Rode NTG3 - On Camera Doc / ENG Suitability

[Dave Mercer]

Looks like I might have cooked my venerable Sennheiser ME64. Am now looking at possible replacements.

I've read glowing reviews on the Rode above. There's also a Sennheiser MKE 600 that I can pick up relatively cheaply. I hope to have the mic for many years to come.

Thanks for any / all advice.

PS - I'm a self shooting journalist so no sound person unfortunately

[Don Palomaki]

AT875R is a nice short, modest priced, shotgun provided you have phantom power available.

[Seth Bloombaum]

The NTG3 is a great mic - all the Rodes tend to be punching above what their cost would suggest.

I hear you about no sound person. Still, in many cases with no soundie it's a wireless lav that will be best for docs.

[Nate Haustein]

Love my NTG3. Needs Phantom power but always sounds good to my ears.

[Brian P. Reynolds]

So what sort of camera are you using it on?
Are you intending to use it for Fx or Dialogue?

Camera top mics should be regarded as Fx ONLY..... NOT for dialogue.
If they were good for ENG dialogue / spoken voice don't you think every news network around the world would be using them? They don't...... WHY?

[Dave Mercer]

I use lavs for interviews. Top mic for ambient, but would be nice to add it to mix for fuller sound for interviews occasionally. Interviews in field - think developing world news and current affairs docs, single shooter/reporter.

Thanks.

PS - brought the ME64 back to life, but perhaps need a new mic, and 64 as backup

[Simon Thewlis]

The NTG3 is great. And, it has a 10 year warranty.

I had one die after about 5 years. I sent it back to Rode and received a brand new replacement within days.

[Dave Mercer]

Sounds like the Rode is a wise choice. Thanks all.

[Ty Ford]

Good call!

Here's my review from a while back.

Ty Ford Audio and Video: Rode NTG-3 Shotgun Mic - Ready For Action

Regrds,

Ty Ford

[Phil Murray]

I went from an ME64 to a NTG3 several years ago and NEVER regretted it. Intended to use as a second mic, but sold off the ME64 as it was never being used. The difference, to my ears, was so much better. (I tried the NTG2 first because of the price difference, but found that paying more for the NTG3 was easily worth it.)

[Andy Wilkinson]

I agree about the NTG-3. I was one of the first to own it at launch in 2008. Mine developed a fault almost immediately and was swiftly replaced by RODE in what I can only describe as truly perfect customer service. It was my run-n-gun mic on my then Sony EX3 and is now on my PMW-300. Use it often in a Rycote S330 series blimp on a RODE boom pole too for other outside work. Buy the Rode WS7 windshield for it for more versatility in run-n-gun one man band situations. Wonderful mic and it still has 2.5 years warranty to run!

It is often supplemented by a Rode Lav via Senny G series radiomics (as we all know a cam mounted mic is rarely going to give you excellent audio) and for more controlled interviews indoor the absolutely wonderful AT4053b hypercardoid (on boom or stand).

That said, I bought a Audio Technica AT875R when I got my C100 back in 2012 as I needed a much shorter on-cam shotgun for fast paced run-n-gun ENG type work (soon got fed up seeing the NTG-3 in wider shots!)

For the rather cheap price the AT875R is terrific value. It is also now finding use on my new Sony FS5 for similar short length reasons - although I managed to get it in shot yesterday (wearing a deadcat) on an ultrawide shot my Canon 10-22mm on that cam!

If I use the NTG-3 on the C100 (or FS5 - not tried this yet) it needs to be mounted via a Rycote Invision Video Lyre mount to get it high enough to be out of shot for anything remotely wide (and via a cold shoe further back on the top handle, especially when it is wearing the bulky WS7 deadcat).

[Dave Mercer]

Andy - interesting point about mic size. As ridiculous as it might sound, it's a legitimate concern of mine as well. With my new 10-18 mm on my equally new Sony FS5, even the ME64 with a deadcat comes into shot. NTG3, as you point out, would likely have to be mounted on a on the rear cold shoe. I break down my mic often for transport and this would be an added step. Plus it'd interfere with access to the top handle. And it adds to the small size of the camera (which I like for a variety of reasons, including trying to keep a low profile, as well as keeping interviewees with no experience in front of camera as chilled out as possible).

So tell me, what do you think of the sound quality of the AT875 compared to the NTG3? Again bearing in mind I'm a self shooter running around latin america with the camera mounted on mic, and not working with a sound person with a boom, etc.

Many thannks!

[Andy Wilkinson]

NTG-3 is obviously a better mic but the AT875R is pretty damn good. The Audio Technica is "hotter" than the NTG-3 and, no doubt partly due to its short length, has a wider pick-up pattern (which can be a blessing or not depending on the specific use). NTG-3 has superb RF rejection which may be important in some busy city environments for you, not sure (I used to work in parts of central and South America a heck of a lot in a previous career and it was certainly a crowded space regarding radio/mobile communications even back then!)

I paid about £100 for mine (in 2012, new) and I am delighted with it. Mine often wears the deadcat I had with my original Rode Videomic over its foam cover when out and about. If you dig around on the web I am sure there was a well respected review of about half a dozen shotguns which included the AT875R in amongst some impressive company - and it came out well. A search on here in the audio section may well pull it up.

I bought mine after reading some comments about it by Gary Natrass (another UK DVinfo member) on here about 3 years back (and then that review) and may buy a second one soon if I decide to keep all 3 of my current cams...still debating if I should sell my PMW-300…my C100 with DPAF is far too useful for me to get rid of, especially because it's second-hand value is so small now! The FS5 is a keeper for sure!

Edit - Here is the review I mentioned. From 2008 but still worth reading as sound gear does not age/update as fast as cameras do!

http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage..._brockett.html

[Dave Mercer]

Thanks Andy. Very helpful. Selling here in Canada for $200 - so less than 100 quid. Sounds like a good addition.

On another note - did you ever try a lens like the Canon L 100-400 on your C100 (or FS5 with speedbooster)? Debating between Sony 70-200 and something by Canon with adapter.

[Andy Wilkinson]

Nope. I have (VERY briefly) tried my Canon 70-200mm F4 IS (my longest lens) and my Canon 1.4x MkII Extender - with the standard Metabones IV adapter on the FS5 - just to check if this "Franken assembly" worked (which it did). I would support it on a tripod via the lens bracket for sure. I've seen a picture from Doug Jensen (I think on the "other" forum somewhere) with the tiny FS5 body hanging off the end of some mega huge telephoto lens - made me laugh!

With the excellent quality 2X Clear Image Zoom (in HD) and 1.5X (in QFHD) that the FS5 offers, I doubt I'd ever use the Canon Extender with that 70-200mm - but time will tell. I see some tests coming up next time we get a sunny day over here!