View Full Version : New Rode NTG-3 Shotgun on a PMW-EX3


Andy Wilkinson
August 3rd, 2008, 06:17 AM
Just a few quick pics to show what the beauties look like together. The mic is sagging a bit in the suspension mount simply because I did not straighten it.

Markus Bo
August 3rd, 2008, 07:19 AM
It looks nice but where do you put lights?
Markus

Ty Ford
August 3rd, 2008, 09:30 AM
Very sexy 90 degree connector.

Regards,

Ty Ford

Xan Bonneau
August 4th, 2008, 12:40 PM
It looks nice but where do you put lights?
Markus

You should look at the Cool-Lux MD3000 (http://cool-lux.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=MD3000&Category_Code=MD). I think you lose the "hot" shoe functionality, though.

Markus Bo
August 4th, 2008, 01:59 PM
That's the reason why I like this forum!

Markus

Marty Wein
August 4th, 2008, 03:00 PM
The mic is sagging a bit in the suspension mount simply because I did not straighten it.

Did you criss cross the Bands of the Mount? Looking at the images it does not look like you did. Criss-crossing the horizontal bands when inserting a shotgun mic should help.

It looks nice but where do you put lights?
Markus

Also see the Rycote Hot shoe extender (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/407098-REG/Rycote_037303_037303_Hot_Shoe_Extension.html)

Andy Wilkinson
August 4th, 2008, 03:13 PM
Marty, no I did not! Maybe that was in the instructions I should have read with the Rode supsension mount!

So there you have it, I post pics to help people on here see how the two items look and I learn something new that helps me/others as silly as me in not reading them. Thanks Marty.

That Rycote shoe extender also looks highly useful.

Allan Black
August 4th, 2008, 04:56 PM
Great stuff Andy, that's some viewfinder on the cam. The RODE SM3 and 4 shockmounts *just* hold the NTG-3, you have to position it carefully.

Doubling those bands there's too much stretching going on...like to get a big TWANG! right on the money shot. I've got these in a hot cart at BnH, don't know the the diameter for the mic yet.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=cart_accessories&A=details&Q=&sku=292948&is=REG

Cheers.

Marty Wein
August 4th, 2008, 06:05 PM
Allan,
Diameter of the mic is 19mm and the K-Tek should work with the mic but will not work well on the SM3 (if this is what you intend to use it with).

Criss-crossing isn't really doubling it and should work fine and it is certainly worth a try.

Allan Black
August 6th, 2008, 06:35 PM
Thanks Marty. My SM3 mount did come with its four 0 rings criss crossed. The NTG-3 tilts down a tad when it's correctly fitted to it, so I'm currently putting 2 19mm 0 rings on the mic to sit inside against the SM3 rings to stop the G3 slipping forward.

I heard back from BnH confirming your assumption re that polymer K-Tek suspension. The NTG-3 will fit fine they say, I'm ordering some sets.

Cheers.

Marty Wein
August 6th, 2008, 07:46 PM
Thanks Marty. My SM3 mount did come with its four 0 rings criss crossed.

Allan,
To the best of me knowledge the SM3 is not criss crossed by default.
Here is an illustration (http://www.equipmentemporium.com/ShockmountsWindscreens.htm) of proper criss crossing that I hope helps.

I heard back from BnH confirming your assumption re that polymer K-Tek suspension. The NTG-3 will fit fine they say, I'm ordering some sets.

While the K-Tek will fit the NTG-3, it will NOT work with the SM3 since the 4 points are too large for the SM3 and they will fall off.

K-Tek has a new mount called the K-Mount (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/553622-REG/K_Tek_K_MT_K_Mount_Microphone_Shockmount_Suspension.html) which should work nice when used in conjunction with the Clamp Mount Adapter (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/292938-REG/K_Tek_K_BWC_K_BWC_3_8_Threaded_Camera.html) or the Shoe adapter (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/386253-REG/K_Tek_K_SA_KSA_Adjustable_Camera.html). The image of the K-Mount does not do it justice as it is a real beauty IMO.

The NTG-3 tilts down a tad when it's correctly fitted to it, so I'm currently putting 2 19mm 0 rings on the mic to sit inside against the SM3 rings to stop the G3 slipping forward.

Can you post some pictures of this setup?

Andy Wilkinson
August 7th, 2008, 02:02 AM
Well I tried my Rode SM3 mount with criss-crossed O rings and it's way, way too tightly strung for my liking so have reverted to it as it was in my original pictures above. This gives a much more gentle, softer/loose suspension that, in my opinion, despite the slight front end sag (easily correctable with angle adjustment on the SM3) will give much better isolation of the mic from the camera. Of course, as we all know, on camera is about the worst place for a mic anyway but sometimes there is no choice. If you really wanted to criss-cross it would need larger O rings I think/or the alternative above.

On a side note, yesterday we used this Rode NTG-3 inside my Rycote S series (330 kit) on the end of the Rode boom pole for some showreel stuff we're doing. The boom pole was supported by a Boom Buddy on one of my old light stands - not a perfect contraption but sure saves handling the thing all the time/allowed correct positioning etc. Sound came out really nice!!!

Phil Bambridge
August 8th, 2008, 07:55 PM
I think you lose the "hot" shoe functionality, though.

I always assumed hot shoes were ones that supplied power of some description to what was attached to them- my old 35mm SLR clearly had contacts that connected to the flash gun to tell it when to fire. But when I got my DVX100B, with a hot-shoe as described by the manual, it was just a black piece of metal. So I got to thinking it just meant that it was easy to swap things in and out. But then I saw someone talk of a cold-shoe.

Anyone know? Minor apologies in advance for being only barely on-topic.

Gary Nattrass
August 8th, 2008, 08:00 PM
Yes Phil HOT SHOE is stills camera with flashgun sync contacts, most video cameras like my Z7 have cold shoes with no contacts.

Phil Bambridge
August 8th, 2008, 09:59 PM
So it really is just a widespread mistake when people call them hotshoes, to the point that it's one of those accepted classes of mistake?

Andy Wilkinson
September 21st, 2009, 04:22 PM
Sorry for reviving an old thread but it seemed a better idea than starting a new one just to say I had to film an interview of the top man of a very large multi-national corporation today in a wonderful environment (for both visuals and sound) using my Rode NTG-3. He wanted listen to the takes immediately after each one as we worked to perfect his lines of delivery.

He immediately noticed the clarity and totally realistic sound that my (static boomed) Rode NTG-3 was getting (as well as the beautiful picture from the PMW-EX3!). I've been using this combo for over a year now and it still blows me away! Anyway, the bottom line is that he got a very good impression and, as a result, more video work for me is now already in discussion with this company.

So you see, these things do get noticed!

Allan Black
September 21st, 2009, 04:38 PM
Great post there Andy, and a clever driver is the key.

There are some people with careers who never get that level of job satisfaction, in post one great edit can make your day.

Cheers.