Rode Videomic gets even better

Recording audio content: microphones, on-camera audio vs. stand-alone recorders, recommendations on techniques and audio-recording hardware.
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acgold7
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Rode Videomic gets even better

Post by acgold7 »

Rode has announced their new VideoMic Pro, which should be out at the end of the month. Initial reviews are ecstatic.

The VideoMic is a favorite of a bunch of us around here, so the new version should be well worth checking out.

http://www.rodemic.com/microphone.php?p ... ideomicpro
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Doughie
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Re: Rode Videomic gets even better

Post by Doughie »

aha i thought there was a new Rode mic coming, smaller one.
Philip bloom had one on his D-SLR a coupla months ago, and tied in with forthcoming Aussie trip....

all good, i am sure it will be a great success.
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Stephan
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New RODE VideoMic Pro

Post by Stephan »

Here's how the new RØDE VideoMic Pro looks on a DSLR (picture from RODE's website). Small and convenient.

Philip Bloom sounds quite ecstatic indeed, but well, he's got a professional PR agreement with RØDE apparently. Anyway I agree, there's little doubt that this microphone should be quite a hit. I have the Stereo VideoMic (not the regular one) and have been quite happy with it too.
New RODE VideoMic Pro on a DSLR
New RODE VideoMic Pro on a DSLR
videomicpro_onslr.jpg (47.14 KiB) Viewed 12065 times
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Doughie
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Re: Rode Videomic gets even better

Post by Doughie »

To me it's quite reminiscent of the size/form of the Sennheiser MKE400 (which i have). Looks a little bigger than MKE400 but definitely similar (except it's got integrated shockmount which is nice). I also have original Videomic, from 2005.

Am sure it'll be a roaring sales success. Phil's got quite a following as a D-SLR video guru and when he gives a product the thumbs-up people tend to buy. In any case, the Videomic has been a huge sales success and this 2nd mic is bound to sell a bucket load. IU would personally have liked to see 2 levels of attenuation, -10dB and -20dB rather than just the -10dB. The Videomic was a very hot mic and gave high levels with low SPLs. Videomic was modified during its lifetime with a little attentuator pad (switchable) of -10dB and -20dB. maybe the Videomic Pro is less sensitive and so doesnt need the -20dB attentuation option.

I look forward to tests of it!
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Stephan
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Re: Rode Videomic gets even better

Post by Stephan »

The level-control switch has -10 dB, 0 dB, +20 dB.

The explanation for this odd +20 dB value is in the manual:
RODE VideoMic Pro manual wrote:The right setting (+20) will increase the signal level by 20 dB. This is useful where you have a very quiet sound source, or your camera requires a higher input level for better signal to noise ratio (as in many Digital SLR cameras).
Targeting this microphone for video DSLRs might be the reason why they dropped the -20 dB attenuation.
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Doughie
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Re: Rode Videomic gets even better

Post by Doughie »

Stephan wrote:Targeting this microphone for video DSLRs might be the reason why they dropped the -20 dB attenuation.
Yep could well be. I found the +20dB a bit odd, as i'd never seen that before on any Rode mics and i've looked at a lot of them in some detail over the years. Usually with Rode condenser mics, you're trying to keep levels down most of the time!
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