Category Archives: Video

RØDE VideoMic Pro vs. Sennheiser MKE 400 – Indoors & Out!

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If you’ve been reading my blog for any stretch of time, you already know that mini-shotgun microphones like the RØDE VideoMic Pro and the Sennheiser MKE 400 are something I’m very interested in. Why am I obsessed with these little mics, even though I own professional shotguns and field mixers? I just love the idea of having the ultimate miniature ENG kit with me every where I go. I’ve got my compact HDSLR camera, now I just need the perfect little mic to go with it. It’s awesome to be able to produce cinéma vérité style documentary work at a moments notice. This is 100% possible, and having the ideal little shotgun is a big part of what makes it happen.

I’d been dying to get my hands on the RØDE VideoMic Pro ever since it was announced in January 2011. From the very first time I saw its size and shape, I could only think one thing: I must hear this thing in a shoot out against the Sennheiser MKE 400. I placed an order for one really early on, and I’ve been using it for several months now. I decided not to write a hands-on review until I received the free DeadCat VMP fluffy windscreen in the mail. As soon as the hairy sock arrived, I pitted it in an old fashioned microphone shoot out against the MKE 400 (and the Sennheiser MZW400 windscreen and the Rycote Mini Windjammer). Here’s how it played out:

Which microphone did I like best? Honestly, I’m not 100% sure. But I will be blunt and tell you this: Continue reading →

The RØDE NTG-3 Torture Test!

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Most professional production equipment claims to be designed to withstand harsh environments, but how often does this gear actually get put to the test? I recently had the chance to torture a Rode NTG-3 shotgun microphone. I subjected it to a nightmare scenario that would make even the strongest microphone capsules shriek in fear!

When you attach a meat thermometer to a shotgun microphone, you know things are going to get ugly. First I waved the NTG-3 above a running humidifier for several minutes. The temperature of the mic rose to the mid eighties (29.4° C), and it was completely covered in condensation. I immediately transferred it to a freezer where the temperature was below zero. Here’s a video that will give you an idea of what went down:

Did the NTG-3 survive the abuse? Well, as you can see in the video, it did pretty well. But there was a little more to this test. I made a recording on the Zoom H4n inside the freezer, so I could hear how the mic performed as it transitioned from hot & wet to cold & frozen. Continue reading →

DSLR Mic Shootout: The Rode NTG-3 vs. VideoMic Pro

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I finally had the chance to test out some new microphones with my Panasonic GH2 camera. I tested the Rode NTG-3 against the Rode VideoMic Pro. I also included my Audio Technica 4073a in the test, for a little non-Rode competition. Check it out:

I personally felt that the Rode NTG-3 was the best sounding of the three microphones. However, all three sounded good. If you’re not very familiar with professional location sound equipment like the Sound Devices 302 mixer used in this video, I don’t mean for you to come away from this video thinking that a $230 mini-plug microphone is nearly equal to a $700 microphone plugging into a $1300 field mixer. In actuality, comparing these microphones like like comparing apples and bananas. Here’s why…

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My First Week with the Panasonic GH2

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After a long and truly painful wait to receive my first “HDSLR” camera, my Panasonic Lumix GH2 finally arrived. I had waited for several months to order it from a specific retailer, and once my pre-order was placed, the GH2 was on backorder for six more weeks. But last Friday, like a waking dream, it arrived at my doorstep.

As you can see in the thumbnail photo above, I also bought the Lumix 20mm pancake lens. The two make a powerful combination. With the pancake, the GH2 is almost as small as a corpulent point & shoot camera, but it does a whole lot more than even the finest point & shoot cameras on the market. The GH2 has a monster micro four thirds sensor, the lens mount can be adapted to pretty much any lens on the planet, and its HD video quality is currently considered the best you can get (that’s right, it’s even better than the mammoth 5D mk II).

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Can’t find a Bag for Your Zoom H4n? Try a Neck Strap!

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Folks have been on the hunt for a case for the Zoom H4n for a long time, but so far I haven’t found any viable options. I’m not talking about a case that you can store it in, I’m talking about a field case that would allow you to use the recorder as you work.

However, one option is to use an inexpensive neck strap to harness the H4n to your body. This makes it possible to easily access all of the controls, while keeping both of your hands free to operate the boompole or camera. Have you ever watched a video about a neck strap before? No? Well, all of that is about to change!

The strap I ended up buying was the Canon Metal Neck Strap 1. I liked that it had a plastic coating around the metal band. As you can se in the video, it was really easy to attach to the Zoom H4n. Another option is the Olympus Metal Neck Strap. This one doesn’t have the plastic coating, and it’s a few bucks cheaper. Price shouldn’t really be an issue here. Both of these options are super affordable.

I had heard the people were using regular camera straps for their Zoom H4n’s, but when I looked into this I quickly discovered that the average camera strap isn’t compatible.  Continue reading →

Why HD Point-of-View Action Cameras Kind of Rule

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HD point-of-view action cameras have been rapidly growing in popularity, and I’m totally starting to understand why. Helmet cameras are nothing new. Daredevils started strapping 16mm film cameras to their heads many moons ago. What’s different is that mini-helmut cameras are benefiting from HD imagery and really simplified ease of use.

I started dreaming about POV cams this week after I stumbled upon an amazing video of a Chilean bicyclist flying down an unbelievable urban racecourse. There’s no point explaining the intensity of this video in words. You really need to check it out for yourself. When you watch it, be sure to put it into full screen mode and make sure the HD button is turned on:

It’s funny watching someone watch this video. The descent is so intense that you instinctually lower your head and keep your eyes trained forward. I believe this incredibly brave cyclist was using a GoPro HD Helmet HERO Camcorder. If you’re suddenly interested in taking the plunge on one of these action cameras, there’s a few things you should consider first. Continue reading →

Using a Zoom H4n as an On-Camera DSLR Mic Part 2

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There’s been a lot of interest in a recent post I made on Sescom cables, and how they help you get good audio inside a camera when working with a portable digital recorder. Well, it turns out that Sescom makes another variation of this cable which makes it possible to also monitor your audio on headphones as you record. A company called Markertek was kind enough to send me one of these cables to test out. As usual, I figured I’d share my findings with you.

The problem with using a regular Sescom cable is that it consumes the headphone output on your portable digital recorder, leaving you with no way to listen to the sound. That’s why they make special Sescom cables with a headphone tap. Instead of it just being a straight cable with a -25dB pad, it’s a Y-Cable with a female 3.5mm headphone jack. This enables you to feed the sound from your portable digital recorder directly into your camera’s mic input, while listening on headphones at the same time.

People often worry that if they split an audio signal, it will degrade the quality of the sound. This is a legitimate thing to worry about. Continue reading →

An Easy Rechargeable Battery Kit for the HDV-Z96 LED Light

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I recently picked up a Z96 LED light to use in my video productions, and I immediately packed it with five lithium AA batteries (yes, it takes five of them). I shot a few short videos, and one longer project. When the lithiums finally sputtered out, I decided to take advantage of the Sony L series mount on the rear of the Z96 and buy a proper rechargeable battery system for it.

I had never used a “Sony L series DV battery” mount before. I was not familiar with NP-F570 or NP-F770 batteries. It was all an alien language to me. Hardcore video people tend to throw around obscure battery terminology like it’s common knowledge, but I was totally green to all of this talk.

I really hate throwing out spent AA batteries. I especially hate playing money for stuff that I know I’m going to be throwing away. Continue reading →

How Recording Music is Similar to Lighting a Film

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The camera department and the sound crew tend to be thought of as existing in different universes, but I’m starting to see how we may have a lot more in common than you might think. As you may know, I do not yet own a video-enabled DSLR camera, but I plan on buying one soon. My search for the ideal camera has been grueling. I’ve read endlessly about it, and picked the brains of my DP friends incessantly determine which way to go. The more I dig into the practices and theories behind shooting high definition video, the more I see parallels between recording sound and capturing moving images. Continue reading →

Shooting HDSLR Video as a One Man Band

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I’m fairly new at shooting HDSLR projects as a one man band. Being in charge of sound, picture, and subject is tricky stuff. Some people fear this is the future. Cutting costs equals shrinking crews, and ultimately you’ll have one person doing everything. I don’t think this is the case. When a production company can afford a crew, they should have enough experience to know that they’ll have a better project if they put a good crew together. Shooting as a one man band isn’t something that should be frowned upon by the production community. Rather, it should be embraced. It’s hard work to do everything yourself, and it’s totally amazing that it’s even possible.

The power of this production technique was highlighted again this week with the release of Andrew Wonder’s Undercity documentary. I originally read about Undercity on Philip Bloom’s blog, and I was impressed with this piece. It shows you the raw power of this production approach. To be able to capture HD footage with excellent sound with a completely inconspicuous amount of equipment is nothing short of revolutionary. It allows documentary to squeeze in where it hadn’t fit before, and its high-def resolution plunges the viewer deeply into that world. If you have any doubts, check out this first five minutes of this Frontline footage. It was shot by Danfung Dennis who was armed with a Canon 5D mkII, a Beachtek XLR adapter, a shotgun mic, and a Sennheiser wireless system (his portion starts at 1:38):

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