I have had a RØDE Videomic Pro + for ever and it has been a staple for my Panasonic PV100, and I cannot remember the last time it came off it in fact. It just works so why would you?
The only drawback is that just having 3.5mm connectivity via a headphone jack, you need an adaptor to take it to XLR, and the shortest cable to do this is, well, not short. Yes, there is an adaptor, but that then sticks out like a sore thumb being bulky.
On my Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K therefore I use my trusty Sennheiser MKE400 with an XLR to mini XLR cable.
The brand new Videomic GO II suffers from the same affliction in that there is no XLR option, but to be fair, this mic is not intended for that market. Instead, due to its 3.5mm and USB-C connectivity option it is aimed squarely at the vlogger who uses either a camera such as a GoPro 9 or 10 with the Media Mod (as the onboard mic in the Media Mod is a little bit, shall we say, ordinary), a Sony Z1 or similar, or of course, a smartphone.
And therefore it is also suitable for the casual shooter with a dSLR, mirrorless or consumer camcorder that wants better – much better – audio than any inbuilt mic can offer.
The RØDE Videomic GO II comes with a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable, but not a USB-C cable which is a little penny pinching you’d think. A bright red Rycote mount and foam wind cover is also supplied in the box, but a fluffy dead cat has to be bought separately.
If you are using the USB-C port, the 3.5mm can be used as a headphone port which is a neat touch.
The actual mic itself is extremely light weighting around 100g all up with the mount and again, for the market it is aimed at, this is a good thing.
The audio quality captured by the mic is very good. To make any adjustments such as levels, high pass filter and high frequency boost however, you need to have the RØDE Central App installed on a smartphone or via computer.
I did notice a little wind noise with the foam windshield so would probably recommend the fluffy be bought if this is to be your main use.
Unlike its siblings, no power is needed as this is gained from the host. Note though there is no “on” light, so you have no indication all is OK; a test record is therefore recommended before going live to make sure all the connections are in order.
At RRP AUD$149, for the purpose for which it is designed, the RØDE Videomic GO II is a good buy. If you want to compare, the equivalent Sennheiser is the MKE200 which retails for around AUD$199. See here for our review of that unit.
For more info on the RØDE Videomic GO II, see https://rode.com/microphones/on-camera/videomic-go-ii
Image: RØDE Videomic GO II on a Panasonic VFXWFX1M via 3.5mm cable.
Film, Video & Virtual reality 