Rode Videomic or Rode Stereo Videomic, that is the question...

[Ben Tolosa]

Hi there,

I read about the famous Rode Videomic and I went to check its price at B&H and after clicking the search button, to my surprise I found TWO!!:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/363083-REG/Rode_VIDEOMIC_VideoMic_Camera_Mounted.html
and...

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/450170-REG/Rode_STEREO_VIDEOMIC_Stereo_VideoMic_Camera.html

Both with very good reviews. The first one 'the classic' has about 100 more reviews and the stereo one is about 100 bucks more.

My question to you is: What are the differences between both mics (besides the ones I just mentioned)?


Is the classic 'not stereo' (mono)? I that the only difference? Are the specs the same? Is it internally the same mic?

I am going to be using it for short films with a Canon 7D. I already have the Rode NTG-3 and I am very happy with it, but I have to use a dual sound system and because is a pain to sync in post I want to get another mic to get good sound for when I don't want the hassle of operating the recorder all the time.

I will use it with a boom pole or/and a C stand and perhaps mounted on top of the 7D.

I appreciate your input...

Kind Regards ;)

[Chris Harding]

Hi Ben

I do weddings and opted for the VideoMic as it's way "hotter" than the StereoMic and seems to be able to punch thru noisy environments a lot better. Even at a noisy wedding reception I find that I can do one-on-one guest interviews and the speech comes thru clearly. If you are looking at recording talent doing speaking parts in your movies then the VideoMic probably has a lot more "oomph" ..However the Stereo Mic would do a better job recording say, a live band performance.

Just bear in mind that you might have to attenuate a bit with the internal dip switches (it has 0, -10 and -20db settings) if the mic's output is a bit too high for your camera! Mine are set at 0db but in noisy environments I need to kick in my -20db XLR attenuation switch to stop the input from overloading.

Internally they are somewhat different!! The VideoMic is a classic shotgun mic that's highly directional whilst the Stereo mic has a much different response pattern and is suited more for a wider pickup area.

Chris

[Garrett Low]

Hi Ben,

I'm not sure if you want to get the VideoMic just for capturing sound in your 7D to make it easier to sync later of you are going to want to use that as your primary sound. But, as an alternative to getting the VideoMic I would consider getting something like a BeachTek

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/672719-REG/Beachtek_DXA_2T_DXA_2T_Universal_Compact_Camcorder.htmlor
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/674344-REG/Beachtek_DXA_SLR.html

and take that into your camera. If you are going to be shooting movies you'll most likely not be using it on camera. To get anything useful you'll have to have the mic on a boom. More importantly, if you shoot some scenes with your NTG-3 and then switch to the VideoMic you'll have a hard time matching the sound. I have a VideoMic, as well as a Senn ME66 and Sanken CS-3e. The VideoMic is so different in its sound characteristics that no matter how much post sound work I have done it still doesn't come close to matching. While the VideoMic is a huge improvement over built in camera mics, compared to your NTG-3, you may find your not happy with the sound for movies.

[Allan Black]

Hi Ben, I agree, short films usually means recording dialogue with the mic up close and you already have the best mic for that and the best workflow .. a double system. imo any other rig won't match it and you might well end up going back to that to keep your level of quality up.

But the mono Videomic on a boom for dialogue is next, only fixed on the 7D for SFX. I'm not an advocate for the sound of the Beachteks, check juicedLinks website, the model CX231 is quieter and sounds better.

Cheers.

[Steve House]

For dialog recording, go with the regular mono Videomic if you're trying to choose between the two. Dialong is virtually always recorded in mono, for a number of reasons.

[Roger Shealy]

Ben,

When I bought the Videomic for my 7D they had an optional handle for it. It has turned out to be a valuable tool when I have someone else around to catch dialogue. You can just take the Videomic off the camera, put it onto the handle (has a hotshoe attachment) and then run the mic through a wireless back to your camera.

[Ben Tolosa]

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

Hi Ben

I do weddings and opted for the VideoMic as it's way "hotter" than the StereoMic and seems to be able to punch thru noisy environments a lot better. Even at a noisy wedding reception I find that I can do one-on-one guest interviews and the speech comes thru clearly. If you are looking at recording talent doing speaking parts in your movies then the VideoMic probably has a lot more "oomph" ..However the Stereo Mic would do a better job recording say, a live band performance.

Just bear in mind that you might have to attenuate a bit with the internal dip switches (it has 0, -10 and -20db settings) if the mic's output is a bit too high for your camera! Mine are set at 0db but in noisy environments I need to kick in my -20db XLR attenuation switch to stop the input from overloading.

Internally they are somewhat different!! The VideoMic is a classic shotgun mic that's highly directional whilst the Stereo mic has a much different response pattern and is suited more for a wider pickup area.

Chris

Chris,

Very interesting... Excuse my ignorance, but what "oomph" are? And "hotter"? I believe hotter might mean clearer?

Very good to know, I will keep that in mind and probably end up with the 'classic' Videomic.

Thanks Chris!!

Originally Posted by Garrett Low

Hi Ben,

I'm not sure if you want to get the VideoMic just for capturing sound in your 7D to make it easier to sync later of you are going to want to use that as your primary sound. But, as an alternative to getting the VideoMic I would consider getting something like a BeachTek

Beachtek DXA-2T Universal Compact Camcorder Audio DXA-2T - B&H
or
Beachtek DXA-SLR Active Audio Adapter DXA-SLR - B&H Photo Video


and take that into your camera. If you are going to be shooting movies you'll most likely not be using it on camera. To get anything useful you'll have to have the mic on a boom. More importantly, if you shoot some scenes with your NTG-3 and then switch to the VideoMic you'll have a hard time matching the sound. I have a VideoMic, as well as a Senn ME66 and Sanken CS-3e. The VideoMic is so different in its sound characteristics that no matter how much post sound work I have done it still doesn't come close to matching. While the VideoMic is a huge improvement over built in camera mics, compared to your NTG-3, you may find your not happy with the sound for movies.

Hi Garrett,

Well, thank you for the advice. I knew about the:


http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/674344-REG/Beachtek_DXA_SLR.html

But I read that the:


http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/684281-REG/juicedLink_DT454_DT454_4_Channel_DSLR_Camera.html
Supposed to be better. I just also found the:


juicedLink DN101 Automatic Gain Control Disabler DN101 - B&H


But does not have XLR inputs. I have not hear anybody that used it.

The main reason why I am considering the Videomic is because I want to get good sound for my movies, but it is SUCH a pain and time consuming for me to having to sync the sound in post. I did consider those AGC disabling devices but as many, I am waiting for a firmware from Canon to disable it since the Magic Lantern is very unlikely to come to life for the 7D.

In the meantime, I thought well why not buying another shotgun which I can use mounted or with a boom pole and plug it in my 7D so I can avoid having to sync in post and all the hassle of a double sound system. It is just a big pain to me. Plus I am a one man band with very low budget. Did I mention I usually act on my movies as well? The double sound system is a huge pain for me in that circumstance.

So, yes I will continue to use my NTG-3 but just in some scenes the is VERY inconvenient to do the 'double sound system' while I am acting at the same time :(

Besides, most people did not recommend me to plug the line out of my DR-100 to my 7D using a cable like this one:


DVCreator Line to Mic Cable - DVeStore



It is a very nice cable and I'd like to give it a shot, but some people said it is not worth it.

That is why I am still researching on how to accomplish great sound for my movies, without that HUGE hassle for me (again, just because is mainly me, my wife helps sometimes) when I have to also act on my movies as well.

Very useful information Chris, thanks very much!!

Originally Posted by Allan Black

Hi Ben, I agree, short films usually means recording dialogue with the mic up close and you already have the best mic for that and the best workflow .. a double system. imo any other rig won't match it and you might well end up going back to that to keep your level of quality up.

But the mono Videomic on a boom for dialogue is next, only fixed on the 7D for SFX. I'm not an advocate for the sound of the Beachteks, check juicedLinks website, the model CX231 is quieter and sounds better.

Cheers.

Hi Allan, how are you?

Hey thanks for the advice. The CX231 does not disable the AGC. But the:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/684281-REG/juicedLink_DT454_DT454_4_Channel_DSLR_Camera.htmldoes.
If I decide to take that route, I will get the JuicedLink because just by the pictures seems to be of a better built.
If you read my previous quote, you'll know what and why I am trying to accomplish.
Once again, thanks very much!!

Originally Posted by Steve House

For dialog recording, go with the regular mono Videomic if you're trying to choose between the two. Dialong is virtually always recorded in mono, for a number of reasons.

Hi Steve,

Well, that is good to clarify in my mind. I thought so but I wasn't sure. Thanks for teaching me!!

Originally Posted by Roger Shealy

Ben,

When I bought the Videomic for my 7D they had an optional handle for it. It has turned out to be a valuable tool when I have someone else around to catch dialogue. You can just take the Videomic off the camera, put it onto the handle (has a hotshoe attachment) and then run the mic through a wireless back to your camera.

Roger,

Well, thanks. That is great to know. I will consider it if I get one. I leading towards that way. Man! I we could only disable the AGC on this wonderful 7Ds!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You have a wonderful weekend you ALL!!

Ben Tolosa

[Chris Harding]

Hi Ben

That made me laugh actually!! The words just seem to make sense!!! I just find that the Videomic seems to have a higher output than other mics with a given sound level. The VideoMic seems to be able to reject side noise a lot better too so you seem to have the mic punch thru ambient noise and still record the subject's voice clearly. My previous Panasonic cams came with the stereo Panasonic mic and it performed much the same as the built-in mic with regards to selectivity and sensitivity. Pop on a Videomic and the mic seems to ignore ambient noise even in a room full of people chatting and music playing and gives a powerful output exactly from the source you are pointing it at!!! Dunno how they do it but it's a pretty awesome mic!! I have one on each camera and wouldn't use anything else even at twice the price!!!

Chris

[Garrett Low]

Ben, I have heard that the JuicedLink is a very good unit. I've never used one though. I'm curious as to why people have advised you not to use your DR-100 with the line to mic cable. This will be essentially the same as using a Beachtek or JuicedLink. The DR-100 will act as your mic pre and provide the phantom power. I'm not sure if there are any latency issues but if there aren't the combination of the NTG-3 with the DR-100 may sound better than the Videomic.

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

Pop on a Videomic and the mic seems to ignore ambient noise even in a room full of people chatting and music playing and gives a powerful output exactly from the source you are pointing it at!!! Dunno how they do it but it's a pretty awesome mic!! I have one on each camera and wouldn't use anything else even at twice the price!!!

The Videomic is a shotgun mic so it's suppose to reject side and back noise. Compared to an internal camera mic the Videomic will be a good improvement, but the NTG-3 will a huge improvement. Just remember that no matter which mic you use it is not like zoom lens. In order to get good sound you'll need to have the mic close to your talent. So, using either one on camera will not provide acceptable audio.

-Garrett

[Chad Johnson]

+ 1 on JuicedLink

JuicedLink mixers actually have gain you can turn up, and are switcahable between line & mic levels. Beachteck is only mic level, and has no gain, so all you can do is turn down the mic, not turn it up. Bottom line is you get more noise on the Beachtek.

Get the mono VideoMic. Mono is for dialogue. Stereo is for consumer home movies and music. But I would go a step further and suggest the Rode NTG-2 and the Juicedlink with AGC disabling. That mic still runs on batteries OR Phantom, is the same capsule as the VideoMic, yet has professional XLR connections that prevent hum. But if all you get is a mic, then the mono VideoMic is a better choice than the stereo.

PS< "Hotter" means "louder". The hotter your mic, the more you can turn down the recording level, and the less noise you hear. That's a good thing.

[Chad Johnson]

Hey Allan (Black) Can you PM me an email address for you? It's not in your profile. I'd like to thank you for something off the forums.

[Shon Troelstrup]

Ben, I'm still waiting for my 7d to show up in the mail, but I took a friend's advice and ordered a Zoom h4n and the Rode ntg-2. You mentioned concerns about the hassles of synching audio, so I'm surprised nobody mentioned a program called Plural Eyes, which syncs audio automatically. I shoot a lot of multicam concerts so I'm quite interested in that program, but am not sure if CS3 supports it. Cs5 does. I think it's about $200. Just a thought.

[Roger Shealy]

Pluraleyes works good with Sony Vegas. Not perfect, but it can save you hours matching up audio and clips. Just be aware that the DSLR's can drift in time a bit, as can some of the Zoom products.

[Ivan Jasper]

I'm pretty happy with the record quality on my VideoMic overall, but the construction is a bit cheesy. I've had to patch the mount back together a few times but the mic itself keeps on working. My stuff also tends to get dinged around a bit, avoid rock climbing or running into a tailgate with it and it might hold up better.

[Ben Tolosa]

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

Hi Ben

That made me laugh actually!! The words just seem to make sense!!! I just find that the Videomic seems to have a higher output than other mics with a given sound level. The VideoMic seems to be able to reject side noise a lot better too so you seem to have the mic punch thru ambient noise and still record the subject's voice clearly. My previous Panasonic cams came with the stereo Panasonic mic and it performed much the same as the built-in mic with regards to selectivity and sensitivity. Pop on a Videomic and the mic seems to ignore ambient noise even in a room full of people chatting and music playing and gives a powerful output exactly from the source you are pointing it at!!! Dunno how they do it but it's a pretty awesome mic!! I have one on each camera and wouldn't use anything else even at twice the price!!!

Chris

Chris,

Wonderful advice. I will get the classic mono Videomic then. Most people agreed with that recommendation on my particular case.

I also read the Videomic is pretty much a Rode NTG-2 with a different form factor.

Thank for the tip mate!!

Originally Posted by Garrett Low

Ben, I have heard that the JuicedLink is a very good unit. I've never used one though. I'm curious as to why people have advised you not to use your DR-100 with the line to mic cable. This will be essentially the same as using a Beachtek or JuicedLink. The DR-100 will act as your mic pre and provide the phantom power. I'm not sure if there are any latency issues but if there aren't the combination of the NTG-3 with the DR-100 may sound better than the Videomic.



The Videomic is a shotgun mic so it's suppose to reject side and back noise. Compared to an internal camera mic the Videomic will be a good improvement, but the NTG-3 will a huge improvement. Just remember that no matter which mic you use it is not like zoom lens. In order to get good sound you'll need to have the mic close to your talent. So, using either one on camera will not provide acceptable audio.

-Garrett

Yes, the Juicelink will be my first choice. However for the price, I will like to try that cool cable from DVeStore (DVCreator Line to Mic Cable - DVeStore).

I am curious too just because I did not try it myself. But more experience people said the signal from the DR-100 out is to 'hot' and therefore can create some issues in the video quality of the 7D. Something along those lines. I have a thread I posted couple months ago and people said that. I have to dig it out, but it is either in All Things Audio or and the Canon 7D forum. Chad Johnson might remember because he was one of the audio gurus participating. Also, I believe with that line in the 7D, still will keep the AGC on :( [bummer]. Yes, I did learn about having the shotgun mic next to the talent. It was my first test taping my wife. Good to know ;)

Thanks very much Garrett!!

Originally Posted by Chad Johnson

+ 1 on JuicedLink

JuicedLink mixers actually have gain you can turn up, and are switcahable between line & mic levels. Beachteck is only mic level, and has no gain, so all you can do is turn down the mic, not turn it up. Bottom line is you get more noise on the Beachtek.

Get the mono VideoMic. Mono is for dialogue. Stereo is for consumer home movies and music. But I would go a step further and suggest the Rode NTG-2 and the Juicedlink with AGC disabling. That mic still runs on batteries OR Phantom, is the same capsule as the VideoMic, yet has professional XLR connections that prevent hum. But if all you get is a mic, then the mono VideoMic is a better choice than the stereo.

PS< "Hotter" means "louder". The hotter your mic, the more you can turn down the recording level, and the less noise you hear. That's a good thing.

Amazing advice as always Chad. Definetely will go with the Juicelink. I might give the -50db cable a shot first. And yes, I will just get the Videomic because I already have the NTG-3 if I want XLR safety.

Thanks a ton Chad!!

Originally Posted by Shon Troelstrup

Ben, I'm still waiting for my 7d to show up in the mail, but I took a friend's advice and ordered a Zoom h4n and the Rode ntg-2. You mentioned concerns about the hassles of synching audio, so I'm surprised nobody mentioned a program called Plural Eyes, which syncs audio automatically. I shoot a lot of multicam concerts so I'm quite interested in that program, but am not sure if CS3 supports it. Cs5 does. I think it's about $200. Just a thought.

Hi Shon,

Yes, here our friend Chad recommended to me a few months ago. I just found this video:

YouTube - Plural Eyes Canon 5D MK II Canon 7D

And it sold it to me. $149 bucks is forth the hassle free to me. I use FCP like the guy on this video.

Syncing sound is not rocket science, but it is so @#$@%R time consuming. So, Plural Eyes will pay itself off for me very quickly.

Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate it!!

Originally Posted by Roger Shealy

Pluraleyes works good with Sony Vegas. Not perfect, but it can save you hours matching up audio and clips. Just be aware that the DSLR's can drift in time a bit, as can some of the Zoom products.

Awesome Roger, I will give it a shot anyway and I can utimatelly manual sync the clips that have some drift.

I appreciate the warning ;)

Originally Posted by Ivan Jasper

I'm pretty happy with the record quality on my VideoMic overall, but the construction is a bit cheesy. I've had to patch the mount back together a few times but the mic itself keeps on working. My stuff also tends to get dinged around a bit, avoid rock climbing or running into a tailgate with it and it might hold up better.

Quality of the sound it my main concern. So that along sales it to me. But it is good to know about the cheesiness of the built.

Thanks much Ivan!!