10 Best Shotgun Microphones in 2022|A Complete Guide

Do you want to refine the audio quality in your videos and beat the competition?

If yes, you need to go through the list of the best shotgun microphones I have given below. I have personally tested these mics, and their worth has been proven.

Whether you are an individual who does vlogging for your YouTube channel or a professional, you cannot stand out from the competition if you ever compromise on the audio quality of your content. There is an influx of content from so many different platforms. If you display any lack in any part of your content and, most importantly, the audio portion, you will never achieve success.

Below I have written the shotgun microphone reviews based on my personal use and thorough testing, which will significantly improve the audio quality for your audience. You can select the microphone of your choice based on your budget limitations and the domain of your field.

What are the 10 Best Shotgun Microphones?

IMAGE	PRODUCT	Rating	PRICE
	SYNCO-Mic-D2 Shotgun Microphone	9.5	Check on Amazon
	Sennheiser MKH416 Shotgun Microphone	8.7	Check on Amazon
	Comica CVM-VM20 Shotgun Microphone	9.5	Check on Amazon
	Audio-Technica AT875R Line – Gradient Shotgun Condenser Microphone	8.7	Check on Amazon
	Movo VXR10-PRO External Video Microphone	9.5	Check on Amazon
	Rode NTG3 RF-Bias Condenser Shotgun Microphone	9.5	Check on Amazon
	Rode NTG5 Location Recording Microphone Kit	9.5	Check on Amazon
	Rode VideoMicPro Compact Directional On-Camera Microphone	9.5	Check on Amazon
	Movo VXR10 Universal Video Microphone	9.5	Check on Amazon
	Sennheiser Pro Audio Wireless Mic	9.5	Check on Amazon

1.  SYNCO-Mic-D2 Shotgun Microphone

This mic reached me in a safe and stylish casing. It proved to be an ideal mic for recording high-quality audio in outdoor video shooting. Its brass body gave it a solid structure and made it resistant to interfering radio frequencies during outdoor video recording. It completely blocked out the radio waves and delivered clear and crisp audio.

It was a hyper-cardioid directional mic, so it efficiently picked up on-axis sound and rejected the sounds coming from the surroundings. Its hyper-cardioid polar pattern and solid brass body made it very effective at capturing the voice coming from the front and blocking the ambient sounds without coloration.

All-weather mic

It proved to be an all-weather mic because of its black speckle finish. It is a waterproof mic, allowing me to make videos with clear audio in exhilarating weather. Moreover, the mic came with a foam windscreen to protect against the blowing wind during outdoor video recording. It added more clarity to the recorded voice of the speaker.

This synco shotgun mic has an extremely low self-noise that avoids unwanted distractions in the recorded sound. Its gold-plated XLRM connectors made it possible to connect to camcorders, tripods, and boom poles. An XLRM cable included in the package connected the mic to these devices.

It is a premium mic available at an affordable price, and it is equally suitable for personal and professional use. Its ultra-flat frequency response makes it ideal for reproducing the sound exactly as was originally delivered by the speaker.

This best boom shotgun microphone produces clear and natural audio in indoor and outdoor video recordings in all sorts of weather conditions.

Pros and Cons

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2.  Sennheiser MKH416 Shotgun Microphone

Ideal for Outdoor Recording

It is a rugged microphone with a simple design and is ideal for outdoor video recording because of its premium features.

With their super-cardioid polar patterns, the best shotgun microphones efficiently captured audio from the source and ignored the ambient noise. It has a short interference tube, making it a mic of pronounced directivity and recording audio focused on the subject matter. This proved particularly useful in outdoor video recordings in noisy places.

It also proved to be an ideal mic for outdoor recordings in terrible weather conditions, where most of the mics failed to perform up to expectations. Where humidity and condensation resulted in the loss of frequency response with many mics, this mic’s immunity to moisture made it perform smoothly in such adverse weather conditions.

Sound with Significant Clarity

It reproduced the sound with significant clarity and without any unwanted noise. It is a sensitive mic, recording the audio with great detail and accuracy. Its design, pronounced directivity, and sensitivity made it capture the sound waves with complete accuracy and reproduce the sound in its natural tone without any coloration.

The disturbing wind noise could not affect the audio quality with this mic, as the high-quality windshield accompanying this mic was very effective at blocking out the wind noise. It reduced the time spent in post-production activity as there was no need to edit the video to remove disturbing background noise.

It has proved to be a highly durable mic, and I am stating this based on my personal experience. The high-quality material used to construct this mic has significantly expanded its life span. It has very low self-noise, and the accompanying shock mount prevented all sorts of handling noise from getting into the recorded audio. This is a good addition to a series of the best shotgun microphones.

Pros and Cons

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3.  Comica CVM-VM20 Shotgun Microphone

This mic is tiny but has a full metal housing, making it quite durable and effective at isolating the sound from disturbances floating in the environment. In outdoor video recording, it shielded my voice from the interfering radio frequencies and the unwanted noise in the surroundings. This way, I got more refined audio with significant clarity.

It is a versatile mic to connect with various devices through the two cables that accompany the package. The mic has a rechargeable lithium battery that afforded me 60 hours of battery life, making life quite simple. It also has an OLED display that assisted me in monitoring the battery power and avoiding a blackout in the hour of need.

The mic is super-cardioid

The mic is super-cardioid, making it extremely good at capturing sound from a pointed direction and rejecting off-axis sound waves. It significantly improved the audio quality during outdoor video recording in a bustling environment. The mic also has two low-cut filter modes that completely block out the unwanted low frequencies and further refine the audio quality.

It came with a great shock mount that eliminated all the handling noise, which could have deteriorated the audio quality. The mic also has a volume adjustment dial, making it very easy to control the mic’s output level. It assisted me in adjusting the volume to my desired level and optimizing the audio quality.

The wind noise is a significant disturbing factor that adversely affects the recorded audio in the outdoor video recording. This mic came to me with a windscreen and wind muff to completely isolate the sound from the interfering winds. When I placed the wind muff over the windshield, the sound reproduced without any unwanted background disturbance.

Pros and Cons

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4.  Audio-Technica AT875R Line/Gradient Shotgun Condenser Microphone

It is a very economically priced mic for all the features it afforded me. As is typical of line gradient mics, it was good at eliminating the environmental noise.

The elimination of the ambient sound was of great help to me during outdoor video recording. I had difficulty recording good audio without any background noise with ordinary mics. It significantly improved the audio quality as its side vents completely blocked out all the distracting voices around the subject. It reproduced clear and natural audio without including any noise from the surroundings. 

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When this mic reached me, the first feeling conveyed a sense of durability because of the high-quality material used in its construction. And after months of using this mic, I can state that my first impression was entirely accurate. The design and quality have made it stand some rough use. It has a metal construction that gives it an attractive look and the desired durability.

Small and Lightweight

It was small and lightweight, making it easy to use and carry around. Its lightweight makes it particularly easy to mount on camcorders and boom poles. Moreover, it has a narrow acceptance angle, making it perfect for capturing sound from some distance. All these features have made it an excellent mic for professionals.

It has a tailored response that significantly reduces the handling noise with the best shotgun microphones. Its windshield was excellent at preventing the wind noise from mixing with the speaker’s voice. Despite paying a relatively small price, it produced fantastic results and provided good value for money.

Pros and Cons

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5.  Movo VXR10-PRO External Video Microphone

This mic is tiny and versatile, making it easy to carry around and connect with various devices, including Android phones, iPhones, and cameras. This mic provided a feature that I did not get with any other mic, and it was playback monitoring of the audio during recording.

The playback monitoring helped me evaluate audio quality during recording and adjust the mic’s position to optimize audio quality. The mic’s small size and accompanying shock mount make things easier for professionals who need to carry the mic around on their cameras or smartphones. The shock mount eliminated the handling noise, which could result from the movement of the mic.

Its battery-free design and excellent compatibility across various devices make its use very simple and easy. It draws its power from the connected device, removing the headache of getting the battery charged on time and then using it. I simply needed to connect this mic with the recording device through one of the cables included in the package and get rolling.

A Compact Mic

It is a compact mic, and the sound reproduced by this mic was of striking clarity. It is a directional mic, capturing the sound with a greater focus from the pointed direction and ignoring off-axis sounds.

This mic prevented the wind noise from interfering with the sound waves travelling from the speaker in outdoor recorded videos. This mic has a foam windscreen and a furry windscreen, completely isolating sound from the wind noise.

It is an enduring mic available at a meagre price and carries a warranty of 1 year. Professionals looking for a low-budget mic capable of reproducing sound with significant clarity should go for this mic.

Pros and Cons

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6.  Rode NTG3 Shotgun Microphone

This best shotgun mic reached me in a metal tube, ensuring safe delivery. It also protected the mic while I carried it in my bag pack. The mic itself has a pretty solid construction, making it highly durable. Rode invested two years in developing this model to ensure that it delivers the value promised by Rode.

I used this mic while recording videos in challenging locations with varying temperature ranges. The RF bias technology used in this mic makes it withstand harsh weather conditions, making it wholly immune to moisture. In adverse weather conditions where many mics failed in producing good quality audio, the NTG3 lived up to expectations.

RF Rejection Feature

Its RF rejection feature was also essential in producing good quality audio in open locations. The NTG3 was highly efficient at cutting off the radio frequencies and the interferences caused by the WiFi networks, which ensured clear audio production in wide-open areas.

It was pretty good at rejecting off-axis ambient sounds and delivering the distraction-free audio quality of the subject matter. This is due to its super-cardioid line plus gradient pattern, which focuses on the main subject rather than capturing noises in the environment.

This has a pretty low self-noise of 13 dBA, making it ideal for recording professional videos. Less handling noise means less disturbance and more clarity in the recorded sound. Rode has also provided a 10-year warranty with this mic to ensure zero complaints with their premium project.

Pros and Cons

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7.  Rode NTG5 Location Recording Microphone Kit

It is the fifth microphone produced by NTG and is considered a flagship project for NTG because of the upgrades made to this model.

It is an ideal microphone for recording audio in open locations because of Its controlled frequency response and low self-noise. Its ability to isolate the subject’s sound from the disturbances in the surroundings was excellent.

I got perfect audio in challenging weather conditions because of its ability to withstand severe cold, humid weather, and dust. The excellent quality metal exterior and solid interior design made it stand poor weather conditions.

At locations where other mics failed in recording quality audio because of the high winds and harsh weather, NTG5 proved its worth. Its new WS10 windshield was particularly good at removing wind noise and improving the audio quality.

Revolutionary acoustic design

I received this aesthetically pleasing mic in a revolutionary acoustic design, which delivered a natural and uncolored sound. The design has significantly improved on this model compared to previous models introduced by the NTG. The circular acoustic ports made this model deliver unmatched acoustic transparency and significantly outperform the earlier models with linear slots.

It is very light in weight but exceptionally built. Despite falling on several occasions, the mic continued to function perfectly. Its lightweight made it ideal for boom operators who need to operate for hours in a challenging environment.

It is the best shotgun microphone for film and an ideal piece of equipment for professional filmmakers and sound recordists who need to operate in challenging scenarios.

Pros and Cons

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8.  Rode Video Mic Pro Compact Directional On-Camera Microphone

It is an ideal mic to use on camera while recording videos inside closed spaces or in open areas with heavy background noise.

Being a directional microphone, it focused on me during the video recording and significantly filtered out the noises in the background. The delivery of clear audio helped improve the impact of the video and generate much better feedback from the audience. Its directional characteristic made it ideal for vlogging and recording interviews.

Integrated Wind Screen

This mic comes to me with an integrated windscreen and shock mount, making it very efficient to record videos outdoors. The windscreen removed the wind noise, and the shock mount significantly lessened the handling noise. This improved sound clarity and removed unnecessary disturbances, giving the recorded videos a professional feel.

A compact mic with very low self-noise makes it easy to place over the camera during video recording. It is a premium-quality microphone falling into an affordable price bracket, making it an attractive investment for those with budget limitations.

Rode provided a ten-year warranty period for this mic, which further strengthened my trust in this good-quality product. This stereo shotgun mic has not failed me once during the entire period I used it.

Pros and Cons

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9.  Movo VXR10 Universal Video Microphone

I received this lightweight and compact microphone in a luxurious design. Its universal compatibility with cameras and mobile phones proved of great advantage to my course. This is a good one out of the best shotgun microphones list for DSLRs available in the market. The high-quality audio I got through this mic gave recorded videos a professional touch.

The package I received included two cables that enabled the universal adaptability of this mic. It contributed significantly to improving the audio quality of outdoor recorded videos because of its furry windscreen. The furry windscreen effectively blocked out the background noises, including wind noise.

Its battery-free design made its use very easy. Furthermore, I simply needed to put it on a camera or mobile phone to record audio without any hassle. This feature became more critical when I needed to record a quick video with good audio. Its shock mount removed the vibrations caused by the movement of hands and saved ruining of the whole effort.

I got the best results in terms of audio quality when I placed the mic around 18 inches away from myself while recording the video. It is essential to place it directly to the subject to filter out the ambient sounds. It was also good at catching the natural sounds while recording video at a scenic spot.

The mic weighs just 51g, making it easier to hold while recording video using the camera or mobile phone. Its easy portability and affordable price make it particularly attractive for those looking for a decent piece of equipment. The manufacturer delivered this item with a one-year warranty period, which was a precursor to the quality of the product.

Those looking for a dynamic shotgun mic at an affordable price should go for this item.

Pros and Cons

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10.  Sennheiser Pro Audio Wireless Microphone

Sennheiser is a reputed company in the field of developing shotgun microphones. This Sennheiser shotgun mic reached me in a simple design, and it was effortless to set up. With its pronounced directivity and customized design, it was very good at filtering out the noise coming from the sides and back of the mic.

The mic focused on accepting the audio coming from the speaker in front of it and effectively rejected the other voices floating in the surroundings. The audio quality in the videos recorded outdoor was also very good because the wind noise did not interfere with the audio in any way.

The switchable low-cut filter of the mic was handy in cutting off the wind noise. Additionally, the foam windshield further improved the audio quality in outdoor recorded videos by providing an extra cushion against the interfering winds. The mic excluded the ambient sounds from the audio without making it unnatural in the least.

Ideal for Camera

Its small size and low self-noise made it ideal for camera mounting to record high-quality audio during video production. The shock mount accompanying this mic significantly reduced the handling noise, making it a perfect piece of equipment for professional video recorders.

The directional nature of the mic made it capable of capturing the speaker’s voice even from some distance with outstanding clarity. If your camera is not supplying phantom power and you want to purchase this mic, it should be no cause of concern to you. The standard AA battery is used to power this mic in place of phantom power.

Though small in size and light in weight, this mic has all-metal housing, and it is capable of withstanding rough use. Despite using it carelessly for months now, it has continued to function very smoothly without losing its effectiveness in the least. This mic falls into a very affordable price range with all its features.

Pros and Cons

Buying Guide

When you are buying a mic, you read some terminologies written on the box of the mic, that could be hard to comprehend. Below, I have defined those complicated terminologies and documented the factors you should consider while purchasing the Best Shotgun Microphones. I have given below the buying guide and listed the most frequently asked questions by the buyers to assist you in getting the most out of the transaction.

The polar pattern in a microphone

The polar pattern is that feature of the mic that defines how a mic will pick up the sound waves flowing in from different directions. You should decide beforehand which polar pattern is best suited for your needs. And you can choose the best shotgun microphones for yourself based on the type of videos you are going to record and the kind of environment in which you will record those videos.

If you record videos in which you only want to capture the sound waves coming from a single source and don’t want the ambient sound to interfere, you should invest in the best shotgun microphones. But if you’re going to capture all the sound waves travelling from all directions, you should purchase a mic that doesn’t ignore the ambient sound.

A wired mic or a wireless one

Before purchasing a mic, you should decide whether to buy a wired or wireless one. Both types of mics have their pros and cons. And while using a wireless mic, you must have prior knowledge of the basics of a wireless microphone system.

A wired microphone system comes at a relatively low price compared to a wireless one. So, if you have budget limitations and do not want to spend too much money, you should go for a wired mic. With such a mic, you won’t face any power issues or dropouts, which could disadvantage wireless mics.

Moreover, wired mics are pretty easy to use as you just need to plug them in and get going. But they could cost you the freedom that you may enjoy with wireless mics.

Phantom power or battery power

Before purchasing a mic, you should know whether it will drive its power through a battery or phantom power. If an external battery will supply the power to the mic, better note down the amount of time needed to charge the battery and the number of working hours it will provide.

And if the mic functions through phantom power, you should ensure that your device can supply the required phantom power.

Frequently Asked Questions