Panasonic Stereo Mic vs Rode Stereo VideoMic

nyczSZx

nyczSZx

Active member
Well thank god I got my GH1 this week from B&H and I really hope you all get yours too. My question for you all is that I am stuck in choosing which Microphone to buy.. what would you guys buy? Panasonic Stereo Mic or the Rode Stereo VideoMic? Is there any diff? Thanks guys :undecided
 
For what?
And you know recording audio to the GH1 is "just for fun". You cannot disable audio gain without certain accessories so you shouldn't use it for serious narrative or doc work.
 
I ordered a Sennheiser MKE400 and will get an adapter for it. I'll use it when I'm not shooting anything serious, but want better sound than the built-in mic. I think you can get the Sennheiser MKE400 for a little less than the Rode Stereo VideoMic, but I never used either before so I don't know which is actually better. If it was a choice between the Panasonic, Sennheiser, or Rode, I would not get the Panasonic. It's probably not terrible, but probably not as good either. This is all heresay and speculation on my part though.
 
j said:
The AT uses a button battery. Annoying.
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You can take steps to minimize the pain though. Order 20 (or more) on eBay and keep them in your bag. Though I agree that the button batteries don't last near as long as a proper battery.

Better than living in the era of flash bulbs!
 
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Noise floor with Rode Stereo VideoMic

Noise floor with Rode Stereo VideoMic

Hello,
I have used the Rode StereoMic with an adapter mini jack to micro plug. It worked with 0 dB and even with -10 dB input - but a non acceptable noise floor. May be that is a problem of linking with an adapter: The Rode Stereo VideoMic itself is excellent.
 
I've just this minute got my Rode Video Stereomic working with the GH1 (the plastic outer part of the adapter I got needed to be shaved down to clear the close proximity of the GH1 case round the mic socket) and results at 0dB (on the mic) seemed pretty good just walking round the house, and with the dogs barking at me, which knocked down the GH1 level instantly. Recovery from knockdown is about 3 seconds I think. Noise floor seemed fine but I'll try a more careful test later this morning (I'm a classical music recording engineer so I should be able to judge these things!). In fact I'll post an audio sample for others to judge.
 
Here's a link to an mp3 (4.3MB) of the Rode Stereo VideoMic (SVM) connected to the GH1, compared to the GH1 built in mic.

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/9/22/1451533/Rode GH1 test.mp3

You first hear me talking with the Rode on its 0dB setting, then some room silence, then me talking on the Rode using its -10dB setting (which is what I would recommend), then some more room silence, then more talking using the GH1's own built in mic, plus more room silence.

The sound quality using the Rode SVM is, imho, significantly better than the built in mic, both tonally and in terms of stereo image. Its noise level in conjunction with the GH1 is in line with my expectations, given that when there's silence, the GH1 turns its input up to the max. During the tests there was a small battery clock the other side of the room ticking once a second, and I was unaware of it until listening to the playbacks, where it can be heard quite clearly. The SVM output level is too high unless recording birdsong or the like - its -10dB pad should be switched in. Then its level seems comparable with the built in mic. The built in mic seems to pick up some kind of steady system noise - overall I think I prefer the noise level using the SVM.

The SVM comes with a very effective dead kitten windshield, and has a suspension built in to reduce handling noise. However, it's barely possible to use the viewfinder with the SVM on top of the camera - a side bracket would be necessary if you don't want to use the LCD screen.

I haven't yet tried the SVM on an extension mic cord with the GH1 (which would allow you to locate the mic closer to the sound source) but that's not been a problem with a 20 foot lead on other gear.


There's no substitute for properly aquired sound but if you can't use an independent sound rig, in my view the SVM is significantly better than just using the built in mics. Bear in mind it requires a 3.5mm to 2.5mm adaptor, and one that will physically fit into the small space on the side of the GH1. Also bear in mind that there's no monitoring of sound during recording, so if you forget to turn on the external mic, you'll only get the reminder the camera rather neatly gives you when you first switch it on.

I can't compare the SVM with other similar mics because I don't have them.
 
Also bear in mind that there's no monitoring of sound during recording, so if you forget to turn on the external mic, you'll only get the reminder the camera rather neatly gives you when you first switch it on.
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Care to elaborate?
 
Ozpeter said:
Here's a link to an mp3 (4.3MB) of the Rode Stereo VideoMic (SVM) connected to the GH1, compared to the GH1 built in mic.

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/9/22/1451533/Rode GH1 test.mp3

You first hear me talking with the Rode on its 0dB setting, then some room silence, then me talking on the Rode using its -10dB setting (which is what I would recommend), then some more room silence, then more talking using the GH1's own built in mic, plus more room silence.

The sound quality using the Rode SVM is, imho, significantly better than the built in mic, both tonally and in terms of stereo image. Its noise level in conjunction with the GH1 is in line with my expectations, given that when there's silence, the GH1 turns its input up to the max. During the tests there was a small battery clock the other side of the room ticking once a second, and I was unaware of it until listening to the playbacks, where it can be heard quite clearly. The SVM output level is too high unless recording birdsong or the like - its -10dB pad should be switched in. Then its level seems comparable with the built in mic. The built in mic seems to pick up some kind of steady system noise - overall I think I prefer the noise level using the SVM.

The SVM comes with a very effective dead kitten windshield, and has a suspension built in to reduce handling noise. However, it's barely possible to use the viewfinder with the SVM on top of the camera - a side bracket would be necessary if you don't want to use the LCD screen.

I haven't yet tried the SVM on an extension mic cord with the GH1 (which would allow you to locate the mic closer to the sound source) but that's not been a problem with a 20 foot lead on other gear.


There's no substitute for properly aquired sound but if you can't use an independent sound rig, in my view the SVM is significantly better than just using the built in mics. Bear in mind it requires a 3.5mm to 2.5mm adaptor, and one that will physically fit into the small space on the side of the GH1. Also bear in mind that there's no monitoring of sound during recording, so if you forget to turn on the external mic, you'll only get the reminder the camera rather neatly gives you when you first switch it on.

I can't compare the SVM with other similar mics because I don't have them.
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Ozpeter...Thank you soo much... amazing information now I can feel good about ordering the Rode Stereo VideoMic.. once again thank you so much :love4:
 
Hi OzPeter: Thank you very, very much for doing this microphone test and posting the MP3 file! I've been waiting for months for someone to post a quality GH1 audio sample, and this is the first one I'm aware of. Bravo!

Question: During the silence/room-tone portions of your test, I think I hear the tick-tick-tick of a mechanical clock? Is that correct, or is that sound something else?

It's not that this Rode/GH1 configuration is the the greatest thing since sliced bread (although I think they sound very good together!), but it's just nice to finally hear some decently recorded audio actually captured with a GH1 after listening for weeks to studio-recorded album soundtracks dropped onto GH1 YouTube/Vimeo clips. :cheesy:

The Rode mic & your means of connecting it to the GH1 seems to be working very well, at least when the cam is (I assume) stationary. I'll be interested to hear what you discover during real-world use how reliable the connection continues to be, or what means of securing it you discover.

It would be fabulous if you can post some further tests of live acoustic music recorded with your set up. I think you mentioned you work with classical musicians? It would be great to hear some of that, as well as just about any kind of live musical sources to get a sense of what this gear can do and how it sounds.

If you are able, proper recordings of street sounds, machinery, nature, etc. would be great to hear, too.

I'm also interested in what amounts of additional attenuation pads, if any, are required to get good quality recordings of loud source sounds.

But all of that would be bonus, and no hurry. This is great stuff! More please? :beer:

P.S.: Your current test gives me hope that other good audio gear, including properly-connected pro wireless mics and field mixers, can produce results with the GH1 which are very usable in certain productions -- with the obvious caveat that the cam's automatic audio rec level control may sometimes prove problematic.
 
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I hope I'm not pulling this off topic, but does anybody have any experience in general (Not necessarily with GH1) with the NTG-2?

I am coming at this as somebody who does not yet own, but will need to eventually purchase, a shotgun mic.

The Stereo VideoMic goes for about $200, the NTG-2 goes for about $269...if I was going to use the mic off-camera more than on, it seems like the NTG-2 would be a better solution. Still, I guess the StereoMic can work off camera, and even if you were to pick up a different mic later, you could use the StereoMic on the camera for ambient...
 
Question: During the silence/room-tone portions of your test, I think I hear the tick-tick-tick of a mechanical clock? Is that correct, or is that sound something else?
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Yup, I mentioned it in my post -
During the tests there was a small battery clock the other side of the room ticking once a second, and I was unaware of it until listening to the playbacks, where it can be heard quite clearly.
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Actually, I admit when I first heard it I thought there was a problem somewhere... I actually use that clock quite often in audio tests to provide a low-level signal, but usually rather closer to the mic than the other side of the room (approx 8 feet away I guess).

It would be fabulous if you can post some further tests of live acoustic music recorded with your set up. I think you mentioned you work with classical musicians? It would be great to hear some of that, as well as just about any kind of live musical sources to get a sense of what this gear can do and how it sounds.
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Trouble is, with the SVM on top of the GH1 you've no longer got a steath setup, and musicians are incredibly sensitive to people recording them, let alone videoing them - and I respect their wishes. Anyway, I'll see what I can do. I might put up a test recorded from a hifi meanwhile.

If you are able, proper recordings of street sounds, machinery, nature, etc. would be great to hear, too.
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That would be easier. I have something in mind already...!

Your current test gives me hope that other good audio gear, including properly-connected pro wireless mics and field mixers, can produce results with the GH1 which are very usable in certain productions -- with the obvious caveat that the cam's automatic audio rec level control may sometimes prove problematic.
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Well, it would be the auto gain that stuffs things up rather than noise or frequency response. Perhaps it's not totally beyond the bounds of possibility for extra audio functionality to be added by firmware. But bear in mind that from my test, the GH1 likes a quite low level mic level input, and most audio gear outputs at line level. I have a small Mackie mixer (don't we all?!) which has a mic level output switch on the back and I might test that in due course with the GH1. Into that I can connect some really nice mics... or simply a line in from a CD player.
 
And an afterthought - I bet the Beachtec (?sp) people put out an audio interface dedicated to the GH1 before many months go by, using the trick of injecting a HF signal to turn down the auto gain, and enabling proper mics to be connected. Bear that in mind before investing in other methods (maybe someone could ask them?).
 
Here's a little one-minute-or-so soundscape recorded with the Rode Stereo VideoMic (set at -10dB) into the GH1 - you are standing beside a suburban railway line in Australia and to your right is a road bridge over the railway. Hand held, but I don't think you would have heard any handling noise anyway as I was standing dead still.

Heh, who needs pictures?!

I've edited it together from a couple of clips, but apart from a crossfade at the join, and a fade in/out, no monkeying with the audio levels or eq etc by me. (Same goes for the previous example - it's not rigged in any way).

Filesize 1.76MB.

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/9/22/1451533/Rode train.mp3

I'm glad to encourage you good people to buy Australian mics! No, I don't have shares in the company. :)
 
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