Any suggestions for the best high sensitivity shotgun mic

DF, it's the audio board, it can be a little rough here at times, don't take offense. Folks are trying to help you.

For the audio folks here who don't know or have been living under a rock, a cage holds the cam and provides multiple mounting options for all the Frankenrigging that is common with DSLR productions. That might include an external monitor, video recorder, audio mixer, power, etc.

You said "despite many using them ON their DSLRs to successful results proving otherwise... or am I missing something important"

Well you are missing something and I'll break this to you as gently as possible; if you think that the sound recorded to a cam mounted mic is a recipe for successful audio, you are mistaken. Can you capture News - ENG or U-Tube content in this manor and get the story out? Yes. Will it be the type of audio that audio professional aspire to? No. Just as a DP aspires to making good imagery, audio pros do the same with audio. Audio is an incredibly important part of good video. Viewers might forgive some marginal imagery, but you lose them on bad audio. No one makes silent movies anymore, but audio is still a stand alone media.

So having said that, as my earlier post stated: " Better mics + good preamps + better recorder + good mic placement + good technique = something good. Note the inclusion of "good mic placement" and this is simply not possible when the mic is mounted on the cam. It certainly can be used as a backup or scratch track, but good audio it ain't. For the most part recording audio to a DSLR isn't a good recipe for pro work. In this case, the YAGH! adapter for your GH4 would make this an exception to the rule.

Grant
 
digifruitella said:
Would buying any of the aforementioned mikes be overkill to use on a DSLR?
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Again, I would get the AT875R. It's $169. They designed it to be an on-camera shotgun, and it has low handling noise and better rear rejection than many shotgun microphones.

I shoot live events once in a while, like protests
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I'm perplexed as to why you are so hostile.
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So do you like hostility only when you are shooting? ;) Joke! Joke!

I don't think he was that hostile, it's just that the question of whether it will be okay to keep the microphone on the camera, instead of somehow getting it within a foot or two of the sound source, arises 4,000 times a year, just on DVXUser.com. I think you may be the 1 millionth caller. Congratulations! You've won a free boom pole. ;)

On-camera mics are passable, I think, if you're recording anything but dialog. Like just catching cars passing by, protesters chanting I guess, whatever. But monologs, dialog, interviews, any time the distinct words that they're saying is something you want your audience to listen to (as opposed to walla walla walla walla) get that mic off the camera!

This video's sound was not recorded with an on-camera microphone, expensive or otherwise:

 
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Earlier in this thread, I suggested the Op might make use of tha YAGH adapter for his GH4 to provide phantom power to a mic. But that wasn't such great advice since the YAGH needs external power. This isn't what a run and gun person wants to hear.

I have an 875, and if the OPs camera could supply phantom, I'd recommend that as well. But it doesn't, so if a cam mounted mic is the choice, he should probably get one of the self powered models. Wasn't there a test here comparing those mics, like the VMpro and Sennheiser models. Did Chad do that? Might be worth a search.
 
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