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Shotgun mic for video: Top 3 picks at SYNCO

Do you want more professional audio for your video projects? A shotgun mic for video is what you need in this case. It is a great option for recording audio due to their directionality. It is simple to mount on your camera, stand, or boom arm. There are a lot of microphones available on the market, so to ensure that you use a shotgun that meets your demands, here's a quick list of some recommended SYNCO products.

SYNCO D1 - Video shotgun mic with XLR receives phantom power and AA battery power

SYNCO D1 video shotgun mic with XLR receivers phantom power and AA battery power

Go and buy at Moman PhotoGears Store

The SYNCO D1 features a highly directional hyper-cardioid polar pattern. This makes it ideal for film, video, broadcast, and voice-over use.

Additionally, this mic has a wide frequency response from 40Hz to 20kHz and signal to noise ratio of 78dB. High sensitivity -32dB (±2dB) enables it to produce powerful output levels. The D1 also incorporates a switchable high pass filter set at 180Hz. This can be used to help minimize undesired low-frequency noise, such as air conditioning or traffic noise. It features an XLR connection and works on 48V phantom power, which is supplied by the majority of professional video cameras, mixing boards, and recording equipment. It can also run for 100 hours on a single AA battery, making it excellent for DSLRs, PCs, and other devices without phantom power.

The D1 shotgun mic for video is made from instrument-grade brass with CNC processing for durability and strong anti-interference capacity. The 11.22-inch length allows it to be mounted on the camera with XLRM-XLRF or XLRF-3.5mm cable. The included mic hold comes with 5/8’’ to 3/8’’ connector, which enables the D1 to be attached to boom pole and tripod.

SYNCO D2 - Best shotgun mic for video to offer broadcast-level audio

SYNCO D2 best shotgun mic for video to offer broadcast-level audio

Go and buy at Moman PhotoGears Store

The D2 is an extremely high-quality shotgun mic to deliver broadcast-level sound. It can be used for various scenarios, such as wedding videos, interviews, live streaming, and vocal recording.

The D2 has a full frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz and very low self-noise with an SNR of 80dB. It also has an ultra-high sensitivity of -32dB which means it can pick up more audio details and performs well in miking close and distant sound sources. It has a 3-pin XLR output and works with any device that can supply 48V phantom power. Like the D1, it also includes a mic hold in the package, so it can be attached to boom pole and tripod. The mic hold head is rotatable at 180° to ensure a variable shooting angle.

The CNC machined brass metal body guarantees solid construction with high anti-interference, which is great for outdoor audio recording. The black speckle finish allows the microphone to work normally even when the weather turns bad.

SYNCO D30 - Best shotgun mic for DSLR video featuring low cut and gain control

SYNCO D30 best shotgun mic for DSLR video featuring low cut and gain control

Go and buy at Moman PhotoGears Store

The SYNCO D30 is a super cardioid shotgun mic with 3.5mm output. This means it can be connected to smartphones, computers, cameras and recorders. A 3.5 mm jack works as a headphone output for audio monitoring. It is ideal for film, YouTube videos, and documentary recording.

The D30 has a low cut filter, which can be set at 75Hz or 150Hz. There is also a safety channel feature that sends a signal -10dB lower into one audio channel. This ensures you don’t get clipped audio when recording in loud environment. In addition, the D30 has stepless gain control from -10dB to 15dB, so you can adjust the output to suit your recording device.

Also, this shotgun mic for video has an inbuilt rechargeable lithium-ion battery, giving you 30 hours of recording after 2 hours of full charge. It also has an aluminium alloy construction, keeping it very light at only 85g. In addition, the superior dual shock mount, which can be easily attached to your camera, boom pole, or tripod, effectively minimizes the shakes caused by filming movements.

Table: Specs and features comparison among D1, D2, and D30

You may be confused about which shotgun mic for video production to choose among the D1, D2, and D30. Here we make a list to show their differences and you can make a choice by considering this questions.

  • What’s your budget?
  • Do you have high requirements for sound quality? If so, the XLR connection is better.
  • Does your recording device offer phantom power?
  • Do you need to reduce low-frequency noises?
  • Do you record loud sound sources and worry about clipped audio?
  • Do you need a monitoring jack on the mic?

Video shotgun mic

D1

D2

D30

Connection

XLR

XLR

TRS/TRRS

Power requirement

48V phantom power/AA battery

48V phantom power

Inbuilt lithium-ion battery

Low cut

×

Overdrive protection

×

×

Monitor jack

×

×

Polar pattern

Hypercardioid

Hypercardioid

Supercardioid

Frequency response

40Hz-20KHz

20Hz-20KHz

20Hz-20KHz

SNR

78dB

80dB

82dB

Sensitivity

-34dB/-32dB±2dB

-32dB±3dB

-24dB±2dB

Max. Input SPL

130dB

130dB

124dB

Dimensions

11.22x0.83 inches

0.75x9.84 inches

Φ21.5×214.5mm

Weight

207g

165g

85g

Price

$129; regular: $199

$169; regular: $259

$129

FAQ

Q: How to use a shock mount?

  • Secure the shock mount to a boom pole, mic stand, or tripod with the included screws. The threaded insert on a shock mount will be either 3/8" or 5/8" in size. Most of them have adapters built in as standard equipment that enables them to be used with any boom pole or mic stand.
  • Insert the microphone into the cradle. Place it on top of one of the lyres and apply steady pressure to it. The lyre will progressively separate until it has completely accepted and securely fixed the microphone. Repeat with the remaining lyres in the same manner.
  • Connect the audio cable to the microphone.
  • Manage cable. The majority of shock mounts have a cable management system. It keeps everything in order and protects any extra cord.

Q: Which is better to use lapel or shotgun mic for video in windy conditions

Shotgun mic for video and lavaliers (lapel mics) may record high-quality audio when used appropriately. They're ideal for dialogues, vlogs, and interviews.

Lavalier microphones, particularly those that clip on the subject, have a high signal-to-noise ratio. A 3.5mm lavalier microphone permits direct recording from the microphone to the video file. The transmitter of a wireless lavalier microphone can be plugged into a 3.5 mm jack or recorded to a second mixer for post-production synchronizing.

Shotgun mics often produce a more natural sound than lavaliers. A foam or furry windshield will make it usable in outdoor environments where the wind is an issue.