Rode has announced the VideoMic NTG Hybrid Analog/USB Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone, price tag £239 / $249.99, which promises broadcast-quality sound and a long battery life.
The camera-mount VideoMic NTG requires no additional adapters to record audio on your camera, and is also compatible with smartphones, tablets, portable audio recorders and computers with USB.
A so-called ‘hybrid mic’, the VideoMic NTG is essentially a more compact shotgun mic that employs technology from Rode’s professional line of NTG mics.
The VideoMic NTG uses a supercardioid polar pattern that captures sound in front of the mic, while dampening sound from the sides and rear, making it useful in a wide range of situations.
Rode also promises more detailed audio thanks to low-noise electronics.
The Rode VideoMic NTG sits in an aluminium housing, and its internal USB-rechargeable battery provides 30 hours of use on a single charge. Other features include:
Directional Sound Pickup
The VideoMic NTG utilizes a supercardioid polar pattern to focus on sound in front of it while attenuating sound from the sides and rear. Its low-noise electronics and sensitive condenser element deliver more detailed audio than the mics typically found in cameras and portable recorders. Since it is even more sensitive than the VideoMic Pro+ model, it requires less gain to achieve an equivalent signal level.
Extensive Device Compatibility
Simply connect the VideoMic NTG to your camera, portable recorder, or mobile device via the included TRRS cable. The VideoMic NTG’s auto-sensing 3.5mm TRRS output automatically switches between TRS and TRRS as necessary, so you won’t need additional adapter cables. The 3.5mm jack is wired in a dual-mono configuration, ensuring that the mic signal is sent identically to both input channels of your recording device.
Full USB Microphone Functionality
Plug the VideoMic NTG into your computer, smartphone, or tablet via USB to use it as a digital USB microphone for direct recording to your favorite software. Its integrated analog-to-digital converter operates at 24-bit / 48 kHz to provide full-resolution, uncompressed audio quality.
Convenient Headphone Monitoring
When using the VideoMic NTG as a USB microphone, plug your headphones into its 3.5mm output for convenient stereo headphone monitoring. Control the headphone volume via the gain knob on the bottom of the mic.
-20 dB Pad and Continuously Variable Gain
To enable effortless optimization of recording levels for any device, the VideoMic NTG boasts a continuously variable gain control and a helpful audio peak warning light. Whether you need mic level, line level, headphone level, or something in between, the right level is available at the turn of a knob. Press the dedicated button for the -20 dB pad to quickly lower the level when loud sound sources threaten to distort your recording.
Bass Roll-Off and Treble Boost
The high-pass filter can be set to 75 Hz or 150 Hz to roll off low-frequency noise from common sources such as air conditioners and traffic. Knowing that intelligibility is crucial, Rode outfitted the VideoMic NTG with a selectable high-frequency boost, which enhances detail and clarity in the treble range.
Selectable Safety Channel
When source levels get unexpectedly louder, you risk overloading the recording. By pressing the dedicated safety channel button, you can set the mic’s right channel to output 20 dB lower than the left channel. This lets you record a safety channel and the main signal to your camera at the same time.
The Rode VideoMic NTG is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Wex Photo Video.