RØDE VideoMic Pro+ Premium On-camera Shotgun Microphone with High-pass Filter, High-frequency Boost, Pad, Safety Channel for Filmmaking, Content Creation and Location Recording
Additional Specifications
- Polar Pattern: Super cardioid
- Frequency Range 20Hz – 20kHz (selected HPF @ 75Hz/150Hz)
- Maximum SPL: 133 dBSPL
- Equivalent Noise Level (A-weighted): 14 dBA
- Weight: 122g
- Dimensions: 111mm H x 66mm W x 170mm D
- Output 3.5mm TRS
- Power Options: Rechargeable LB-1 Battery (Supplied), Micro-USB Cable (Supplied) or 2 x AA Battery
Our Flagship Directional On-Camera VideoMic
Directional On-camera Microphone with Rechargeable Battery and Digital Switching
The RØDE VideoMic Pro+ is RØDE’s flagship directional on-camera VideoMic. It is a true shotgun microphone designed for use with camcorders, DSLR cameras and portable audio recorders as a source of primary and reference audio.
The VideoMic Pro+ improves on the existing VideoMic Pro, adding a host of additional features. These include rechargeable battery (included), automatic power on/off function, optimised windshield, and all-new digital switching providing numerous new features (below).
- Premium Sound: VideoMic Pro+ provides clean hiss-free audio to DSLR and CSC cameras with +20dB mode
- Automatic Power On/Off: (With plug-in power availability) automatically turns microphone on and off during camera operation
- Over 100 hours of operation per charge with included rechargeable battery
- Improved windshield and digital switching technology
Digital Switching Features Included:
| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
2 Stage High-Pass FilterIncludes 2-Stage High Pass Filter to reduce low frequencies such as rumble from traffic or air conditioning. | 3-Stage Gain ControlFeatures 3-Stage Gain Control, with +20dB function – designed to improve audio quality on DSLR or mirrorless cameras for hiss-free recordings in-camera. | High-Frequency BoostHigh Frequency Boost feature to lift high frequencies, enhancing detail and clarity in the recording. | Safety ChannelWhen engaged, Safety Channel mode records a copy of your audio in the right-hand channel at 10dB lower volume, to help ensure your signal does not clip when unexpected volume spikes occur. |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ideal For: | Camcorders, point and shoot, entry level DSLR | Camcorders, point & shoot, entry-level DSLR (Not compatible with Nikon D7000) | Camcorders, mid-range DSLR | High-end DSLR, Full frame cameras | High-end DSLR, Full frame cameras | High-end DSLR, Full frame cameras, Smartphone and USB Computer Use |
| Built in pre-amp? | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| High Pass Filter | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| +20db Boost? | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Rechargeable Battery? | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Safety Channel Feature? | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| High Frequency Boost? | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| USB Microphone Capability | ✓ | |||||
| 3.5mm TRRS Smartphone/Tablet Compatible? | With SC4/SC7 Adapter (Sold Separately) | With SC4/SC7 Adapter (Sold Separately) | With SC4 Adapter (Sold Separately) | With SC4 Adapter (Sold Separately) | With SC4/SC7 Adapter (Sold Separately) | Natively (Auto-senses with included cable) |
| Frequency Response | 100Hz – 20kHz | 100Hz – 16kHz | 40Hz – 20kHz | 40Hz – 20kHz | 20Hz – 20kHz | 35Hz – 18kHz ±3 dB |
| Weight: | 122 g |
| Dimensions: | 10.92 x 16.99 x 6.58 cm; 122.47 Grams |
| Model: | VMPRPLUS |
| Colour: | Black |
| Batteries Included: | 1 Lithium Polymer batteries required. (included) |
| Colour: | Black |
There is an issue with the deadcat supplied, it does not look as if it was made for this particular mic, it does fit, but the opening is in the wrong place. That noted, I would recommend the mic.
If you are connecting the mic to a smartphone, you will also need a TRS to TRRS patch cable, plus an adaptor if your phone doesn’t haven’t a standard 3.5mm headphone jack to plug the patch cable into.
Great mic at a great price. Can’t go wrong with Rde and their 10-year guarantee.
I use it to shoot interviews and it is perfect for filming video on the go. It has a lightweight yet steady frame and good battery life (when using reputable batteries of course).
I would recommend you buy the deadcat if you are filming outside, although the audio will be usable without one in light wind.
The only drawback is the 9V battery, while they do last a long time, I would rather it be rechargable.
I use the mic with a Fujifilm XT3 and they work perfectly together for video.
If I need to get marginal better sound I need to spend another 3X the cost to get the performance. Very sturdy and had its fair share of drop bumps and thums
The size and weight is light for vlog travel not big and attention grabbing. I had to use hairpins to lock the cat tail in place. That is the most important tool against wind and pops. Simple two hair pin have held it in place last three years.
The major downfall for me is using it on GoPro or iPhone 12 Pro Max device where you may catch the end of the furry cat tail in the video.
Most important key point is quality of the recorded sound. This is my first mic and everytime I use my mates cheap mic I can hear the difference. This mic is the base norm for quality. Never compromise and this is must for every entry, stater and vetera
I bought this high-spec mic because I wanted the best quality recorded speech. I have not been disappointed. Sound quality is excellent and adjustments are easy. The foam sleeve removes almost all wind noise when recording outside, and the optional “dead cat” eliminates even very strong wind noise. The mic is compact and lightweight, so easy to carry around with my DSLR. The mic can point forward to record someone else, or towards the camera operator to record their comments, and can be placed some distance from the camera using an extension jack cable. I have tested it successfully connected to an iPhone and iPad. It also works well connected to a computer for recording to Audio Hijack etc. and presumably for Zoom meetings.
My only reason for dropping one star is because there was quite a large price reduction a few days after I placed my order, which is annoying.
Still have to sit quite close despite what it says about quality distance etc. Nice product. Pricy and very limited with wire length. Not used any others so can’t compare too well. Also CANNOT get this to work on a video call,/zoom with headphones on and hear it in headphones…so complicated. Does it work on mobile? PC???? Just does my head in. Works on one thing then not another.
Rode has been my go-to brand for microphones ever since I took up digital movie making as a hobby and this latest device doesn’t disappoint. I’m using it on a Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K and the sound is exceptional. It also scores highly on build quality too.
There are cheaper on-camera mics available but often that can be a false economy – in my experience some of the cheaper kit produces sound which is not that much better than a video camera’s own in-built microphone. So if you are serious about shooting videos this is a very sound (groan) investment.
I use these on set and they sound great and never had issues with them over the last year or so but…
I decided to order myself one for my setup moving from the videomic Pro, I thought I would save some money and order a like new one at great misfortune, there seems to be a small firmware issue with small batch that causes the mic to not turn on or off and flashes really fast when charging seems I got one of these as the used like new one, then I ordered a brand new one this was dead on arrival.
As this is a work purchase I will stick to getting items like this from a local store so I can test in store and they can sort faster than ordering online and waiting for delivery
I have had “gun mics” before and needed something that used “plug in power” rather than button cells. Liked that this unit can work either with a camera or via a TRRS adaptor with a phone. The mic seems to be quite sensitive and with a decent polar pattern, not as narrow as the bigger, longer units but for what I wanted something a bit broader was ideal.
The only fault I could find with it is that the single, elastomeric mount allows the mic to wobble around a great deal when hand held with only the lead dampening down movement. It never felt like it would detach itself but I would expect that under some circumstances it could lead to some amplitude flutter with point sources as they move around the polar pattern. This is why I dropped one star.
First of all I had to buy another cable for it to work with my iPhone, the cable that came with it only works with a digital camera. It’s constructed very well and very small, but and a big but! The sound quality is not very good.
So I expected more from Rode!
Straight out of the box I did a video test with it plugged in and repeated the video word for word without and the difference was night and day. One was loud and clear, the other quiet and distant. Looking forward to how much this will improve the quality of my content and not having to project as loud as I normally have to for my videos! Excellent mini buy
I have no idea why Rode would gimp themselves by putting all their mics on one page. The vast majority of reviews are useless because they respond to a different product. So to be clear, this is for the STEREOMIC PRO.
While odd looking, this is an amazing stereo microphone. High quality, great pickup pattern…it just works. The globe layout gives a great impression of full stereo ambience even through two channels.
Want a mic for wild track, ambience or even a cheap option for recording concerts? Here’s your partner in crime.
Purchased to replace an older version, and it is far superior. Out of the box recorded an outside event where speeches were made through a “booming” p,a. system with sound reflecting off stone buildings. I had set it to record one channel at a lower level, which is a great feature. I was very surprised at the sound quality and the audio pick up pattern. Two weeks later it was on the second camera at a wedding, recording fairly close to the organ. Clean and clear voices from the altar rail, plus the bass “roll off” settings work very well.
Not having to worry about fresh AA batteries is great.
Have been looking to get a shotgun mic for a while; saw this and reckoned it might serve several purposes. One use so far, as a shotgun positioned several feet from a harp, and it picked it up sweetly. On that basis, it’s going to be just right on-camera. Need to get a fur windbreaker, though.
I love this mic… much better than the built in video camera mics on my Sony AX700 (which are decent mics in themselves) with a much richer, full sound with better bass and definitely more directional. Note that this is a dual mono mic so stereo spacing is lost, but this is a small price to pay for better overall sound quality and if cable is attached as shown the mic does not wobble on it’s mount and is really good at getting rid of camera handling noise. The supplied wind muff is also of high quality and almost eliminates wind noise (unless your in a gale force wind).
I purchased for use on my video kit and also as a second mic for a Zoom H2n audio recorder. Overall I am really happy with the sound from this tiny mic and would recommend to anyone looking for better audio from camcorders or digital cameras.
Something else to watch out for – the hotshoe mount has a thread in it, allowing it to be mounted onto mic stands. Unfortunately this doesn’t sit flush with the bottom of the mount but protrudes slightly, meaning it won’t sit on my Sony a6600. The solution is to remove the thread using a large flat head screwdriver. It’s a slight annoyance but otherwise the mic is great.
I have it mounted on my desk using the rode desktop stand and I use it for zoom calls amongst other things. Very versatile and well made.
I just wanted something to put on my mirrorless camera for doing atmospheric cooking videos outdoors. This is a good compromise between price and my fussy ears (I have been a sound engineer since the 70s).
In an ideal world, I would use a pair of top-level gun mics into an external digital recorder, but that is no good in this situation when I am shooting on my own, and far too much money! I want something I can fit on the camera, is lightweight, and does the job well enough.
It is also light enough to mount on a light-weight arm attached to my camera rig. It means it can poke over the top of my matt box!
The battery life is surprisingly good, especially as I have a habit of forgetting to turn it off. The dead cat partially covers the power light sometimes.
For the vast majority of amateur video makers out there, this will give good sound and at a price they can afford.
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Aunque pueda parecer muy grande, que lo es, su peso es bastante bajo. Es un micrfono para grabar en una direccin y con mucha calidad de audio.
Puedes cortar un rango de frecuencia, que tambin puedes hacerlo por software, pero la parte ms interesante de este Rode es sin duda el poder grabar a -10 db y tener una copia por si acaso fuese necesario por algn pico o picos en la grabacin.
Rode, if you’re not familiar with them, are one of the best manufacturers of microphones in the business. They’re based in Australia and manufacture a number of highly regarded On-camera and lavalier products. You just need to decide which one is right for you. There are four or five On-camera mikes that they manufacture which you might consider, from this baby of the range VideoMicro up to the VideoMic Pro+. Each step will bring added features, at added cost, but the VideoMicro is the best selling On-camera mike on Amazon for a reason. It offers excellent sound quality for a relatively modest outlay.
You get a compact microphone along with a furry “dead cat” wind supresser, and a detachable TRS cable to connect from the microphone to your DSLR. The microphone attached to the hot shoe of your DSLR camera, and tightend using a dial to get make it stable. When connected the TRS cable can be snapped into slots in the dial which braces the microphone to the camera and prevents wobbling.
The sound quality of the microphone is really good, certainly a vast improvement over the in-built microphone in my Nikon D5300 camera. The sound of me doing my pieces to camera is really quite impressive. Being at the bottom end of the Rode range you might expect comprimises, and while the audio gain isn’t as impressive as the top end of the range, you’re only paying a fraction of the price and you’re still getting a very good mike. A word on that, when you connect it to your camera you’ll need to go into your menu settings and adjust the gains of the microphone to properly calibrate it. There’s instruction in the box for how to do this, and plenty of tutorials online.
The TRS cable provided is designed to plug the microphone into your DSLR’s mic/aux-in port. Note that this is a different type of connection to the port you’d find on a smart phone. Phones usually use a TRRS port which despite the similar name isn’t the same thing. If you look at a connector you’ll see a ring on it. That’s the “R” of TRS (Tip/Ring/Sleeve). A TRRS connector has two rings (Tip/Ring/Ring/Sleeve). You can buy converters to change a TRS cable to a TRRS, or Rode will sell you a different cable, a TRS to TRRS cable, which will allow you to connect this microphone to your smart phone.
Anyway, I’ve been using mine now for about two months and I’ve been very impressed with the performance. While I could have spent more money on better ones in the Rode range I’ve been perfectly happy with the product and highly recommend it.
Llevo apenas un da con el micrfono, El audio en exteriores es increble, el nico detalle es que lleg un poco aplastado, en el video se ve la parte aplastada, no s si sea por el empaque o por el transporte
Turns off when camera turns off; no more forgetting to turn mic off!
Liebe Community,
nachdem ich wirklich viel ber das Mikro geschimpft habe, muss ich jetzt doch mein Rezension berarbeiten.
Kurze Zusammenfassung:
Ich habe das Mikro zusammen mit der Sony ZV1 fr meine YouTube Videos verwendet. Nachdem ich feststellen musste, dass mein Klang unterirdisch war wollte ich das Mikro schon zurcksenden. Es gab ein starkes Hintergrundrauschen und der Klang war ziemlich flach. In der Postproduction konnte ich trotz Multibandkompression, EQ und Rauschunterdrckung nicht viel retten.
Doch hier die Rettung… nicht das Mikro trgt Schuld, sondern der Vorverstrker der Kamera.
Lsung: Den Pegel in der Kamera komplett runterdrehen bis auf eins und die Mikrovorverstrkung auf +20.
Anschlieend ist der Klang voller und das Rauschen im normalen Bereich.
Viel Freude mit dem Mic.
D’aprs les nombreux retours, le son est exceptionnel et bien moi j’en ai t trs du.
J’ai voulut m’en servir avec le sony ZV-1 et malgr tous les rglages , mme si la qualit est loin d’tre mdiocre, je n’arrive pas me dbarrasser du bruit lors de l’enregistrement et le rendu de la voix n’est pas trs clair, lgrement touff (et j’ai vraiment passer des heures tester diffrents rglages , dans les options de mon appareil et du micro) .
Le micro est joli, on sent que c’est de la qualit mais pour ma part en tout cas, avec zv-1 , j’ai t trs du ,le rendu du son ne vaut pas le prix qu’il cote . Encore une fois c’est peut-tre moi qui n’ai pas eu de chances et que j’ai une incompatibilit avec le micro et mon appareil , j’aurais aim qu’il en soit autrement mais malheureusement malgr mes tentatives d’avoir un bon son, je n’ai pas t satisfait et j’ai dcid de le retourne
Definitivamente uno de los mejores micrfonos.
Definitely one of the best micro for vlogi
Je m’en sert pour filmer mes vidos YouTube . Vous pouvez couter le rsultat directement sur ma chane HeyClaire
Seul bemol, celui qui est arriv chez moi ne marchait pas. J’ai appel Amazon qui m’ont renvoy un autre micro avant mme que je leur renvoie le dfectueux !! Le nouveau marche super bien , donc ne tiens pas rigueur de cette petite msaventure
After giving this product a 1 star review Amazon have acted quickly to provide me with a replacement that meets my expectations of the usually excellent rode product range. The problem with the original mic was that an all important screw that holds the thing together was left out, when I fitted the battery it was evident that something was wrong as gaps opened up as shown in the accompanying photos. I haven’t had chance to fully test the replacement mic yet, although its build quality is up to the usual high standard I expect from Rode, if it works as I expect it to I’ll increase my star rating too 5. The help and support I received from Amazon was second to none.
Se ha convertido en imprescindible para mi.
Tiene el tamao perfecto para llevarlo en la mochila, la calidad de sonido que da no tiene nada que ver con el micrfono de la cmara. Aunque slo sea para captar sonido ambiente ya os digo que merece la pena. No puedo compararlo con otros micrfonos, pues no tengo ningn otro y con este, estoy seguro de que no voy a necesitar ninguno ms. En serio, me parece espectacular!
Having tried several microphones, I found the Rode VideoMic NTG the best for my own personal use,
It’s playback quality is exceptional, and the fact it will automatically turn on and off is a deal breaker.
Very lightweight and made of a strong aluminium rather than plastic on many other microphones.
+20db is absolutely stellar for quality sound recording. Haven’t used the -10db yet but all of the other sound features are perfect.
Preso ad un ottimo prezzo sul Warehouse, che dire, ottimo microfono shotgun. Possibilit di attivare filtri per certe frequenze che eliminano i rumori di sottofondo, allo stesso tempo la possibilit di aumentare o diminuire i db in entrata delle frequenze standard consente di avere un audio pulito di una persona che parla anche in un ambiente rumoroso.
La funzione di accensione e spegnimento automatica assieme alla macchina fantastico
This is a great microphone, buy it!! OK, I could end there, but that statement is fine for me, I’m just into video for recording life events in vlog style snapshots, not at all professionally BUT I’m always OTT in that I want to achieve near proffessional standards with budget kit (yeh, I do expect a lot out of the DJI Pocket 2 and a Panasonic FZ2000 I’ve teamed this mic up with, but it works for me). Sound is important in video, possibly more so than the already excellent imaging I get from my cameras and, for me, it’s been an expensive learning curve. Tried a Rode videomicro, a Zoom H1n. Both good in their way but I wanted ambient capture the mono of the Videomicro fails to achieve and I kept forgetting to press record on the Zoom (just feeding the camera with the monitor output of the recorder, until it would power down for energy saving my stupid fault). The Rode Stereo Videomic Pro gives me the sound quality I need feeding the cameras with the ambient depth stereo provides, the clarity is fantastic, IMHO better than the Zoom recorder, with some minor tweaking in Davinci Resolve it blows me away picking up distant bird song and the sounds that put you right back in the moment whilst keeping base noise levels very manageable. Rearward sound rejection is very good, not as absolute as the mono Videomicro but then it’s designed for ambient sound more the directional. If I want vlog style live narration I actually point yhe Zoom rearward and sync the separate audio, (works for me). The Rode stereo videomic pro, seems well made given that the rycote suspension system by its nature is a delicate wobbly affair, my only criticism would be that the cable is captive (so damage it and you’re stuffed!) and the cable clip that stops an unsecured cable introducing unwanted sound is a bit lame. This latter problem I have overcome by securing the cable to my bracket with small rubber bands. For my pocket this has been pushing the limit but I do believe it’s been a good investment, I hope with care it will do me good service, time will tell on that, but allegedly with registration it’s got a ten year warranty! I also bought the Rode Dead Kitten I’ve fitted on it but not had chance to test it in really windy conditions to see how well it copes, but then from past experience I’m keeping expectations realistic, there’s only so much you can attenuate, and even the wind is ambiance.
I initially purchased a Rode mic go, which is a 3rd of the price of this mic, and I was happy with the recording quality I had from that.
I wanted a 2nd mic as a back up, so opted for this one based on other reviews and thought my Rode mic go could be my back.
It really is worth the extra money.
I’m not very technically minded but the sound is just so much clearer.
The only downside is that the 3.5mm jack lead is hardwired into this unit, so I guess if you damage the wire through heavy use then you would need to replace the entire mic.
As you may have check beforehand in Youtube (or probably not), this maybe the only mic you will ever need.
In term of simplicity and versatility, I don’t think you will find anything like it. Yes, Deity may have something quite similar in construction, perhaps almost on par in term of sound quality, but no…the RODE Videomic NTG have something thats not many other mini shotgun mic have…and thats the ability to connect directly via USB as a desktop microphone. Straight out of the box! No need to get audio interface, no need to find an XLR cable, no need to fuss about settings or whatever, just plug it in and it run just like that. In fact, you can connect this thing to any kind of devices you have (not your rice cooker or vacuum cleaner of course). You can connect it directly to your smartphone, you can connect it directly to your portable recorder. And the good news is, it still sounds fantastic. You need a mic with XLR output? I am pretty sure you can connect it via adapter.
There are a lot feature to mention about it but I think the most important feature is that it will automatically turned ON and ready for recording when you connect it to a device/camera.
The build is all metal, perhaps aluminum, but it doesn’t make it prone to audio interference, and robust enough to handle tough job. Came with Rycote shock mount which is looking nice and perhaps the best shock mount in the market.
I think this is the best sounding and overall versatility Vlog mic, and it doesn’t sound bad at all for interviews, podcast or voice over work, at a relatively affordable price (I bought mine at a good bargain of 154). Definitely, highly recommended.
Rode is the most well known brand in microphone business. It has a reason and this video micro version is nothing but perfect for what it’s designed for. I ordered the cable for phones aka trs to trrs. It’s good to record directly to your phone/camera or to a sound recorder. No battery need makes it easy to use everywhere, every time.
This mic is excellent. I have various different microphones to use when filming in my office and this finally is the one I hoped for. It’s loud at 1m and has less noise than any other I’ve tried. I still use an NTG2 for my primary mic, but this is used as a backup mounted to the camera in case I forget to record the main track. The output is nearly as good as the NTG2 despite being mounted further away. The versatility of using USB or phono is great, it’s usually plugged into the camera direct but I can also use if with the PC if needed. As an all rounder this would definitely be my recommendation, and mounted close to the mouth could easily be a main podcast mic.
I bought this as I’m filming videos on my iphone and needed better sound. I had to buy the additional cable sold separately and a dongle to attach it to my phone but it works great. Sound is definitely improved and certainly gives a much more professional finish!
The mic is small and easy to mount so really great addition to my kit!
The only thing I had problems at the beginning was when the camera turns off the Mic goes off a few seconds later, once it doesn’t detect power, that is great to save battery. However, when the camera goes off, and you turn it on straight away without waiting for the Mic to go off, the Mic won’t turn on, make sure and be aware when you turn back on your camera the Mic is ON before press record.
For everything else I am really happy with this RODE VideoMic NTG; it is worth the investment for me.
After using the Rode Video Micro for my YouTube and client videos, I thought it was time to upgrade my audio. I needed a high-quality audio source that would help me produce better content with my Canon M50.
One of the most common issues I’ve found with previous microphones is forgetting to turn them off and then batteries run out. This is why I love the automatic power feature which turns the microphone on and off when the camera is turned on and off.
With the power for the mic you have several options with either the rechargeable battery, AA’s, or constant Micro USB power. This is really useful as it means there will be very few opportunities where the mic is out of power.
I also really like the variety of features that the mic has. This includes the high pass filter, gain modes, and safety channel. The best of these for me is the +20dB mode as my camera doesn’t have the best preamps. This gives me the opportunity to have really good quality sound.
Overall, this is a really good, professional microphone with some great features. I’m yet to find something that I’m not a fan of with this microphone and look forward to using it for several years. This is certainly a microphone that I would recommend to others.
I wanted this to bring my work from home videoconferencing setup to the next level. I tested with a friend who shoots/records a lot of interviews and the feedback is that it’s a massive improvement than in-camera or on-laptop mic.
My only comment is that the “I’ve forgotten to switch it off after use” LED is on the back…so expect the odd flat 9v battery if you’ve been using it to VC or vlog with.
I received it the first time and the foam was a bit damaged. The customer service sent me another one and the result was similar. The customer service went the extra mile and tried to make it right all the time. They even sent me return tags as I didn’t have any printer handy during the lockdown. Nothing to complain about them. They took all the rights steps and attitude. Thanks for this. -> 5 Stars
It’s just unfortunately a weak packaging from the manufacturer for such an expensive product. This means that the foam can be slightly damaged and in theory after few days should regain the shape but it’s not always the case as you can see on the photo/video. Again, the seller was great, it’s just Rode that they need to invest in better packaging for future releases. -> 2.5 Stars
Overall Rating: 4 Stars. (Product 4.5/5, Customer Service 5/5, Manufacturer’s Packaging 2.5/5)
Good sound, with little electrical noise. Not quite as directional as I had hoped, but pretty dead at the sides. Very useful filters and gain controls. Long battery life. Others have commented on the inconvenient placing of the output socket, which can be a nuisance if using an eye-level viewfinder. Fortunately I usually use the live-view screen for video, so this isn’t a problem in practice.
If you vlog and film a tonne using a DSLR or phone this is an absolute must for. I use this a bunch with my nikon d5500 and huawei honor 10 and i must say the results a very good for the price range. If you are running this mic on a phone setup i do recommend purchasing SC7 cable since the mic won’t function on a phone without it. It’s the only drawback from an otherwise great product.
The VideoMicro functions very similar to the video mic go as you simply plug it in adjust you’re devise settings and you’re ready to go. It doesn’t run on batteries, which can be a good or bad thing depending on your preference but the sound production pre processing is still top notch. For those who don’t know most mics with built in batteries have a better quality sound since they also come with built-in pre-amps and high pass filters. Though it’s not necessary, these are for reducing noise, hisses and interference further and leaving a much crisper sound. These issues can easily be fixed since it’s just changing the camera settings on you’re device so unless you’re a pro wanting absolute control over sound design you shouldn’t worry too much about.
The mic comes with a hot shoe mount that has a stabiliser for vibration compensation and it stays level with the device you’re using . It even comes with a wind shield if you’re working outdoors. It’s well worth the investment and is a great entry level mic since it’s portable and easy to use.
Excellent Sound. The ability to boost the dB is extremely useful.
They say buy right buy once and this mic is proof this is true. Excellent sound quality over standard video mic. Well worth the extra money
I suppose it depends on your client, and the type of work that you do. I work for a business who train and record Public Narrative work. This has given the video’s a great sound and picks up the vocals using a Canon DSLR brilliantly. I now have a different camera which needs an active mic, so this has become redundant, but I use it as a back up, capturing video from a different angle and using this, has saved my bacon as the active mic needs powering on, which isn’t something you (I) always remember. Wish this worked on my main camcorder.
Always been a fan of RDE equipment and this hasn’t failed me! Sturdy feel and easy access to buttons and setting. The auto on & off feature when you turn your camera off is great saving battery life. When research for a mic this was mentioned in nearly all and worth spend slightly more over cheaper models for sure! Since have this I have also bought the RDE Wireless Go which is also a fantastic piece of kit!!
Excellent mic, pretty much the standard for on camera mics. Great features and sounds great.
I have tried it with both my Android smartphone and my MacBook Pro laptop and I had no issues. However, I have noticed that I would lose a sound output on my device if I use TRRS cable as that is the nature of the TRRS connector where the device would think it has both a microphone and a speaker connected.
It tried recording the sound on a very windy day and the sound was very clear so I am very happy with the wind muff, however, at the beginning I noticed that it sheds quite a bit of hair. The only thing I dislike about this microphone is that I cannot firmly attach the wind muff to it so if the microphone is shaking too much the muff can slide a bit thus letting the wind hit part of the microphone.
Overall, given the price on a deal, I would argue that it is a good value for money since the recordings sound very crisp and clear and the microphone is compact so it isn’t unwieldy.
Excellent piece of kit, great sound quality and very well designed
Rode is the best mic on the market. I was happy to pay extra money as I knew I will get quality product. It really isolates all sound around you and voice is very clear. Very pleasant to listen. Very popular between vllogers and if you are doing some interviews or educational videos.
It has great feature it switches on when camera is switched on and goes off when camera is switched off. You don’t end up with empty battery because you forgot to switch mic off.
Th great thing about this little microphone is just that… its little. Plus the fact that it doesn’t need a battery. it works straight off your cameras microphone input.
I purchased this over the Videomic Pro+ (250) because that unit is large and I have professional shotgun microphones when size and weight isn’t an issue.
A good lavalier microphone is better (I have several) but sometimes that’s a hassle to set up, and sometimes you just want something small to stick on top of a small camera and go!
And for that purpose, this unit is perfect.
The sound quality isn’t going to scare a professional shotgun mic, but its very usable and much better than relying on the camera’s internal mics.
Its a little bass shy, but in the typical use case for a product like this (talking to camera) that can be an advantage and aid clarity.
Its a very good little unit, and the included ‘dead cat’ windshield is a nice bonus…especially when Rode’s more expensive mics don’t include one.
Any downsides? Yeah, the shock mount is very weak… not that it feels like it might break, but if you move the camera even a small amount, the microphone wobbles like a nodding dog and this creates rumble noises in your recordings.
So it loses a star for that.
I like the ease of use, it fits all my devices that I want it to work on.
What I don’t like is the dead cat got lost after only the second time out and have had to buy various replacements because they all come off too easy, I’ve had to use needle and cotton to stitch the back of it to prevent losing the latest one. The sound level isn’t automatic and have to adjust manually, particularly when using Filmic Pro, but I suppose for the money it’s acceptable.
I would like to have been the choice of a dedicated one piece lead that fits directly from mic to Apple Lightning connection instead of joining 2 leads together.
This mic is a great partner with the Rode Videomic Pro+. The Pro+ is mono only and has its own rechargeable battery. Great for isolating the subject, where this one picks out a little more from the front while giving much more a sense of the space. Stereo staging is very natural and it has a more etched sound than the Pro+. As a combo, they’re great because you get the choice.
The Rycote mount is quite soft so the mic does move about if you walk around with it attached. It has a little more self noise than I’d like but it’s insignificant in most situations. The 20dB boost is very welcome and boosts the audio cleanly which means less noise from your camera preamp. I’ve even used it with my GoPro and it sounds great.
I like its sound. It’s natural and you can plainly hear where anyone speaking is in the sound stage. It’s not too wide and does open up the ‘feel’ of your videos. Of course, there’s nothing to stop you combining channels or even using just one in post production if you want mono and this works well for central speech. Sometimes I record twice. Once for speech in mono and then ambience separately. This means you can get the mic close to the speaker and add ambience at any volume you like later giving you a mono track planted inside a stereo ambience track. This gives both a great sense of space as well as a clear sense of where the speaker is with a stereo ambience track.
It’s a great mic. but buy a deadcat with it.
Paired this up with a Panasonic Lumix G7 camera to shoot 4K video. Of course its way better than onboard audio but you really need to be in front of it. If you are pointing it at someone it will only pick up their voice clearly and if you speak to them from behind the camera the results aren’t great of course being a shotgun mic design. Its a quality bit of kit and the shockmount is tough enough, was expecting it to be flimsy reading other reviews!
Gain is adjustable which means even live rock music record well as long as the -10dB pad is switched in. For most normal use, it can be set at zero gain and for quieter sounds or for noisy preamps on cameras, the +20dB. So the gain settings are terrific and really easy to access on the back of the mic.
Treble can be boosted with a single switch. This is useful to add clarity or for those times when you have a deadcat fitted.
Bass rolloff is also adjustable. Again, great if you’re in a noisy, traffic ridden place or want to lose air conditioner sounds. The higher bass cut works well to help cut wind sounds.
A really useful feature is the safety track. Two tracks are recorded with one lower than the other. Means that you can set gain with less worry about peaking having a second, lower volume track to fall back on.
Then there is its lightweight construction but still built really well. The shockmount works incredibly well and isolates the mic from your camera.
So, it’s not a cheap microphone, but it has great features and a very robust sound and highly directional pickup. Designed extremely well for video work.
The best mic you can buy!
Lean how to set it up via videos on YouTube and you will get awesome sound.
I picked this mic as it is from a good manufacturer but also because it needs no batteries! It gets powered from the camera body itself, so no more worrying about charging an extra item or carrying around extra batteries. It simply mounts onto the camera body and plugs into the mic input of the camera.
The sound quality is very good. I was amazed by how clear the speaking was, and I was a fair distance from the ceremony. There is also a cover for the mic to reduce any wind or other ambient noise.
At this price, you definitely need one of these in your bag!
Just taken delivery so early days yet but seems a good little mic. Only observation is the lyre mount is a little wobbly. I’ll be using it on a tripod so no issues there but if you were mobile you would need a gimbal to to stabilise camera and mic.
I bought the SC7 adaptor cable to allow use with my iPhone 6s+. I was concerned as other users had reported mic didn’t work with their phones. Having recorded a couple of vids I too was concerned at no sound on playback. Stupidly I had left the SC7 plugged into the phone so any audio was being directed back up the adapter cable and not out of the speakers. Obvious I know but if I can do it maybe others can. So to hear your audio track on playback on an iPhone just unplug the SC7 cable. To record again plug it back in.
Was going to use this for YouTube but the static and background noise is just too intense even after changing my in camera microphone sensitivity settings. I couldn’t even fix it in post production. So I had to buy any other one and use this to record in camera and then one into the pc and align the tracks after. More work but this 20 mic that is usb has less background static noise. Would be good for anything other than recording speech in a room for YouTube videos. Unless you don’t mind the static noises.
The Rode Video Mic Pro delivers on expectations. Following a number of video reviews online I decided to purchase this microphone (and the deadcat) for my professional video work. The -10dB & +20dB ranges make this a very versatile microphone. Just a few things to note, if you’re using it with an older DSLR (like the Canon 5D Mark III) make sure to turn the camera recording volume down as low as possible and use the microphone in the +20dB range, or preferably use an external video recorder as the noise floor of these cameras totally eliminates the benefits of using such a quality microphone. Whilst this mic has a shoe mount and is intended as an on-camera mic, when possible use on a boom or otherwise mounted close to your subject as you’ll get much better clarity and minimise unwanted noises (this microphone has good directionality being supercardiod). All in all a very nicely designed microphone, just don’t forget to turn it off after use.
with a bit extra support this would be perfect. very good performance just a bit wobbley. wind noise reuction is good but mic wobbles about a bit in a gust. the indor and stationary performance is as good if not better than the sightly larger rode. what you really need is the mount of the larger mic with the compact size of this one for travelling. cant have everything. I can fit this in a tiny camera bag with a dslr body, 3 lenses, dual battery charger, tripod and cleaning equipment. pretty impressive and half the sixe of my girlfriend handbag!
Audio quality wise, clearer as compared to camera in-build mic, however background buzzing noise in a quiet room still audible with the mic. Good volume of sounds that is directly in front of the mic, whereas if spoken from the sides or behind the mic, sound capture will be reduced in volume. Hence best use by speaking in front of the mic. No difference in sound quality between using windshield or not in a wind-free environment. Unable to comment how useful is the windshield in windy environment as I never had a chance to test it.
Build quality is good, the mic is small and compact, and is made of metal. Mount is made of plastic and the build quality doesn’t feel as good as the mic.
Recommend for those who in on tight budget but need decent sound quality for small video production. If needing more superb audio quality I will recommend getting the more expensive Rode Pro version.
I was looking for an external microphone to use on my DSLR, as I do a lot of content creation work and wanted something to record the environment we work in. The space we share can be quite loud sometimes, especially during our creation, this is why I loved the decibel (DB) setting on the microphone. You can adjust it between -10(my favourite setting), 0 and +20 decibels. -10 is perfect for me as it eliminates a lot of the unnecessary noise within the room and with the microphone set to directional rather than open, this really works a charm. I’d highly recommend this microphone, especially for use in large or open environments as it has the options available to cope with this. It also works brilliants in smaller and quieter environment. You will not be disappointed with the great audio quality.
Really nice and sturdy , great pickup , wonderful settings to counter background noise , excelle
Audio safe track and automatic power on are a lifesaver. Great sound too
Excellent Value Mic, so the new Rode Videomic Pro+ (Plus) is the best hands down on camera mic out there, obviously I’m excluding a proper shotgun XLR cabled mic. But it costs 4x as much as this.
The Rode VideoMicro value is incredible, firstly it includes a Rycote Shock mount which Rode has licensed from the fantastic UK brand Rycote (made in the UK) who’ve patented their great Lyre invention, also in the box a great windscreen with acoustically transparent foam inside the faux fur covering. These two accessories would normally cost 25-30 each!
The Mic itself is made of aluminium, I’d say the build quality is better than the “Pro+” . It’s made in Australia and sounds fantastic with DSLR and iPHONE.
Fantastic Mic buy in a heartbeat. Don’t buy knockoffs. Buy the real deal and support great design.
A bargain and totally worth buying, if yours arrives with a red Rycote shock mount it means you have the latest 2018 stock
Sound quality is excellent. A lot better than the generic dslr mic I had before.
Works very well if the camera is close to the person speaking. You can pick up longer cables to give yourself more options. I switched to this after using a separate recorder and recording direct to DSLR makes the process so much smoother. Unlike something like a Zoom H2N you are relying on the camera’s own pre-amp much more (this mic has no battery power which I actually prefer) so the I find the quality is excellent but not as good as a powered recorder/mic. Perhaps the price is a little high but it comes with a very good “dead cat”.
The solution is to use a headphone jack extender and tape the sensitive mic cable section to the gimbal / adapter you are fixing the mic to. That way you minimize any movement of the mic cable.
i wish they used the red type interchangable cable the cheaper video micro uses. Theres no issue with this model.
Just to clarify some things;
It records mono not stereo
Mounts onto a hot shoe or cold shoe mount
Requires the SC7 patch cable (~10) to work with mobiles (the cable included only works for TRS to TRS)
Audio Quality
Thankfully, they’ve included the windshield because without it, the audio picks up quite a lot of windy noise. Indoor use without the windshield is okay, but for conveniences sake you may as well keep it on. The windshield does an excellent job at keeping the wind out and softening loud breaths when you speak into the mic. I don’t pick up any ‘hiss’ as other people have complained about, but I do get some noticeable background noise. I’ve found that cleaning it up using Audacity makes the mic sound extremely high quality.
Mic Design
The mic feels very high quality with its full metal body. There are no complaints from me about the mic design.
Mount Design
The main problem I have with the product is actually to do with the Rycote Lyre Mount. Since the mic is only fixed on it at one point, the mic is able to rock forward and backward quite noticeably when you are moving about (i.e. walking). This is extremely noticeable on the audio, meaning it is more aimed towards stationary vlogging and filming (thus defeating the point of making it compact and easy to travel with). Using a different mount or using a gimbals should solve this, but falls heavily outside my budget (Rycote mounts are ~50 and gimbals are ~100). Also, the plastic of the mount feels very cheap and susceptible to snapping at any point. You do get 2 years warranty on this though, so I will see if it is needed at all.
Overall, this mic is definitely worth the money. It falls within the budget microphone price while delivering premium microphone quality (especially after editing audio in post). Pick this up if you’re looking for a compact budget mic!
Having now used this a few times in various conditions, the sound quality is excellent, even picked up my voice clearly on a windy boat trip. Would this be without this mic for vlogging now.
For 45 great mic, sounds perfect, I tested it on Nikon D5200 vs Zalman ZM-MIC1 vs build in mic ( and I can say that Zalman works pretty good also but only during some specific setups – indoor, stable with mic attached to 1 place in front of camera or so 😀 ). What’s important, don’t check sound quality on camera build in preview – You will hear tons of distortions and humming due co Nikon D5200 bad ampli. After uploading clips on PC they sound much cleaner and you can eliminate all humming etc completely with video edit software if You need it. Dead cat works really perfect – must have to outdoor recording in UK.
Small edit – I have used it with PC also, works perfect and you can have very good mic for streaming etc for nice money
It is a good mic but your subject needs to be close to it to get the full benefit and sound quality from it.
It is very good the closer you are to it, more depth and clarity over the built in mic on my dslr but the quality gets less and less the further away you are from it.
The battery cover is fiddly to get back on and is not the easiest to see which way to put the battery in.
There is a small sticker on the inside of the battery compartment showing which way to put the battery in but this could be easily missed if you did not know it was there, there is also a image on the back of the battery cover showing battery position as well. This mic is more suited for interviews and vlogging etc, it will pick up noise from behind and sides but this will not be as clear as what is in front of the mic as this is what it is for. If you were looking for a more ambient sound of the area you are in then the rode videomic stereo would be better for this purpose. If you purchase this mic you will also need to get your self a 9v battery as there is not one supplied with the mic, overall i am happy with this purchase.
The package includes the TRS connection cable, a shock mount, a windjammer/deadkitten, and the microphone itself.
I am not planning on this being my main camera microphone. It will be mainly used as a backup. The reason I love it so much is because it is so versatile.
I can use this with my Panasonic Lumix G6. I can use this as an external microphone with my audio recorder. I can connect this to action cameras. I picked up the Rode SC7 TRS to TRRS connection cable too so I can also use my Google Nexus 6P with it too.
It really is versatile and for the size of the microphone it punches above its weight and stands well against more expensive options. My plan is to keep it with my portable little camera bag at all times so that I have it there for whenever I need it. For example, if I just want to record a quick video on my smartphone I can connect it up.
You may have to mess around with the mic level on your camera if you want to get the right sound. On my Panasonic Lumix G6 the mic levels go from 1 to 19. At the highest level (19) there is a lot of buzzing and hissing. I need to set the microphone between level 1 and level 12 so that the sound is ok.
The windjammer works ok. I really like how well it slides easily onto the VideoMicro, though I didn’t find that it reduced noise as much as other windjammers.
Check out my video for a series of audio tests I performed with the microphone. Be sure to leave a question below in the comment area if you have any questions about the microphone. I tested it in a lot of different situations to see how it performed, but I would be happy to answer anything I didn’t cover in the review.
Kevi
This microphone is capable of doing a lot more than on camera work. I have used this product with my PC, for contacting my friends, and communicating with people when playing games online. As well as this, this microphone is great at being used as a boom mic for a video.
This microphone tops any built-in microphones on cameras or phones, and it is a great way to improve quality of videos for things like YouTube, Twitch or general video projects in general.
Pros of this microphone:
– Brilliant, Crisp, Sharp Audio
– Great price for performance
– Works with many platforms:
– PC
– Mac
– Camera
– Audio Recorder
– Phone (with adapter)
– Uses standard 3.5mm jack connector
– Shock mount reduces knocks and bumps greatly
– Foam covering reduces noise from wind quite well
– built in cable stretches well
– built in high pass filter
Cons of this microphone:
– audio cable isn’t replaceable
– requires 9v battery for power
– quite large – can sometimes be seen in the camera shot (when mounted on hotshot mount) when using wide angle lens
This product is amazing for the price, can’t recommend it enough!
The video mic from rode is a good piece of gear to have with a camera. It fits easily with a camera that has a cold shoe mount on it, although I had to buy a separate cold shoe mount to go on the cage of my camera. But it was well worth it because the whole setup with the cage and the follow focus and the matte box looks very impressive.
The microphone needs to be set a night input in the camera or the the subject you are shooting needs to be fairly close (about 1m) from the camera, to produce a clear good quality sound. Otherwise I found that I needed to clean up my sound and apply a de-hisser and vocal enhancer to it in editing. I didn’t have the input set very high in the camera and I was quite far away from the subject during much of the filming.
However, if you need a slightly more focused sound at distances over four or five feet then you might want to consider a short shot gun mic – a good cheap option is something like the HTDZ HT 320A 10-inch mic (quite difficult to find these days) which in my tests produced a better, more focused, sound at longer distances than the Rode. But it does not have the convenient form factor of the Rode (direct camera mounting is a bit awkward), and it’s battery operated, whereas the Rode is battery free. So the Rode has definite advantages here.
You could also attach a longer cable and use the Rode off-camera if you wanted to, on a boom pole with the right mount adapter etc. It also comes with a furry wind protector which is useful.
In total, it’s a nice and practical little mic and a very useful accessory within its limits. But don’t expect miracles when recording sounds at longer distances. At around 45 at the time of writing, it’s a pretty good buy. But if you’re even half way serious about obtaining decent sound in different environments, the Rode should NOT be the only mic in your kit.
It just seems neat and unobtrusive, not going over the top for general video work when out with your DSLR camera. It will also work well with other types of video cameras of any size so long as the audio input is a sterio 1/4″ pin. Rode do a neat converter if an XLR input is required (usually for more high end Camcorders) and also stereo to mono converters are available if your camera has a mono 1/4″ input.
The Rycote holder could possibly be the weakest ling if camera knocked or thrown over a shoulder too hard but time will tell.
The Fur, mini dead cat type cover is held on very secure and works well outdoors in slight winds.
Could be mounted side by side with a video light and the coiled cable has good reach if required.
Strongly recommended product.
PROS:
This provides equal or superior sound to the Videomic Pro, and saved me well over a hundred pounds in the process. It also includes a deadcat and the new shock mount which I would have had to pay more for on the Videomic Pro. The small size of the microphone is great for the travelling film maker. The lack of the battery required really makes this a great microphone as you don’t have to worry about the battery draining.
CONS:
The warranty is for only 2 years, compared to the Videomic Pro’s 10 years. However, I don’t think the target buyer for this product will use it or abuse it as much as one might with the other model so this may not be an issue. This microphone sounds great with the deadcat, but without sounds like a… dead cat. The capsule is so sensitive that it is unusable without the shield.
If you’re looking at this microphone you’ve most likely looked at the Videomic Go. All I can say is that looking at reviews and reading articles, the Videomic Go sounds awful in comparison – not to mention this model is cheaper.
Works very well on my Canon 600d, and I can’t recommend it enough!
very good microphone for people using dslr’s for recording video but want half decent sound. fits well and snug on the hotshoe, on my Nikon d3300 which has an external mic port so be careful some dslr’s dont have them. The internal sound controls are a bit hard to get to so i don’t use them but they are not very important unless you are going somewhere very loud. i have managed to rig mine up with a Dictaphone and an audio splitter on my dslr so i can monitor the audio, which i would recommend. with it being a shotgun microphone you can really tell the sound is captured from where it is pointing which is great. the shock mount is very good stopping any vibrations that would create noise. the sound can be a bit hissy unless you turn down the mic preamp level on a dslr so bear this in mind as i thought it was the mic at first.
I recommend this over the rode go mic unless your really pushed for price and space, as it is much better and not too more expensive. i cant really compare it to the video mic pro but i would say is at least half as good for around half the price. you also get a good warranty from rode which i would recommend using also
overall very pleased and would definitely recommend for people wanting an external mic for their camera.
This is a decent mic if you’re going gung-ho and shooting run and gun. The main problem you might have is when/if filming in quieter environments, such as interviews.
Here you’ll notice a hiss throughout. This isn’t in and of itself a big hassle and not a big deal to fix, but adds extra work for no reason. If you intend on using it for such purposes you’re better off with the Pro version or a dedicated shotgun mic.
Fortunately, the job I got this for was in a noisy environment so it didn’t affect me. But be aware that it picks up plenty of ambient noise from almost all directions. The subject you’re pointing the mic at should be the loudest thing on your recordings in most situations (unless you’re in an insanely noisy area like a fairground or concert) so in many instances, it will work for many types of videos.
I’d recommend a 3.5mm extension (female one end, male on the other) so you have the opportunity to bring it as close to the subject as possible, which will make them louder. A useful feature is the mic can “stand” on its own so you can place it by the feet of your subject. The sound in some cases I’ve found to be much better than mounted on camera.
In some cases, though, it was the same as mounting on camera so do some tests before you shoot to figure out how to make it work best for you and work around the mic’s flaws.
I’ve decided to keep the Rode Videomic, because, as I said, it records (seemingly) well in a noisy environment, much better than the on-board mic, and I’ve now purchased (after much research) a separate recording device. No one said audio for video was going to be easy, I just thought it would be. It can be complicated, expensive, and time consuming trying to get it all to work the way you want it to, as different situations are going to call for different set ups, but that’s part of the fun, and definitely a major part of the learning process.
As for build quality, it is excellent, the Rycote Lyre Mount works, and, as this is by far the most important thing, it does look very good in the camera rig, especially when it’s sat on top of a camera grip!
This mike sounds great and was a good price. I use it on a Canon DSLR. My problem with it is that to adjust the input levels (0,-10,-20 db etc) you have to remove the battery cover and then the battery then flick the SMALLEST SWITCHES IN THE WORLD, seriously, nanotechnology is here and its in this mike. You will need good eyesight, bright light and a steady hand, so if you are middle aged like me and possibly at a loud dark gig you are screwed. I have to state that I probably would have found this out had I read the other reviews here properly, hence I am not going to give the product a bad rating.
If you need something for interviews or general filming its good, but if you think you are going to need to change the settings often, go for the more expensive Pro model with the switches on the back in plain view.
The directional microphone needs to be used with care. For example if you are interviewing someone who points out something of interest behind you, it’s no good panning round as they continue to talk, as their voice will fade away!
The other reason for purchasing this microphone was to improve sound quality and to lessen the effect of wind. The sound quality of the built in microphone of the Panasonic camcorder was pretty good, and so it was difficult to recognize a significant improvement in general recording, but it did noticeably overcome problems of recording in a light breeze.
The microphone is attached to a mounting system that is designed to cut out camera and it is questionable as to how long the rubber loops will last. However another reviewer has made the point that these can easily be replaced by inexpensive O-Rings and so this is not a problem. The microphone is relatively large and dwarfs my camcorder, but at least it’s not very heavy and so again not much of a problem, as long as you have a bag that it will fit into. Finally, the only real problem that I have had is to forget to switch it on. I would strongly recommend that once you start filming for the day switch it on and leave it on. The pp3 battery is supposed to last for more than 100hrs, and so the cost of doing this far outweighs the cost of losing valuable footage!
I first got my Rode to do complete a multimedia project that required better audio that could be attained that through the my 5D’s mic. I rather foolishly used it straight into the audio input and not my Zoom audio recorder (a h2 or h2n, I think!) The first time I used it I was amazed by the clarity, if a little bland. A couple of weeks later I used it for the interview section of a mockumentary. It could not pull speech so I was left with the annoying hum of a desk fan (it was one of those rare English heat waves) and that really disappointed me. Since then I have used it to record a couple of song’s. I originally (in a test) used it to record drum overheads, it was good, and the stereo image was noticeable, but it wasn’t brilliant. My 2 new AKG C 414’s (XLS) are much better. I have since used it on guitar and piano, though vocals (against Rode’s very own words-just watch their product demo) just fail with this mic, and the sound leaves a lot to be desired.
Pros
Good Sound Quality
Ok in a studio
Good on a boom pole
Cons
Rubbish at vocals
Rubbish at pulling speech.
You get what you pay for!
I spent a lot of time doing the AGC hack instead of using the manuel audio levels on the Canon 600D as that still makes the hiss. if you want to use this microphone on a Canon DLSR, make sure you look up on google or youtube about the AGC (auto gain control) hack as this will get the best audio for your Canon DSLR without the use of a seprate recording device like a ZOOM H1.
Basically the AGC hack works like this… you spilt the stereo sound using a simple cable and then effectively you have two separate mono channels, no need to worry the rode video mic is mono on two channels anyway, so on one channel you play a 19khz tone from a ipod shuffle, and in the other you put you microphone in. adjust the level fo the tone on the ipod to change the level fo the mic and there you have it, no hiss 🙂 i recommend looking online for a better explanation as that was only brief
I fully reccomend getting this pmicrophone for any camcorder/DLSR as it will be a lot better than any on board micrphones. again if your getting this micrphone for a Canon DLSR make sure you research about the AGC (auto gain control) hack or else you will be disappointed in the quality as the Canon DLSRs do not have good audio recording.
Here is a relatively inexpensive solution. The Rode Video Mic.
Great mic and plenty of settings to play around and experiment with.
The switches do make a difference, so dont be shy trying them all until you have one that suits your type of work.
Some have commented on the rubber mountings breaking?
I can see, in my situation, how this might happen, which is due to the leaning angle of the Mic.
When placing your camcorder down, especially if you use a videocam stabiliser system as I do, then you will notice that the mic leans to the right, so I dont place your camcorder down on its right side or it will place pressure on the mics mountings possibly causing them to snap.
I have had no trouble with the mic, other than strong winds affecting sound, which is a normal challenge regardless, in my opinion.
I also use a rechargeable 9v battery and this works fine despite the instructions advising a normal 9v batt.
I bought the rode stereo mic after a fair amount of research online, and I’m using it on a canon 5D. The mic is, quite obviously, a massive improvement on the built-in microphone, incredibly crisp and clear. For the money this represents a substantial upgrade in audio quality, and should be more than enough to cover amateur film-making, even some professional work, interviews etc. There will come a time when I, and maybe you, will want to record separate audio, but until then, the rode is ideal. Incidentally, the hot-shoe-not-fitting issue mentioned in earlier reviews was not an issue with mine, maybe rode have sorted it out. It’s a firm fit, which is exactly what you’d expect, but there were no burrs of metal etc to worry about. Yes, for a pure film camera you’d probably design the mic-to-camera coupling differently, but the 5D is mostly purchased for stills, so the plate on the camera has to be designed for flash photography accessories. It’s just fortuitous that the same plate works for a microphone, and, in the light of the camera plate fitting they’ve had to design for, Rode should be commended for a microphone which works serviceably well.
I’ve just bought one of these to use on a Panasanic SD900, and I confer with other readers that it looks awefully big sitting on top of it.
In use the mic picks up huge and expansive stereo images that contains bags of detail and the Deadkitten is great eliminating wind noise.
I’d recommend removing the suspension and putting it back on in reverse so that the support slopes towards the front of the camera. This has two advantages… Firstly, it moves the balance of the mic back to something approaching the balance of the camcorder, and secondly it reduces the obstruction of the picture at wider angles by the Deadkitten wind jammer. Still filaments of it are visible in the picture so I may have to give it a trim and I’m going to get a cold shoe riser to lift the mic up by an inch or so.
So an excellent mic but perhaps some more thought could have been given to the design of the mounting.
I chose the Stereo Video Mic because I thought it would be more versatile, maybe not as directional and as good with voice as the Video Mic but would still be OK (it’s two of the same condenser mics) but of course it can do stereo when required, which the other clearly can’t do.
In use it’s a bit bulkier than the Video Mic, but it’s not out of place on a 5D which is a sizeable camera. Fitting it though was the problem – the first one I was sent just didn’t fit the hot-shoe of any camera I owned so I contacted Rode and they replied quickly saying that it should fit a 5DII and they advised I returned it. I did and the second I received was also tight but once eased on it became easy to fit and remove; a small burr of the aluminium was rubbed away by the first fitting. Another reviewer here had similar problems so it looks they know how to build good mics down under but aluminium castings are proving a bit harder!
Once in use the quality is great – rich and full, much better than the built-in, hollow sounding mic on my camera. It’s worth also noting that the optimum range (according to Rode) isn’t too far – only 2m – and unlike camcorder mics it won’t ‘zoom’ so an extension cable and somewhere to mount the mic can come in handy. Certainly inside at about 3m away it was fine, but in a noisy environment it might prove more problematic to get ‘broadcast quality’. I haven’t needed to use the included ‘dead kitten’ yet so can’t report on that.
In use it’s easy to set up, with basic filters for hum and booming issues but I imagine most decent editing software can apply similar things in post processing, for hum anyway. I’m using Final Cut Express and that has certainly has a reasonable sound editing tool-kit.
All-in-all I can thoroughly recommend this product – a very well made mic with a 10 year guarantee so you can’t really go wrong, though if you want to do only voice and want to stay with the mic on camera then the standard Video Mic may be a better bet. If I hadn’t had the accessory shoe mount issue it would have easily got five stars.