware and I got the camera to recognize the mic for one shoot but now I can't select it anymore

[robertrx]

my GF came up with the answer: set the camera to a lower data rate then the camera will allow mic adjustment. you can then set the camera back to a higher rate and maybe it will hold the directionality you chose. maybe it will record. So nonintuitive I came back here to report.

[NatalyaP]

Greetings, robertrx

In the camera's menu, please change the microphone's directionality mode when using the SM-V1 Surround Microphone. In the tab with the camera within the camera's menu, please select this option under "Surround Mic Directionality".

More information about using an external microphone with the VIXIA H FG40 can be viewed on page 78 of the camera's user guide:

https://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/1/0300022011/02/vixiahfg40-im2-en.pdf

[robertrx]

Thanks, NatalyaP. Nothing in the documentation mentions the issue I learned about: the need to set the camera to a lower data rate ao the camera will allow mic adjustment. The mic adjustment was greyed out at 23 Mbps but appeared again at 17 Mbps maybe there are other menu items with this issue?

[robertrx]

This is on a VIXIA HF GL21 -- there may be different effects on different models. Documentation does not refer to camera models.