External Mics for Sony a5000 and a5100

[VidThreeNorth]

I was looking around for hacks to add synchronized audio recording using external mics on the Sony a5000 and a5100, and I found two methods. To make this clear, these methods do NOT require you to synch the audio in post, or at least not in the traditional sense.

I will start with the method that is easiest, but requires the use of a cellphone for recording. Note that the only camera that I have seen this work with is the a5100 in this video -- it might NOT work with the a5000. Also, it probably needs a phone with enough processing power to get it done. How powerful? I don't know.:

"How to use external microphone with sony a5100",

posted Oct 17, 2019, by"Pin2Tech" [length 8:39]
""

The second method is a hardware hack, adding a microphone jack to the camera. The method is confirmed to work with both the a5000 and the a5100. It is difficult and I do NOT advise attempting this is you are not skilled with fine quality soldering and working with digital electronics in general. You will need to watch the following two videos if you want to keep the internal mics as well as the external mic:

"A5000 external mic hack and more! ***Do this at your own risk!!***",
Posted Mar 21, 2019 by "Rosario Marino", [length 28:44]
""

"A5000 external mic hack MK2!!",
NOTE: Must also view previous mod for camera disassembly
Posted Apr 19, 2019, by "Rosario Marino" [length 11:36]
""

 

[480sparky]

I simply start recording video and audio, then clap my hands three times in front of the camera lens. This acts as a soundboard, showing up as three spikes in both tracks. Line 'em up in post and go from there.

 

[VidThreeNorth]

I simply start recording video and audio, then clap my hands three times in front of the camera lens...

I've done that. I do it more for synching pairs of cameras to make 3D videos, but I have synched sound to picture as well. It is not horrible, but if you have a lot of synching to do, it can be time consuming, and wasted time is my big problem.

By the way, if you are synching sound to sound, what I do is a quick double clap and then I say the word "synch" (pronounced "s-s-s-sink"). It is a useful word because it starts with the "s" sound which you can use to fine tune the phase. Using a quick double clap shows up with different height spikes depending on if you have an ALC (auto level control) which is good to know.

 

[480sparky]

I simply start recording video and audio, then clap my hands three times in front of the camera lens...

I've done that. I do it more for synching pairs of cameras to make 3D videos, but I have synched sound to picture as well. It is not horrible, but if you have a lot of synching to do, it can be time consuming, and wasted time is my big problem..........

It doesn't take too much time to click on "Synch by audio".

 

[VidThreeNorth]

. . .
It doesn't take too much time to click on "Synch by audio".
. . .

You're right that it isn't much, but it can add-up, especially if you are working on a number of short clips. Sometimes I'll do it, but I prefer not to, if I can reasonably avoid it. It's a balance of "inconvenience" v. "final result" issue. . . .

 

[480sparky]

. . .
It doesn't take too much time to click on "Synch by audio".
. . .

You're right that it isn't much, but it can add-up, especially if you are working on a number of short clips. Sometimes I'll do it, but I prefer not to, if I can reasonably avoid it. It's a balance of "inconvenience" v. "final result" issue. . . .

I bypass that possibility by shooting a 'number of short clips' as one large clip. Once the audio tracks are synched, I can chop them up and rearrange them as needed.

 

[Braineack]

You know what's easier? Buying a camera with external monitor port that actually films in 4k

 

[VidThreeNorth]

. . .

You know what's easier? Buying a camera with external monitor port that actually films in 4k

Easy? We're supposed to do what's easy? No, no, no! We must suffer for the sake of the ART!

 

[480sparky]

You know what's easier? Buying a camera with external monitor port that actually films in 4k

What's easier yet is hiring a full video production crew, replete with their own editing studio.

 

[VidThreeNorth]

I have looked at the first of the hardware hacks and during the disassembly, it occurred to me that it might be possible to improve cooling by replacing the back panel with a precision shaped aluminum sheet. Then again, when I felt that back panel (camera turned off) it was quite cool to the touch, so it does seem to be fairly efficient transferring heat as-is, so probably not worth the effort.