A/V Tech Notes
Cameras
Canon Vixia
Overall recommendations:
- Record in MP4
- Make sure you record to the CD Card and not the internal camera menu.
If you're interested in manual controls (focus, whitebalance, etc), look into checking out the older, more pro-oriented Vixa models: HF G20 & HF S21.
Formatting
Reformatting an SD Card in a Canon Vixia HF M52 video camera (visual instructions PDF):
- Press PLAY button
- Press HOME button
- On touchscreen, press Other Settings
- Press Wrench icon
- Scroll down to and press Initialize
- Press Mem. Card
- When illuminated, press Initialize
Canon Vixia HF S21: same as the HF M52 except that you hit the Menu button in Step #3 in order to get to the settings menu
Canon Vixia HF R700: same as the HF M52 except you do the following to get to Step #4
- Press PLAY button
- On touchscreen, press Home icon in upper left corner
- Scroll to the left and press Other Settings
Canon Vixia HF G20: same as the HF M52 except you do the following to get to Step #4
- Press Play/Record button to enter playback mode
- On touchscreen, press MENU button in upper left corner
Canon Vixia HF S100:
- Press Play/Record button to enter record mode
- Press FUNC button
- Using the thumbstick, scroll down to Menu and click
- Scroll right to the right Wrench icon
- Scroll down to and press Initialize
- Select Quick Initialization and click
- Select Yes and click
GoPro
Audio Recorder
Zoom H4n
Zoom H4n audio recorder manual
Reformatting an SD Card in a Zoom H4n recorder:
- Press MENU button on right side
- Choose SD CARD with up/down click wheel & click
- Choose FORMAT & click
- Are You Sure? -> YES & click
Setting the record mode:
- Press the 4 button (under WAV/MP3) on the front face
- Choose the desired record mode (ie. WAV 48k/16bit) with up/down click wheel
- Click to select
Make sure the MIC light is on when recording, otherwise you will not be using the internal microphones. If the 1 & 2 buttons are lit up, press the MIC button.
To start recording:
- Press the Record button, this arms the microphones, turns the meters on, & flashes the Record button
- Press the Record button again, recording is now on & the Record button stays lit
Press the Stop button to stop recording and/or leave record arm mode (microphones on).
It is highly recommended that you use closed headphones with the audio recorder. Hearing what the device hears makes getting good proximity and levels much easier than reading the meters alone.
If the recorder does not go into arm mode, ie. pressing record skips arm mode (flashing Record button) and goes directly to recording (solid Record button), then Auto Record is ON. To turn this OFF, do the following:
- Press MENU button on right side
- Choose REC with up/down click wheel & click
- Choose AUTO REC & click
- Select OFF & click
Software
Taking A Screenshot
Final Cut Pro X
Apple Final Cut Pro X Online Help
How to fix a "referencing media on the camera" error in Final Cut Pro X