From Day 1 one of the biggest problems with shooting DSLR video has been the fact that the audio recorded by these devices is almost completely unusable. One of the earliest workarounds filmmakers adopted was to use the highly-regarded Rode Videomic mounted onto the hotshoe plate to achieve decent field audio. The Videomic ran audio out to an 1/8" audio jack that would fit right into the mic input on the DSLR body. It was a workable solution in some circumstances, and I picked up one almost immediately after getting my first T2i.
Unfortunately, there were still a number of filmming set-ups where this solution was inadequate for the job. Sometimes I needed to get professional audio from professional mics (like a lav) using professional standard cabling (XLR), captured at professional sampling rates (48k+). In these situations the Rode Videomic simply wasn't capable for helping me get what I needed.
Enter the Rode Videomic HD, an entirely new kind of mic, able to capture AND record digitally to an SD card. Could this be the all-in-one audio solution filmmakers need to handle all there audio needs..?
I really, really wish it were.
Is the Rode Videomic HD a good idea? Definitely. It solves some of the most fundamental audio problems when shooting with a DSLR, including the fact that DSLRs don't have a headphone jack for monitoring audio in realtime. It also promises a number of elegant track recording options tailored to specific shooting situations.
Unfortunately, this will NOT be your end-all, all-in-one-audio solution. The reason most professional video cameras come with two phantom powered XLR inputs, often with manual input level dials, is because you really need them! The reason companies like Tascam and Zoom have sold so many multi-channel portable recorders with dual XLR inputs is because they actually have the ability to replicate this functionality. They give you far more power and freedom in the field.
That doesn't mean the Videomic HD won't have a lot of utility. If you're just starting out as a DSLR filmmaker this will certainly be an option to seriously consider for your field audio recording needs. Depending on the price I may consider picking one up as well to replace my first-gen Videomic.
Just don't be disappointed if it doesn't live quite up to the hype. (perhaps in future iterations it will interlinc with smartphones for more advance realtime controls, which would be a real "gamechanger")
What are your thoughts and experiences? Leave a COMMENT below and let's kick it around...
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