Best on-camera DSLR microphone?

B

Budgieboots

Well-known member
Hello,

I am in the market for a microphone to mount on top of my DSLR when I use it for filming b-roll video content.

I'm looking for something that I could use in a final edit and not having to worry about being plugged into an external recorder.


The only mic I really know of is the Rode Microphones Stereo VideoMic X.

Was just wondering if there were other options, or if Rode's the only game in town for on-camera dslr mics.

Thanks!
 
Heh, anyway.... to take your question a little bit more seriously.

Basically you're not going to get great audio from internally recorded camera audio, especially not from on camera mics. (as mic placement is very important! And having it on the camera is generally speaking a pretty damn sh*t location to have it)

But if it is just for general atmos sound (but then why not just capture it wild with say a Tascam DR22WL?), then the Rode Stereo VideoMic Pro Rycote or the Rode Stereo VideoMic X could be a not terrible choice (however I could think of many better ways to spend six hundred dollars!! As the Rode Stereo VideoMic X is not cheap for an on camera mic for scratch audio).

If it is for say BTS or similar where you need to grab a lot of quick interviews of people, and if your standards are not too high, or your setting you're filming in is not too noisy, then you could possibly get away with using one of the popular camera mounted shotguns such as:

Aputure Vmic D2 (I like the big knobs on it for adjusting gain):
https://www.amazon.com/Aputure-V-Mic-Sensitivity-Adjustable-Directional/dp/B00TKU65YG

Shure VP83F LensHopper (I like how it has an integrated recorder, and headphone jack):
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/997366-REG/shure_vp83f_lenshopper_shotgun_mic.html

Or Saramonic has a lower priced option with an integrated recorder:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...icrecorder_vmic_recorder_microphone_with.html

The tiniest option (and one of the cheapest!):
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1183909-REG/rode_videomicro_compact_on_camera.html

There are also options with XLR inputs and a mixer, such as this (just to point out one of many many choices):
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...ic_sr_nv5_shotgun_microphone_adapter_kit.html

And then last but not least, there is the classic option, which is very very popular :
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1152351-REG/rode_videomic_pro_r_videomic_pro_with_lyre.html
 
The Video Mic X is probably the best around at the moment. Not quite as good but still significantly better than most built-in camera mics is the Stereo Video Mic Pro. (I use this one on the BMPCC, and it's absolutely good enough for delivery with ambient recording.)
 
For B Roll I found the TAKSTAR SGC-598 to be decent. It sounds about the same as the Rode, to me, and is under $30.

For perspective I use it for getting a decent guide track on the DSLR, and for the odd B Roll. I do a lot of audio post so for most things it is not going to be the featured sound at any point. I'm not sure how high end you should go if you are feeding the audio input of a DSLR. I suspect that your DSLR's audio is a fairly low bar, compared to a good recorder. But I have used the Rode and it might have an edge if feeding a good recorder but I don't really see the difference with DSLR audio. The Rode does have better suspension though so if you are doing a lot of moving camera work that might be an issue. I haven't had an issue with tripod and handheld with a frame work, but I also have years as a sound guy so I may be more aware of what not to do than a shooter with out a lot of sound background.
 
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