Rode Video Mic or Nikon ME1? for wedding video

[Willy Santiago]

I need an advise on which shot gun mic is better for wedding videography. Rode Video Mic or Nikon ME1?

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Willy Santiago

I need an advise on which shot gun mic is better for wedding videography. Rode Video Mic or Nikon ME1?

Shooting as an amateur, either one would do. If you're being paid to shoot, neither is truly professional and I'd suggest looking up-market but I'd give a slight edge to the Rode if those were your only choices. The Nikon mic is not a shotgun, it is a stereo mic, suitable for ambience but not speech. Neither will be any good for the vows, etc.

[Chris Harding]

Hi Willy

First of all I don't shoot vows with either cams using my Rode's I use wireless mics (usually 3 sets) However for the reception and guest interviews the VideoMics are awesome!! Even with a lot of background noise they seem to punch thru the background and give really good reception audio. I would definately take a Rode over any stereo mic if you want a shotgun mic.

Chris

[Chad Johnson]

The Rode is the superior mic. Sony doesn't do mics well. It's also stereo, which is just the wrong thing for dialogue. Must be mono...

You can hear the Rode VM here, but there is also the Rode VideoMic Pro that has a 20db boost if you are recording on a DSLR or any camcorder that has manyal levels, and is a little noisy. The boost allows you to turn down the recording level and the hisssss with it.

Shootout of the Mini Shotguns! on Vimeo

[Ben Fullerton]

Great comparison video. Thanks for sharing!

I've got the Rode Video Mic, and I love the sound, but I don't like the build quality. It's plasticky, and the shockmount rubberband pieces break really easily. The Video Mic Pro looks like an improvement in build quality and seemed to sound nearly identical, but the non-Pro seems to have a slight ede on off axis rejection. I also have the Stereo Video Mic, and that thing is built like a tank. All metal construction, very heavy duty, obviously heavier, but worth in for what I do. I wish they would have built the new Video Mic Pro with the same rugged build quality as the Stereo. I would jump all over it if they had.

[Chris Harding]

Hey Ben

Go to any industrial supplier that sells "o" rings and ask them to supply you rings to fit the shock mount. I'm in Australia and mine were 12.5mm (so that's 1/2" rings) They are cheap as chips and last forever!!!

I bought 100 for $5.00 !!! There are only 8 points on a mic but I have one on each camera so I can change them 6 times completely before I run out...the little square Rode ones break within a week!!!!

Chris

[Ben Fullerton]

Thanks for the tip, Chris!

I figured there must be some kind of DIY workaround for it. I just hadn't looked into it yet. I also need to find a better way to travel with it, so it's safer. I was shooting in Puerto Rico, and when I got there, I pulled it out of my travel bag and 5 out of eight bands were snapped. I managed to pull things off withit dangling from the remaining 3, treating it like it was made of porcelain the whole time, but spare parts shure would have been nice. When I got home, I found the bag of spares that comes with it. Shoulda had that with me. Whoops...

Cheers!

[Chad Johnson]

You can also use a proper shock mount from Rycote. The InVision stuff is as good as it gets.

Rycote InVision Video, with the Røde VideoMic Pro fitted | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

[Andy Wilkinson]

Originally Posted by Willy Santiago

I need an advise on which shot gun mic is better for wedding videography. Rode Video Mic or Nikon ME1?

You don't say for which camera this would be for. Note that the new Nikon ME-1 needs to be powered directly from the camera (via it's mini-jack lead) wheras the Rode Video Mic Pro and older Videomic, and indeed the Stereo Videomic (I have all 3 amongst my kit) have their own battery power.

Not all cameras will be suitable as some will be unable to power the mic. I know this is obvious to many ....but I'm sure, sooner or later, we'll see a post that's along the lines of "hey, why won't my Nikon ME-1 mic work on my XY camera". Hopefully, this post lessens that happening! Check the specs before you buy!

[Chad Johnson]

The VideoMic pro runs on battery so power isn't an issue. And as I said, you need a mono mic for picking up dialog.