Is there a Good non-XLR shotgun mic?
 

I am using a VX-2100 and shooting High School football games from the sidelines. The sound is not critical except for the pre-game locker room speech and the post-game speech to players and/or the local network interview with the coach. Since the camera is handheld for 4-5 hours, the added weight or bulk of an XLR adapter (Beachtek) is not a great option. There isn't much time to add and remove the adapter without missing some key shots at these times. If I have to go this route just to get decent audio for these two occasions it may be worth the trade off. Any other options or non-xlr mic recommendations are welcome.
Thanks

Two words: Rode videomic.

Your best option is the new Rode Stereo Videomic:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ist&sku=450170

Your next best option is the older mono version:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search

Rode
 

Thanks for the replies. I was already leaning toward the Rode. Am I reading correctly, that the Stereo VideoMic is cardioid and the original VideoMic is super-cardioid? If this is the case, would the mono version be more "focused" (suppress more noise from the sides)?
Thanks again.

You're definitely going to get more rejection of off-axis sounds from the mono videomic. No stereo mic is ever going to do that, because a tight pattern would make recording stereo information pretty pointless.

Stereo mics are probably best suited to recording ambient sound, or maybe live musical performances. For recording dialogue or voice for video (in the field) a shotgun is a better choice.

Rode
 

I ordered the Rode VideoMic.
Thanks for the input.

ambient de have much better product
www.ambient .de

Just be aware that the signal level from the mono VideoMic is very "hot", compared to other mini-jack mics (e.g. Sennheiser MKE300). If you are setting manual audio levels on your VX2100, it's probably not a problem. My Canon XM-1 is auto only, and I find I need to switch on the "MIC ATT", which attenuates the incoming audio signal (by -12bB? -25 dB?), otherwise the ALC is on all the time and I get no variation in volume and occassional distortion.

Also, the Rode is rather sensitive to the wind (again, compared to the MKE300), so make sure you have a good wind gag when working outside. I find that Rode's own "dead cat" hairy cover is not good enough.

I own both the mono VideoMic and the MKE300, and although the frequency response of the Rode is better, I tend to use the Sennheiser unless there's no wind.

totally agree with Mark. Videomic is great, but it IS very hot and i agree too that the Deadcat isn't enough wind protection for it. It reduces wind noise for sure, but in a stiff wind you still get wind-noise which is annoying.
Maybe Rycote or Lightwave Equalizer will give better results.