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The VideoMic from Rode is a cost effective shotgun microphone that can easily be mounted on a video camera because it features an integrated shockmount that attaches to the camera's shoe. The VideoMic is lightweight, and when mounting on a camera it does not appear in the frame. Its super-cardioid polar pattern attenuates sounds from the sides. The result is a signal that sounds closer to the camera, even when shooting in noisy environments or at moderate distances.
A 3/8" thread at the base of the shockmount allows you to use the VideoMic on any standard boompole. With the addition of a longer 1/8" male to female stereo mini-plug cable (like the Rode VC1), and a boompole (Like the Rode Mini Boom), you can radically improve the audio in your video work. A special 1/8" mini-plug to XLR adapter (the Rode VXLR) is also available to use the VideoMic on a professional camera.
Replaceable rubber O-rings suspend the microphone on the shockmount and protect against noise due to movement and handling. An attached, coiled cable terminates to a 1/8" (3.5mm) mini output connection. The VideoMic features a condenser element that utilizes a standard 9 Volt battery (sold separately). The microphone will run for approximately 100 hours on a single battery. This microphone was used in the making of the low-budget blockbuster hit film Paranormal Activity. If you're wondering if you can get good sound with the VideoMic, wonder no more.
| Transducer | Condenser |
| Polar Pattern | Super-cardioid |
| Frequency Response | 40Hz - 20kHz Selectable HPF @ 80Hz / 12dB /octave |
| Dynamic Range (Typical) | 114dB (per IEC651, IEC268-15) |
| Signal-to-Noise Ratio | 74dB (1kHz rel 1 Pa; per IEC651, IEC268-15) |
| Maximum Input Sound Level | 134dB (@ 1% THD into 1k ohm) |
| Power Requirements | 9 Volt DC Alkaline |
| Output Impedance | 200 ohms |
| Output Connectors | Stereo mini jack - 1/8" (3.5mm) |
| Pad | -10 and -20dB |
| Low Frequency Roll-Off | 80Hz / 12dB octave |
| Dimensions | 8.84 x 4.02 x 2.55" (250 x 102 x 65mm) (Length x Height x Diameter) |
| Weight | 6.21 oz (176g) |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviewsPros
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A month or less | 75% (3 reviews) | |
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More than six months |
Most Liked Positive Review
great product
I initially found this to be a pretty big mic, for my smaller HD camcorder. The rubber bands that hold the mic to the frame broke very frequently due to my moderately heavy use....Read complete review
I initially found this to be a pretty big mic, for my smaller HD camcorder. The rubber bands that hold the mic to the frame broke very frequently due to my moderately heavy use. The mic did come with plenty of replacements. However, since my camera has a hard drive rather than a tape or CD, I found i did not need the insulating qualities of the mount. So, with a small Phillips it was very easy to remount the hot shoe insert directly to the mic and remove the "floating" part. I am very happy with this mod as it makes it a much lower profile, and a bit more durable. It does not interfere with the field of view, after lowering as a result of the mod.
I found the mic built into my camera would pick up my breathing and this addition not only stopped that, it picks up mostly everything in front of the camera rather than unwanted ambient noise behind the camera (ie me). It also does wonders for wind noise reduction that plagued my built in mic. The 9V battery lasts a while. And... don't forget to turn it ON and OFF, as that may ruin your day if you forget.
VS
Most Liked Negative Review
Not bad for the money
I bought my Canon HV30 less than a month ago and I'm still working out the sound issues. Basically, I can't tell if this camera's motor noise is louder than other cameras, but what...Read complete review
I bought my Canon HV30 less than a month ago and I'm still working out the sound issues. Basically, I can't tell if this camera's motor noise is louder than other cameras, but what is certain is that I will have to find a solution to not having this noise in my recordings if I am going to be able to use this camera for the project I bought it for. I bought the Rode VideoMic without having even tried the mic's built-in microphone, because I assumed the quality of the built-in mic would be unusable. When I got the camera, I tested the built-in mic, and sure enough, it sucked. My project is a documentary where my interview subjects are sitting about 8 feet from the camera. Using the Rode VideoMic on my camera and doing two interviews, I would say the mic is a vast improvement over the built-in mic, but it was impossible to notice that there was still significant camera motor noise in the audio. Also, I felt that the directionality of this microphone's polar pickup pattern is not very good and I would not call this mic a "shotgun" mic. I would say this mic has a standard "cardiod" response which is somewhat directional but not really ideal for video work. The other thing I noticed about this mic's performance is that the sound seemed somewhat muffled, that was in appropriate for recording speech. In an attempt to better my situation, I purchased the Sennheiser MKE400, which is a competing (and more expensive) product to the Rode, and unfortunately this mic picked up even more of the camera's motor noise than the Rode, though it did seem to have a slightly brighter frequency response. I returned the Sennheiser and and have kept the Rode, but am looking for a new solution, probably buying an expensive shotgun mic from B+H, or maybe getting a wireless microphone. I would say in closing that if having some camera motor noise in your videos is not a huge problem, the Rode VideoMic is an excellent improvement on the built-in microphone on your camera.
One other thing I should also mention is that the shockmount built-in to this microphone is rather loose, and the mic tends to move around quite a bit. The only solution I found for this is to put a finger on the mic while moving around, or to have the camera on a tripod.
REVIEWS
Reviewed by 377 customers
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Comments about Rode VideoMic - Camera Mounted Shotgun Microphone:
This microphone compliments the HD video I take. It captures sound in great detail and clarity. Amazing for its price.
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Comments about Rode VideoMic - Camera Mounted Shotgun Microphone:
This mic was hooked on a Panasonic TM700K HD Cam and it is perfect. Better than the on-board microphone and the RodeMic picks up the sound clearly.
One of the best products I bought and I am glad BH Photo has this along with a boom which is really usable. I just have to modify the boom with a ball head so the mic can work on many angles.
It is very light and compliments my Panasonic HD cam and my wife does not even notice that the mic is installed on the Cam's body.
It is indeed a great buy!!!
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Comments about Rode VideoMic - Camera Mounted Shotgun Microphone:
The sound quality is great for the price. But, the flimsy plastic shoe mount broke very quickly.
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Comments about Rode VideoMic - Camera Mounted Shotgun Microphone:
This is one of the most consistently well-reviewed mics on the market, and the reviews led me to believe it would produce acceptable sound for professional applications - without breaking the bank.
Big mistake. While I don't doubt that the VideoMic's sound is better than what people are getting with their on-board DSLR or prosumer camcorder mics, it is NOT an acceptable replacement for a professional shotgun or decent lavalier microphone.
Sure, if you speak directly into the mic from 12 inches away, it sounds fine. But if you actually try to use it for real-world applications (ie: interviews, commercials, documentaries, etc.) where you're several feet from the talent, you're in trouble.
If you get more than a few feet away, the sound level drops to unacceptably low levels, and the room echo takes over. The mic's self-noise is pretty low, but it just doesn't pick up enough sound to use at distances over a few feet. And if you're going to set up your camera 2-3 feet from your subject anyway, you can get far better sound from a decent wired lavalier, for around the same price.
If you're satisfied with anything that sounds better than your DSLR's on-board mic, you could do worse than the VideoMic. But if you want to pick up pro-level sound at a reasonable distance, don't believe the hype: invest in a more expensive shotgun mic, or go with a lavalier.
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Comments about Rode VideoMic - Camera Mounted Shotgun Microphone:
Sounds great, costs less than a balanced mic + preamp, comes with shock mount, plug 'er in and let 'er rip. Although you could just plug this right into your HDSLR, I am running it into a Zoom H1. Easy to run and pretty brainless in terms of getting it going, but sounds much better than the onboard options.
I've used a number of cheapie mics over the years, including some homemade ones, and this one has really nice tone and volume for the price-tag. The shock-mount makes a nice addition, but concerns me a little in terms of transport and longevity. The durability of it is yet to be seen, but I've never heard they break easily.
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Comments about Rode VideoMic - Camera Mounted Shotgun Microphone:
I use this mic mainly for home videos of my family. It picks up sound well, easy to mount on my HS900 camcorder. Now that I have used it, I would prefer to purchase a external mount so the mic doesnt cover any controls on the top of my camcorder which it does now. The mic doesnt add much weight to the camera. Its well built. I would tell others who are in the market to check this product. I plan to look into more of Rodes products.
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Comments about Rode VideoMic - Camera Mounted Shotgun Microphone:
When it arrived i was very excited. However i did not have any 9v batteries and after the long day at work I didnt feel like running out to buy it at the time. but i mounted it to the boom pole and to my camera and everything about it seemed legit. When i awoke the next morning I found that my dog had escaped out of her cage and chosen to chew on it. So sadly i never got to use it. But everything about it impressed me and I plan on getting another one here real soon.
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Comments about Rode VideoMic - Camera Mounted Shotgun Microphone:
The is a great mic for capturing audio with an ENG/Documentary set up.
I shot a doc last year and was using a Zoom 4hn mounted to the camera shoe of the 5D, feeding into the audio input of the camera while recording to the Zoom as backup. The audio was great but without the shock mount the mic picked up the occasional bump when adjusting the camera or lens. The Rodemic does an excellent job of recording field audio with the added benefits of a shock mount and excellent running time on just one 9v.
The form factor of the VideoMic is larger than the Zoom, and has no backup. But I have yet to need the backup of Zoom so I'm just shooting with the Rodemic and getting great results.
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Comments about Rode VideoMic - Camera Mounted Shotgun Microphone:
Using with a Nikon D7000 and a Cannon H40 Palm Recorder. The unit works great. You just need to make sure you have the brackets and stuff to hold all of your gear, Mic, Light, etc.
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Comments about Rode VideoMic - Camera Mounted Shotgun Microphone:
great mic i love it the sound is amazingly better than the on camera audio, I would recommend if you are going to do any outdoor shooting to get a wind sock because this mic is very sensitive and picks up wind easily, other than the this product is great
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Comments about Rode VideoMic - Camera Mounted Shotgun Microphone:
I own a Canon 60d. I was looking for a mic that'd play well with it and I could use on a boom.
I'm impressed with the audio. To test one night, I attached it to an audio recorder (an old minidisc unit I have) and monitored through the headphones. It seemed okay at first. Audio was clear but still had a little room hiss (later remedied by changing the db settings on the mic). When I removed my headphones my wife was upset,with me. Apparently she'd been callimg my,name from the other room. The mic picked up the sound I needed where I poimted.
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Comments about Rode VideoMic - Camera Mounted Shotgun Microphone:
As a recent grad and freelancer this was the best investment made. It works perfectly and comes with a boom pole so two for the price of one!! its a must have for anyone on a budget!
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Comments about Rode VideoMic - Camera Mounted Shotgun Microphone:
I use this mic to make short films for our community connection outreach projects at the police department. Very clean and crisp. I recently used it to film a meeting in a place with a lot of echo, and i was sure the speaker's words were going to be lost and that i would have to spend a while on noise reduction, but no, picked up the speaker, minimal echo, I was very surprised, maybe you can get a better sounding mic, but for hundreds more that's for sure. This mic will make a difference in your films, no matter what you shoot.
I was also pleasantly surprised to find that it has a metal liner plate inside the base for boom poles of two sizes to screw in securely.
If i was to make one suggestion, it would be to make the mounting shoe out of metal, just to reduce the unlikely POSSIBILITY of it breaking,
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Comments about Rode VideoMic - Camera Mounted Shotgun Microphone:
A good starter if you don't have a lot of money to spend. Construction for the shock is a bit to plastic for my liking but it seems to work. I was happy to find extra shock support rings in the box. So it's give a little take a little kind of thing. I will use this Microphone for my current needs although I be upgrading as soon as I can. If you can only afford this and need it get it, however if you can hold off and spend more a better one do that.
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Comments about Rode VideoMic - Camera Mounted Shotgun Microphone:
A good starter if you don't have a lot of money to spend. Construction for the shock is a bit to plastic for my liking but it seems to work. I was happy to find extra shock support rings in the box. So it's give a little take a little kind of thing. I will use this microphone for my current needs although I be upgrading as soon as I can. If you can only afford this and need it get it, however if you can hold off and spend more money on a better one, do that.
Pros
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Comments about Rode VideoMic - Camera Mounted Shotgun Microphone:
The Microphone is larger than I would anticipated it. It is a full size professional looking microphone with a fantastic sensitivity. I had to adjust the little switches inside the battery compartment as the sound came in too sharp for the Canon Eos 60d in the factory settings. The switches are tiny so you have to have good eyesight or a magnifying glass. After that it was much better. The only drawback is that the Canon 60d produces some background noise. I read up on it and the culprit is not the microphone but the signal processor inside of the Canon. So if you want excellent sound quality that is truly professional an external Amplifier and recorder is the best bet. The microphon has an excellend sensitivity. The sound from 10 feet is almost identical as from 3 feet away. So it picks up conversations very micely. If you do not plan to bring your footage onto the big screen the external mic with the DSLR works great despite a slight camera noise. I tried it outside with some ambient noise and wind with the furry diffuser on (seperate item) and its directional orientation helps to buffer sound from the back. It truly picks up nicely from the front. I bought also the generic fuzzy Windjammer for Shotgun Mic as it is cheaper than the original dead cat from Rhode. It fits quite OK over the rhode Mic so you can save $ 10 and still get a nice windscreen. I also bought the extension cable in 10' length. This is great to mount the microphone with some rubber band on a broomstick for an instant boom. One thing though, with the microphone on your DSLR the Rig looks like you mean business. No way to hide it. You can not shoot undervocer with it. On the bright side, if you are getting paid to shoot a video, this will add not only to your video sound quality but to your credibility. So there is no one doubting you got the goods to do the job. I am using it for a web series of informational videos, hoping to get picked up for a TV series at some time. Another positive the hot shoe mount is secure and easy to use on top of the camera. The microphone is relativ leightweight so it works great top mounted on the Canon. The shock mount with the rubber bands is effective and genius. They even provided some replacement rubbers. I am considering getting H4n zoom recorder for better amplification and backup sound recording.
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Comments about Rode VideoMic - Camera Mounted Shotgun Microphone:
I bought the Rode VideoMic to use with my DSLR camera. The mic gives me a lot more distance and better sound when used on the camera. I was hoping it would help clear up the hiss but that's a problem that will need to be solved on the camera itself with the camera's auto-gain. The mic really works great when I use it with a separate recording device. It is crystal clear on my recorder or when recording directly to my laptop or desktop. It's a really good mic and incredible quality for the price.
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Comments about Rode VideoMic - Camera Mounted Shotgun Microphone:
Simple and effective!
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Comments about Rode VideoMic - Camera Mounted Shotgun Microphone:
I haven't used it in the field, but tested it once or twice. The sound quality is good.
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Comments about Rode VideoMic - Camera Mounted Shotgun Microphone:
Home videos, Nature recordings with digital recorder.
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