Manual Audio Level Controls! - Sony Alpha DSLRS (A65)

Dear Sony -I absolutely love your DSLRs. However, to use the camera as an acceptable tool for amateur/indie/professional film, manual audio level controls in video mode are a must-have. Equal Canon competitors all feature this simple leveling option for managing audio.Currently, the automatic gain control is the only option for audio recording capabilities on Sony Alpha DSLRS in video recording. While in theory OK, AGC leads to terrible problems such as unnecessarily high and distracting background noise/hiss. Filmmakers desire crisp, clear audio!For quality results using an external microhpone, manual audio levels are the only way for filmmakers to achieve decent in-camera audio to compete with Canon users. Many amateur and professional videographers are in desperate need of this function! Audio is often MORE important than the image quality of your film, although Sony seems to increasingly neglect its video DSLR users by not implementing this ability and falling short on video options (Auto-focus in Manual Mode, audio levels on HUD etc.).To keep my Sony A65 a viable option for video work - please see if anything can be done!  (Should be able to be added with a firmware update to all current and existing Alpha DSLRS) Thanks!!! - Love, a filmmaker who would desperately like to keep their A65 for professional video work! (Also from "Join The Inspiration")

Though a great idea, you also have to understand that the a65 isn't as film oriented camera like other cameras.
DSLR cameras with the audio controls are designed with film making in mind, thus they have that option.
Most DSLRs (at least, back in the days) was simply a camera to take photos. If you wanted to do film, you'd buy a dedicated film recorder for that. Having video capabilities in a DSLR was a bonus.
Nowadays, it's merging, bang for buck, reaching to a boarder audience, one size fits all, etc, and unfortunately, the a65 wasn't part of that 'nowadays' era.
The a99 and a77ii, if I remember correctly, has audio controls.
A lot of the newer Sony models (mirrorless) also have audio controls, that is, the ones that a targeted towards film making and not just great photos with the bonus of great video.
Also, I would presume that a lot of 'professional' videographers will either use external mics such as on a pole, a lapel mic, etc, to capture perfect audio, or if not, at least a shotgun/boom mic attached to the camera.
When doing such, there technically shouldn't be a lot of problems with the audio quality. Of course, if those external mics are still recorded into the camera, then yeah... but if they're recorded separately and slapped on during post processing... shouldn't be any problems...
If you're relying purely on the a65 and it's AGC, then there definitely will be shortcomings here and there unfortunately.
I recently filmed my niece-in-law's wedding. I didn't have any fancy mic setups (can't afford it at this stage), and this wasn't any sort of 'professional' work, more of just something for the family (free), but the audio came out excellent. Yes, it caught ambient noise (obviously), but I don't hear any cutoffs or badly pitched noises, or anything. The loud music and people cheering on and such all came through very clearly. Sure, it's no 'professional' bitrate or anything, but at 192kbps, it did the job.
Anyways, that was off topic, but all I'm saying is, you can't expect much from a photo taking centred camera which has been slapped on with nice video capabilities unfortunately. Also, due to the a65's age, I don't think Sony's bringing out anymore updates. My advice is either get an a77ii for it's awesome AF, or if full frame is a desire, then the a99 or a mirrorless (up to you).The a99 has a controllable focus range which is something I like, that way, if you're using autofocus (yeah... what 'professional' videographer would use autofocus aye?), you won't lose focus on subjects if something goes in front/behind it.Also, the little wheel at the front really helps in allowing you to make adjustments without disrupting video or causing too much movement in the camera. Right now, I am planning on getting a RX10ii. Though I'd love to get something from the mirrorless range, it's just way out of my budget (even the RX10ii is, so there's a lot of saving to do right now also...). Anyways, good luck with your videos.

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