Upgrade your Action Camera's Audio Performance with these Tips!
In terms of action camera problems, low quality audio is probably one of those that top the complaint list of most users. Either the audio recorded picks up too much noise that are really unnecessary or the footage has too much static and noise that it is almost unbearable to listen to. Either way, it is a problem that plagues and frustrates most action camera users.
Bad news is, there isn't an action camera model in the market right now that can actually claim to have a perfect audio system. The reason behind this is because majority of manufacturers prefer to focus all their energy in improving their cameras' video shooting quality instead. Sounds unfortunate? Well, the good news is that there are things a user can actually do to upgrade this problem on audio.
Adding some accessories, for example, can improve the audio being recorded a couple of times over. One good example is the use of an extension cable. With its help, the user can position his camera normally and just place the cable near the source of the sound that he wants to record. Like in an auto racing event, the camera can still be mounted on the dashboard to catch all the action while the extension cable can be placed near the motor so that the sounds coming from it will be the only one recorded.
The external microphone is another very popular add-on for action cameras because it gets sharper and clearer sounds from its surroundings. To use it, all the user has to do is to put it on the 3.5mm input jack on the camera.
For wind noise problems, there are also special accessories that can be used to reduce them. Only problem is that these add-ons can be a little expensive for their kind with their price averaging around $30 and up. As a result, many action camera users tend to just do their makeshift sound reducer instead by putting over a strip of scotch tape, soft cloth, or padding on their camera's microphone.
Now for those who do not want to take a risk and really want to get clear and smooth audios for their videos, the most suggested option is to just record the sound using an entirely different sound recorder. Just like when using an extension cable, the camera can just be mounted on its normal place while the sound recorder can be placed near the source of sound like the inside of the user's helmet for clear vocal commentary. Then after shooting, the audio will just be synced together with the footage taken.
The problem on audio on action cameras are still a huge problem for these gadgets at present. However, with the help of these tips and a little bit of resourcefulness and creativity, this problem can be easily removed out of the way of those action camera enthusiasts.