GH2 Rode VideoMic Pro or Rode Stereo Video Mic Pro ?

F

Fly-catchers

Active member
I am looking to get an external mic for my GH2 . For the moment I don't want to get either external mixers or a separate recorder. Of those two mic's which is overall best? I have found quite a few good reviews on the Rode VideoMic Pro, but the Rode Stereo Video Mic Pro hardly gets mentioned.
 
I would mainly want it to just capture atmospheric/ambient sounds. It would be mainly mounted on the camera in run-and-gun shoots. The built in mic for my purposes is almost ok but suffers from wind noise and hiss.
 
Fly-catchers said:
The built in mic for my purposes is almost ok but suffers from wind noise and hiss.
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You can buy wind protection for your GH2 mics: Micromuff Skinny Review

Otherwise the Rode stereo mic is quite good for ambient sound. It's not a shotgun mic, so it's no use for interviews, but if you just want to pick-up the audio atmosphere of where you are shooting it sounds great.
 
Thanks for the link and comments.
As most if not all DSLR and Mirrorless cameras have stereo recording what is the main benefit of the mono Rode VideoMic Pro over the stereo- if anything?
 
Fly-catchers said:
what is the main benefit of the mono Rode VideoMic Pro over the stereo- if anything?
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Better quality sound. I could see using this for live events when you want your audience to feel like they are there at the event. ( though I would probably use a small portable recorder like my Olympus LS-11 which has very good mics and a low -75 dB noise-floor )
 
I personally plan to get both. The VideoMic Pro will be for the ceremony, where I need a bit more reach to hear the couple's vows. And the Stereo VideoMic Pro will be for receptions, where I want a nice ambient recording of the dance floor.
 
The pro works great as a narrow pattern boom microphone. I use it as a back up - It actually holds up against my Sennheiser 416 surprisingly well. But if you're looking to use it to capture ambient sound, etc. - The Stereo Videomic is probably the way to go.
 
The Stereo Videomic can function as a boom mic if placed close to the subject. It's sounds more natural indoors too. It's not as narrow of a pickup pattern as the mono version but I consider it the jack of all trades. I use it for live performance capture, run and gun, and ambient capture, and general on the camera backup audio. It's just so useful.

Unless you plan on actually booming with the mono version, I vote for the stereo mic.
 
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