Blackmagic Forum

Original Subject Title: Resolve doesn't like my camera Panasonic DMC-FZ1000
I have recently got a new camera a noticed that every clip I use from it has the first 0.12 seconds muted (non existent). The audio does exist (not a camera/ recording fault) as when playing in a media player the audio plays instantly. Only when imported into Resolve does the audio get removed. The audio is still synced correctly but just muted/ removed at the start.

I can't work out what is causing this. I have tried different frame rates, clips, resolutions, recording dates & memory cards etc. This problem only seems to occur when using clips from this camera, iPhone clips work fine, Nikon CoolPix P900 clips work fine, Insta360 One X2 clips work fine but every clip from this new camera Panasonic DMC-FZ1000 is having this problem.

I am recording the video in 50 fps in 1080. This camera seems to output MP4 files whereas my Nikon CoolPix P900 outputs MOV files, could this be related (does resolve have issues with MP4 files or 50 fps)?

I have attached an image showing what the audio looks like when being viewed in the edit tab.

I would be very thankful to anyone who knows of a solution to this problem as at the moment I am having to trim every clip to remove the silent portion.

Using DaVinci Resolve Studio 18


Here is the MediaInfo of the clip
General
Complete name : P1460012.MP4
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media / Version 2
Codec ID : mp42 (mp42/avc1)
File size : 29.1 MiB
Duration : 8 s 640 ms
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 28.3 Mb/s
Encoded date : UTC 2022-09-17 11:20:07
Tagged date : UTC 2022-09-17 11:20:07
PANA : DMC-FZ1000

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L4.2
Format settings : CABAC / 2 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, Reference frames : 2 frames
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 8 s 640 ms
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 28.0 Mb/s
Maximum bit rate : 36.9 Mb/s
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 50.000 FPS
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.270
Stream size : 28.9 MiB (99%)
Encoded date : UTC 2022-09-17 11:20:07
Tagged date : UTC 2022-09-17 11:20:07
Color range : Limited
Color primaries : BT.709
Transfer characteristics : BT.709
Matrix coefficients : BT.709
Codec configuration box : avcC

Audio
ID : 2
Format : AAC LC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
Codec ID : 2 / 40 / mp4a-40-2
Duration : 8 s 640 ms
Source duration : 8 s 683 ms
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 128 kb/s
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel layout : L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate : 46.875 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 131 KiB (0%)
Source stream size : 132 KiB (0%)
Encoded date : UTC 2022-09-17 11:20:07
Tagged date : UTC 2022-09-17 11:20:07

* If you use a Panasonic DMC-FZ1000 in Resolve and notice that the audio is missing at the start of each clip then here is an explanation. This does not appear to be an issue with Resolve like I had first thought. The Panasonic DMC-FZ1000 for some reason does not record audio for the first few frames when shooting video.

*Update 2. So it turns out that it isn't just my camera not recording audio. Apparently this is a common issue/ fault with many Panasonic cameras. The only solution I have found so far is to start recording before you need to use the footage
If I find out what causes this or a solution, I will update this post. Many thanks to everyone who has comment below.

Please post a sample clip

That looks like a pretty ordinary H.264 codec, nothing fancy. Definitely post a sample via a cloud service.

BTW, while this is probably not the issue, you can easily re-wrap MP4 to MOV for free and without quality loss.

Here is a link to some sample footage. I posted this problem a few days ago and someone used this source having the same problem as me. I believe they also tried changing the container and it made no difference.

Link to sample footage.
https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panaso ... -fz1000/16

Link to previous thread.
viewtopic.php?f=21&t=167730

Uhm... In all the sample files the camera does NOT record audio in the first few frames.
See waveform in picture.

Verified with audacity and ffmpeg plugin.

Thats strange, when playing in a media player (windows Films and TV) or on the camera there is not cut in audio (not that I can notice even listening for it). It is very noticeable in Resolve when playing the clip but does not appear happen when playing back in other mediums. Does Films and TV crop the footage or something? I don't understand how it is clear as day when put in Resolve but unnoticeable when watching normally (any other way).

Is there any reason that the camera would not record audio at the start of each clip? Seems like something that shouldn't really happen.

After further testing by recording camera to see if the audio and video match it appears that it does not record the audio as you said, although not noticeable when watching. After using frame by frame playback and analysing the audio it does show conclusive evidence confirming what you stated. Thank you everyone for taking the time to look into this for me, I do very much appreciate it

I can confirm those missing two audio frames. Apart from that, all the files are playing without a problem here.

Some people on this old DVInfo forum post claim that this is common behaviour on some if not all Panasonic cameras. So I dug out some old clips from my long-gone GH5, and sure enough, they all have the same dead audio pattern for the first 5 or 6 frames. I can honestly say I never noticed this before. I guess I never ever set an in point at the start of a clip!

Yes this happened with my GH5 too. It was 7 frames on my camera. I noticed this right from beginning. Likely a thread I had on DVinfo !!. I also never use the first few seconds or more so not a problem but one needs to know about this if you are relying on the audio of course.

The characteristic is still there on my GH5S and also the GH6.

Thank you for the information. Very interesting to know that other Panasonic cameras have this same issue and that it isn't just mine. I presume that this issue is still present when using an external microphone? (I don't have one to test with currently).

Mic input does not matter all my recordings are external mics both into the mic input or the XLR unit. File is the same.

Thanks for the information. I find it strange that this is something Panasonic seem to have overlooked. Since there doesn't seem to be a solution to this issue, is there a way to trim every clip by a certain amount at once? (Since I don't want to have to trim every clip individually to remove the section without audio, is there a way that I can trim every clip at the same time by the same amount?)

The FZ50 already had the property of starting audio recording later than video recording. The FZ200 does the same. And the FZ300 too.
Greetings Dietmar

Could it even be intentional, to avoid recording the mechanical noise when starting the recording?
Anyway, a weird thing.

Possibly but I doubt it. I have used my P900 extensively and haven't ever noticed a noise at the start of recordings so it can be done. The fact that this issue seems to span multiple cameras makes me think that this is more of a Panasonic software issue/ oversight than something done intentionally. Most cameras don't have this problem so why did they not address it in other models if they were aware. I presume that their new cameras don't do this anymore, if they do then I would be more inclined to believe that this is intentional if this issue persists in higher quality/ price cameras.

My GH6 does this just like the GH5S and the GH5. So many years of the same thing.

Interesting, maybe it is on purpose then. I don't see what function this can possibly serve (besides being an inconvenience), surely it would be intuitive that the audio would start when the video does but maybe they know something I don't?