Rode VideoMic Directional Shotgun Mic w/Mount Reviews

• Excellent Product for both Professional & Non-Professional

  
  By A1B32O79GQDZ1I on 2005-03-23
  The introduction in the owner's manual states it perfectly. Rode said that when looking for a good camcorder microphone, they were either horrible pieces of junk or super expensive professional models and so they decided to design a mic for this purpose. This model strikes a perfect balance. The quality of this mic is excellent. It is very sensitive and has good directional properties so it rejects noise to the side quite well. Although not meant for picking up sound from long distances it can do quite well from 20 feet away and maybe more.
  
  The mount is attached to the mic so this is the only way you can use it and it is made to mount to the standard "shoe" that is on nearly all camcorders. It is a mono microphone but it has a stereo miniphone jack that plugs in the camcorder mic jack and feeds the audio into both channels. After trying several inferior microphones I was delighted to stumble upon this mic. It is a good value and an excellent microphone for camcorders.
  
  

• RODE Rocks!

  
  By A3IU0RB7ZG63U0 on 2007-05-25
  After spending many days combing the internet and reading review after review I decided to give the RODE VideoMic Directional Camcorder Microphone a try. I wanted something that was good, light, somewhat short and inexpensive. I have a small mini dv camcorder that is only about 5 inches long and didn't want a mic that would get in my viewfinder's shots. The mic sticks out about 5 inches in front of my lens, but manages to stay out of my shots.
  
  First let me comment on the sound. This little bugger picks up sounds very well. In a quiet room I can be 40 yards away and still pick up the conversation. The quality is outstanding. The audio compared to the built-in mic in my camcorder is night and day. The Rode is so clear. The price is great. I'm guessing the quality would compare to other mics in the $300 range.
  
  My Rode came with a Dead Cat wind screen which resembles a cat's tail. It really saved me some money! At first I didn't use the Dead Cat, but then I ran into a little wind which interfered with gathering good audio. After using the Dead Cat, I always keep the wind screen on the mic. It does not interfere with the clarity of the audio and works incredibly well in breezy conditions. I will mention that I had to trim the hair on my wind screen because I could see the hair in my videos. After trimming the hair a bit, the wind screen is still effective and no more hair dangling in the top of my video screen.
  
  The shock vibration design is cool and they even gave me extra rubber band thingies. This mic sits high off the camera and stays out of my shots. Since the mic is somewhat far away from the camcorder, I don't pick up any camera humming noise that can happen with other mics that are too close to the camera. Even on my hotshoe, I don't get any humming.
  
  I wish I could say that I have used $300 mics and above, but I haven't. I will say that you won't be disappointed with this microphone. I'm a photojournalist by trade and I have begun to shoot video for our newspaper's web publication. This mic is perfect for my needs.
  
  If you buy it, don't forget to turn off the mic. I accidently left mine on. There is no auto shutoff.
  
  

• Good sound/value but needs tweaking for consumer cams

  
  By A179HCE9MMRZV4 on 2006-12-31
  I like the sound I get from the mic and it is very good valuue for the money for prosumer cam owners, but consumer-level camera owners should beware.
  
  I bought this mic and found that it was way too sensitive/hot for consumer cameras like a Panasonic gs200 which has no audio input level control. It picks up too much background noise and overwhelms the camera's automatic gain controller when things get loud. I'm not sure if the gs200 had a mic attenuation setting or if turning it on would have been a sufficient answer. I put a cheap radio shack in-line volume controller in between the mic and the camera (which can introduce crackle if you adjust it while recording).
  
  On prosumer cams with input level control like the Canon GL2 it works fine, even without turning on mic attenuation. If you have a camcorder with input level controls I might get this.
  
  Another important caveat: You cannot run this mic through a the 1/8" connection of a Beachtek mixer box. You'll hear nothing on the beachtek's output because of an impedance mismatch. I don't know if putting an XLR adapter on the mic cable would work.
  
  

• decent mic, heres a few tips

  
  By A1PYCHZA7SKQ10 on 2006-04-28
  i bought this mic online for $150 new. i researched for a while and decided this was the best option. i use a canon GL2 and this is a nice addition to my rig.
  
  at first i didnt think the audio was all that great, however, when i turned on the microphone attenuate feature of my camera and switched to the manual audio controls, i found that this mic has a lot of potential. with the attenuate on, you can really get clear audio without outside noise messing up your tracks. i pointed the mic at an actor on screen, then pointed the mic away from the actor and you could definetly here a difference in audio detail.
  
  note: the mic has two different posistions to mount the hot shoe mount, a standard tripod mount, and an addition threaded hole which rode claimes to be a microphone stand mount. my mic stand doesnt thread into this hole, and i consider my mic stand to be pretty standard. however their may be some adapters at my local music store. not a big issue to consider, as there are plenty of mounting options available.
  
  

• A great mic

  
  By A14IYQTQVOGZBB on 2007-08-23
  I continue to be impressed with the quality of the VideoMic. I use it on a Canon HV20 and have been amazed at its clarity, range and power. The thing looks a little funky. The plastic shock mount wiggles around a lot and is permanently attached to the mic. It is very susceptable to handling noise, but mounts to the small camera well and delivers quality audio for a fraction of the cost of its bigger brothers, which are rather awkward to use on a small camcorder. Rode has delivered on its goal of offering a great mic for the small camera and in spite of its plastic parts and odd design, it is a great tool.
  
  
• Very nice for recreational use
  By A2UQK3DAZ8NO2T on 2006-01-22
  I purchased this for use with my home camcorder, and have not been disappointed. Very simple to use, delivering nice, clean sound.
  
  
• The Best Video Mic
  By A7X9QMMHNPON1 on 2008-08-01
  
  
  I bought this mic and a Canon Vixia HF100 for my vacation to Maui and it was a fantastic pairing. The mic was very light, durable and so easy to use, even Mom could use it: the mic only has an ON/OFF switch. Apparently you can switch to 0db, -10db or -20db from inside the battery compartment. I haven't tried this function yet.
  
  The mic is powered by a 9v battery which is different than my other two mics (AT55 and Sennheiser ME66). I think it has pretty good battery life; I used it for 6 days off and on and didn't have to replace the battery.
  
  The one gripe is that I did break one of the proprietary rubber bands that holds the mic to the base (it's for shock absorption and isolates the mic from camera). I had it in my bag for the 15 hrs that it took me to fly to HI and the pressure must have been too great. I am buying a camera-specific backpack for future ventures.
  
  The Rode has a normal shoe mount which works with my Canon Optura 30s. It didn't work out of the box for my Vixia HF100. The Vixia has an advanced accessory shoe which is a proprietary Canon shoe that requires an adaptor Adorama Canon Mini Advanced Accessory Shoe to Universal Shoe Adapter (FLAT TYPE) - Black
  
  The adapter wiggles but I wanted to use the Rode instead of the canon DM50 because if you want a mic, go to a mic company.
  
  
• Rode VideoMic
  By A3MN9B4H7DS9JV on 2006-11-11
  I'm pretty content with the sound with my fx1. I wish the 'mic/line' cable could be a bit longer. Other than that, it's great!
  
  
• Can't beat the quality for price relationship
  By A1M5WU93881UT on 2008-05-08
  I needed a shot gun microphone to fit the hot shoe of the Canon HG10. I am shooting a documentary and needed to interview folks in loud surroundings. This was the most valuable and important upgrade to my camera. The sound difference is unprecedented for the price. For $149 the mic comes with a build on rocker (so you don't get all the bump noise) and can be adjusted to avoid the truncation of the peaks of your sound waves. The mic comes ready to use, but I would suggest changing the volume to -10dbz to combat this problem. You get a clean sound, but the cord attaches to the camera with a short earpiece jack. You cannot extend this mic out on a boom or you would get buzz and hum. For the average user and camera mounting, this camera is perfect.
  
  It does not overwhelm the profile of the camera and is very light. I would suggest that you buy 1 along with a 9 volt battery (not included). It seems like a steal.
  
  
• Great microphone for the non-professional
  By AJ88Z1U0SS1IY on 2008-06-16
  Hi all!
  
  I recently discovered Rode products, and this Australian company seems to make quality gear. I ran my VideoMic through my Canon HG10 and it worked quite well. If you are non-professional looking for a high-quality external microphone for your video camera, then look no further. You won't find anything better at this price point (trust me, I spent weeks looking.)
  
  
  My two issues with this microphone are:
  
  (As some other reviewers have observed), the jack is an unbalanced line, which means that if you try to mount this bad boy on a boom pole or microphone stand away from you camera, you get buzz and hum.
  
  Two, this mic is somewhat bulky. I travel a fair amount giving keynote speeches and leadership training. I bought all my video gear to record my work. The VideoMic takes up a fair amount of space in my camera bag. Clearly, this is not an issue if you don't travel, but if you do, you might want to consider another mic.
  
  I recently upgrade to a R0DE NT3 Microphone microphone, which has an XLR connection, which means I can mount the microphone away from the camera and have no buzz. The NT3 is a professional-grade microphone and costs more than the VideoMic, but the NT3 suits my needs better.
  
  Bottom Line: If you're looking for a high quality microphone that will stay on your video camera, you can't go wrong with the Rode VideoMic.
  
  Enjoy!
  
  Tim Warneka, author
  Leading People the Black Belt Way: Conquering the Five Core Problems Facing Leaders Today
  
  Black Belt Leader, Peaceful Leader: An Introduction to Catholic Servant Leadership
  
  The Way of Leading People: Unlocking Your Integral Leadership Skills with the Tao Te Ching
  
  Healing Katrina: Volunteering in Post-Hurricane Mississippi
  
  
• Fantastic item, great for a film maker on a budget.
  By A27PJ8OWS33UXQ on 2008-07-05
  After receiving this mic I put it into action. It is very sturdy and the shock stabilization system works very well. The sound quality is fantastic with a bit of tweaking. The only thing to consider, is picking up a mini plug extension cable for using this mic on a boom pole.
  
  
• Best Mic on a Budget
  By AB344A0CPRJGP on 2008-07-23
  This is by far the best Microphone in it price range. I bought this unit after allot of looking around at other mics. This mic has the best sound range and features of a unit ten times its price. RODE provides all the spesifications of the mic online and in the box. The imput cable is quite durabe compaired to other mics, It runs on a simple nine volt and has an easy to understand swich with lights. So many times have I left my old mic on in its case casue there was no on light. It alos has built in noise and shake dampeners that other mics lack. This is the kind of mic that can be taken anywhere and used on almost any camcorder.
  
  The mic looks quite impressive on top of my Cannon GL1 it makes people stop and look. I have been asked which TV network I work for and where did I buy my equpiment from. People think you spent a ton of cash on a high end mic when you did not. Even at the MSRP this mic is a darn good deal.
  
  I use this mic every time I take footage with my Cannon GL1. I never have any hiss or disruption with it. It is a sold mic it survived a 10 foot drop camera and all on to a concrete floor. The only thing that broke on it were the rubber attachments. All I did was stretch them back on and the mic worked! If it had any other mic it would of popped the mic element.
  
  RODE has built this unit to last it is well worth the buy. RODE backs up there products with good customer and tech support. A+++ BUY!
  
  
  
• Exceptional sound.
  By A3EPOU2BFDG8JZ on 2008-10-16
  Bottom line: This microphone is worth every cent of its cost. It's exceptional sound moved me enough to write a review, something that I do rather infrequently.
  
  
  
  
  This is a well-made, high quality audio microphone coming from the rich tradition of Rode studio microphones. I use this mic on my Canon HV20, and it brings the audio quality up to the rich vibrancy of the images that camcorder is capable of. It is a highly directional mic: while picking up sounds from the sides and back, it successfully pushes these peripheral sounds aside and brings what is being shot to the forefront. I shoot many documentary style videos, consistently trying to conduct interviews and pick up conversations in the midst of screaming children and blaring TV sets. This mic gives remarkable sound for the price and for any type of shooting in which it is not practical to have a more involved audio setup.
  
  
  Anyone looking to improve the sound of their onboard camcorder mic should be greatly pleased with this purchase, as well as anyone in the market for a decently priced directional mic.
  
  
• Excelent mic at a great price
  By A1ZWZPL4TR944A on 2007-12-01
  For a good quality mic that doesn't cost a fortune, this is the best.
  Great to attach to any camcoder that have mic-in, and get good sound. The difference between the internal mic that cams have and this one is huge.
  
  I use it on my DVX-100 and works great for situations where you don't have too much time to worry about the sound.
  
  
• Great Microphone for Field Reporting
  By A2HWJKVCFDHTHA on 2008-04-18
  This mic provides outstanding audio in the field, indoors or out. The only drawback seems to be picking up consistent sound in windy conditions outdoors. Besides that, this microphone has served me very well in a variety of settings. It's great on batteries to boot -- I haven't had to change the original yet, and I've used the mic on two extensive video projects so far.
  
  

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