Shotgun microphone

A shotgun microphone is a directional mic: it mainly hears what it points at and rejects sound coming from the sides and the rear. That is why filmmakers, YouTubers and reporters mount it on the camera or on a boom pole above the person speaking. On this page you will only find shotgun microphones with a supercardioid or even narrower pickup pattern – Rode NTG and VideoMic, Sennheiser MKE 600, MKE 400 and MKH 416, Audio-Technica AT875R and AT897, Deity, DPA and more. Lavalier, wireless and stereo microphones are in the Video Microphones category.

Shotgun microphone on the camera or on a boom?

A camera mic slides into the camera's hot shoe and connects with a cable that has a 3.5 mm jack. It is powered by the camera, by a battery or via USB-C and needs no extra device. This group includes the Rode VideoMicro II, VideoMic GO II and VideoMic NTG, Sennheiser MKE 400, BOYA BY-BM3032 and Takstar SGC-600. It suits vlogs, street interviews and sound recorded straight into the camera.

Boom microphones have an XLR connector and take 48 V phantom power from a recorder, mixer or audio interface – for example the Rode NTG1, NTG4+ and NTG5, Audio-Technica AT875R, Deity S-Mic 3S or Sennheiser MKH 416. The Sennheiser MKE 600 and Rode NTG4+ also run on a battery. The boom operator holds the mic just outside the frame, so it sits closer to the voice than a mic mounted on the camera. You can capture its sound with a portable recorder, for example.

Which pickup pattern and length for which job?

Most microphones here are supercardioid: they pick up the source in front of them and suppress the noise around it. Long models with a narrower lobe, such as the Audio-Technica BP28L and BP4071 Long or the hypercardioid Sennheiser MKH 416, reach further and suit outdoor work. In a small room with hard walls, a shorter mic such as the Rode NTG5 or Audio-Technica AT875R pays off – a long shotgun there tends to colour the wall reflections rather than filter them out.

What do you need for a shotgun microphone outdoors?

In wind, the basic item is a furry windshield; a foam cover is not enough once the wind picks up. On a boom, add a shock mount that dampens handling bumps from your hands, plus a long enough XLR cable. Camera mics often come with a shock mount right in the box, for example the Rode Helix with the VideoMic GO II and VideoMicro II.