- Mobile Journalist, Vlogger, Run & Gun
- For Cameras and Portable Recorders
- 100-Hr Run Time via 9V Battery
- Selectable Pad and Bass Roll-Off
- Attached 3.5mm TRS Output Cable
- Power Switch with LED
- Windscreen Reduces Wind Noise
- Integrated Shoe/Pole Shockmount
Introduction
In this article, we delve into a detailed analysis of 207,264 user reviews from various languages worldwide to examine the Rode VideoMic. This analysis is performed by the RR artificial intelligence and updated daily with newly submitted reviews. The RR AI utilizes a complex algorithm to first scrutinize user reviews for credibility, filtering out unreliable ones. It then proceeds to dissect and evaluate the valuable insights within these reviews, providing users with ratings regarding the features of this product. Based on these assessments, users can make informed decisions about whether this product is suitable for them or not.
Ratings Based on Features
These results are a summary of user reviews of the Rode VideoMic. For example, 83% of 177,851 users who have commented on the Value for money of the Rode VideoMic have given positive feedback.
Highlighted Customer Reviews
Showing 21 to 40 of 816 Reviews
Good value for money
Rode VideoMic Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by Jay on B&H Photo Video
I bought this one for my Canon MVX350i camcorder (Elura 90 in the U.S.) few years ago. It's a good mic with fair sound quality (limited more by my cam than the mic itself I guess), but it doesn't offer any pro-grade functions/connectors. So it's a good choice for an amateur who wants clear sound out of his machine without much money spent. The cutt-off frequency of the high-pass filter should be set at least to 100 Hz though, the mic still catches very low frequencies even with the filter on. The shock-mount doesn't seem to be the best shock-preventing solution too, it makes the whole mic much larger without desired effect - the noise due to movement and handling isn't reduced significantly. But these are only design flaws, the mic itself is great and coupled with some newer/better camcorder it will provide even better results than my combo does. ... More
Makes me feel like a grown-up.
Rode VideoMic Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by Michael on B&H Photo Video
Use this primarily with a canon T3i for documentary-style production. Great at reducing camera noise, but I was hoping for something a little more powerfully directional. Still picks up a decent amount of ambience--in uncontrolled environments w/lots of background noise, I find myself pulling down the input recording level in my camera settings. That said, fantastic in a more controlled context--works nicely for sit-down interviews (though I still prefer a lav, or a mix between the two). Sadly, I have to admit that most of why I like this is vanity--because it looks great on my camera. Especially combined with the other basic DSLR rail-rig toys, I get a lot less skepticism from subjects than before. Though it's a limited benefit that might not apply to some shooters at all, looking professional is still a benefit. ... More
A Sound Investment... LOL
Rode VideoMic Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by Canon Fan Man on B&H Photo Video
The sound quality of the Rode VideoMic is great, easily equal or superior to the next closest product, the Sennheiser MKE 400. It is larger and bulkier, but the shockmount mechanism is VASTLY superior. The unit comes complete with a set of Silicone Replacement Bands (also available separately) to keep the shockmount in performing properly, although I have yet to need to replace one. The high pass filter and the generous windscreen provide great ambient noise control, we shot inside and outside of a nightclub on a windy night, everything sounds flawless. I've used it with a Canon 5D MkII and Canon Vixia camcorder and the results are fantastic. I've used it on-camera, on two different brackets, and in a pinch - putting it on an Impact Umbrella Bracket and attaching it to the end of my monopod makes a perfectly useable boom mike (without breaking the bank). There are certainly more sophisticated microphones out there, but in terms of value for your dollar the Rode VideoMic sets the bar pretty high. ... More
A great addition to the Sony A55
Rode VideoMic Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by Fwed on B&H Photo Video
Product was tested for distance pick up of some 45 feet at normal voice level and achieved good results. Also tested for sound reduction of unwanted background noise (except wind, to date) with good results as well. A definite upgrade to the Sony A55 video's audio capabilities. Use intent is for family indoor/outdoor recording. Purchased specifically for upcoming USAF ceremony for acquiring one's wings where distance pick up is needed. Warranty is great and shows the confidence of the manufacturer in the quality / durability of the product. Engineering to reduce noise due to mic movement works as intended. Is engineered to compensate for audio distortion due to mic exceeding camera's engineering to process audio or exceptionally high dBA of ambient sound (air shows, etc. - not tested to date). Product did well in an indoor test for sound reviberation off walls where the desire was to have audio playback that did not resemble talking into a 55 gallon steel drum. Only noted disadvantage is the shoe mount does not fit the A55 mount and requires an off camera standard flash accessory to use with the A55. ... More
Really good for the money
Rode VideoMic Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by Sam on B&H Photo Video
The general audio quality is really good. I mostly use my Zoom H1 and for audio recording when I shoot video, but for when I need a hypercardioid microphone, I've got this, and the audio quality sounds really similar between both. Of course, the reason to use this is for a more narrow pickup pattern, which it does well like it should, The side rejection is pretty good and the range is pretty good. The build is not as bad as I feared before purchasing this microphone. It's made of plastic, but it feels like a very sturdy plastic. It's also smaller than I was thinking it would be, because I was hesitant to purchase this microphone because it looks huge, and while it's pretty big, it's not particularly huge and cumbersome. It's just tall, but I've seen some people online re-do the shockmount so the microphone is suspended but weighted towards the side, so it's essentially as tall as the shock mount. Speaking of the shock mount, that would probably be the biggest con, because the rubber bands--while they have to do so--feel like they're going to break easily and the microphone moves in the shock mount very easily from left to right. ... More
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Captures all baby's coos and giggles
Rode VideoMic Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by New Dad on B&H Photo Video
The difference between the built in camera mic and a shotgun mic is /night and day/!If you've purchased a good consumer camera ($+), you owe it to yourself to get excellent sound for a little more.The Rode mic is Mono (not stereo), but I haven't missed the stereo.The difference is also impressive between the Canon's own DM-50 (DM-50 had too much noise in my tests).A few cons...Another power switch to turn on: If you leave it mounted and plugged in to your camcorder, you will occasionally forget to turn it on for the first few times, and might forget to turn it off.Big: It sticks out a ways from the camera, looks big, and can sometimes cast a shadow with overhead lights, looking down on a subject. ... More
Great Shotgun Mic for field recording
Rode VideoMic Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by Nathan on B&H Photo Video
I use the Rode VideoMic attached to the cold shoe of my Canon XA-20 camcorder, for indoor and outdoor multipurpose video recording. I could have gone with a traditional XLR condenser mic because my camera can support that setup, but I found the portability of a stereo 1/8 connector microphone to be really attractive for a variety of situations, especially if I want to use it with a different camera or even independently. The universal mount is great for attaching to both cameras and boom poles, and the rubber shock absorber is a big step up from the plastic one in the older model of the same product. One caveat: the item I received had a really sticky battery cover, and the power switch was a little bit stuck underneath the plastic wall of the back of the mic, but I have had another identical mic that didn't have that issue, so I'm going to take that as a random factory error (easily fixed by opening the battery cover several times and by adjusting the power switch) instead of a systemic defect. Overall, really great and versatile mic! ... More
Adequate for HD Video on my Canon 7D
Rode VideoMic Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by Charlie Basset on B&H Photo Video
Nothing will beat synching separately recorded sound with the video that you shoot on the Digital SLR Video, but the Rode Video Mic I got is adequate for the job. I read about the Automatic Gain Control on the 7D (that apparently is not on the 5D, you can manually control this on the 5D) and when there was a decrease in sound, you can totally hear the buzz/hum from the AGC. However, the Rode Video Mic has a High Pass (or is it Low Pass) filter that is supposed to filter out that hum a little. I did not try to use this on the first try when using it with my camera, but I definitely will try next time. For the money, it appears that the Rode Video Microphone will suit my needs until I take the time to learn how to synch sound recorded separately from video (I just don't want to have to spend $1K for Final Cut on something I don't don't do regularly) so I guess I will be using The Rode Video Mike. Wish B&H had the Dead Cat on the accessories listing. didn't want to get it until I knew for sure if it fit the microphone. ... More
Rented It, Liked It, Bought It
Rode VideoMic Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by Jimmie on B&H Photo Video
I rented the VideoMic to record my nephew's outdoor wedding. The site was pretty, overlooking a valley, but with a major highway parallel and about 250 feet away. Due to restrictions I set up behind the guest seating with a Nikon D7100 and the Rode. Traffic noise picked up by the mike was minimal and I was able to get clear audio from about 30 feet away with the low pass filter engaged. I was so impressed by the VideoMic performance that I bought my own with the Custom Windbuster Kit. In a wind, there is still some wind noise, but it is minimal compared to the in-camera microphone where the wind just howls. I bought the 10' extension cable so I can use the microphone off-camera with a helper or mike stand. It is a little big for on-camera use, but I've had no problems. Like others, I wish all the controls were outside the battery compartment, but it isn't really a problem as long as you plan ahead and set them accordingly. ... More
Nice audio
Rode VideoMic Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
This definitely enhances the audio on my Canon T2i. The built in mic catches most of the noise from the autofocus and IS mechanisms as well as my hand movements. The Rode shotgun is pretty good at rejecting the side noise and has excellent shock mounting for isolation. The only downside is that it is big and unless you are using a Z-finder or LCDVF, your forehead will be bumping up against the back end of the shock mount when you try and look through the viewfinder. The other alternative is the Sennheiser mic that also fits on the hotshoe. I believe that one is more expensive. The VideoMic sound quality is good enough that you could use it as the primary source in some cases, but you will probably want a dedicated field recorder for better audio (Zoom H4N or Tascam DR100) ... More
Love it...Tons of Bang for the Buck
Rode VideoMic Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by Eric The Marketer on B&H Photo Video
I just got the Rode Video Mic for my Rebel T3i. I make videos quite often for my clients and I needed a good directional shotgun mic for getting good dialog without breaking the bank. I have to say I love this mic! It is built well and feels nice and solid. It mounts right to the camera's hot shoe mount. I also purchased the Rode boom pole, which is great for getting the mic nice and close. The audio is nice and clear with good lows and highs, and I like that you can turn on the built in high pass filter for minimizing low end frequencies. My only complaint is that to use the built in 10db and 20db padding feature you have to remove the battery and use a pen or something pointy to get to the little bitty switches. Why they didn't just put those next to the high pass switch is beyond me. But hey, I don't use those that much and the pros for this mic, especially for the price, FAR outweigh any negatives. ... More
This Thing is HUGE!
Rode VideoMic Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by JackC on B&H Photo Video
I like this mic a lot. But for some reason I was under the impression that it would be a compact dslr sized mic. The thing swallows my GH4 to the point I had to laugh. To be honest I don't mind the size anymore. It never gets in my shots and it really makes my camera look like I have a really expensive pro set up. I know that shouldn't be a reason to buy anything, but working with clients... its nice that they feel they are really paying for something. As far as sound... This is the best mic I own. When I took it out of the box and hooked it up, I threw on some headphones and was amazed that I could hear everything everyone was saying in the office. Very interesting. As far as the build goes, to me it is very solid. I do not know why others said cheap, flimsy. The 9v battery is a weird choice.. but maybe it'll last longer than AA? I would give it 5 stars if I could plug an XLR in and use it on a pole. I don't regret this purchase. ... More
Not what I expected....
Rode VideoMic Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by Sevun on B&H Photo Video
Straight out of the box I was very unimpressed. It was very lightweight and felt weak. I read the reviews about picking up motor noise so i wasn't hopeful and fully prepared to send it back. Guess what? It didn't happen. I plugged it in and shot some test shots both indoors and out. While it did pick up wind noise I was able to edit it out using some plugins on Nuendo. The sound is SUPERIOR to the onboard mic (I'm using a Canon Vixia HV30.) Being a semi pro sound engineer I can tell you it's not the same as recording with an studio condenser mic but the naked ear won't be able to tell the difference. This is a MUST HAVE for anyone interested in capturing good vocal or ambient sound on location. I'm shooting our 1st DVD project and am completely satisfied with this purchase. Motor noise was minimal and again is edited out with a noise plugin. ... More
Very nice microphone.
Rode VideoMic Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by Trinity Rail Productions on B&H Photo Video
This microphone works great with my Canon Vixia HF G20 video camera. The foam windscreen works, but the dead cat works even better (note that the dead cat slips over the foam windscreen, then both go on the barrel of the mic). The microphone is much lighter than I expected, and it's very sensitive - if you're not careful when you touch the tripod, you'll hear a thump later in the recording. I've found that the high-pass filter helps a lot with wind roar, yet it doesn't cut out other low frequency sounds. The suspension, although not as bouncy as I had expected, still works as promised. The fibers on the dead cat are thick and appear to be attached well. I actually had to trim them back a bit at the very end of the windscreen because they were hanging down in front of the lens and showing up in my videos. This is a great product. ... More
Great shotgun mic
Rode VideoMic Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by Photogal on B&H Photo Video
Great overall affordable shotgun mic. So far I've been using it on a stand near the person talking for video--great audio and in using the high pass filter it really cleans up the noise. I have a preAmp but haven't needed it as the high pass filter does it's job. I attached mic to hot shoe adapter I had for light stand. I'm using this mic with a Lumix GH4 camera for 4K video. Nice to have the added boom pole and wind sock as part of the package.
Good mike for getting started with SLR
Rode VideoMic Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by JH on B&H Photo Video
I found this mike to be helpful in increasing audio quality for my Canon EOS SLR. I shoot video of construction projects and professional events and I needed an inexpensive mike to improve audio quality when using my SLR. This mike make a significant improvement to the omni-directional audio of my SLR. I did notice, there was still a noticeable buzzing or hum the mike recorded (easy to remove in post processing). If shooting with an SLR make sure to be careful with a wide angle lens and a deadcat as any focal length below 20mm will show the mike and deadcat at the top of the screen. Overall I am happy with the audio improvement for shooting with my SLR but this mike does need some post processing to get clean audio (especially when recording voices). Audacity (Free) or Audition (adobe) both handle post processing well. ... More
So Far So Good
Rode VideoMic Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Purchased these for DSLR Use with the 5DmkII and 7D. Very impressed with the quality of the audio obtained as well as the long battery life. We run 10 hour days with the mic turned on the entire time and our rechargeable 9V works no problem.Audio is way better than on camera mic in that it doesn't pick up any IS noise from the motor on the lenses nor does it grab anything when you are fiddling with the camera.Only issue would be the plastic make, but what more can you expect from such a cheaply priced mic. Rode probably puts $148 of the $ dollars into the Mic and the other two bucks is for the plastic pieces to house it in. Be prepared for the rubber bands to break and we have heard from others that the plastic shoe mount is easily breakable as well. They just call Rode, and they send out replacement pieces at no charge. We shall see :-) ... More
works well when mounted
Rode VideoMic Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
I'm using it with a Canon Vixia HFS100 and S200 (had to get a shoe converter). I also bought the deadcat for it from Amazon. I tried it with strong winds with the deadcat, and it does a decent job. The wind becomes a low frequency hum which can be filtered out in postprocessing, as opposed to the normal high frequency whirl you get from something like the onboard mic. My main gripe right now is the way the shock absorbers work. Because it's mounted on an axle, instead of the mic inserting directly into rubber bands, the mic will sort of turn left and right as you move your hand left and right, which causes vibrations that the mic pics up. And even if I'm not rotating my hand, just a very slight shake in my hand seems to cause vibrations that get picked up by the mic. So works fine if you have a tripod, not quite as nice when you're hand holding the camera. I've only used it indoor once so far, and the sound is reasonable, a little more echo-y than the Adzen mic my friend was using. ... More
Great mic for the cost
Rode VideoMic Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
This mic provides a vast improvement over the on-board mic of my 5D. The shock mount works great and comes with replacement bands. The low frequency cut option is a nice feature. The only issue I have with the mic and mount itself is that the cord hooks on the mount aren't ideally placed for the coiled cord of the mic. Using the hooks toward the rear of the mount results in an awkwardly coiled cable. I kind of wish this mic had a separate, rather than built-in cable. When mounted on the camera, the cord is perfectly fine, but if mounted on a DSLR rig, it can be a little short, stressing the cable and camera input. However, this is an accepted issue with DSLR video as this was not the intended use of the product. ... More
Great Sound Cheap Mic!
Rode VideoMic Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by Vibrant Eye Productions on B&H Photo Video
I shoot with a Canon 7D and record my audio to a Zoom H4n recorder. I plug in the Rode to the Zoom and sync the sound in FCP. The sound from the mic compared to the internal mic is drastic! The rode sounds leaps and bounds better! I know there are better mics out there but this does a great job. Pros: Cheap. Light. Good sound. Easy operation. Perfect for DSLR shooters. General tips for shooters: This is a DSLR mic. It was made for the easy usage of those who shoot video with DSLR's. Turn off refrigerators and any thing that hums. This mic will pic those sounds up especially when pointed in their direction. Cons: I use the rode boom pole and noticed that the shock mount squeaked when moved around. I just lubricated the rubbers and it sounds great now. 2. The hotshoe mount is plastic and probably won't hold up to a lot of crazy action so be careful. You can read all the reviews you want, but this mic is really straight forward and the price is right. You get what you pay and then some. ... More
