Best Shotgun Mics – Review & Buyer’s Guide [2023]

When it comes to Filmmaking and professional audio production, Shotgun mics are at the top of the list. Apart from that YouTubers and Vloggers also love these microphones.

So, today, we’ll list down the top 10 best shotgun mics. We’ll try to keep this guide very comprehensive + we’ll be covering from beginners level to high-end models with a buyer’s guide that will help you pick the best shotgun mic that will fulfill your needs.

If you’re a Filmmaker and shoot a film with your DSLR, but you wanna record audio directly into your camera, you’ll need a good shotgun microphone. This is the mic that can help you record high-quality audio along with your video and you can also enhance it in post-processing.

We’ll review all the products with the pros and cons of each product and why we’ve picked this up ranking in a given position. So, that’s why we’ve compiled the top 10 models for you. To help you navigate fast to the products, we’ve listed all of our picks in the table below:

Top Pick: Best Shotgun mics

1. Rode VideoMic Pro+ | Top Quality Shotgun Microphone Produces Awesome Audio

This is a top-quality microphone provided by RODE. Actually, this is an upgraded version of RODE VideoMic Pro. You can use it on camera as well as on tripods if you’re Filming. VideoMic Pro+ is the Goto resource for vloggers because it works amazingly by mounting it on a camera.

In the box, it comes with a complete vlogging setup. But if you’re gonna use it for filmmaking, you’ll have to get a separate RODE extension to record conveniently. The shotgun mics come with the concentrated pickup pattern which means they pick up the sound where the mic is pointing at.

It helps Filmmakers and vloggers reduce all the noise coming from the right, left, or back. It is compatible with a standard micro USB cable. The thing I like about this microphone is, you have a lot of battery backups. For E.g VideoMic Pro+ comes with a 9V battery and you can record for over 70 hours continuously.

You get a lot of controls at the back of the microphone. You’ll get a high pass filter and gain controls on the mic. In this + version you get the ON/OFF button, in the previous versions of this mic, there was no power button.

A killer feature of this mic is the automatic ON feature. For every shot, you don’t have to press the ON button. As you activate your camera, it will automatically get powered and turn on. So overall it’s the best microphone if you’re trying to get crispy and natural audio. In my opinion, this is the perfect choice for travel vloggers and filmmakers, who want great audio on a mid-budget.

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2. Shure VP83F | Reliable option for Documentaries

VP83F is designed by the world’s most trusted microphones brand in the world. This is an extremely decent shotgun model. It comes with an Integrated Flash Recording and tons of other exciting features. In the right and left of the mic, you’ll get headphones jack and camera output to connect it with your camera.

This mic is so supportive, and bring the Micro SD card slot. It helps a lot in a longer period of recording. Besides that, you’ll see the AA Batteries and you’ll be able to record for 10 hours continuously. Now here is the deal.

There are 2 options available in the market. If your budget is low, you can exclude Flash Recorder and grab the microphone only. But if you’re on a good budget, you can choose this one which is all in one pack.

VP83F is a competitor of RODE VideoMic Pro, and both mics come with almost similar features. But, this product is a bit more expensive than the RODE one because of its Flash recorder. But if you exclude the Flash Recorder, it would be less expansive than the RODE with VideoMic Pro. So, at an affordable price, it brings very useful features. Apart from that, it depends on what kind of tone you wanna get out of it.

It also does a nice job in rejecting background noise as compared to RODE’S mic. Overall, in my opinion, it is a versatile option for those who want to get clear and loud sounds on a reliable budget. You get a lot to controls, but the battery can be considered as a Con when we compare it with RODE’s mics. But it’s ideal for Vloggers and documentaries etc…

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3. Deity S-Mic 2S | Ideal for Filmmakers

Here is our very special product for those who film a lot and wanna get an extremely durable and nice-sounding shotgun microphone. The top point of selecting this mic to our today’s list is, it comes with complete metal construction. S-Mic 2S is absolutely suitable for your in and outdoor shoots.

It’s very simple to use, mid-range, and a solid performer for filming. So, if you can afford it, there is nothing better than this at this price range. But a thing to consider is, S-Mic 2S is a bit focused on filming.

E.g If you’re also gonna be using it for other purposes like YouTube or Vlogging etc. It might not be suitable for these simple uses and there are dozens of other options for these things on a lower budget. S-Mic 2S comes in a nice storage box with an ultimate recording kit to keep it safe while traveling. I would recommend this mic for sit-down interviews, Reality TV screw, and Filmmaking. So, now you have an idea of what this product is designed for.

The thing you would love about this microphone is, it comes with WaterProof construction. The previous version of this mic was a bit longer, but now the manufacturers have introduced this smart and compact model with amazing features. So, overall you get what you pay for and the impressive thing is compactness, simplicity, and durability.

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READ: The Best Shotgun Microphone

4. Audio-Technica AT875R | Best for broadcasting

AT875R is a Line/Gradient Shotgun condenser microphone, specially designed for professional video production and broadcast. A compact length under 7 inches and can be used with digital cameras conveniently. It’s the polar pattern does an extremely nice job in reducing noises and rumble. 

AT875R comes with an all-metal body and a reliable weight to it. And it can be used for so many other purposes such as podcasting, YouTube videos, and Dialogues recording.

The thing that boosts the users to buy shotgun mics is, you can take them off from your video frames easily. Most people try to keep away the dynamic or condenser mics from the frame. But honestly, they won’t provide such results that shotgun mic provides in this scenario.

This microphone is provided by a trustworthy and popular brand in the microphones industry. In the box, you’ll see a microphone clip with a microphone stand adapter to use with Tripod and Boom arm separately. Or you can also mount it on your camera.

So, it comes with great flexibility at an affordable price. If you want to get a natural-sounding microphone from a well-known brand, it would be ideal for you.

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5. Sennheiser MKH416 | Versatile for Dialogues

Talking about High-end shotgun microphones, we can’t miss Sennheiser MKH416. This is an expansive but of course solid option for any professional recording whether you’re filming, dialogues, or broadcasting.

It comes in a nice and strong flimsy box and it is a bit larger. Because this mic is truly designed for Filmmaking and professional broadcasting. You’ll be provided a windscreen to get rid of extra noise and plosives. MKH416 brings the microphone clip that also comes with a 58 – 38″ microphone stand adapter.

When it comes to the build quality, it is an absolute “Hammer” that it should in with this price tag. It has an all-metal body and a matt black finish. An extremely simple to use, at the bottom of this mic, you’ll just see an XLR port. So, it is a pretty decent model for Filmmakers, Interviews, broadcasts, etc…

The mic comes with SuperCardioid Polar patterns and a reliable frequency response of 40Hz to 20kHz that usually comes with all shotgun microphones. Because it is a condenser microphone, it requires +48V of phantom power to work. You can use it directly with any digital camera or use a separate audio interface to connect it. Although it is very expensive, we have chosen it because of its durability and awesome audio output.

We use shotgun mics usually for our outdoor projects. But it also works amazingly in your studio projects and interviews. MKH416 is also a popular microphone for voice-over projects. Sennheiser brings in extremely good noise reduction capability in the mic and it does a nice job in rejecting to produce the warm and clear final output. So, overall apart from the price tag, this is a phenomenal option.

But, here is the disclaimer, this is not for YouTube, Vlogging, or something basic like this. This is just suitable for pro studio recordings, dialogues, interviews, podcasts, voice-over, etc. The best Shotgun mic ever.

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6. Azden SMX-10 | Affordable yet reliable

A mid-budget Dual Unidirectional Electret-Condenser Microphone. Specially designed to Records High-Quality Stereo Directly. It has an all-metal body and feels premium. It comes on an affordable budget but gives excellent results. At the top of the microphone, you’ll get an ON/OFF button and there is an integrated hot shoe mount that will help you mount it on your camera as you do in any other microphone.

Or you can unplug the clip and mount it on a separate Tripod or microphone stick to record dialogues or something like this. This is also a comparative similar to RODE VideoMic Pro, but both of these are being used for different purposes.

I always recommend using an external microphone for every project. If you’re still using your phone or camera’s internal microphone, you should consider buying this microphone. But don’t underestimate it, and don’t think that this is just above an internal microphone. It can provide much better and awesome audio than any basic microphone. So, rather than spending a lot on a high-end, this is good for startups.

In my opinion, this is extremely suitable for beginners. If you’re just starting in Filmmaking and searching for the best shotgun microphone on a budget, this is the perfect option. Or if you’re using a basic microphone and want to improve and enhance your audio quality, this would be the best option.

SMX-10 comes with a low-cut filter to extract the audio from noisy peaks and rumble. There is a weakness of this mic is it has a Limited low-frequency response. But it has the ability to capture details of your audio and to produce the final output. So, if you’re tired of basic mics background noise, this is the mic and you should give it a try.

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7. Sennheiser MKE 600 | Best quality mic

Sennheiser is a well-known brand for professional audio equipment. MKE 600 is perfect for pro video camera applications. It provides the best ambient noise rejection capability. You can conveniently attach it and use it with your DSLRs and cinematics digital cameras and a versatile option for filmmaking in today’s market.

Take it as a go-to resource for your Films, Documentaries, News, and any other professional projects. You can make it powered by a single battery or you can use an external XLR cable to connect it with your device.

It brings a pop shield within the box. It an extremely flexible and if you wanna use it with your smartphone, you can pick an XLR to the mini-jack adapter. It comes with a compact length that is under 7 inches, and it won’t make any trouble carrying it out while traveling. So, like with other shotgun mics, it also rejects audio from sides and back and captures what is coming from the front. And this is the basic need of any filmmaker.

Now, most people use this on a camera hot shoe mount, but what is there is another audio source. In this scenario, we’ll use a secondary microphone stick to hang the microphone vertically. This is how it can help in any situation.

MKE 600 comes with excellent battery life and you can use it continuously for over 150 hours, this is the game-changer. There is a low-cut filter available on this mic, that can be used to remove unwanted disturbing sounds from the background. One thing that helps to protect the mic is the carrying pouch that you get in the box.

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8. Rode NTG1 | All in one mic in a budget

This is a mid-budget microphone and delivers broadcast-quality audio. A microphone is provided by RODE which is an extremely popular Australian microphones company. RODE brings dozens of different category microphones and this is also a popular model from their Shotgun mic series.

You can use easily use it on a boom pole or camera. You will get an XLR support and a single battery and contains a switchable high pass filter to get rid of rumble and room tones that we talked about earlier.

It comes with the standard box with the pouch and windscreen for indoor recording, but if you’re on an outdoor shoot where you face a noisy and windy environment, you will need a separate pop filter to reject noise from your audio. It sounds really well in any situation. If you’re recording in a noisy situation, you can use a high pass filter and pop shield to get clear and better audio.

According to RODE, this is a directional shotgun microphone, that will pick the audio where it is pointing at. I’ve personally loved the audio quality it delivers when you compare it with any other high-end microphone.

So, it is the best option for filmmakers, interviews, home recording, or if you’re trying to get broadcasting audio on an affordable budget. And the main Pro of this mic is, it is designed by RODE, doesn’t compromise on quality, and produces a masterpiece.

Now, as you know we don’t use the audio as we record it. Every microphone picks a bit of noise from the surrounding environment, and then, of course, we edit our audio to make it better and boost it a little and then use it in the final production.

So, for those who want to upgrade and enhance their audio, this thing is absolutely recommended. But if someone is just starting, although there are some cheaper options available for them, I would suggest this microphone, because it can work great for beginners as well.

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9. Sony ECM678/9X | Ideal for Filmmakers

Now here is another high-end model from Sony, we talked about so many popular brands and Sony is also one of those. This is a professional Shotgun microphone and people use this mic for Filming, Dialogues, and studio works.

It has an inbuilt high pass filter and low self-noise that helps it deliver worm and natural sound without any noise. ECM678/9X comes with a nice off-axis sound rejection capability and these things make it a solid performer for Pro Filmmakers. When it comes to the price, Sony is at the top of the list in expansive equipment.

But compared with RODE mics, it comes with a 1-year warranty, but RODE gives 10 years, this is just amazing. But apart from that a phenomenal product by Sony. Provides Supercardioid polar pattern as our other products, and will pick up the would just from the front and generally rejects the audio from the side.

All of the shotgun microphones reject higher frequencies from the back as compared to lower frequencies. This is what we look for when we buy a shotgun mic. In the Sony ECM678/9X, there is a low-cut filter that helps cut out the HUMM tone and noisy stuff from your audio but doesn’t affect your audio too much. So it can be helpful.

You have 2 options, one is to use an AA Battery or you can turn on the Phantom power from your audio interface or your camera settings. But I recommend using 48V of Phantom power with any condenser shotgun microphone to make it work properly. In the box, you’ll get a microphone clip to mount it on a stand, it helps a lot in dialogue recordings. So, overall it is a pricier but great-sounding microphone.

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10. LyxPro CMG-50 | Best cheap microphone

Last but not least, we’ve included a cheap microphone here because a lot of people are struggling to find the best but cheap shotgun microphone. So, this one is for them. It comes at an affordable price but you can get really awesome audio out of it. You can use Battery or Phantom power for pro films and Camcorders.

In this microphone, you’ll also get a switchable low-cut filter to minimize wind from your audio. The thing to appreciate is, it comes with an all-metal body at this low price. So there is no issue and you don’t need to be sensitive protecting it.

Also comes with some very useful stuff such as windshield, Shoe mount, screw to mount it on standard microphones stand, and carrying pouch to keep it safe from dust. So, CMG-50 is a full-fledged package for professional recordings. If you’re interested in this mic, and your budget is low, then this is an absolute “BEST” option for you.

+If you’re using it in a studio, you’re not restricted to keeping the battery in it always. It can get powered from the mixing board. The good news is if you’re in a noisy room, or the refrigerator is running in the background, then its low-cut filter will do a really nice job in reducing that noise. So after all this, it absolutely worth its price and can be the versatile and solid portion for those who don’t wanna spend more money.

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Final thoughts | Best shotgun mic

We’ve listed for every budget and from start to the high-end variants. So, you’ll have to decide according to your needs. Before getting to anything, first, we analyze our budgets, then we think about what we want to get. If your budget is low, feel free to go with one of our lists. But if your budget is wider you can go to your dream microphone.

But be careful if you’re a beginner, I would highly recommend you to pick an affordable and budget-friendly model, then if you start working and become on a right track, you can upgrade to anything you like.

So, on MicrophonsGeek we explore every type of microphone, stay stunned for up-to-date reviews and guides. And if you want us to review the microphone, you can visit the contact us page to send us a token, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.