Wondering which Rode microphone is best for you? You’ve found the right video! I share my experiences/tests with the top 4 RODE VideoMics and talk about which mic is right for you and your camera.
The Microphones
Below you will find a list of the microphones tested in the video with pros and cons for each mic.
Rode VideoMicro $59
PROS:
- Tiny
- Cheap
- No rear pickup
- Easy Use
- Comes with wind shield
- Removable cable (if something breaks)
CONS:
- Very noisy due to low output (on Canon DSLRs)
- Won’t work with every camera (requires a low voltage from the camera)
- How to Improve: Use Preamp
Rode VideoMic GO $99
PROS:
- Small
- Cheap
- Easy Use
- Removable cable (if something breaks)
CONS:
- Doesn’t work with every camera (requires a low voltage from the camera)
- How to Improve: Use Preamp
Rode VideoMic $149
PROS:
- Cleaner than cheaper options
- Less pickup from side than pro
CONS:
- More pickup from rear than other microphones
- Huge microphone
- Remember to power on and off (LED helps)
- How Improve: Could use preamp but pretty good out of the box
Rode VideoMic Pro $229
PROS:
- Cleanest of all
- Less pickup from rear than cheaper models (accept Micro)
CONS:
- More pickup from sides than cheaper models
- Remember to power on and off (LED helps)
- Very strong low end (bass) I think too much
- How Improve: Pretty much perfect in all ways out of the box
Saramonic SmartRig+ on Amazon $99
This is the preamp I mentioned in the video above. Great if you have a camera with a poor built in preamp like Canon DSLRs. You can watch my full review of the SmartRig+ Preamp here.