Rode VideoMic Pro
For those looking to move beyond the internal microphone on a digital SLR or camcorder, the VideoMic Pro can achieve excellent audio in a compact, lightweight and relatively inexpensive package.
Video
| The Good |
Compact size perfectly suited to digital SLRs Usability improvements over the original VideoMic Ideal solution for recording better audio with a digital SLR or camcorder |
|---|---|
| The Bad |
Battery compartment hard to close No carrying or protective case |
Aussie microphone manufacturer Rode has jumped readily into the market of photographers and videographers looking for better quality audio from their digital SLRs. The VideoMic Pro is the smaller, lighter version of the VideoMic, with a few extra features in a small footprint.
Design and features
The shotgun-style mic sits neatly on top of an SLR thanks to the provided hotshoe mount at its base, which also has scope for connecting a boompole using a 3/8-inch thread. Weighing just 86 grams and at 15cm long, the VideoMic Pro won't overwhelm even the smallest video-enabled SLRs. It weighs 85g and even with a very wide lens mounted on one of our test cameras (the Canon 600D with an EF-S 10-22mm attached) the mic didn't wind its way into the top of our shots.
Powered by a single 9-volt battery housed just under the microphone itself, Rode claims that it will give 70 hours of recording time. The connector is a 3.5mm jack. Though it's not provided in the box, you can redeem a free additional wind shield, affectionately dubbed the "Deadcat", when you claim the extended warranty. Textured like its namesake, the cover sits over the microphone to give additional coverage against wind noise. The microphone will work perfectly fine without it, though, as it already has a foam wind-shield as standard.
The shock mounting tries to prevent the microphone from hitting against its base and surrounds, held on with some specially designed elastic bands. There are also spares in the box.
Compared to the VideoMic, the Pro version is obviously smaller. It also comes with some more easily accessible features like the two-step high-pass filter switch and level control (-10, 0 and +20dB) at the back of the unit. The high pass filter can be set to either flat or high — with the high setting usually reserved for situations with lots of low frequency noise in the background.
The original Rode VideoMic (left) and VideoMic Pro (right). (Credit: CBSi)
Performance
Using a standard 3.5mm audio jack, the VideoMic Pro connects easily to any digital SLR or camcorder with external mic input. The right-angled jack is easy enough to plug into SLRs like the Canon 5D Mark II, which we used for testing.
The VideoMic Pro gives some very good sound definition, though it's not all that noticeably different to the original VideoMic for recording and isolating voices. For digital SLRs with Auto Gain Control, the best results can be achieved by pulling down the audio levels in the camera until there's just a small visual signal indicator, then switching the VideoMic Pro on to +20db. The best sound comes when the subject or audio source is facing straight on into the mic, which makes sense given its nature. Also, the VideoMic Pro excels at isolating and capturing voices in environments when the internal microphone struggles.
The Video Mic Pro comes with a full 10-year warranty when registered via Rode's website within one month of purchase.
Conclusion
For those looking to move beyond the internal microphone on a digital SLR or camcorder, the VideoMic Pro can achieve excellent audio in a compact, lightweight and relatively inexpensive package.
