Camera Labs

I would like to acquire a Rode VideoMic Pro and a Canon Speedlite 430EXII flash unit for my Canon T4i. However, I am wondering how to set up / configure / operate the camera recording video with the Microphone attached to the hot shoe and still be able to use the flash unit simultaneously. I hope this question makes sense. From my initial research about using the Speedlite as a "slave" unit and the built-in flash as the "master", I am wondering how, with the microphone sitting in the hot shoe, this could still be possible. Thank you very much for any insightful advice.

Being a new T4i owner and know very little about video, I'm listening...

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-=- PalaDolphin
http://www.PalaDolphin.com
My equipment are:
Canon AE-1 Programmable w/55mm, 200mm, & 24mm lenses
Canon PowerShot G12
Canon Rebel T4i / EOS 650D
lens: EF-S 18-135mm 1:3.5-5.6 IS STM
lens: EF-S 55-250mm 1:4-5.6 IS II
lens: Quantaray Tech-10 CN AF 24mm 1:2.8 fixed
Canon Speedlite 199A flash
tripod: Targus® TG-5060TR
bag: Lowepro® SlingShot 202AW

For the slave function to work the pop up flash needs to be able to fire to trigger it. On my 60D the pop up flash wont pop up if you have anything in the hot shoe. Does the flash gun need to be off cam. Surely you could leave the flash in the hot shoe and then find some other way to attach the rode, as there is no connection going through the rode is there?

Just out of interest what are you intending to use these for? Both at the same time or diffrent times?

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Cameras: Canon Ixus 100is. 60D 17-85mm
Computer: 2008 Apple Macbook Aluminum (dreaming of a new retina macbook pro!!)
Phones: iPhone 1g And HTC Wildfire Apple iPad 3 wifi
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gareththomasjones/

I would like to use this set-up to take videos at a family wedding. Assuming the reception would be held indoors and it would be nice to have great sound and adequate lighting, I thought using the Rode and the Speedlite would be helpful. I am not sure how to connect the Rode "off camera". . . .

I assume you know that the flash won't provide a constant video light.

Because the rode only uses the mic input you could just tape it to the side of the camera or there might be cheap flash brackets that you could use.

_________________
Cameras: Canon Ixus 100is. 60D 17-85mm
Computer: 2008 Apple Macbook Aluminum (dreaming of a new retina macbook pro!!)
Phones: iPhone 1g And HTC Wildfire Apple iPad 3 wifi
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gareththomasjones/

First, as Gareth mentioned, for video, you want a (LED) light panel, not a flash.

That said, there are several brackets that mount to the hot shoe that give you more mounting points, from simple V-mounts (like this one from ePhoto) to the J-Cube. However, note that these are "cold" mounts, so if you do use a flash (as opposed to a light panel), you'll need to find some way to trigger it.

Also, personally, I'm not comfortable putting that much stress on my hot shoe, so I would recommend a "cage" (which you attach the camera to via the tripod mount (which is what the tripod mount was designed for)) with multiple hot shoe mounts (like the Alzo Transformer).

And yes, this does start to get rather involved, which is why most folks are better off shooting video with a video camera.

HTH - Mark

Just a little comment here: the Canon T4i can trigger Canon Speedlite flashes without the pop-up flash via the IR flash triggering system that's integrated into the camera, but still, for video, a flash won't provide continuos lighting as it was pointed out already.

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Gear: Canon SX20 IS, Canon Rebel T3i, Canon EF-S 18-55mm
Wishlist: Canon 50mm f/1.8 II, Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II
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Thank you for all your responses. I guess I will just have to shoot the video with available light and hope for the best . . .

The Rebel T4i also can trigger an external flash wirelessly. Chapter 8 in the instruction manual is dedicated to it, but it recommends that you read the Speedlite manual.

_________________
-=- PalaDolphin
http://www.PalaDolphin.com
My equipment are:
Canon AE-1 Programmable w/55mm, 200mm, & 24mm lenses
Canon PowerShot G12
Canon Rebel T4i / EOS 650D
lens: EF-S 18-135mm 1:3.5-5.6 IS STM
lens: EF-S 55-250mm 1:4-5.6 IS II
lens: Quantaray Tech-10 CN AF 24mm 1:2.8 fixed
Canon Speedlite 199A flash
tripod: Targus® TG-5060TR
bag: Lowepro® SlingShot 202AW

Since the thread got bumped, I'll add that an issue with shooting video under minimal light is that it can necessitate using a larger aperture, which, all else being equal, means shallower DoF, which makes focus more critical, which is why some folks use Hoodloupes or Z-Finders, which, again, starts to get rather involved, which gets back to why most folks are usually better off shooting video with a video camera.

And note that I actually shoot video on a GH2 and T4i, so my bias should run the other way - Mark