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Rowa Mic 109, utracheap stereo mike
  • suresure123suresure123

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/White-MIC-109-3-5mm-MIC-jack-Stereo-Microphone-for-DSLR-Canon-Nikon-Sony-Pentax-/161665791530?hash=item25a408362a

    I bought this the other day, I needed a very small compact mic for my OMD EM5 MKII. I saw a few reviews on youtube and it seems ok, I will only use it for picking up sounds and maybe in a pinch some dialogue. Anyone used one? They seem generic, with different names but ultimately they are the same mic.

    If crap ill stump for a MKE400 but the sound seems thin and its expensive so am trying this budget option first.

  • 14 Replies sorted by
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Well, it is cheapest stereo mike, not very good, not very useful on camera (until you are recording background and do not want quality).

  • suresure123suresure123

    How do you know unless you used it. I have a giant squid mic and it costs $50 and its sounds as good as mic costing 1000's or close enough.

  • suresure123suresure123

    This clip while hilarious makes the mic seem pretty decent at least for my needs.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    How do you know unless you used it.

    Because I checked similar cheap mikes (it uses electret small capsules around $0.2-0.5 each). They are intended for people making some home recordings without any quality requirement and close to subject.

    I have a giant squid mic and it costs $50 and its sounds as good as mic costing 1000's or close enough.

    Yes, yes, of course :-)

  • brianlbrianl

    It says "Rowa Japan, made in Taiwan".

  • suresure123suresure123

    Ive seen exactly the same mic sold all over eBay with various different names. One guy has a website claiming he makes it, obviously BS. I think you could probably order a few hundred and get them to stick brianl mic on it I think. :)

    Bottom line is I need a very small shotgun mic that can maybe pick up foley and at a pinch voices from 1-2 metres away. Options include Nikon ME-1 which is $150 and probably not any better than this one or going for a MKE400 which I find quite weak sounding and cost $250. So I just wanted to see if I could get away with this one. Most interviews I'm doing with a LAV so its just on the off chance people say something interesting on the fly.

    I might test it and report back.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Bottom line is I need a very small shotgun mic that can maybe pick up foley and at a pinch voices from 1-2 metres away.

    It is NOT a shotgun mike :-)

    And options for good (and real shotgun) on camera mikes are numerous, not 2 as you tell here.

  • suresure123suresure123

    Did I say I need it to be be tiny? MKE400 is probably the best in class for this size.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Did I say I need it to be be tiny? MKE400 is probably the best in class for this size.

    You did, but with time you understand that I try to tell you here.

  • adamquesadaadamquesada

    If you want a stereo mic (for ambient) and do not want to spend much, pick up a Panasonic VMS10

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Panasonic-VW-VMS10-Stereo-Microphone-with-carrying-pouch-/231656297744

  • jleojleo

    .

    mike2.jpg
    624 x 508 - 86K
  • jleojleo

    Takstar SGC-598 $27 Amazon- $32 ebay

  • suresure123suresure123

    Thanks for the links. I;ve come to agree on the cheap mic i linked. I wish VK you would just say why you think something is crap and not be cryptic about it....then I could decide why I should or shouldn't buy something. I plan to buy the MKE400 soon cause its seems decent from youtube clips and also is small form which is my biggest requirement.

    This for example seems to show a decent reach and sound.

  • mrbillmrbill

    I've used both the mke400 and the rode videomicpro - the rode is better sounding. Now they've fixed their issues with the shock mount, that's the one I'd go for. Having said that, both of these are mono mics

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