Rode NTG-2 w/Deadcat in wind - choppy sound
 

I'm using a NTG-2 on a boompole with the Rode shockmount, the default foam screen, and the Rode Deadcat on top of that. However, I'm getting very choppy audio when used on a windy day. I don't mean like hurricane winds, but a fair breeze. It sounds like the volume is being raised and lowered or cutting in and out rapidly, and you can see it in the meters. Other than the choppiness, it sounds pretty good (I don't hear a terrible wind rumble at least), but obviously this audio is unusable. Any ideas what I might be doing wrong? Thanks.

You're not using the full Rycote kit:-)

I've just spent a week by the seaside in the North of Scotland filming anything that moved (and a few things that didn't) using a Canon XH-A1 and an NTG-2 with foam cover and deceased pussy. The only way I managed to stop the effect you have described in any kind of wind at all was to have the mic INSIDE my Kata raincover with just about an inch of the furry bit sticking out the extension cover for external mics. It worked and got me speech clearly against the sound of the waves but at what cost to the audio quality and the finer points of the NTG-2's performance I have still to find out.

I think the Rode stuff is OK for most jobs but for windy days we need to put our toys away and hire some pro equipment.

Just my opinion - more than happy to be proved wrong.

I feel the pain! The UWOL challenge found me out and about the past couple of weekends with my mics with Rycote Softies. I don't have hard evidence, but I personally think that the softie is better than the Deadcat I used to use. Or it could be the fact that Softies costs £100+ rather than £25 that is making me hope that is the case!

But oh boy was it difficult when the wind picked up. I spent all yesterday shuttling through the captured footage listening for usable sound. I think I have what will do me, but it was hard work.

This Christmas I'm hoping that Santa brings me one of these:

http://www.rycote.com/products/full_windshield_system/

As others have already pointed out, the issue is that you're still not protecting the mic from the wind. However, in order to do this, you really do need a full zeppelin/dead cat setup, and that costs more than the NTG-2. I'm really not sure what else to recommend however if you're in strong winds.

Wayne

Check out the blimp out of the Punjab in India. I just received mine and it is pretty well made. See the following ebay link which is what I got. They are selling all the time on ebay. I got it for a Rode ntg-2 and it fits fine on the short length.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Long-Blimp-Win...742.m153.l1262

I've made an adapter to go on my tripod to keep it all separate from the camera. See photos.

The photo with the furry was taken before I made the adapter but it shows you what it is like.

The kit comes with a 160mm extension to the blimp, two extra end cap, and an extra frruy for the long length.

Renton:

How has your unit held up? From what I understand the quality of these units isn't exactly wonderful and several people who have bought them have taped and glued their units back together several times.

Wayne

Does it work? Does it keep out the wind noise and does the shock mount work?

Yes, for constant use the standard pro models are probably much better.

However, that looks like it might be a great buy for somebody who needs something like this occasionally.

Well...I confess to not actually having used it yet - only just got it.

I don't see any reason at all why the shock mount should not work. Shock mounting is an emminently simply system - suspend your mic on rubber rings. This does that in precisely the same way any other system does it.

I don't see any reason why this model should be understood to be weak and need to be 'taped and glued' etc. The cage and end caps are continuous plastic grid and the fine material that fits snug over the grid is securely fitted.

Obviously the unit is built for lightness - who wants to hang a heavy blimp on the end of a boom pole and hold it up all day? But that would apply to any blimp I imagine.

Also obviously you wouldn't want to use it as a foot ball and chuck it around. But would you do that to any blimp?

The Rycote one looks like it uses very similar sort of plastic grid - so wouldn't be any stronger, only it has the material on the inside as opposed to the outside. See.

http://www.rycote.com/products/full_...em/windshield/

But the Rycote equivilent to what I got costs $us700 plus shipping which would be another $us50 probably, whereas I paid $us166 delivered! ($nz950 verses $nz211).

Frankly there is no comparison! The only thing I'm missing is a carry case, which I will have to make to protect it.

Renton, that final shot was hilarious! The blimp is about 20x the size of your camera. :)

Hope it works out for you. I have an NTG-2 waiting in customs for me with a Rycote Softie but I'm worried even that's not going to be good enough, and man was the softie expensive!

Exactly!

I got a Rycote furry for my Rode Videomic thinking it would beat the wind, and it cost me $nz90 - and it doesn't stop the wind noise!

It was filming a petition presentation at Parliament a couple of months ago - in a fairly strong wind - that finally decided me on a blimp. The audio from the VM with the furry on was totally unusable. See the clip...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ6PMx1wtBY

Fortunately I had a Giant Squid lav recording to an Iriver, on the principle speaker and organised it so that his back was to the wind...I got clean audio that way. I've pick up some Windtech sponges for my Giant Squids as well to help reduce wind noise.

Hmm I've never heard of the Giant Squid's until yesterday. How do you find them and did you get yours in NZ or order from overseas? I'm looking to get a LAV for interviews and things but even the cheap Sony ECM 44b's are US$200.

Let us know how the blimp worked for you and if it did the trick. Must be a lot cheaper than getting "real" one.

I've got six Giant Squids. They cost $us25 and you can get them in black and white - from the US.

See:

http://www.giant-squid-audio-lab.com/

For windy conditions my Sennheiser ME80 with foam windscreen with full bass rolloff positon 3 doesn't do half bad. I've got the Sennheiser blimp system and it helps a little but I don't have the furry thing yet. (I'm going to make a homemade one someday). I will tell you that one is probably better off using an omni mic in a small furry rycote in outdoor windy conditions when one isn't concerned about off axis sound. Did you know that an omni can sound as good as a shotgun outdoors if there isn't any buildings, etc. to add echo. On an outdoor wedding my omni at803b did a better job than my ME80 in the blimp-same distance from speaker.

From what I understand from the couple of people who have them, the plastic is weaker than what is available on the Rycote and Ktek. That's why I asked how it was holding up. I'd be curious to hear how it holds up after a few months of use.

Wayne

Looks solid enough to me, given its built for lightness and is the sort of thing you would treat with respect anyway.

But even if it was a bit weaker - and I have no way of confirming or denying this is so, you can get around 5 of these for the price of one of the others.

Someone has certainly been making hay while the sun shines, but I very much doubt they want anyone to know about blimps from the Punjab!

And by the way, the price they sell for differs from auction to auction, even though they are identical products, so if you're interested, check out all the prices on offer.