Audio recording setting - 12bit or 16bit?

[Biccy]

Have recently bought the Sony DCR-PC350 & still playing about with all the options. One of the settings I can choose is the audio recording & have the option of 12bit or 16bit. As a total novice im guessing that the 16bit is better but i dont really have a clue if im right!? or is each setting suited to different environments? Any advice on this will be much appreciated, thanks.

[GaryB]

16 bit will give the best quality. The main reason to use 12 bit is that it allows 4 audio channels. You only get 2 channels with 16 bit.

[Brian110507]

Always use the 16bit - the 12 bit is for use if you want to audio dub in camera - but can give problems with some editing programmes. Much better to use 16 bit and add additional sounds in an editing programme on your PC.

Well, unless you are going to record some live concerts, i doubt that you will notice any diference between 12 bit and 16 bit sound. And even if you will, i doubt that you see (ear) really any diference.

As posted, 12 bit is nice if you intend to dub aditional audio (to 2 aditional channesl) to your recordings. I've done that some times in the past, and it works ok.

Nowadays I always use 16 bit sound recording. I didn't do it because 12 bit was not good. Honestly i did it because in theory it would be better. In practice .... who knows ?

BTW, what do you think of the PC 350 ? Are you happy with it?

Note: I have the PC 330 as you know.

Best regards

[vonhosen]

16 bit here as well.

[Biccy]

Thanks for all the replies, will use the 16bit setting then from now on. The manual doesn't mention which setting is best but now i know, cheers.

Benfica - I think this camcorder is great. As you know I had the Canon mv750i before which when i bought it i thought it was gunna be good...it wasnt! The PC350 suffers no motor noise at all & the difference in PQ is massive, ecspecially in low light. I'd read the LCD touch screen wasnt that good but i found it easy to use from the start.

Glad you are happy.

Since you are (for sure) a more experienced user then I am, please feel free to post any tips / advices that you find interesting to share.

Best regards

[Biccy]

Doubt im more experienced than many people, still adobting the point-and-shoot method at moment! But will hopefully pick things up as i go along & will share what i learn with this camcorder. One thing so far is to use the zoom in & out buttons that are situated on the plastic frame of the LCD screen (not sure if you have these on the PC330) as it zooms in & out at the same, slow speed, so it makes shot look better than when you use the zoom buttons on barrel,
this can be a bit erratic.