[alicethommo]

Hi!

I've just started using my partners Pentax K-S2 which he's had for years. I need to make really slick videos for my work, and I watched a video tutorial showing how much of a difference an external mic and lighting make. So I bought an external mic.

I found another video about the Pentax K-S2 and external mics which said to switch the audio settings to 'manual' instead of 'auto'. So i plugged in my external mic and I've tried recording in both auto and manual audio settings and neither are working. It's producing bad white noise and I can't actually even hear myself muffled underneath the white noise.... it's like it's not picking anything up at all.

There don't seem to be too many options for the audio but I thought I'd check, as a newbie, in case I'm getting something obvious wrong? Or perhaps as my partner suggested the mic port is damaged on the camera or something. He tried to use an external mic with it before and didn't have much luck a few years ago either, though he didn't investigate very far.

Please help if you can! Thank you so much

[ProfessorBuzz]

Some mics are Electret Condenser mics which have a small battery in them; others are Dynamic mics. You have to adjust the gain differently for both. Which one do you have? If a condenser, did you check the battery is good, and that it is powered on?

[kokezuniga]

Hi, I use a K3II and videomic pro, manual level in 3 or 4, the mic on +20. I've tried to use a Shure SM58 but the noise it makes it awful, so not really working. It seems that in camera the preamplifier it's to low for dynamic microphones.

[clackers]

Go into a pre-amp, and then into the camera or an external recorder.

[photogem]

Ricoh recommended as follows for the K5/II/s which applies for all Pentax bodies:
(use wayback machine)


http://support.us.ricoh-imaging.com/node/1342


: The following specifications are recommended:
- Format: Stereo electret condenser
- Plug-in Power Method
- Impedance: 2.2 kΩ
- Power: Guarantee of proper operation at 2.0 V
- Plug: Stereo mini plug (3.5 mm)


This means there is a supplied power of 2V overlaying the input which can seriously damage dynamic microphones.

The problem for an external microphone is that
1. if not decoupled it will pick up noice stemming from the camera (antishake etc)
2. it is to far from the source.


A good solution:
Rode Smartlav into smartphone and this connected with your Pentax via adapter
or a good external portable digital recorder.

And yet, not too long recording with any Pentax because of sensor overheating (don't know about the K1 though!)