Rode Mics: VideoMic Pro, Lav and PinMic
Audio from the built in microphones on DSLR cameras, are not the ideal way to finish your project. Capturing quality audio when shooting with a DSLR will greatly improve the production value of your content. Between price, quality, and performance, Rode Microphones has quickly become an industry standard among DSLR video shooters. We demonstrate how the built-in DSLR mic performs against a portable Zoom H1 audio recorder, which should be one of the first items on your audio list.
Zoom H1 Portable Digital Recorder with Stereo Microphones
Rode VideoMic Pro Compact Shotgun
Then we connect the Rode Videomic Pro and the Rode Lavalier mic to the Zoom H1. This is a better solution than trying to connect any microphones directly to the camera since the Zoom products can capture a higher bitrate and quality of audio than the camera itself. Isolating your subject and bringing the microphone as close as possible is the general rule of thumb to capture the clearest sound. The narrow pick up pattern that the shotgun and lav mics provide render out better sounding audio. Sorry, we should have added the DeadCat fur to block out some of that additional wind noise.
We also highlight the Rode PinMic which is a clever LAV microphone that attaches by pushing the connectors from the backside of fabric. There are two different colored microphone mesh screens in black and silver in case your subject is wearing a dark or bright colored shirt. Quite ingenious.
Rode PinMic Wearable Microphone
Olivia,
What’s your choice on these?
By the way, the zoom h1 it’s a good one.. any others on that category?
tnx
It’s not really a matter of choice, they are all used differently to produce different sounds. You will need each one and use them for different purposes. I would start with a portable recorder like the Zoom H1 or Zoom H4n and a LAV microphone. You could use the Zoom for some things and use the LAV + Zoom for other things. You could later invest in a shotgun microphone that will give you a more natural sound than a LAV while still being more focused to your subject.
Using the Rode Video Mic Pro on the hot shoe of a camera( I use canon) will you pick up noise from your lenses IS stabilization? And if so how far must you go to get away from the noise. thanks!
Hey Ron, I have not experienced this. We use the Rode Videomic Pro often and have found that the sponge windscreen it comes with acts as a very efficient buffer for unwanted noise.
I just bought a new Canon EOS 5D MkII and I am dealing with big problems because of IS lens stabilization (Canon 24-105 f4 L) noise, as captured by VideoMic Pro on camera’s hot shoe.
I mean: I am trying to use VideoMic Pro +20db, minimizing 5D own manual audio control to just 2 clicks to the right (counting from zero), meaning 3,125% of total level scale. Even so, we can clearly hear IS noise.
I think that the standard sponge windscreen of VideoMic Pro is not enough at all to “stop” such noise recording.
I should like to know how people are solving this important point:
Thanks to all.
Hi Jose, are you shooting on a tripod? If you’re on a tripod you do not need to turn the IS on. Just a reminder. Your audio setting are correct. The problem really is that the mic is too close to the lens. It is literally sitting right on top of the lens. The only solution is to move the mic as far from the lens as you possibly can. Try a little test and see how far it needs to be before the IS is no longer detected. A cage or a friction arm should remedy this issue.
Hi Olivia,
Thanks for the reminder but my problem is handheld camera and IS working.
I also have a RODE NTG-2 mic (a lot better than VideoMic Pro) and I made some tests with it and 5D MkII.
18 cm distance from mic to lens is enough not to hear IS noise (beeing 6 cm the “standard” distance of VideoMic Pro to lens, when mounted on 5D hot shoe).
But pay attention: I didn’t record on 5D. I recorded on my MARANTZ PMD 620 (0db mic attenuation).
So, I just bought (I am now waiting for delivery):
- 1x BEACHTEK MultiMount 5D Camera
- 1x EI-A03 cold shoe to 1/4″ thread mount
- 1x RODE NT-SM3 Microphone holder
MultiMount (on vertical position) with NT-SM3, allow to place NTG-2 18 cm far from lens.
EI-A03 allow to instal MARANTZ on one side of MultiMount, so allowing me to manual control MARANTZ audio level recording.
At last, what I intend to do is as follows:
- Use VideoMIc Pro connected directly to 5D MkII, in AUTO level, so recording “all” IS noises and what I am filming, without any special care from my side.
- Use MARANTZ to record “seriously”, high quality, controling audio level
- On editing phase, it will be easy to sync both files and use only the MARANTZ one.
- At last, VideoMic Pro will be mounted “inside” MultiMount.
What do you think on this?
Of course, I decided using my NTG-2 because I already have it and it is much better than VideoMic Pro.
And I decided to use MARANTZ (instead of connecting NTG-2 directly to 5D) not only because of superior quality of MARANTZ recording, but also because of the available manual recording control while shooting.
And I think that the BEACHTEK MultiMount is a good solution because I can keep everything “together” on 5D, no outsider arms.
Please, let me have your coments, ok?
Hi Jose, the setup sounds like a plan to me! So long as your Rode isn’t picking up the IS noise, you should be fine. (Since this is your quality audio source). Sometimes it’s just about a little trial and error. I think you should find this to work out for you but there are always small tolerances that can skew setups. Let me know if it worked out. The preamp paired with the Rode along with the 18 cm distance sounds solid. I’ll be a bit surprised if you do in fact pick up the IS noise now.
Olivia,
I saw you used a mic stand for the rode mic instead of a camera. I have a rode videomic but the bottom connector seems to be only for cameras. Is there a special mic stand head that can hold a rode videomic?
Try a Frio Coldshoe adaptor. You can see a review I did HERE
I am filming a lot of interviews but audio is not my strong suit. Can you connect two Rode PinMics to a record into a Zoom H4?
@Kristen The Rode mics come with an XLR and 3.5mm mini jack option in the case. To use two pin mics, you would need to either use one with the XLR adaptor and one with the 3.5mm adaptor or two XLR adaptors to record both into the Zoom H4N as two separate tracks, as there is only ONE 3.5mm mini jack input on the recorder. There are two XLR inputs at the bottom of the Zoom H4N. Hope that helps out! Be sure your pin mics come with the XLR and 3.5mm adaptors, mine did.