From the course: DSLR Video Tips: Audio

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The impact of auto gain control

The impact of auto gain control

From the course: DSLR Video Tips: Audio

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The impact of auto gain control

Richard Harrington: So one option in a lot of these cameras is that the microphone wants to run on auto, and in some cases it's not even an option. It's the only choice. Robbie Carman: Right, this is known generally as AGC or Automatic Gain Control. And the best way to think about Automatic Gain Control is that is the camera sort of being an automatic turner upper or turner downer-- Richard Harrington: Right. Robbie Carman: --depending on the volume level that is perceiving through its microphone. So something like me who's rather loud is talking close to the camera--the audio--the levels are going to get sort of turned down so I'm not going to peek out and be too loud and over modulate the signal. Conversely, if you have somebody that's relatively quite, it's going to try to raise that level up to be you know sort for audible in--you know at a certain level. Richard Harrington: And in theory this sounds like a good thing-- Robbie Carman: Yeah. Richard Harrington: But it's really not.…

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