The 8 Best Shotgun Microphones | Musician Nerd

I love the strength of directivity that this shotgun microphone offers, picking up audio at a good distance from the front, while properly attenuating noise coming from the sides and rear. I want to really emphasize here just how well it handles rejecting side noise.

There’s an optional low-cut filter that’ll minimize wind noise and other grumblings such as nearby traffic. This is a highly effective switch to have when filming outdoors. You can also connect to a live-power source that uses phantom power, or use their battery powering for on the go. It’s very compact and works both on-camera and on a boom stand.

The Neumann KMR 81i uses a lobe-shaped pattern that acts as a cardioid pattern with a 90-degree pickup radius. The high-directivity of the microphone capsule is attributes to the impeccable design of the side slots. Whether you're mounting it on a camera or using it on a boom pole, the level of accuracy and quality, even at a distance, will be unmatched.

The brilliant design combines a pressure-gradient condenser capsule with a medium-length interference tube, achieving that 90-degree angle with an incredible rejection of unwanted sounds. The level of detail in the recordings & the ability to withstand harsh conditions is another aspect worth mentioning.

The acoustic design with the circular ports provides you with a clean, natural-sounding audio recording. Authenticity is key with film audio, and Rode microphones have always stuck true to this nature. The off-axis response is impeccable, and the microphone gives extremely low self-noise.

The directionality comes in strong, and the frequency response is well balanced. Your audio is going to have a rich level of depth to it. I’ve also found it to record really well in all types of environments, indoors or out. The mic itself can withstand almost anything, from humid environments to dry & cold places.

The Rode VideoMicro is only 80mm long & 42g in weight. It uses an all-metal construction that feels just as durable as some of its larger counterparts. Inside is a high-quality cardioid condenser that is used for recording your audio. You might worry that you won't get some of the same noise-blocking features as the others at this size, but the aluminum body offers a high level of RF rejection so that you won't pick up frequency signals from your camera.

The powerful directivity of this short shotgun microphone, about its size, is unmatched by any on this list, other than the Neumann microphone below. This compact pressure-gradient microphone is highly immune to humidity thanks to the RF condenser design. This makes it great for working in different environments, both inside and outdoors.

The supercardioid pattern with the short interference tube gives you extreme precision when recording at a distance. There’s a wide-range frequency response that cuts off the low end at 40Hz, which is perfect. The self-noise is competitively low, and it comes with a windshield for filming outdoors. The SPL (Sound Pressure Level) of this shotgun microphone is 130dB, which will allow you to record very loud audio sources without any distortion.

The compact design of the Rode VideoMic Pro makes it simple to bring around and mount on your camera. It uses a Rycote Lyre shock mounting system. This shotgun microphone has strong directionality and is highly sensitive while offering very low self-noise.

The condenser microphone within is, like many other Rode products, broadcast recording quality, giving you a raw, authentic, acoustic sound. It uses 9V battery power, so you won’t need to worry about using a live power source. One single battery offers 70 hours of use.

The first most notable feature is the internal low-frequency roll-off. This gives a more natural well-balanced sound. There’s also an optional low-cut filter that will help reduce grumbling low-frequency noise like traffic, A/C units, and more. This is super effective if you’re filming outdoors.

It’s also extremely modular and offers long, medium & short barrel housings depending on your need. The strength of the directionality is highly competitive, giving you superior accuracy with a hypercardioid polar pattern.

Popular uses for this shotgun microphone are in the field, on film sets, and in wildlife recording. The strength of the directionality plus the quality of the audio is extremely impressive at this price point. I've used it on several occasions outdoors at a decent range.

The natural-sounding on-axis audio quality is incredibly smooth with superior off-axis rejection. I've found it to pick up minimal noise from the sides and rear. It uses a wide range frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz, which is the entire spectrum of the common human ear. The level of depth you get from that is phenomenal.