Best shotgun mic setup for under $600?

J

jmedlin

New member
I do mostly talking head corporate type video and cover some live events. I have already gotten some sennheiser G3 setups with Tram TR-50 lavs but I have found a few situations where a shotgun would be nice. I have a budget of $600 and would like to get something that would work well camera mounted or on a boom pole.

So what would be my best bet for getting a mic, boom pole, and shock mount for $600?
 
Yes the Rode NTG-3 is your mic. It normally runs 700.00, but you can find sales. There is nothing to beat it under 1,000.00.
 
$600 won't cover a NTG-3, pole and mount. Don't forget some kind of wind protection also. That package would be close to double that with the NTG-3. If your budget is $600 for the whole package, you will need to go down a notch to maybe the NTG-2.

Grant
 
The ME66 is a brittle, bad sounding shotgun IMO, and of all the shotguns, the ME66 is the worst for using indoors with any reflective surfaces around. I've used that for years (all my boss had) and it was just an annoying, overpriced mic. I say stay away. The NTG-2 kills it.
 
jmedlin said:
What do you guys think of this kit?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/421940-REG/Rode_NTG_2_Shotgun_Microphone.html
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I think you ought to check out THIS KIT from DVCreators. Everything you need to get started for $500. And that extra $100 could be spent on a really nice set of headphones, like the Sony MDR-7506. And if you call, tell them you're a DVXUser member.

Of course, if you can find a little more to spend (buy right and buy once), you can get a kit with the NTG-3 for about $900.
 
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You'll get a used 416 T for less than half the price of a new NTG-3! The NTG-3 isn't old enough for a good second-hand deal. It's also rare that one shows up on Ebay.

A broke indie has to be plain stupid to buy anything new, unless there's only a wee price difference.
 
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Chadfish said:
Isn't the NTG-3 a 416 clone with a more forgiving pickup pattern, and much better price?
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It's a copy rather than a clone.

It's good value for money, though; but it's not a 416.

A Post Production engineer mixing a movie that had used both the NTG3 and the MKH416 posted his findings on Gearslutz HERE if you want to read an expert opinion of use in the real world.

I have also read about the NTG3 not liking the cold HERE.
 
John Willett said:
I have also read about the NTG3 not liking the cold HERE.
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An outdoor mic that is supposed to be as good as the 416, but can't handle an average winter day. Funny. A typical product of our time. Cheap and unreliable. It should be pink and come in a flower box. 'Summer Breeze - the pussy mic'... :)
 
Pharao said:
An outdoor mic that is supposed to be as good as the 416, but can't handle an average winter day. Funny. A typical product of our time. Cheap and unreliable. It should be pink and come in a flower box. 'Summer Breeze - the pussy mic'... :)
Click to expand...

And do you have enough personal experience with the NTG-3 to make such an assessment, and effectively insult anyone who actually likes the mic?

This forum is full of a wide variety of skill levels and budgets. While we'll try to steer folks clear of known garbage (such as Audio Technica's $50 "shotgun"), there are other viable options out there, such as RODE's NTG-series shotguns, that can get some one up and running with good sound and without breaking the bank. The NTG-3 has also found a pretty wide fan base among some very skilled professionals, so that has to speak for something.

I used a 416 for years. I now have an NTG-3 and still have no regrets about that purchase. I find the sound to be comparable, though not identical, and I actually prefer it to the 416. So one guy in France decided he didn't like it in post-production. That's not enough for me to change my mind. When I have a bad experience with it, if that happens, I may re-evaluate.

In the end, it comes down to the individual's ear and personal preference. If you don't like the mic, don't buy/use it.
 
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