If you purchased a high-quality digital SLR or more recent mirrorless camera for video use, you could be dissatisfied with the built-in mic, which is usually tinny and lacks ways of adjusting the audio level. You may want to invest in the best shotgun mic for mirrorless camera to capture directional audio properly. This mic is mounted on top of your camera via the hot shoe connector and can be held or angled for off-camera use. In this article, we will cover the following topics for you to learn more about it.
- How to choose the best shotgun mic for your camera?
- SYNCO microphone recommendations and introduction
- Tips to use XLR shotgun mic with mirrorless camera.
Five factors to consider before buying shotgun mic for mirrorless camera
Shotgun mic performs an outstanding job of rejecting sound from the sides and, to a lesser extent, the rear while picking up sound mostly from whatever you direct it towards. It is perfect for capturing dialogues on a movie set, basketball game action, or wildlife in the wild. It is essential to remember that no shotgun will completely reject off-axis sound. Yet, they do a great job of maintaining the attention on your subject. When you are searching for an external shotgun mic mirrorless camera, you should consider the following factors:
Condenser VS dynamic: Condenser type is common used
Condenser microphones and dynamic microphones are the two primary varieties. Microphones employ diaphragms, which vibrate when struck by sound waves. Electronic impulses produced by these vibrations can be captured or transformed back into sound. Condenser microphones feature incredibly small diaphragms, making them sensitive to faint, delicate sounds. Yet, they are more fragile and vulnerable to dampness and rough treatment. Dynamic microphones' bigger diaphragms make them less adept at picking up subtleties, but they excel when subjected to strong sounds. They are also strong and resistant to abuse. Shotgun microphones are nearly always condenser since they are designed to record even whispered dialogues.
Frequency response: What’s the range of frequencies you want the shotgun mic to capture?
The ability of the microphone to record sound at various frequencies is known as the frequency response, which is measured in Hertz (Hz). In order to more accurately capture the spectrum of frequencies that the human ear can hear, shotgun microphones often have extremely broad, flat responses. To assist accentuate conversation and other mid-range frequencies, they are frequently slightly adjusted.
Sound pressure levels: Will you record really loud sounds?
Sound pressure levels (SPL) are used to assess sound sensitivity, and microphones have an upper limit known as maximum SPL. Higher SPL can pick up louder sounds, or microphones may be positioned further away with the same sound level results (useful if you can't get close to a sound source, such as an orchestra soloist).
Length: Do you need more portability or tighter polar pattern?
Shotgun microphones are available in a range of lengths, from a short 3 or 4 inches to more than 1 foot. Whether or not you need a tiny microphone depends on how you plan to use it. A reduced profile makes the mic lighter and considerably more maneuverable if you're installing it on a camera.
Longer shotgun is the best outdoor mirrorless mic when capturing athletic events or concerts when you wish to reduce the distracting crowd noise since it offers tighter polar patterns. Nevertheless, if you place one on a camera, you run the risk of poking someone in the eye and blocking the camera lenses.
Power: Is phantom power available when recording?
Shotgun microphones require some type of power supply. They often rely on 48v phantom power supplied by a camera, recording device, or mixer. But, some offer the option of using an AA battery, which might be a lifesaver if you are in a position where phantom power is unavailable.
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Table: Introduction to best shotgun mic for mirrorless camera at SYNCO
SYNCO has manufactured several shotgun mics for using on different types of cameras. They come in different specs and are designed with different features. Below we list their specs and features to make an overview introduction.
Specs comparison among SYNCO shotgun mics
We list the aforementioned specs in a table so you can have a quick comparison and decide the one that suits your recording needs.
|
Product |
D1 |
D2 |
D30 |
|
Type |
Condenser |
Condenser |
Condenser |
|
Frequency response |
40Hz to 20KHz |
20Hz to 20KHz |
20Hz to 20KHz |
|
Max. SPL |
130dB SPL |
130dB SPL |
124dB SPL |
|
Dimensions |
11.22x0.83 inches |
9.84x0.75 inches |
Φ21.5×214.5mm |
|
Power Requirement |
48V phantom power/1.5V AA battery |
48V DC, 2mA |
/ |
Features overview
Check the features below if you want to know more detailed information.
D1
- Designed for video production and broadcast audio acquisition
- Hypercardioid polar pattern, pickup the purest sound source
- Adopt 180Hz 12dB high-pass filter, minimizing the unwanted noise
- Powered by 48V phantom power or one AAbattery
- CNC brass tube, highly anti-interference
- Gold-plated 3-pin XLR connector for interference-free signal transfer
- Mini mic holder with 3/8” To 5/8” connector
- Suitable for filmmaking, broadcast and video shooting
D2
- Shotgun directional microphone with high sensitivity
- Hypercardioid pattern, great pickup effect
- Solid brass body, highly anti-interference
- Extremely low self-noise
- Ultra-flat frequency response
- 3-pin XLR connector
- Wide usage occasions
- Mini mic holder with 3/8” and 5/8” connector
- Original sound reproduction
D30
- Supercardioid capsule for excellent off-axis sound rejection
- 75Hz/ 150Hz low cut filter
- Overdrive Protection
- Stepless gain adjustment dial
- Support real-time audio monitoring
- Type-C to 3.5mm TRS/ TRRS output
- Dual shock mount to firmly hold the mic
How to connect XLR shotgun mic to your mirrorless camera?
Chances are that you have bought an XLR shotgun mic before and want to use it on your camera but find that there is no mirrorless camera mic input for XLR. How can you connect the mic to it and power up the mic if it requires 48V phantom power? Actually, you have three options.
Use an XLR audio adapter. In this scenario, connect the shotgun mic with an XLR cable into XLR input on the adapter, and connect the adapter to your mirrorless camera.
Use a line-to-mic attenuator cable to connect the audio recorder. Connect the mic to a portable audio recorder’s XLR input in this scenario. Turn on the phantom power option to apply 48V phantom power to your mic. After attaching the microphone and setting phantom power, check the audio monitors and use high quality headphones to test the audio.
Use an audio recorder, the built-in mic, and a clapper to sync everything later in post-production. In this way, you just need to connect the shotgun mic to the audio recorder adding a clapper sound at the beginning of each shot. In post-production, you'll need to sync all of that audio.
Conclusion
Shotgun microphones are a standard piece of equipment on production sets for a reason. While some shooting scenarios need the use of various external microphones, most of them will benefit from having the best shotgun mic for mirrorless camera on hand. It is excellent at just recording the sounds you want, which will streamline the creation of your film.