Rode NTG-2 or Videomic? Other suggestioins appreciated
 

Hi. I am looking for a shotgun mic that i can use all around, in a cheaper price range. I use a GL2 right now, and the mic would have to be good for camera mounting and possibly a boom pole. I'm on a cheaper budget, and could only go for something like the Rode NTG-2 or Videomic. Which of these two would be better for all-around use? (Also, which sounds better?) If you have any other suggestions, please let me know. Thank you very much for your time and help, Clint Grant

i got the at897 (started with my GL1) and now use it on my XL2. I'm very happy with it.
Bruce yarock

Hi Clint

I've got a Rode Videomic on my HC1000 and am very pleased with it. It's got an integral shockmount, it's battery powered, has a low-cut filter, and Rode do a long-haired windsheild to fit it.

The shockmount has another benefit - it gets the mic fairly high above the hotshoe and this :
a) helps to reduce any tape-noise pickup
b) keeps the Videomic out of shot when you've got a wide-angle lens attachment as i often have.
With a mic like the Sennheiser MKE300, it's MUCH closer to the body of the camera and would probably be in shot with a wide-angle attachment (especially when using a windshield, but maybe even without).

Videomic is about 150USD (i think) or about 200 Aussie dollars, or about GBP90.

ps. the Videomic also has multiple mount points - you can attach it to a tripod/monopod or boom as well as 2 different mount-points for the hotshoe, so plenty of flexibility. It's my 2nd external mic (1st was a Sony HSM1 which was cheap and cheerful) and i think it sounds really pretty good.

Thank you very mocu for your help, both of you. Your advice really helped me out.

That's "very MUCH" from the previous reply.....sorry! (I said mocu)

Stu

Have you tried to use your videomic on a boom pole? If so, how has it performed. I know that since it is unbalanced you can't extend it too far for the camera without issues but I would like to know what people's experiences are in the real world i.e. How far from the mike can you get before the problems detract for the quality etc.

Thanks
Mark

Videomic On Boom Pole
 

Now to that question, I've hears that the Videomic drops SIGNIFICANTLY in sound quality on a boom. Also, if the boom is metal, it makes the videomic sound even WORSE. This is just what I've heard, don't know from experience. (any other suggestions for a mic i shoud use would be greatly appreciated. Thanks)

If it's balanced at the mic cable, the videomic sounds just fine/the same on a boom. It's a HiZ mic, so you'd expect it to suck if it was run down a long cable, and induce noise at the same time. Mics don't sound differently on different stands, not in most cases. It's the cables they're connected to that screw them up.

Um, you might want to recheck you facts. The VideoMic is a low (200 Ohms) impedance mic.

http://www.rode.com.au/images_specs/...hite_paper.pdf

The issue is one of balanced versus unbalanced, not impedance.

Unbalanced audio is more prone to interference than balanced audio. UnBalanced audio also is lower in level given the same source.

Regards,

Ty Ford

I'd have to know a lot more about the tests to believe that it wasn't operator error. The number of places at which the wrong cable/connection/adapter could have been used in such an experiment make it highly suspect.

The issue here is balanced versus unbalanced. Since the mic itself is low impedance, it can drive a fairly long cable. Because it was made specifically for unbalanced camcorder audio inputs with a short cable, it would not be my first, second or third grab for a boom mic.

I see a lot (too much) of the "I really want one mic to do all my audio" syndrome here. This is yet another example. I'll say it again. Yes, you can play a round of golf with just a five iron, but you won't have much fun.

If you misuse your tools, you only have yourself to blame. Don't blame the tools.

Regards,

Ty Ford

PS: Rode may soon have an extender cable for the VideoMic with appropriate electronics to balance the cable. There's no reason why that can't be done. Given the diameter of the mic's diaphragm (smaller diaphragms mean noisier mics), you'd do better getting one of their NTG-1 or NTG-2 mics.

Thank you everyone for the help
 

Thank you very much to everyone for the great help and advice. This had been of great benefit to me, as I am still only learning. I'll talk again in other posts, Clint Grant