Great "Windy" demo here! Rode Videomic Pro with and without dead cat wind jammer.

Comparisons are sometimes . . . . .

I'm just wondering if there isn't a lot of actual air-sound being recorded of the hard surface directly in front of the Mic itself?

Grazie

This is a more dramatic demonstration using a homemade deadcat and a Zoom H4.

http://vimeo.com/2656544

From memory the faux fur that's the best is called Silver Fox.

Bob.

John! That's pretty brilliant.

Where he said he had bought far too much, "fur" . . . and notice how longingly he looks at the "fur" . . now look at his bonce? - Coincidence? I don't think so!

Maybe, previously he's stood in front of those fans for far too long . . .. as a teenager too?

Chuckling here . . .

Grazie

Grazie this guy got it totally wrong

Massive deadcat and lots of wind problems.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mvjantzen/1364462488/

I think using both the foam and a Windjammer (for my Sony stereo mics) does the best job, because the foam helps insure only dead air around the capsules. Perhaps a slight hit to the highs.

The various DIY blimp guides speak about attenuating wind noise, but the natural wind, as such, is not noisy in the audio range of frequencies. Frequency is proportional to the size of turbulence cells and in the wind these are relatively large. The wind generated close to a fan is characterised by high turbulence with pulses at blade passing frequency. So I think the demos are a guide but of dubious quantitative value, especially the indication that a Rode dead-cat is of little benefit when added to the foam windshield.
Of course windshield isn't a good descriptive term because it suggests that it stops the wind. The function of the dead-cat is to remove all turbulence and let the mic sit in a nicely laminar airflow that doesn't buffet the microphone cell. It has to achieve that nice compromise of being open to audio frequencies while removing wind turbulence, while itself not generating noise (hence the fur).

not really sure of the benefits of a diy deadcat? surely a ready made one is not only designed properly, but more cost efficient?

personally i rarely use mine, preferring to position talent / camera where a simple foam cover does the job.

back in my tv days we always used blimps.

Well, I guess the benefit of the DIY is that it's cheap, which is a real benefit for the amateur film maker. But I agree whole-heartedly about properly made gear. The Rycote blimp works for me. But needs its furry coat when there is much wind.

Rode Mic R2400
Dead Cat R1000

DIY Cat R 50.

I save 950 which according to my wife is a bargain which goes towards my next lens.

"I save 950 which according to my wife is a bargain which goes towards my next lens. "

Her opinion may change when your DIY dead cat starts to molt.

DIY dead kitten for Rode NT4 + roll of gaffe tape > kit bag + hot day = fur ball :(

Bob.

>>>> ......save 950 <<<

Be nice if things really worked out that way! Costco just sent a flyer promising $950 of savings. I only have to buy a lot of things (including a TV) that I don't want.

But there is a lot of gear that you can make yourself very successfully, and it is just a matter of making sure that the time spent could not have earned more than you saved by not buying the professionally made stuff. If your time is worth $1000/day, it doesn't make a lot of sense to spend a day saving $300. Maybe the fun of inventing is worth $700!

This deadcat material is so real that my eyes started to itch and I think I contracted hay fever just handling it but I think its psychosomatic.

I would love to know where the guy in that Vimeo video bought fake fur for $4 a yard.

I was interested in making my own Deadcat and the fake fur cost a fortune. It was cheaper for me to buy one already made which is what I did.

The website John Cline linked to is down for construction.

John

The website John Cline linked to is down for construction.

That'll be the fur-balls . . .

G

There are many alternatives suggested in the DIY posts, and one recommends woolly sheepskin seat belt covers. Should keep the wind out very well, and the audio.