Speaking of batteries, another new feature should ensure you don’t burn through them as fast. The VideoMic Pro+ now has auto-on/off technology. When plugged into your camera via the included 3.5mm TRS cable, the microphone automatically turns on when you power your camera on and turns off when your camera does. Now you won’t burn through a battery because you forgot to turn off the microphone, nor will you have to reshoot a scene because you forgot to turn it on. We’re guessing this simple advancement will bring a good deal of peace of mind to many videographers. Digital switching and recording modes The next mode is a three-stage gain control. This setting is used to boost the audio signal to make up for the more quiet preamps built into mirrorless and DSLR cameras, which often introduce noise if their own gain settings are raised too high. This lets you keep the gain down in-camera and should lead to cleaner audio.

Below these controls are the level settings, which attenuate or boost the recorded level as required. The -10dB level attenuation (or PAD) is ideal for recording loud sound sources, such as live music, motorsport, or interviews where the subject is very close to the camera. The +20dB level boost is designed for use with DSLR cameras such as the Canon 5DMkII, Canon 7D, Canon 1D, Canon 550D/T2i, Canon 60D, Nikon D7000, Nikon D5100, Panasonic GH1 and Panasonic GH2. This boost in the microphone output allows the user to reduce the camera's preamp level (or mic-input level), effectively reducing the amount of noise generated by the camera's comparatively low quality audio circuitry. The windshield has been redesigned with a larger, “optimized” shape, which makes the VideoMic Pro+ less compact than its predecessors, but it still works well as an on-camera mic. What’s more, we noticed minimal wind noise throughout our test, even in breezy situations. If the larger windshield of the VideoMic Pro+ still isn’t quiet enough for your needs, Rode does offer a dead cat accessory that should stop all but the strongest of winds. The microphone uses a standard sized shoe mount for on camera use, and features a 3/8" thread in the base of the mount for easy boom pole mounting. Note that cameras with proprietary shoe mounts will require an adaptor or alternative mounting solution.Easily accessible on the rear face of the microphone are the power, filter and level controls. In addition to the microphone's native 40Hz-20kHz response a selectable high-pass filter at 80Hz is available, which will prevent low end noise such as air conditioners and traffic from being recorded. The high‑end lift shown in the response curve allows dialogue to cut through the mix in a variety of environments, though some may find the tone very mid‑rich with certain speakers. To my ears, the mic doesn't exhibit the same level of open fidelity as the Rode NTG2 and NTG3, but it's much more convenient than the former and much less expensive than the latter. Each generation brings along a handful of improvements, and Rode’s latest addition, the VideoMic Pro+, is no exception. It offers many new features that make it more versatile and easier to use in a variety of conditions. Without question, it is the best VideoMic Rode has ever made, and one that any video shooter would be happy to have in their kit. Design and features An additional high frequency boost mode helps bring out more detail in recordings, specifically those with dialog is involved. The VideoMic pro is battery powered, and provides over 70 hours recording from a single 9V battery.

Three gain settings are provided, at ‑10dB, 0dB and +20dB, as opposed to the Videomic's ‑20dB, ‑10dB and 0dB settings. Though the +20dB setting looks a little unusual in this context, it proves extremely useful when using cameras with poor gain circuitry, as I later found out. The microphone uses a standard sized shoe mount for on camera use, and features a 3/8" thread in the base of the mount for easy boom pole mounting.

Customer reviews

Building on the success of its predecessor, the Videomic Pro is a convenient, lightweight shotgun mic. Below these controls are the level settings, which attenuate or boost the recorded level as required. The -10dB level attenuation (or PAD) is ideal for recording loud sound sources, such as live music, motorsport, or interviews where the subject is very close to the camera. The +20dB level boost is designed for use with DSLR cameras, allowing the user to reduce the camera's preamp level (or mic-input level), effectively reducing the amount of noise generated by the camera's comparatively low quality audio circuitry. The Videomic pro is very small for a shotgun mic, and the first thing you notice is that it's incredibly light, at 85g. Adding the 9V battery that powers the mic takes the weight up to about 120g, which is still not weighty. It took me a while to work out where to put the battery, so to save you the same bother, the compartment is located on the front of the body, beneath the mic capsule itself, and has the signature Rode gold dot on the front. Pushing this door towards the capsule pops it off. The door isn't hinged, so bear in mind that it could be lost, and getting the battery in is a pretty tight squeeze! Considering the space saved by this design, I didn't mind the location, and once the battery is there, you'll get up to 70 hours of use from it, assuming it's an Alkaline unit and depending on your gain settings.