Rode Videomics, how useful are they?

R

randomname

Well-known member
I picked up a video mic the other day in a bundle that I got an awesome deal on, and I'm trying to figure out what to do with it. The majority of my work right now is either event shooting or corporate web video, and I can't say there's ever been a time where I really wished that there was a mic on my camera (I also edit event videos, and have never used audio from on camera). My first instinct is to just sell it and invest the money in to something else I could use, but is there something really handy about these that I'm missing?
 
I rarely, if ever, use camera audio in the final mix. But there are also times where it has saved my duff.

While I always run second-system sound, I always have a VideoMic Pro on my camera as it provides a much cleaner reference than the camera's built-in. I wouldn't work without it.

Of course, it also depends on what kind of camera you have and what the other external mic options are. If it's a camera with XLR ins, then there are much better options. But for cameras that offer only 1/8" in, such as DSLR, then it's pretty much worth the investment.
 
therealmj said:
Does anyone use these on a boom up close for interviews and get good results?
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-- 'good results' is subjective. Would it be better than a VM mounted on the camera.. Yes, but not in same league as a proper 'pro' XLR mic. The un-balanced configuration of the VM could be a problem with longer cable runs. I think the VM was designed as an camer-mount mic for capturing ambient sound. Some producers used to call this 'nat sound'.
 
As have been said, a mic mounted on the camera is usually just for better reference, but if you do some kind of documentary work, there's no reason not to do it if you are doing double system. Since anything can happen, it can save you in some cases, and on a few occasions the camera actually comes closer than a boom and gets pretty good sound.
 
Any mic mounted on a camera is there just to get general effects or as a back-up, I have done grabbed interviews with a camera mic but it was an AT875r and within three feet of the subject but the preference is to have an off camera mic that can be put in the right position for the best sound capture.
 
I use the Rode VideoMic Pro to get either natural sound when shooting event-style, or for little videos like these (for my brother) where I'm traveling by plane and trying to gear as light as possible:


For reference sound, I routinely just go from the Line Out jack on my Tascam via a pad cable to line in, but as Alex H. mentioned, the VideoMic Pro works great for that as well. When I was shooting a short film back at the beginning of the year, I used the VideoMic Pro on my GH2 just for that purpose (sound was being recorded by another person) and was able to edit a watchable version with just that audio until the sound mix was complete, which came in very handy and sounded way better than just the built-in camera mic.
 
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