Shotgun Microphone Reviews How do you choose an external microphone for your camcorder? It can be quite confusing even if you’re a professional videographer. After having lived with the onboard camcorder microphone for a few weeks you decide you need an external condenser microphone.
The inbuilt microphone just cannot provide the kind of sound that would complement the HD video recording. If you decide to check out shotgun microphone reviews you end up with loads of Camcorder microphone reviews which leave you more baffled than ever.
Sennheiser or Rode or Audio TechnicaIt is not easy to make an informed decision based on the different recommendations. The choice of makes & models is quite astonishing. You have Sennheiser, Canon, Audio Technica, Rode, Sony & many more companies vying for your attention. Models range from Rode’s Videomic Directional Shotguns, Sennheiser’s MKE 400, Canon’s DM-100 and much more.
The number one question is, where do you shoot? The critical point that should influence your decision is the environment where you would be shooting your video.
Is it the outdoors? Like if you’re capturing wildlife in their natural surroundings, the addition of real life audio would take your video footage to another level altogether making it look more professional even if you are just an amateur shooting for fun.
If you mostly shoot indoors, where you film a stage performance in an auditorium or maybe an interview, the right type of external microphone would cut out all the ambient noise and give you clear audio to go with the superb video that most Camcorders provide these days.
External Camcorder Microphones are broadly classified into 2 types:
Shotgun Microphones Cardioid Microphones
There are further sub-classifications of Shotgun and Cardioid Microphones. Hyper-Cardioid, Super Cardioid etc. Mostly, a Camcorder microphone is either a Shotgun or a Cardioid. But there are some video camera microphones which are a bit of both – you can choose the depth of Shotgun or Cardioid that you desire.
Broadly, it can be said that Shotgun microphones are for picking up long range audio, like when you are filming wildlife and Cardioid microphones are better suited for near range applications.
The power source is also a factor in making a choice. Does your microphone have its own power source or does it get its power supply from the Camcorder? You may end up spending much more than you had bargained for if you have to keep getting new batteries for your external microphone.
The weight of the microphone is another factor mostly overlooked by first-time buyers. But a bulky and heavy microphone could be a great hindrance especially if you are going to be shooting long hours in the outdoors.
Do not forget to check the length of the microphone you intend to buy. You may be attracted to that long no-nonsense type of external microphone. But do check to make sure that it does not extend beyond the front of your Camcorder and become a permanent feature in your frame of view.
PriceAll said and done, it’s finally the price that is going to be the deciding factor. Go for the best external microphone in your price range. You should be able to get a very good microphone for around $250.
Generally, the more expensive models are some what better and come with many more bells and whistles. Like for instance when you shoot outdoors you need a sound muffler to cut out the wind noise. These are also called ‘Deadcat’ windscreens and you need to find out if your chosen model comes with one. You may need to buy a ‘Deadcat’ separately adding to the cost.
By: Rajkumar FredrickAbout the Author:
Rajkumar Fredrick is a professional Videographer. He writes reviews of Gadgets & Videography equipment, like the one devoted to
Shotgun microphone reviews. You are welcome to visit the following link to understand external microphones better and also check out his recommendations on the latest Camcorder Microphones and choose the perfect match for your Camcorder –
Camcorder Microphone Reviews