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Difficulty

Easy

Steps

10

Time Required

                          30 minutes

Sections

1

  • Vibration suspension
  • 10 steps

Flags

2

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  • BackCanon DM-100 Directional microphone

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Introduction

Symptoms: The microphone produces a rattling noise when the camera is being moved, basically rendering it useless for all other than stationary shots. This guide will give a quick fix to the problem for less than a dollar.

What you need

Step 1

              The Mic
  • This is the rattly beast.

This is the rattly beast.

1024

Step 2

              Getting in…
  • You access the internals by removing the grill in the front, which is held in place by a small amount of adhesive.
  • Use a set of tweezers (or a pointy metallic object, I used a tiny screwdriver) and gently pull in a circular fashion not to destroy the metal girder.

You access the internals by removing the grill in the front, which is held in place by a small amount of adhesive.

Use a set of tweezers (or a pointy metallic object, I used a tiny screwdriver) and gently pull in a circular fashion not to destroy the metal girder.

Step 3

              The culprit
  • Canon has used an elastic band for vibration reduction of the directional “sound pipe” (seen as a circle behind the elastic band).
  • The pipe visible behind the elastic is supposed to be mounted toe the inner wall with the two marked circular joints.
  • These incredibly weak joints are bound to break as the rubber loses its elasticity.

Canon has used an elastic band for vibration reduction of the directional “sound pipe” (seen as a circle behind the elastic band).

The pipe visible behind the elastic is supposed to be mounted toe the inner wall with the two marked circular joints.

These incredibly weak joints are bound to break as the rubber loses its elasticity.

Step 4

              Remove rubber band
  • Rubber band is irreparable and needs to go. I scratched it out using a small, sharp screwdriver.

Rubber band is irreparable and needs to go. I scratched it out using a small, sharp screwdriver.

Step 5

              Clean slate
  • The culprit of the rattling noise is now apparent. A plastic cylinder stretches through the whole of the microphone, enabling the microphones forward focused / directional sound.
  • When the rubber band breaks because of the bad joints, this thing hits the inner side of the cylinder.

The culprit of the rattling noise is now apparent. A plastic cylinder stretches through the whole of the microphone, enabling the microphones forward focused / directional sound.

When the rubber band breaks because of the bad joints, this thing hits the inner side of the cylinder.

Step 6

              Find stuffing
  • I measured the internal diameter, and found that there in total was a void of about 2mm in between the tube and the mic cylinder.
  • After some searching, I found a 2mm thick foam sheet for about 50 cents at a hobbyist shop.
  • Use this to cut a small sheet of depth of about 2 cm and length matching the inner circumference.

I measured the internal diameter, and found that there in total was a void of about 2mm in between the tube and the mic cylinder.

After some searching, I found a 2mm thick foam sheet for about 50 cents at a hobbyist shop.

Use this to cut a small sheet of depth of about 2 cm and length matching the inner circumference.

Step 7

              Stuff it
  • After some scissoring, you should have something that looks a bit like this.

After some scissoring, you should have something that looks a bit like this.

Step 8

              Make it stick.
  • Add a dab of glue around the foam to make sure it stays in place.

Add a dab of glue around the foam to make sure it stays in place.

Step 9

              Glue and replace the grill and wind stopper
  • Add a thin layer of glue to the yellow circle and reattach the grill and windstopper.

Add a thin layer of glue to the yellow circle and reattach the grill and windstopper.

Step 10

              Done
  • There! 190$ microphone fixed for less than a dollar.
  • The audio quality isn’t affected at all.

There! 190$ microphone fixed for less than a dollar.

The audio quality isn’t affected at all.

The DM-100 is a good, but expensive microphone for all Canon camcorders. The internal suspension is broken by design, and will render the microphone unusable after 2-3 years of use.

This fix is a permanent fix to Canons poor design. Since the pipe is solid, and the foam is only reaching about 2cm into the pipe, audio quality is not affected at all.

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                                                                                      One other person completed this guide.

Author

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                    Bonka

Member since: 05/15/2015

131 Reputation

                                      1 Guide authored                  



                       Badges:
                       3

raoul.luigend - May 11, 2019

Reply

Good work, good tutorial! Can you help me? I have DM-50. How to connect it to Mini Advanced Hot Shoe? Do you have an electric circuit DM-50?

raoul.luigend@gmail.com

Bonka - May 11, 2019

Reply

Hi, Raoul. I’m not sure what you’re trying to accomplish on what sort of equipment. I don’t know the DM-50, but if you have a camera with the mini hot shoe like the Legria / Vixia, you just need to slide open the compartment on the top of the camera and insert the mic firmly into the hot shoe.