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What’s the Best Camera Microphone for Me?

What’s the Best Camera Microphone for Me?

Want to upgrade the audio part of your audio-visual productions? Feel free to browse our range of camera microphones! If you need any help picking out the best one for you, you can read through the FAQs listed below. If you can’t find the answer to your question here, feel free to contact us.

1. What Are Camera Microphones?

Camera microphones are specially designed for use in combination with video cameras or DSLR cameras and are used for both more professional, as well as more hobby-based projects.

Start by checking if your camera has an input for an external microphone. If so, it’s most likely a mini-jack mic input, which will work with most standard camera mics. For direct mounting (see Question 5), most camera microphones are also equipped with a so-called shoe mount.

Camera Microphones

2. Do Camera Mics Require Power?

They usually do, but it’s nothing to worry about. While camera microphones are often condensers, meaning they actively require power, most cameras are fortunately able to supply ‘bias power’ - more commonly known as plug-in power. Much like phantom power (see Question 3), power simply runs to the microphone via the audio cable. Voltages may differ depending on the camera, but generally range between 2.5 and 3.3 Volts. To ensure proper and flexible use, most camera mics can also be powered by batteries and will work just fine in combination with the average DSLR or video camera.

Camera Microphones

3. Can I Connect My ‘Normal’ Microphone to My Camera As well?

In most cases, yes. But please keep the following in mind:

Camera microphones usually feature a mini-jack socket, while most standard studio mics use (3-pin) XLR. As such, you might need an XLR-to-mini-jack adapter cable.
Dynamic microphones, including reporter mics, don’t require power and can be simply hooked up to your camera using an XLR-to-mini-jack adapter cable.
Condenser microphones, including shotgun and small and large diaphragm models, require phantom power. Unfortunately, that’s not the same thing as plug-in power (see Question 2). Condenser mics also boast relatively high output, which can lead to distorted sound.
A more professional way of hooking up a microphone to a camera includes a special field recorder. Not only do these allow you to connect multiple microphones, field recorders generally offer +48V phantom power for condenser mics.

XLR - Mini-Jack Adapter Cables
Dynamic Vocal Microphones
Reporter Microphones (Dynamic)
Shotgun Microphones (Condenser)
Live Condenser Microphones
Field Recorders for Cameras

4. What Kind of Camera Microphones Are There?

Shotgun: extremely focussed; ideal for recording dialogue with the microphone placed a few metres away. Don’t confuse these with standard shotgun mics fitted with XLR outputs. Also, they do not feature a camera mount because they’re usually attached to a boom arm and, on top of that, require phantom power (see Question 3).

Stereo Shotgun: extremely focussed; hypercardioid pickup pattern like standard shotgun mics, plus a figure-of-8 capsule for more multi-dimensional sound (also called a ‘mid-side configuration’). Stereo shotgun mics often feature a switch to adjust the balance between both capsules.

X-Y Stereo: two cardioid capsules facing each other at a 90° angle for natural stereo sound without phase issues. These microphones cover a vast frequency range and aren’t very focussed, making them perfect for music and ambient sound, and less suited to record dialogue.

Camera Microphones
Shotgun Microphones

5. Can I Mount the Microphone on My Camera Directly?

Most camera microphones can be mounted onto the ‘hot shoe’ of a camera using an included shoe mount. The hot shoe is normally used to mount a flash unit, and features a clamp and a number of electrical contacts for power and general control of the flash function. Camera mics don’t actually need these contact points, since any audio and/or power is simply transferred via the plugged in cable.

Camera Microphones
Shoe Mount Accessories

6. Can I Connect a Wireless Microphone to My Camera?

You can, using a special wireless system for cameras. These come with an extra compact, battery-powered receiver that can be mounted directly onto the hot shoe of a camera. The receiver doesn’t use the hot shoe’s contact-points, and is simply connected to the mini-jack input of the camera. You can get wireless systems with a hand-held microphone or a clip-on lavalier microphone, so go for the model that meets your needs.

Wireless Camera Systems with Mic
Wireless Camera Systems without Mic

7. Can I Mount the Microphone On a Stand or Boom Arm?

In most cases, camera mics can be mounted to standard microphone stands and boom arms. This is down to the 3/8“ screw thread integrated in the shoe mount. If you want to mount your mic on a 5/8“ stand, you’ll need to use a microphone thread adapter.

Microphone Boom Arms
Microphone Pistol Grips
Microphone Stands
Microphone Screw Thread Adapters

8. Can I Connect a Camera Microphone to My Phone or Tablet?

Proper smartphone and tablet microphones can be found in our special Android & iOS Microphones category. The main difference between these and camera mics is the connection: Android/iOS mics use TRRS mini-jack sockets (where the plugs are fitted with three little black rings), or a digital plug (Lightning or micro-USB).

If you do want to hook up your camera mic to your mobile device, you can use a TRS mini-jack to TRRS mini-jack adapter cable. Bear in mind that this is only possible if the camera mic features a mini-jack socket, and that full compatibility with any mobile device is not guaranteed. Finally, don’t forget to check if the app you plan to use supports external devices.

Android & iOS Microphones
TRS Mini-Jack to TRRS Mini-Jack Adapter Cables
Camera Microphones

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