Record Hi-res Sound Anywhere with the Olympus LS-P4
Ideal for vlogging and broadcasting, the Olympus LS-P4 is an incredibly versatile, portable and lightweight piece of audio recording kit that is essential for anyone who wants sound that meets the high quality of their videos. In a world of more and more dynamic films and video content being uploaded every day, the competition to create something flawless has never been stronger. But engaging footage can fall at one simple hurdle, sound quality. Poor or even just ‘ok’ sound quality can put a dampener on the most beautifully shot video and a lot of filmmakers have overcome this with external microphone and recording set-ups.
So, what’s the advantage of using the LS-P4 over just recording on your phone, or external audio device plugged into your camera? If you’re used to vlogging or generally with shooting video you’ll probably be using a shotgun microphone or lavalier microphone, as relying on your on-camera mic won’t be high enough quality. External gun mics are great for directionality and distance, but the thing is they still use the camera’s processor for the sound. That’s where the LS-P4 comes in.
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Despite being one of the smallest audio recording devices available, at only 75g this pocket-powerhouse is able to record in hi-res and stereo, to produce incredibly rich recordings of up to 96kHz/24-bit, which is better than CD quality. If your CD listening days are long gone then to put it another way, the LS-P4 is compatible with recording in the FLAC format – a lossless format unlike the lossy compressed files of MP3 or AAC. This means your sound will sound much clearer and with incredible depth, with a file size that is 30% smaller than that of a CD.
For vloggers, its versatility is key. Its directional sound pickup can pick up sound from 180 degrees to capture ambient noise, or it can home in and pick up sound like a shotgun mic – only capturing the sound in front of it. You can control this ‘zooming in’ of sound with just a touch of a button on the device itself. Part of the reason this recorder works so well with the Olympus OM-D EM5 Mark III camera is it can plug straight into the mic jack on the camera as well as creating a back-up recording on the LS-P4. Simply screw in a hot shoe mount and attach it to your camera and record directly into the camera. With the incredible in-body image stabilisation of the EM5 Mark III, there’s also less need for a gimble, meaning this compact lightweight camera and audio device work together to create the perfect movie-making kit wherever your adventures take you.
Part of the reason people use lav mics is due to their discreet appearance and ability to capture sound without needing to be next to the camera, but you can still use a lav mic with the LS-P4. Connect it directly to the recorder via a mic cable, and then just pop it in your pocket. It can then be synced up in post-production (just don’t forget to use a clapper board for ease of sync). After recording, you can play the audio back with ease straight from the device, just plug your headphones in to check it’s recorded ok on the spot.
When it comes to recording music or gigs, the LS-P4 is a superb addition to your recording kit, as mentioned above, the FLAC format means there is no loss of information, but on top of that this audio recorder has the Olympus ‘Tresmic’ combination of 3 microphones allowing it to pick up bass down to 20Hz, giving the recordings their warm rich tone, and picking up bass like a dream. Just ‘zoom-out’ with the directionality to capture ambient noise such as the audience and then zoom back in to focus on the band, and with up to 39 hours of battery life, it can survive a whole music festival without losing charge.
Outside of ease of use, hi-res audio and small file size, this device is excellent for portability, weighing just 75grams. Attach it to the camera, to a lav mic, or put in on the table at a wedding to record speeches and film from afar, this device can do it all. For recording in the field, having lightweight small amount of kit to carry is a huge advantage, saving you time in set-up and focusing on capturing the moment on camera as it happens. Built from a durable metal casing, this recorder really is the perfect companion for recording on the go, and with the OD-M EM1 Mark III camera, creating the film you want to create is in your hands.
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