SENNHEISER Professional Shotgun Microphone with XLR-3 to 3.5mm Connector for Video Camera/Camcorder, Black (505453)

A little shy on the lower frequencies but otherwise a good mic for compact, camera-top use. One can add to the bass frequencies in post production; too much bass can actually be more of a problem to clean up (so I like this balance and use this on-camera mic for a backup reference track).

This is a no brainer. If you're just trying to hide wind and handling noise in order to pick up good ambient sound on a mirrorless camera - this is the solution.At time of purchase it was $64. The tripod alone is $22.Positives:-Wind muff is easy to attach and won't come off accidentally. Tip: attach wind muff after attaching TRS cable and before mounting on camera.-No batteries needed. However, be sure to turn on microphone power in camera menu.Cons: This kit does not come with a lightning or usb-c cable for some smart phones. Adapter fixes that issue.-This is a directional microphone. However, a physically longer directional microphone will easily out perform this microphone.This mic is simply a great simple solution for those of us that want good ambient sound especially in windy conditions.It will not however sound like a long rifle or lapel microphone. Sound clarity depends on microphone placement and is therefore not a criticism of this microphone.

I liked this shot gun mic! It is very solid and feels professional indeed (an entry level, but very, very respectable). I actually was interested in a less expensive shotgun mic at first, but ended up getting Sennheiser MKE 600 and Sony PCM M10 portable recorder. I was able to compare Sennheiser with several other microphones side by side when keeping the gain constant, and I used 2 different recording devices - Sony recorder and Nikon digital camera.Please check my video review on YouTube to listen to Sennheiser MKE 600 mic in comparison with some other mics (Please search for "Microphones compared: Sennheiser MKE 600, Bronstein BRN-900, BRN-400, Sony PCM M10, Nikon D7000" on YouTube or follow the link in the comment below for this review). This test was designed to compare the ability of the microphones to record a distant (or quiet) misic. I intentionally placed the mics fairly far amd compensated by increasing the gain on the Sony recorder, so the noise level relative to signal is higher compared to when speaking directly to mics.Of these microphones, I liked PCM M10 onboard omnidirectional stereo mics for the high sensitivity, very low self noise and fuller, crisper sound (but it records every ambient noise), and I also liked the MKE 600 shotgun that can help isolate the sound that is natural, loud enough and has a relatively low background hiss. I used this Sennheiser mic with both 48V phantom power from a Mackie mixer and 2 AA batteries (required an XLR to 3.5mm adaptor). The performance was comparable (it is supposed to be slightly better with phantom power, according to the specs). It is a real boon to use AA batteries for such a mic, as I can use it with my Sony recorder or plug directly into digital camera. In addition, the mic comes with a nice pouch. Good job Sennheiser!The microphones I was comparing are not in the same price price category, of course, so it may be not a fair comparison. But I was wondering if cheaper mics will do just fine for my purpose or I need a more expensive one. I initially purchased a relatively cheap mic (BRN-200), but ended up returning it, and then I got a Sony personal recorder and also tried more expensive shotgun mics to supress back/side noises and pickup more distant, fainter sounds from the target source. At the time of each purchase (January-March 2014), Sennheiser was sold at Amazon for $330, Sony PCM M10 for $210, BRN-400 for $130, BRN-900 for $70 and BRN-200 for $50. The price for BRN-400 recently dropped nearly 25%, and the price for Sony increased. Although the more expensive microphones (Sennheiser and Sony) performed much better recording low volume sounds, if you would place any of these, even cheaper mics very close to the source and also optimze the gain on the recording device, the quality of captured sound will likely improve. I personally liked PCM M10 onboard omnidirectional stereo mics for the high sensitivity, very low self noise and fuller, crisper sound, and, of course, I also enjoed the MKE 600 shotgun mic. I think the low frequencies, especially for voice recording, appear to be more faithfully rerpoduced by Sennheiser, compared to Sony recorder, so the voice from MKE 600 sounds a little fuller. But the sound is a little crisper when recorded with Sony recorder without a shotgun mic.

I wanted a small, inexpensive mic to sit on my desktop and didn't need batteries. This mic is good with the small Manfrotto tripod - it has a small footprint. Sound quality is good, but it does pick up a lot of room noise.If you're plugging into a mixer you will need a TRS transforming adapter to convert the 48v phantom power from your mixer to plug-in power required (2-10v).

Using this mic primarily with a Sony a6400. Wanted to upgrade my sound and I use my camera in a variety of settings from video shoots, to live streaming, to online lessons. I wanted to really get better audio especially while speaking and for the price this really delivers. Not a fan of the included shockmount and ended purchasing a cheap $10 mount from amazon for using with mic stands (i am a musician have a ton of these around the house). The capability of running off of phantom or battery power is real handy along with the xlr output. While a bit cumbersome to use with my a6400 (because i need to use a cable adapter) this a small trade off for the quality of audio this thing puts out. Plus my eventual goal is to upgrade to a camcorder with professional xlr inputs and also will eventually add an external audio recorder to my setup. The xlr output of the MKE600 ensures that this mic will be in rotation for many years as my rig changes. I mostly use this mic indoors, in a nontreated room that is quite reverberant (which is not ideal) but the audio is always high quality and useable. Outdoors just as great (can't wait to get a blimp for this mic!). Great when mounted overhead and captures dialogue nicely, i find it to be quite forgiving for such a directional mic.If you are looking at other mics in this price range I would highly recommend this one!

The media could not be loaded. I got this to compare with another mic I’ve been using. The mic is fine with decent audio quality, on par with a Rode Videomicro II. The little tripod is decent too and I like the spring loaded ball head release. The phone mount is a real disappointment though. I expected a metal mount to be solid but this has noticeable play in the part that extends (see video). Even when locked into place that part is still wobbly. I’d still say it’s a good mic just don’t bother with the kit bundle.