In this era of Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook, it isn’t uncommon to see smartphones and action cameras doing their magic. While the video footage might be crisp, audio is never really emphasized on, and you hardly find people using professional microphones. If you want to stand out from the rest, you’d want your audio to have the best quality, and the Rode VideoMic Me might just be the ideal microphone for your needs. Whether you’re a vlogger, a live streamer, or you’re a stay at home mom who wants to capture all those sweet moments with your kids, the Rode VideoMic would be far better than the microphone that came with your original camera or smartphone.
Enter Rode VideoMic Me
The Rode VideoMic Me is a lightweight microphone that works well with a wide array of devices such as smartphones, tablets, and even DSLRs. It’s even able to connect to the iPhone’s mic/headphone socket directly without any fuss. In addition, it has a flexible mounting bracket which ensures it stays secure regardless of which device you’re using to record the video.
The microphone features a 3.5mm headphone jack on the back to allow for audio playthrough while recording as well as to ensure easy playback of your videos without being forced to remove the mic. Rode VideoMic Me equally comes with a deluxe cat-fur like windshield for when you’re shooting videos outdoors or in extreme weather situations that would most likely result in choppy sounds if you didn’t use a dedicated mic. As a bonus, Rode has an app called Reporter that you can use to store or capture the audios as files for editing.
Interference will be a thing of the past with the VideoMic Me as it cancels out your internal mic when you plug in to a device to prevent interference when recording as this can cause quality distortion. However, just like all mics, it works better when the subject you’re recording is closer to it. This equally applies to situations where you’re recording while in the car, during traffic, or just outdoors when it’s a bit windy.
Its solid aluminum construction prevents radio interferences which affect most in-built mics that come with cameras. Additionally, the high-grade anti-glare ceramic body coat ensures it survives in some harsh environments. It might seem important at the moment, but if your footage will involve a lot of movement, there is a possibility that your equipment may at one time fall on the ground. Thus, having a good quality mic is important.
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Some Pointers
Despite everything we now know about how the mic works, there are a few things you might want to know about the Rode VideoMic Me.
One, is the fact that it does not always play well with all devices. This mic is designed for all types of phones, but it works easier with iPhones and some high-end Android phones. Some of those issues include radio interferences and static noise. Even in iPhones, you’ll realize that you might at times need to turn on airplane mode, so it works efficiently without interference. Another thing to consider is if you’re planning to use the mic with other devices such as a DSLR. You’ll need to use an adapter because this tiny shotgun mic was mostly designed to work with smartphones through the headphone jack.
Since it also doesn’t come with a shock mount, you might want to reduce the amount of shaking while working on your project. This is because there may be some noise in the mic. If you’re the kind of person who wants to check your sound before or during the recording, you’ll probably need to purchase an app like Filmic Pro which is about $15 because you can’t do that while using VideoMic Me.
It is also worth noting on which side your smartphone camera is positioned. While it does not matter if you will be using the mic with the front or back camera, if the headset jack is on the same side as the camera, you might have to be creative as to where to place the mic. This is important for Android users who want to buy this mic. You should first check for compatibility by knowing which side of your phone your camera is. If it’s in the same side as the headphone jack, then you might be forced to buy additional tools.
Conclusion
All in all, this mic is more perceptive than in-built microphones in phones and cameras. This makes it produce a more natural sound at indoor settings by reducing distracting sounds in the periphery and only focusing on the audio in front of the camera. As we have already gathered, it is almost impossible to produce a professional video when the audio is not at par, and this underscores the importance of producing quality audio. For its price of $70, the Rode VideoMic Me is a great mic. Sure, it has its shortcomings, especially for those who want to use it with smartphones, but buyers can easily avoid these by first ensuring that their smartphones are compatible with the mic. It’s ideal for amateurs or just people who want to enjoy recording as a hobby or even a cheap upgrade. What you need to factor in before buying it is how big of a project do you want to use it for? An average smartphone vlogger may find this ideal because it isn’t highly priced and does its job. Professionals could also use the mic, but only as a stepping stone. However, it isn’t also uncommon for professionals to use this as their full-time microphones until they get a justified need for a more powerful microphone. Finally, you’d be careful to purchase the Rode Videomic Me from a trusted vendor or distributor. It may sound surprising, but the place where you buy may make the whole difference between a product that will last you for years and a product that you’ll just tuck in an old box after a few weeks.
