RØDE’s popular on-camera vlogging mic gets updated with a host of new features, including audio monitoring
(Image credit: RØDE)
The VideoMic GO II is a lightweight directional on-camera microphone designed to offer the same audio quality and ease of use as its predecessor, the original VideoMic GO, but with a series of improvements and new features.
These include a new and “revolutionary” acoustic design first used with RØDE’s VideoMic NTG and NTG5 shotgun mics, and dual inputs, via a regular 3.5mm port for connecting to a camera and a second USB Type C port for direct connection to a smartphone or a desktop computer. An SC-14 3.5mm cable is included, while USB C, A and Lightning cables are sold separately.
When the GO II is connected via USB, its 3.5mm TRS socket can then be used for audio monitoring – a very clever feature that adds to the GO II’s capabilities not just as a on-camera mic, but as a podcasting/desktop microphone too.
The GO II gets its power from the camera/computer, so there are no additional power cables or batteries. It weighs just 89g, so adds little to the weight of the camera, and it comes with a hotshot mount for camera attachment, which also has a tripod screw in the base for fitting the mic to a tripod or stand. Also included is a push-on foam windshield.
The VideoMic GO II’s lightweight design makes it ideal for on-camera use, but its USB output and audio monitoring give it a much wider use with smart devices and laptops in a broader range of shooting situations. It works directly with the RØDE Reporter app for iOS and Android devices and with the RØDE Central and RØDE Connect desktop apps.
The RØDE VideoMic GO II is available to pre-order now and costs $99 / £99 / AU$149.
Rod is an independent photography journalist and editor, and a long-standing Digital Camera World contributor, having previously worked as DCW's Group Reviews editor. Before that he has been technique editor on N-Photo, Head of Testing for the photography division and Camera Channel editor on TechRadar, as well as contributing to many other publications. He has been writing about photography technique, photo editing and digital cameras since they first appeared, and before that began his career writing about film photography. He has used and reviewed practically every interchangeable lens camera launched in the past 20 years, from entry-level DSLRs to medium format cameras, together with lenses, tripods, gimbals, light meters, camera bags and more. Rod has his own camera gear blog at fotovolo.com but also writes about photo-editing applications and techniques at lifeafterphotoshop.com