Get Professional Sound in Your Videos from Your DSLR Camera
One of the most underrated elements of video production is sound. People often emphasize the video’s quality, and then when it comes time to edit, they realize that the sound is less than ideal.
Although it’d be nice to have a professional sound mixer on set, sometimes the content calls for a more run-and-gun type of shooting.
When that’s the case, it’s good to know which is the best shotgun mic for DSLR. Shotgun mics are small but powerful, essential for any independent filmmaker or videographer.
With all the options on the market, you might be overwhelmed with having to make a choice. Don’t worry; we’ve done the research, so you don’t have to.
Explore the following options before you make your decision, as we provide you with the best choices of professional microphones for DSLR cameras available in the market.
Best Shotgun Mics for DSLR Cameras
Since the internal microphones for DSLR’s are less than ideal, an external microphone is crucial for high-quality audio. Both amateurs and professionals use DSLR cameras, so the options available need to please a variety of customers.
A shotgun microphone is a popular microphone for video since it uses directionality to pinpoint and capture audio from afar. Whatever you point the microphone at, it will pick up that sound directly.
One of the unfortunate realities is that many shotgun mics on the market aren’t a huge step up from the sound quality that the DSLR camera can deliver. This is why we decided to do the research to offer you the best options available.
We concluded that the best shotgun mics for DSLR cameras are:
- Rode VideoMic Pro+
- Shure VP83 LensHopper
- Audio-Technica AT8024
- Sennheiser MKE 400
- Comica CVM-V30 Pro
Images | Product Features | |
Rode VideoMic Pro+ | ||
 |
| |
Shure VP83 LensHopper | ||
 |
| |
Audio-Technica AT8024 | ||
 |
| |
Sennheiser MKE 400 | ||
 |
| |
Comica CVM-V30 Pro | ||
 |
|
Rode VideoMic Pro+
The Rode VideoMic Pro Plus is an upgrade from the previous VideoMic Pro series, which was already an impressive piece of equipment. This mic is an innovative solution that enhances audio control and sound clarity.
One of the best aspects of this microphone is how advanced the audio options for the microphone are. The Pro Plus allows you to gain the mic between +20 and -10. The safety channel is a prominent feature, as well. It ensures that the signal does not clip when unexpected spikes occur. This feature is handy, especially if you’re planning on shooting around a lot of noisy areas.
The mic lasts up to 100 hours on a full charge if using Rode’s LB-1 rechargeable battery pack or 70 hours on 2 x AA batteries. Another way to power this mic is by connecting it to a micro USB bus power.
There’s also a 10-year warranty in case anything goes wrong. This is also a versatile microphone; you can use it on a camera or set it up on an audio recorder for podcasts.
Rode ensures that comfort is a priority. With so much gear to keep in mind, having a portable and lightweight microphone is a significant advantage. While it might be larger than other models, it’s still a lightweight mic. This is the best option for professionals who are looking for the absolute best microphone for a DSLR camera.
Shure VP83 LensHopper
Next on the list for videography sound is the Shure VP83 Lenshopper. This microphone mounts right to your DSLR or a digital audio recorder. The body is made entirely out of metal, and it comes with a Rycote Lyre shock mount.
This shock mount is one of the commonly used for shotgun microphones that hook up to your DSLR. It’s well-received because you really have to be shaking the microphone to pick up any vibration noise. It’ll keep you flexible for camera movement.
As far as being able to control it, there’s a user-friendly set up on the back of the mic. This is the perfect professional microphone if you just want to set it up and get shooting as quickly as possible.
The three different input gain options are 0dB, +20 dB or -10 dB. Then there’s the switch to turn the mic on or off and to engage the low-cut filter.
As far as the sound quality, this is leagues beyond the standard camera audio. With the VP83, you can be assured that your videos will have detailed, high-definition audio with crisp highs, balanced mids, and full lows, delivering professional results every time.
Although the mic has high sensitivity to capture audio in great detail, thanks to its directional super-cardioid/lobar polar pattern, it rejects unwanted off-axis audio while clearly capturing the intended sound source.
Both the +20 dB and the -10 dB will work great when you are dealing with a quiet subject or with loud surroundings. The low-cut filter will decrease any of that constant hum you might not want, like air-conditioning.
The VP83 also has a great battery life, up to 125 hours on a single AA! This is an excellent microphone for both beginners and experienced videographers.
Audio-Technica AT8024
Another excellent and popular shotgun mic for DSLR cameras is the Audio-Technica AT8024. This microphone features the same three adjustable inputs as the VP83 and the VideoMic Pro: -20 dB, -10 dB, and 0 dB. It’s excellent at capturing soft or very loud sounds without the worry of distortion.
There’s also a switchable low-frequency roll-off that reduces undesired ambient noise. This microphone is powered by a single AA battery for up to 80 hours. It comes with an integral camera shoe mount for easy attachment to DSLR’s and shoe mount equipped cameras.
It’s an excellent microphone for capturing audio in every environment because of its mono or mid-side stereo modes. The mono mode works perfectly for interviews or when recording in the outdoors.
With the mid-side stereo mode, you can record audio sources like music performance, concerts, or any situation where you want stereo separation, delivering excellent results.
You will love how lightweight this is and how simple it is to just set it up and go. Other users have commented on how this microphone doesn’t interfere with their use of the viewfinder when it’s mounted on.
Many microphones for DSLR’s hang over too far to the end when mounted on the hot shoe but not the Audio-Technica. It’s compact design and high-quality audio recording ensures that it’ll be an invisible power force —recording professional sound with no concern of it being in your way.
Sennheiser MKE 400
Sennheiser has been producing some of the best microphones since 1945. This famous audio company is responsible for this impressive microphone. The MKE 400 is Sennheiser’s smallest professional video microphone specially designed for DSLR cameras.
It comes with a shock mount that prevents unnecessary noise and vibration from being picked up. One of the best aspects of this microphone is that it is rugged and designed for many outdoor filming applications.
Thanks to its lobar, multi-cardioid polar pattern, it rejects side noise, optimized for video recordings. When filming, if the subject is in close or far proximity, you can select the sensitivity accordingly to get the best results possible.
Another feature is the switchable wind noise filter. When filming outside and there is a lot of wind, use this switch to minimize its effect on the recorded sound.
This shotgun condenser microphone has a frequency response of 40 Hz to 20 kHz. It also has an impressive battery life; it can deliver up to 300 hours of use from a single AA battery!
Although this is an excellent shotgun mic for DSLR cameras, Sennheiser offers two step-ups for a more professional setup. The MKE440 dual shotgun stereo mic and the MKE600 shotgun condenser super-cardioid mic. Both are designed for DSLR cameras but offering higher sensitivity and better audio performance.
If you’re someone who plans on going into a lot of unpredictable conditions or you just want something that has great durability, you’ll want to go with this microphone.
This is also another small microphone with long-lasting battery life. If you’re planning on being outdoors often and want a small mic with a punch, then this is it.
Comica CVM-V30 Pro
Last on the list, but not least, is the Comica CVM-V30 Pro. This is another excellent and very affordable shotgun mic for DSLR. Although not as well known as the other microphones on this list, this is a great shotgun microphone to consider. If you’re a budget filmmaker, this should be high on your list.
It has an impressive battery life of 200 hours with 2 x AAA batteries.
This is also a lightweight microphone, and the mounting system doesn’t add noise regardless of camera movements. Since it is one of the more affordable options on this list, the audio quality might not perform as good in loud situations.
Here are some of the best features of this microphone:
- Super-cardioid polar pattern to deliver excellent off-axis sound rejection
- Low-cut filter designed to reject low-frequency sounds and avoid clipping in the signal
- Packed with Windscreen and Wind Muff
- Cold-shoe Design with 1/4 Thread at the Bottom
This is the best option for a cheap DSLR camera microphone that will still deliver professional sound as long as the location isn’t too loud.
Choosing the Best Shotgun Mic
Part of getting a project done is making sure you find the best equipment for what you can afford. One of the most useful investments is a shotgun microphone. With so many options on the market, there are different opportunities to find the best shotgun mic for DSLR.
Elevate your videography game by using a shotgun mic to get professional audio. Once you hit that editing suite, you’ll be glad you did it.
The onboard camera mic can’t compare to the abilities of a high-quality shotgun mic, and any of the five mentioned in this article will be sure to make you one happy customer.
If you found this helpful but still have some questions about audio, be sure to contact us!