Hi to all,
Has anyone here tried to record with external shotgun mic with the VG30?
For example if I'll plug RODE NTG2 condenser with phantom power directly to the camera with XLR adapter to MINIJACK. Is that will sound good enough?
Is it reasonable? How will the sound "sounds"?
Can i controll the levels via camera ?
How you recommend to connect SHOTGUN Directly to the vg30?
Thanks
or

I use a Rode NTG3 with my Vg20 (via a custom phantom power adapter) and it is an excellent combination. You need to be aware that the VG20/30 use an unbalanced stereo microphone jack so you will need to use a transformer equipped, balanced XLR to unbalanced adapter, wired in the correct way so that it feeds both L & R channels equally.

Transformer equipped balanced XLR to unbalanced mono adapters can be had for around $15 to $25 on ebay so are the most cost effective way to do it. Expensive passive adapters are available from companies like Beachtek but if you use something like a Tascam DR-40 as an interim device (and feed the stereo aux. output into your Vg30) you can achieve the best of both worlds, 24/96 PCM 4 track recording, plus the VG30's AC3 audio backup.

hi craig
thanks for your reply.
if i plug the the output channel from the tescam dr40 into the minijack stereo on the vg30
the vg wont record the ac3 (internal mic) sound it would only take the dr40 sound.it mute's the internal mic when you plug another source to the minijack.
can you explain me please what did you mean about recording both channels to the vg?
thanks

Yes, when you plug in an external source, the camera's internal mics are disabled so when I use the DR-40 as an external recorder, I set it up to record two tracks from the Rode NGT3 and the second pair of tracks from it's own pair of condenser microphones. (as 'atmosphere') (Note: DR-40 is a 4 track recorder) From memory, the DR-40's monitor output can deliver the sound of either pair of tracks (or a mix) to the Vg20/30's aux input.

PS: I also use a resistor pad in the stereo mini-jack cable to reduce the DR-40's output to better match the camera's aux input sensitivity.

Got it
TNX