Which blimp to get?

[David Peterson]

Would the Rode Blimp be the best Blimp to go for on a budget? Or is it worth spending a little more? (I'll be using it with a NTG2)


http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1056426-REG/rode_blimp_windsheild_rycote_lyre_suspension.html


Is the K-TEC better than the RODE Blimp perhaps?


http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/458958-REG/K_Tek_K_ZEPP_M_Zeppelin_with_Suspension.html


Or the Rycote?


http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1044548-REG/rycote_010321_super_shield_kit_medium.html


Which to pick!! So many options!!

 

[Christopher Mills]

If you want the pistol grip, I highly suggest the Rycote Super Shield.
superb price to performance and weight.
the K tek is well made, but has no pistol grip.

 

[Mark Phelan]

I have the K-Tek, works as advertised.

But what you really want is an Airlander 10. http://tinyurl.com/zbrae7m

 

[Josiah Duncan]

The Rode is cheaper, but I'm not that satisfied with it for the price. Really easy to break and the pistol grip is too weak resulting in me having to tighten the shit out of it every once in a while. Still use it because it works and all my monies are belong to lens and lighting lust.

 

[David Peterson]

I had decided I'd go for Rycote, as it is only a little ish bit more than a RODE on B&H when comparing the prices listed on B&H.

But then I saw the RODE being sold on eBay for significantly less than at B&H, and that just made the RODE/Rycote price gap too big to ignore, so I ended up going with the RODE blimp:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RODE-BLIMP-WINDSHIELD-AND-SHOCK-MOUNT-/290944829370

 

[Josiah Duncan]

Hopefully that one is more durable than mine, I think I have an older model. For actually sound/wind reduction it works like a dream tho, I usually roll up the dead wombat and store it inside to keep it clean.

 

[David Peterson]

Yes Josiah, I was initially shying away from RODE but then I realised most likely nearly all of the negative comments about it are referring to the V1 and not the V2 which I was considering buying.

The Rode blimp arrived last week, and I used it on this weekend's job. It was entirely indoors, so I just used the shock mount without the blimp shield, instead with only a softie over the NTG2.

I was massively impressed with the Rycote Lyre suspension, *HUGELY* better than the shock mount I was using before. Before I had to be fairly careful indeed with my boom to avoid handling noise, but now with the Rycote Lyre suspension it is much much harder to create bad handling noise.

 

[Robert Hart]

I have the Rode blimp for reason I have some unusual mikes. If you choose it you have the option of buying later, an extention piece and a longer cat skin if you buy a longer mike. If you add extensions to both ends you can even accommodate a really long Sony C76 mike but there is no cat skin made for this arrangement. You have to make do with two rather untidily pulled together from each end of the long enclosure. The balance with a C76 is also off as there is not enough adjustment for the handle. The blimp was never made for this foolishness. I live in the hope they wil make a sphere blimp for the NT2a mikes so I can use them outdoors.

 

[David Peterson]

The blimp was never made for this foolishness. I live in the hope they wil make a sphere blimp for the NT2a mikes so I can use them outdoors.

Would any of these work maybe perhaps:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/322363-REG/Rycote_011001_Baby_Ball_Gag_Windshield.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/322367-REG/Rycote_021801_Windjammer_for_Baby_Ball.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1026526-REG/rycote_086044_ws9_modular_windshield_kit.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1245725-REG/rycote_89103_cyclone_windshield_kit_small.html

 

[Marc Wielage]

Yes Josiah, I was initially shying away from RODE but then I realised most likely nearly all of the negative comments about it are referring to the V1 and not the V2 which I was considering buying.

One issue you'll deal with is that the Rode blimp is heavier than quite a few of the more-costly blimps and mounts from K-tek and Rycote. That's one of the things that costs extra. I agree that the Rycote Lyre mount is extremely good.

The Rode blimp arrived last week, and I used it on this weekend's job. It was entirely indoors, so I just used the shock mount without the blimp shield, instead with only a softie over the NTG2.

It's very unusual to use a blimp on a mic indoors, but I also think you often have to use a different​ mic indoors than outdoors. But there's a lot of "it depends" involved.

 

[PatrickFaith]

I have found for outside work the fur around the blimp helps me out more then the actual blimp, and unfortunately it's the expensive rycote fur that does the best job. Also having the fur not clump up is important, kind of reminds me of a expensive down jacket that stays puffy vs cheap ones that clump. Also I don't like using the foam part of the blimp inside, but I really dislike the less expensive foam used inside.

 

[David Peterson]

One issue you'll deal with is that the Rode blimp is heavier than quite a few of the more-costly blimps and mounts from K-tek and Rycote. That's one of the things that costs extra. I agree that the Rycote Lyre mount is extremely good.

Indeed, but that was an issue with the older v1 RODE blimp, not the newer v2 which is lighter

It's very unusual to use a blimp on a mic indoors, but I also think you often have to use a different​ mic indoors than outdoors. But there's a lot of "it depends" involved.

Agreed. But out of the mics I had to choose from that day, a NTG2 made the most sense.