i just bought a rode videomic (mono) to go with my 7d. tomorrow i'm doing a test shoot at a wedding and i'd like to hear some opinions as to what settings i should use seeing as i can't monitor the sound.
firstly, should i use the high pass filter or just leave the flat filter on?
and secondly am i best setting the PAD switch to 0dB, -10dB or -20dB?
i have heard that the mic is quite sensitive and i don't want it to be turning on the camera's AGC all the time but i will of course need to catch the important moments like the vows, speeches etc. i'll be positioned 2-4m from the action at these key moments.
i have used the camera at weddings before but only as a b-cam. i need to test it's ability as THE cam!
any advice is most appreciated!

If it is the old Rode VideoMic then leave it at 0db. If it was the new VideoMic Pro I would suggest to use the +20db setting to avoid AGC to kick-in. The minus settings might be usefull in very loud environments (clubbs with very loud music, concerts etc)

I set mine to between 12db and o db on the hv40, works ok, i find 12db justa tad low and 0db to distorted, leave it at just between 12 and 0, then up the anti in post.

thanks for the replies guys.

it's a brand new rode videomic (mono). the options it has are 0, -10 or -20dB

RØDE Microphones - VideoMic (http://www.rode.com.au/microphone.php?product=VideoMic)

steve: mine has the above settings. would you suggest setting at -10dB is the best option?

spiros: the mic doesn't have a +20dB setting. if it did surely that would make the AGC kick-in! i would have thought the minus dB settings are to avoid the AGC kicking in. is that the case?

anyone else with experience of this mic and the canon 7d able to help?

I have the Rode like you are describing and it runs very hot. I would go a minimum of -10.

Andrew +1 with Chip, -10db should give you good results... All the best kidda

chip and steve,
thanks! that's what i've been wanting to hear! some clear advice! -10 it is!
one last question, should i put the high pass filter on? or should i leave it on the flat filter?
thanks again for your time!

Andrew I have always had it on, but then I was never using it in anything that could be considered a "preferred environment". It should filter out some of the garbage on the low end toward the noise floor.

Microphone settings are not gain settings (which are bad at high numbers), they are attenuation settings and the reason they are there is to provide a less powerfull signal when the minimum gain on the audio amp is not low enough. Think of these settings as the ND filters on your cameras.
I'm using it on the 5D and the 0db setting allows me to turn gain down (manualy) and avoid hiss noise from the low quality build-in amplifier. A lower setting and AGC enabled will force the amplifier to use a "louder" setting by adding more gain. Audio gain is similar to video gain. It is artificial signal amplification.
In an audio-video analogy, think of audio signal as a light source, if it's brighter (hotter i.e. 0db in this case) you will use low gain on your camera. When it is not so bright (like the -10db or -20db settings) you will have to go with a positive gain (+6db ro +12db for example) in camera which is not good.

The New Rode Videomic Pro has a +20db setting just for that reason. to provide a hotter signal and thus force the AGC to keep a quiet, low signal amplification.

It is very easy to do a simple test for yourself. just do it at the two extremes. Go in a quiet room and make a recording once at the 0db and once at the -20db settings, I can bet (you choose the bet) that the 0db will have less hiss noise.
However on a very loud environment (try a night club for example) the minus settings will be needed or the signal may clipp.