A DSLR Mic can be the single thing that elevates the content you’re creating.
A DSLR microphone is critical for recording clear audio with a camera or camcorder. Without a good microphone, your video quality will probably suffer, which could turn off your viewers. This means that having a good DSLR mic is paramount to creating high-quality content, regardless of your working medium.
And while many DSLR mics and recorders can be very expensive, there are also a handful of affordable options that can seriously improve the audio quality of your recordings. So we decided to break down some of our favorite DSLR microphones so that you can find the best one for your recording needs.
This list includes external microphones, USB microphones, and video microphones. So let’s dive into our recommendations for which DSLR mics you should get for your business, studio, or passion project.
Best Budget DSLR Microphones
Most microphones can cost a pretty penny. But even on a budget, having something is better than nothing. Here is a quality microphone or two that you can snag at an affordable price that can seriously improve your audio quality if you’re starting from square one.
MicW i2265 DSLR Mic
This DSLR mic is a rugged and reliable companion for GoPro cameras. It provides clear stereo recordings in various environments, despite its small size.
The MicW i2265 includes an XY stereo condenser microphone that is slightly larger than a typical lavalier mic, but it captures a wide stereo field. It is also internally shock mounted so that handling noise is minimal, which is a huge advantage in most situations where you want to use a GoPro.
Overall, this is a fantastic budget DSLR mic for whatever you need it for. It’s great for recording on the go, podcasting, and so much more at an incredibly affordable price.
Snag This Mic Here
Mackie EM-93M Ultra-compact Shotgun Condenser Microphone
This microphone is awesome for mobile video production and live streaming. It includes cables for DSLR cameras and smartphones; the Mackie EM-93M also comes with a cold-shoe-mountable shock mount to reduce handling noise. An included furry windscreen eliminates wind noise, while the sponge foam windscreen reduces unwanted pops and plosives.
The EM-93M is an excellent choice for a versatile, high-quality microphone. It works with both smartphones and DSLR cameras, letting you shoot however you want while capturing phenomenal audio. The EM-93M also ships with two windscreens — furry and foam — that prevent wind noise and other unwanted audio from impeding the signal.
Snag This Mic Here
Best DSLR Microphones For Camera
Most cameras have internal microphones that can help pick up sound while you’re recording. But usually, that microphone isn’t the best, and finding external mics to help supplement the poor audio quality of the camera is recommended. Here are our top DSLR mics that you can snag for your camera.
RODE VideoMic NTG DSLR Mic
The Rode VideoMic NTG has the same outstanding performance as a broadcast shotgun mic but in a convenient camera-mount format. It uses the same revolutionary acoustic design as the Rode NTG5 broadcast shotgun mic, which is covered in perforated soundholes along its length to deliver stunningly accurate and uncolored recordings.
The VideoMic NTG has a highly directional super-cardioid polar pattern and flat frequency response, making it exceptionally versatile and suitable for various applications, including narrative and documentary filmmaking, live streaming, and YouTube content creation.
The sound quality is fantastic and straightforward, even on a laptop. You can plug it into your computer, and you’re good to go for voice-overs or podcasts.
Snag This Mic Here
Shure MV88+ DSLR Mic
One of the most incredible things about Shure’s MOTIV series hardware is the flexible onboard DSP. While some devices let you recall multiple presets from their control panels, the ShurePlus MOTIV app lets you access their entire DSP engine.
Where this mic shines is the practical application it brings to recording, which is to say his thing is simply built for fielding recording. It’s fantastic about picking the tiniest detail in your environment, the type of spontaneous capture that can make a field recording memorable. Plus, its all-metal design enables it to handle serious wear and tear while in the field.
Snag This Mic Here
Best DSLR Microphones For Video
Shotgun mics are the best option when wanting to mike up a film shot from above the scene or when shooting outdoors and needing an incredibly tight polar pattern to reject outside noise. These shotgun microphone picks do an excellent job of getting professional audio, even in the most unpredictable shooting environments.
RODE NTG5 Shotgun Mic
Rode, an acclaimed innovator in shotgun mic technology, designed the NTG5 to deliver superior results across various demanding applications, including ENG and booming motion pictures. You’ll appreciate the NTG5’s rugged, ultra-lightweight construction and crystal clear, broadcast-quality sonics.
Featuring a revolutionary acoustic design with circular ports instead of the linear slots found on other shotgun mics, the NTG5 captures dialogue and other sound sources with exceptional transparency and a natural, uncolored sound.
The NTG5, with its short and incredibly light aluminum body, weighs only 2.68 ounces, making it ideal for boom operators on long, demanding shoots; or filmmakers and sound mixers who want a lighter-weight, more portable rig that still captures broadcast-grade audio.
Snag This Mic Here
Sennheiser MKH 416 Shotgun Mic
The Sennheiser MKH 416 is a top-of-the-line microphone perfect for film, radio, and television applications — especially location shooting.
This compact shotgun microphone has a pressure-gradient receiver with a short interference tube, which provides laser-precise directivity with a hypercardioid pattern at low and medium frequencies and a lobar pattern above 2kHz.
If you’re looking for a high-quality, ultra-directional microphone with low self-noise, excellent feedback rejection, and clear consonant articulation, the Sennheiser MKH 416 is a great choice.
The Sennheiser MKH 416 has a hypercardioid pattern at low and medium frequencies and an even more acute lobar pattern above 2kHz. This design results in clean-sounding recordings with minimal acoustic interference.
Snag This Mic Here
Shure BLX14/CVL Lavalier Mic
Shure’s QuickScan technology makes frequency selection easy, allowing you to focus on your performance. The system includes the BLX4 receiver, the BLX1 bodypack transmitter, and the CVL TQG cardioid condenser lavalier microphone with windscreen and tie clip.
Shure’s BLX wireless systems are a great, affordable choice if you’re ready to go wireless. With Shure’s legendary microphones, decades of wireless design experience, and tour-tested build quality behind you, you can confidently take the stage. BLX vocal, guitar, headset, and presenter options are available in a broad range of bodypack and handheld configurations and are ready to rock right out of the box.
The ability to run up to twelve compatible systems per band protects your investment by letting you start modestly and expand as necessary.
Snag This Mic Here
Audio-Technica AT875R Shotgun Mic
The Audio-Technica AT875R is a tiny shotgun condenser perfect for video and broadcast. This microphone is so light you can mount it on a DV camcorder without any problem. It also works excellently with compact digital cameras. The AT875R has a narrow acceptance angle, ideal for picking up sound from a distance. It also has a smooth, natural-sounding on-axis response and does an impressive job of rejecting sound from the sides.
To my surprise, these microphones sound great for their price. They feel well-built and light, which is good for me since I’ll be mounting them overhead of our recording subjects. I found that they work best from 24-30 inches from the front of the mic, and the amount of sound rejection from other angles is better than I would have expected from a mic at this price point.
Snag This Mic Here
Sennheiser EW 112P G4 Lavalier Mic
Sennheiser’s ew 112P G4 portable wireless system is ideal for field recording and media reporting. This all-inclusive wireless system comes with an inconspicuous ME 2-II omnidirectional lavalier mic built to record speech as naturally as possible. You also get a bodypack transmitter and a super-portable receiver that clips effortlessly to your video camera’s shoe mount.
The ew 112P G4 is perfect for field recording and reporting applications. The ME 2-II clip-on lavalier microphone is invisible, and the extremely small SK 100 G4 bodypack transmitter is lightweight. The system also comes with the EK 100 G4 camera-mountable receiver, which features an enhanced frequency bank system with up to 12 compatible frequencies.
Snag This Mic Here
Original Source