RØDE - VideoMic Pro

A Rode Videomic Go II or Videomic Pro. I recommend the Videomic Go because it doesn't need a battery, and that can save you when you're out and about. The number of times I've accidentally left my Videomic Pro on in my bag is... maybe five. So not horrible. But it's annoying.

Hundreds and hundreds. Nearly everything on this channel is the Videomic Go II or Videomic Pro. Occasionally the Wireless Go, but almost always the shotgun microphones on top of the camera. . https://youtube.com/@brianmarkgriffin

Are you looking for on camera shotgun mic? or wireless lav mics? I use the Rode Wireless Pro for lavs and I've liked them quite a bit. Range is good, sounds is good, kit comes with a lot and they record internally for a backup if the sinal cuts. For on camera shotgun I use the Rode Video Mic Pro and it's also great though I think I'd like to try the Sennheiser MKE 400 I've heard good things and I don't wanna have to keep buying 9v volt batteries for the Rode. Also I have a Rode NTG 5+ and with an xlr to 3.5mm cable I've used it with my Z6III succesfully so I guess that's an option too if you need a longer or ofcamera shotgun.

I'm baaaack!!! Okay, so it turned out to be quite hard to piece together a rig \*exactly\* like mine above. As I mentioned earlier, this was assembled from random bits and pieces from a lifelong career and hobby in photo & video. So that is the bad news, which is actually some **good** news… I have found an alternative that bypasses all the shenanigans (clamps/adapters/doohickeys) and just allows you to put the mic directly ON the tripod. Bonus: It’s also cheaper than the initial *rebuild* of my setup I had put together. 3\* Pieces will give you the same functionality as mine. 1. Tripod 2. Shotgun Mic 3. Audio adapter for your phone if it does not have a headphone jack \*4. Audio Cord Splitter (dedicated mic/headphone) This is not essential, but allows you to monitor the mic input with headphones. I often don't do this, but it is a fun thing to do. NOT Sponsored by B&H, but they've treated me well over the years, so they get the links. Shop local if you can! :) \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ **1. Small Rig Beauty Pod 1.5K Flexible Mini Tripod @ $25** [https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1665641-REG/smallrig\_3446\_beautypod\_1\_5k\_flexible\_mini.html](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1665641-REG/smallrig_3446_beautypod_1_5k_flexible_mini.html) **2.** \*Bad news #2\* My mic is a bit of overkill IMO: Rode Video Mic Pro @ $230 + $40 for the deadcat (fuzzy). I would recommend a smaller, more portable version that includes the fuzzy wind protection.  **Rode Video Micro II @ $80** [https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1738295-REG/rode\_vmicroii\_videomicro\_ii\_ultracompact\_camera\_mount.html/accessories](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1738295-REG/rode_vmicroii_videomicro_ii_ultracompact_camera_mount.html/accessories) I am a fan of Rode gear, very robust and high quality. That said, microphones are fairly delicate tools, so try to treat them with care.  **3. Phone audio adapter (TRRS) for your specific model of phone:** Lightning or USB-C options linked below, choose based on your phone’s charging port. \~$15 [https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1561511-REG/saramonic\_sr\_c2002\_apple\_lightning\_connector.html](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1561511-REG/saramonic_sr_c2002_apple_lightning_connector.html) \-or- [https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1580724-REG/comica\_audio\_cvm\_spx\_uc\_3\_5mm\_trrs\_usb\_c\_audio.html](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1580724-REG/comica_audio_cvm_spx_uc_3_5mm_trrs_usb_c_audio.html) **\*Optional** **4. StarTech Headset Output Splitter for Dedicated Mic & Headphone Plugs @ $7**  [https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1571226-REG/startech\_muyhsmffadw\_3\_5mm\_male\_to\_headphone.html](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1571226-REG/startech_muyhsmffadw_3_5mm_male_to_headphone.html) This is all untested, but based on my knowledge and experience should work great for this purpose. Should you choose another style/brand of microphone I would look for one that is listed as a "Shotgun Mic" and has a very directional pattern. This should be listed in the description somewhere. For assembly... The tripod has a slot on the side called a "cold shoe" you will place the base of the mic into that slot and screw down the locking ring. from there its a matter of daisy chaining the cord and adapter to your phone which will be placed in the included phone mount on the tripod screw. \*If you choose to incorporate the splitter, put it between the audio out from the mic, and before the phone adapter. Plug in a set of earbuds and you now have a method to monitor what the microphone is picking up. I recommend using just one ear to begin with, as this can be slightly disorienting at first. Best of luck! Report back if you go ahead with the build! Happy birding!

If I’m capturing sound from the whole scene (a protest, for example) I’ll use a small shotgun mic mounted on the camera. I have a rode video mic pro. If I’m doing an interview or anything with a speaker and don’t want the surrounding sounds, I’ll use my wireless lavs. For this I have the rode wireless pro. Beyond those two simple run and gun setups, if I were in controlled environment, I’d run a Tascam mixer with my larger shotgun condensers on booms and capture the audio separately. In this case, I would still have my rode video mic pro on the camera to get better scratch audio and sync in post.

Hey guys, Was comparing some mics for indoor dialog and wanted to share my experiences + solicit feedback from experienced users. Looking for best mic in garbarge, untreated, reflective spaces, for 1hr long, seated, conversational autobio storytelling, warm dialog, talking heads format. (basically forced to work in spare bedrooms w ancient creaky wooden floors aka acoustic hell lol) Mics used: MKH 50, MKH 8050, MKH 8060, Neumann KM 185, Schoeps C641. Connected to Zoom F6 via canare XLR cable, boompole holder with KTEK 89cc boompole. Monitored w/ Audio Technica m50x hedfons. No foam windscreens used. Testing locations + method: Living Room: 8ft Ceiling, 10x14ft floor, tongue n groove floor, no treatment, soft couch Angle: \~45deg angle towards Collarbone (btwn bottom of chin + collarbone, generally towards throat/collarbone,...at closer 1ft distance, more overhead angle aimed 3-5 inches in front of head) Distances: 4ft, 3ft, 2ft, 1ft overhead, 2ft overhead, 1ft from ceiling/4ft from mouth Sibilance test: "Sally Sells Seashells By The Sea Shore." Spare Bedroom "Studio": 8ft Ceiling, 8x10ft floor, asymmetrical, tongue n groove, producer's choice blankets on x2 windows with 3x Godox LA300R units with fans ON (pleasant low pitch fan noise, about 2 ft-3ft away from mic) Distances: 3ft, 2ft, 1ft overhead. My impressions: MKH 50: (hpf and 10dB pad both OFF) Best polarity/isolation, great reach at 2-3ft, sounds best at 3ft to me. BUT SO DARK. Usually boom 1.5ft to 2ft range while filming irl, where it's too dark and HPF switch doesn't sound right to me. At 3ft its fine, but maybe not great for shooting in smaller spaces. Off axis is solid. For passage read, didn't sound clear with consonants, too muddy, until about 3 ft. A bit of sibilance at 1-2ft. A little bit weird, sounds too bitey to sound good for 1hr of talking heads imo. And w all the dark low end up close, i feel the listener would have to "lean in" too much to make up for lack of high end clarity/muddy upclose bass overload. Any slurred speech would be lost in the darkness. MKH 8050: Maybe my fave w my voice. Good polarity but not as good as mkh50. More neutral than dark, still rich bass, but picks up more room resonance than mkh50. Excels at 1-2ft range, starts to be muddy at 3ft imo. No signif sibilance issues. Pretty good off axis. Feels like it would be chilll to listen to for 1hr talking heads w warmth and neutral-bright enuf. main concern would be slightly more resonance than mkh50. MKH 8060: Sounds like mkh 416 but more indoor friendly. Still too resonancey/low end sounds weird. Seems idiot proof tho, barely have to aim it right w wider pattern, super brite and brilliant freq response. A bit broadcasty/tv-y sound. Pattern a bit too wide. Off axis pretty good. Sounds better at longer distances (3ft+), as expected from a short shotgun. Runs hot so set listening level to -10dB lower than the other mics. A little bit sibilancey up close, w all the brightness boost. Maybe worst of the mics, mainly becoz resonance and subjectively not likeing super brite broadcasty sound. Wouldn't want to listen to it for 1hr, too bright and shrill/resonancey. Feels like an advertisement more than a conversation. Neumann KM 185: Sounds very close to the 8050 and Schoeps to my ears. Pretty good isolation. Polarity is perhaps a little too narrow, and off axis discoloration is a bit bad, and more noticeable than 8050 and Schoeps. Slightly "boxy" freq response. But when you're in the sweetspot it's so good. A little dull and lifeless in the high end/overly neutral, but i kind of like neutral mics. Feels EQ-able. A little high end hype, but when I a/b compare headphones on/off, sounds pretty accurate to real life. Like 8050, sounds best in close, 1-2ft, (3ft starts a little muddiness). Seems to capture the voice well. No signif sibilance issues. Another mic I think would sound good for 1hr talking heads, enuf warmth there. But main concern would be narrower polar pattern/missing the sweet spot when u move/discoloration off axis, and perhaps a little resonance. Schoeps C641: Sounds immediately good, as expected re: price. But def "sweetened," and, to my ears, seems more resonancey than mkh8050 and km185, like the pattern is a bit wider n deeper. Also feels like the low end is a bit more scooped, and the high end bias makes the resonances feel more noticeable. But has the best off axis performance of all the mics, feels like no signif discoloration off axis. No sibilance issues. Impressive. But a little too sweetened, like the low end is scooped out too early. I like a bit of warmth for 1hr documentary talking heads/interview format, this mic feels slightly too high for me. Also pattern feels wider so more resonancey. As a goof, I used some red whips + ktek squid + VXLR PRO to mount a RODE VIDEOMIC PRO to the boompole and did the living room tests as well. Also tested it alongside the MKE600. Rode Videomic Pro: a ton of selfnoise, and pretty damn resonancey/shotgunny sound. BUT, all the frequencies you need for dialog are there, jus probs requires denoising in post and resonances might be an issue. Pretty good @ 1-2ft ranges. EQing required. Sibilance seemed controlled actually, maybe its all the hiss self noise competing w it, lol. Off axis was not great, but then again, seemed to capture dialog no matter where i was in the room, so good as an on-camera backup maybe? MKE 600: Better suited to booming/easier to work with. A bit resonancey. A bit sibilant, maybe worst sibilance of all the mics. Off axis pretty ok. but otherwise shining wonderfully at 1-2ft and still good at 3 ft. Def punches above its weight re price point. QUESTIONS: Am I crazy for not liking a standard mic, the dark mkh50 for indoor dialog? Is there some trick in post to make the sharp consonant sounds more clear when close miking 1-2ft? How would you EQ to deal with resonances in small spaces? I hear brickwalling, like a super hard cut around 80Hz, -48dB/oct or more, seems to be a standard. Any plugins? I use RX 10, analyze/learn 30 seconds of room tone, and DeNoise to remove Godox LA300R fan noise. Works well. Sometimes prempro's deverb plugin etc, to remove super obvious resonances. Also, separately, was curious if you had to improve dialog recorded with a deadcat on the mic what you would pull up in EQ to return some clarity. I know pro audio is acoustic treatment/mic placement sweet spot/trial and error, but jus seeing what i could do to improve less than ideal situation Sanken CS-3e I hear, for horrendous, small, highly reflective/"lively" indoor spaces, the Sanken CS-3e might be worth checking out? Some omni capsule design that has great rejection/isolation at the cost of natural sound, but versatile for indoor. Also hear DPA 4018C and DP 4011A, and the Telefunken M62 are good. anyway, hope this info helps ppl who are interested in these mics for indoor dialog in less than ideal spaces. interested to hear your experiences. my skills are sorta all over the place/nonlinear. i'm not able to be pro, re physical disabilities (spine injury), but i am trying to optimize my recordings in a negative situation, in a space i have access to. cheers

Get a Hollyland Lark M2 - such a good deal, and a really nice microphone. I have an older Rode Videomic Pro and it was picking up a lot more than the lav mic. I also bought the kit for my phone and computer and I find I use it all the time, zoom calls, playing games, it's been a great buy.

Reviving this debate again. Bought an Android CarPlay Unit for my Peugeot (looks OEM and works great! —sorry haters), but I’m looking to get better microphone audio specifically for calls (wired 3.5mm). Any recommendations? Already tried: Olympus ME34 (Standard, mounted on steering wheel column). Rode VideoMicPro (Great when close, mounted on steering wheel column). Currently looking at the Rode SmartLav+ or Sony ECM-LV1 or maybe super high-end Shure WL185MW Cardioid.

We use the pro one (I think which ever has .32 bit float) we have use them on the boom with a phantom power adapter. We love em!

I'll stay here, I'm interested. When I've recorded concerts, if you can't get a signal from a desk or leave a recorder on a tripod, I've even placed the Zoom H4 recorder on the camera itself, using a hotshoe adapter or similar, recording with the limiters on, using the camera audio (low levels) only for syncing, but it's not ideal. I remember a round Rode mic, the VideomicPro, which worked very well with its stock limiters. They lent it to me on several concert jobs, but now there are so many versions that I get lost. There's a similar discussion here about recording concerts on camera: [https://www.reddit.com/r/videography/comments/z2kvuv/best\_on\_camera\_mic\_for\_recording\_extremely\_loud/](https://www.reddit.com/r/videography/comments/z2kvuv/best_on_camera_mic_for_recording_extremely_loud/)

My main camera is a canon 550D. It's ancient, but it's what I have and have dew lenses and a variable nd filter I have another small ancient canon powershot for in pocket b-roll when I walk the dogs or on the road Got a Rhode video mic pro for sound and a Zoom Hn2 for voice overs Have a small manfrotto be free and some old other tripods and a broken gorilla pod. For a small moment, I tried filming a bit with my Samsung m13, but I don't like the video, so use the small powershot instead