Suggestion Required: Audio Recording with 5D Mark III and RODE NTG2 Microphone

[waqasnasir]

Dear Experts

I am an amateur videographer and a professional photographer.
For an assignment i have to record an interview and for that i will be using my Canon 5D Mark III.

I have in my storage RODE NTG2 Microphone (never used) and i am thinking to use it for the first time to record the audio.

Can you please suggest the best and affordable (economical) hardware options to connect the RODE NTG2 microphone with 5D Mark III ?

I read some threads on the internet but mostly they were many years old, so I am thinking that some nice new hardware must be there in the market now.

I visited beachtek website and they have some nice gear but i am not sure which one will fit my need, since the RODE microphone gives out XLR output where 5D Mark III has a stereo pin as input.

Instead of wasting hours / days on research, it is best to ask the experts of this field.

If some latest discussion forum thread is there on the same topic, please you can refer me to it as well.

Thank you and looking forward.

 

[Joshua_G]

Welcome to the video shooting world.

A more proper place for your question is the 'Location Sound / Post Audio' forum here: http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/forumdisplay.php?29-Location-Sound-Post-Audio .

The RODE NTG2 can be powered by an internal AA battery (and external 48V phantom power), so the cheapest way to connect it to your camera is an XLR to 3.5mm adapter cable, like this one: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...b_xrsm_3_pin_xlr_female.html/pageID/accessory . With this cheapest solution, you can adjust the audio recording volume in the camera.

However, adjusting the audio recording volume in the camera while shooting is extremely inconvenient and distracting. A much better solution is an on-camera preamp, like the juicedLink RM333 Riggy Micro Low-Noise Preamp: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/857043-REG/juicedLink_RM333_RM333_Riggy_Micro_Low_Noise.html , or, even better, the juicedLink RA333 Riggy Assist Low-Noise Preamp, which has also LEDs volume indicator and headphones volume control: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/868931-REG/juicedLink_RA333_RA333_Riggy_Assist_Low_Noise.html .

An alternative solution is a portable audio mixer/recorder, like the Tascam DR-60DmkII 4-Channel Portable Recorder for DSLR: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1084690-REG/tascam_dr_60mkii_portable_recorder_for_dslr.html .

The benefit of an on-camera preamp is larger volume controls, which makes it easier to adjust the volume while recording. The benefits of a portable recorder are lower price and better audio recording quality than the in-camera audio recording. However, a separate audio file will require syncing the video and audio channels in the editing software.

With either solution, adapter cable, on camera mixer, or portable recorder; in order to minimize the camera operating noise to be recorded, a good on-camera microphone shock-mount is highly recommended, like this one: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod..._camera_shoe_shockmount.html/pageID/accessory .

Also, in either case, on camera mixer or portable recorder, if you don't have one, you'll need a short XLR cable, like this one: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/845562-REG/Kopul_m4003rc_3_Pin_XLR_M_to_Angled.html , or this one: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/845563-REG/Kopul_m4001_5r_Kopul_Studio_Elite_4000.html , or this one: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/866903-REG/Pearstone_pm_01_Professional_Microphone_Cable.html , or this one: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/867102-REG/Kopul_m4001_Studio_Elite_4000_Series.html .

Most important, placing the recording microphone on camera is the worst possible solution. You cannot get reasonably good audio quality from an on-camera mic. There are two much better solutions:

One is to place the mic on a dedicated stand, on the side and above the speaker's head, like this one: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/755877-REG/auray_ms_5230f_tripod_microphone_stand.html . This solution works well when there is only one person whose voice need be recorded (one person interviewed, with no interviewer, or when the interviewer voice recording isn't important). When there is more than one voice to recorded, you'll need two or more microphones and stands. For microphone/s on stand/s, you'll need longer XLR cable/s.

Alternately, and better than a microphone, or few microphones, on a stand, is using lavalier microphone/s. Using lavalier microphone/s is another ball game, so, better continue about it on the 'Location Sound / Post Audio' forum.

Happy and successful shooting.