dismal audio level on 7D w/ ML and Rode SMV mic, what am I doing wrong?

[studiocardo]

Hi All

I am finally getting around to shoot some videos w/ my 7D on ML (Jan 28 2015 build).

Everything is working fine except I am getting dismal audio level.  I have tried both a Rode SVM and a Canon DM50 mounted on the 7D's hot shoe plus a mini-RCA input to the camera's mic input.  The mic is on and the ML settings are:

1. audio gain: 32db
2. digital gain: off and AGC off
3. mic power on
4. source: external stereo
5. MLV: off (not shooting in RAW MLV mode)

The audio meter seems to forever stuck at -32db except when I plug in the mic connector.  However, when I look into Audio Rec in Menu via Canon's default firmware, the audio meter clearly moves around according to the sound level.  So the problem is in ML..  But I really don't know what I have done wrong.  Any advice is much appreciated!

SH

[ItsMeLenny]

The rode stereo video mic (I have one) is only powered, not amplified.
They brought out the rode stereo video mic pro which has +10 setting on it,
where as you'd only have the -20 and 0db.
Set it to 0db, still it's very very quiet.
I found that it sounds better amplifying it on computer than using digital gain.
When you look in Canons firmware it's probably using digital gain and/or AGC.

[studiocardo]

Hi Lenny

A big "thank you" for your reply.  I guess I'll synch the audio w/ Zoom H1...

In retrospect, these mics are kind of useless on the DSLR's...  No matter how much attention I paid to product reviews, there is always that one little caveat that slipped through.

Thx again,
SH