Rode VideoMic Go II Microphone

I use my Canon EOS Mark II camera to video my grandson's baseball games. I purchased this shotgun microphone to reduce some of the local chatter and noise that is normally picked up with the camera's internal microphone. I must admit that I wasn't overly impressed the first couple of times that I used it and thought I had wasted my money on this purchase. However, after continued use, I began to notice that the directional capability of this microphone was enhancing the audio of the game. There are now portions of the game that the microphone provides that were not loud enough for the internal microphone to detect before, which makes the game more interesting to watch now. I changed my mind about this microphone and would recommend this product to someone looking ... MoreI use my Canon EOS Mark II camera to video my grandson's baseball games. I purchased this shotgun microphone to reduce some of the local chatter and noise that is normally picked up with the camera's internal microphone. I must admit that I wasn't overly impressed the first couple of times that I used it and thought I had wasted my money on this purchase. However, after continued use, I began to notice that the directional capability of this microphone was enhancing the audio of the game. There are now portions of the game that the microphone provides that were not loud enough for the internal microphone to detect before, which makes the game more interesting to watch now. I changed my mind about this microphone and would recommend this product to someone looking for a microphone that will improve the recording of your audio for a decent price. It's not the most expensive microphone available, but it is accomplishing the task it was designed to do, at least for me. I do have the option of adjusting the volume on my camera, but have not found that to be necessary so far. Chatter and noise is not eliminated, which is not expected at a sporting event, but it seems to be less of a distraction than before because of the directional properties of the microphone. The unit comes with a convenient attachment for a camera hot shoe, along with the windscreen (not the best, but better than nothing) and a dual 3.5mm plug for connecting to the microphone and the input jack of my camera. There is also an optional USB-C port for connection to mobile devices or computer, but the cable is not supplied for that type of application. I registered this product online, and got the warranty extended to two years at no cost. I am very pleased with the purchase.

The VideoMic GO II is very easy to use, the sound quality is excellent, and it is plug and play with both my Fujifilm X-T3 and my iPhone XR. I use it record my son's outdoor sporting events. The directional mic does not pick up my breathing like the built in mic on my camera, and it records better sound of the subjects in frame. The included windscreen is good, it reduces wind noise, however on very windy days you will need the optional dead cat windscreen. The Rode mic app for the iPhone records 24-bit wav which is good. This is a great general purpose starter mic at a good price.

This is the perfect device for entry level and run and gun audio recordings. The audio is better than a phone or your camera’s built in preamps, but I don’t recommend for professional’s/prosumers unless you can control the environment you’re in and also have a backup source of audio. Base on my personal experience, I bought the wrong mic for the job, but it definitely won’t go to waste. Additional details listed below. My gear rental was delayed, so I bought this mic last minute for a run and run rooftop promo video I was recording same day. It was windy and the audio was horribly distorted, but I learned some valuable lessons. Get the right mic for the job! Pros: lightweight, easy to use, no phantom power needed, great sound when recording subjects directly in ... MoreThis is the perfect device for entry level and run and gun audio recordings. The audio is better than a phone or your camera’s built in preamps, but I don’t recommend for professional’s/prosumers unless you can control the environment you’re in and also have a backup source of audio. Base on my personal experience, I bought the wrong mic for the job, but it definitely won’t go to waste. Additional details listed below. My gear rental was delayed, so I bought this mic last minute for a run and run rooftop promo video I was recording same day. It was windy and the audio was horribly distorted, but I learned some valuable lessons. Get the right mic for the job! Pros: lightweight, easy to use, no phantom power needed, great sound when recording subjects directly in front of the microphone in a controlled environment. Cons: You can’t adjust the gain on this mic; There’s practically, no wind resistance with the windscreen that comes in the box (so you must buy a furry windshield protector to obtain best sound quality if wind is present)