GH4 Alternatives to Rode Videmic Pro

S

Stab

Well-known member
So I'm in the market for a (cheap) shotgun microphone that I will mainly use to record the priest / speaker during wedding ceremonies and for voices of people up close. Actually, I won't use it so much on the camera itself.


The reason why the Rode Videomic Pro comes to mind as a possible canditate, is because of it's +20 DB setting. This gives much better and especially 'cleaner' audio when recording directly to the camera, in this case a GH3 or a G6.


So actually, it doesn't need to be a on-camera-mic but it should be a good sounding shotgun, like the Videomic Pro, with a hot noiseless signal. The +20 DB and the price are the only reasons I'm after the videomic, so maybe you guys know any similary prices alternatives?


There is the Shure VP83(F) lenshopper which is around the same price. Again an on-camera-mic, with a +20 db setting. There is also the 'F' version which has it's own flash recorder built-in, which is very nice but a bit more pricey.


See here:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/966010-REG/shure_vp83f_condenser_shotgun_mic.html


Any other mics I should consider?
I don't want to use lavs and if possible no other mics which require senders / receivers. I would like to use it directly plugged in to the camera so again, a 'hot' signal is required.


If you know anything, let me know.
Thanks!
 
Stab said:
So I'm in the market for a (cheap) shotgun microphone that I will mainly use to record the priest / speaker during wedding ceremonies and for voices of people up close. Actually, I won't use it so much on the camera itself.


The reason why the Rode Videomic Pro comes to mind as a possible canditate, is because of it's +20 DB setting. This gives much better and especially 'cleaner' audio when recording directly to the camera, in this case a GH3 or a G6.


So actually, it doesn't need to be a on-camera-mic but it should be a good sounding shotgun, like the Videomic Pro, with a hot noiseless signal. The +20 DB and the price are the only reasons I'm after the videomic, so maybe you guys know any similary prices alternatives?


There is the Shure VP83(F) lenshopper which is around the same price. Again an on-camera-mic, with a +20 db setting. There is also the 'F' version which has it's own flash recorder built-in, which is very nice but a bit more pricey.


See here:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/966010-REG/shure_vp83f_condenser_shotgun_mic.html


Any other mics I should consider?
I don't want to use lavs and if possible no other mics which require senders / receivers. I would like to use it directly plugged in to the camera so again, a 'hot' signal is required.


If you know anything, let me know.
Thanks!
Click to expand...

Just how close do you plan on getting to the Priest? I'm not sure running cable to your camera in the middle of a church is an optimum situation. A lav really is the best option since the Priest will likely move/turn around. If you don't want to go wireless you can use any small portable recorder with a 3.5mm lav plugged into it.

Shotguns are good mics but unless you will have that thing only a few feet from the person speaking the lav will be a better solution. What shotguns can do at a distance is still never as good as having the mic close to the subject speaking.
 
Jim Simon said:
For the "voices of people up close", just use the built in mic. I know on the GH2 it's quite excellent. I imagine it would be as good or better on the GH4.
Click to expand...

I'm consistently surprised by how good the GH4's built in mic sounds on my footage. It would definitely be usable in close in situations if no other options existed.
 
Stab said:
There is the Shure VP83(F) lenshopper which is around the same price. Again an on-camera-mic, with a +20 db setting. There is also the 'F' version which has it's own flash recorder built-in, which is very nice but a bit more pricey.
Click to expand...

I used both versions of the LensHopper(s) on the BMPCC. One of the main motivations was moving away from the VideoMic Pro's poorly designed shock mount, which is particularly annoying when mounting the mic horizontally from a cage's top handle. The 'F' version internal recording was also useful due to the BMPCC poor pre-amps.

When either LensHopper is mounted vertically into the GH's hot shoe they extend so far back that they'll hit your forehead when using the EVF. And when using the 'F' version on the GH3 you'll need to choose whether you want optimize the camera's recorded audio, or the mic's, as there isn't a provision for sending out a +20 dB just to the camera without recording it on the mic too.
 
Bern Caughey said:
I used both versions of the LensHopper(s) on the BMPCC. One of the main motivations was moving away from the VideoMic Pro's poorly designed shock mount, which is particularly annoying when mounting the mic horizontally from a cage's top handle. The 'F' version internal recording was also useful due to the BMPCC poor pre-amps.

When either LensHopper is mounted vertically into the GH's hot shoe they extend so far back that they'll hit your forehead when using the EVF. And when using the 'F' version on the GH3 you'll need to choose whether you want optimize the camera's recorded audio, or the mic's, as there isn't a provision for sending out a +20 dB just to the camera without recording it on the mic too.
Click to expand...

Alright thanks Bern. Very helpful.
I'm mainly consedering the non F version. How about the sound quality when compared with the Rode Videmic Pro?
 
And what about for instance a Zoom H1 or Zoom H2n? I don't actually have to use the mic on the camera. I'm just looking for something not too expensive that I can move close to the subject and record good audio quality. But, when I'm doing solo work, also something that is able to record directly into the camera.

Would a Zoom H2n for example be able to give the GH3 a 'hot' enough signal?
 
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