For taking action photos and films, action cameras such as those made by DJI and GoPro have grown in popularity. Of course, you’ll need an external microphone input if you want to record great audio. To attach a microphone to your camera, you can use an adapter with an audio jack called an Action Camera Microphone Attachment. See how adding this addon may improve the audio quality and elevate your action footage to a new level.
How to Choose the Best Action Camera Microphone Attachment?
1. Microphone type
A variety of microphones are available, such as those with built-in microphones, external microphones, and microphones with various polar patterns. I want to go over each kind of microphone in more detail.
Built-in Microphone
Integrated microphones are a standard feature of most action cameras. Since most of these mics are tiny and portable, using them is convenient and simple. Though they are often omnidirectional and can pick up background noise, built-in microphones do not always produce the finest audio quality, leading to poor audio clarity.
External Microphones
The action camera’s external microphone connection can be used to connect additions known as external microphones. When utilizing action cameras, external mics often come in two varieties:
The Lavalier Microphone
A lapel mic, alternatively referred to as a lap mic or clip-on microphone, is a tiny microphone that may be fastened to the speaker’s attire. Lavalier mics are perfect for capturing moving subjects in any kind of recording, such as vlogs and interviews. They record crystal-clear sounds straight from the speaker and allow for hands-free use.
2. Polar Patterns
A microphone’s directionality, or how it picks up sound from various directions, is referred to as its polar pattern. Polar patterns generally fall into three categories:
Cardioid
Sound from the front of a cardioid microphone is captured, while sound from the sides and back is rejected.
Omnidirectional
An omnidirectional microphone provides 360-degree coverage by picking up sound coming from all directions. Audio recording in a controlled environment can be accomplished with omnidirectional microphones.
Bi-directional
Known by several names, a bi-directional microphone is
Using a figure-eight microphone, the sound is captured from the front and back while being rejected from the sides. Bi-directional microphones are perfect for recording podcasts or interviews where two persons are facing each other since they can capture sound from two different directions.
3. Connectivity
Your microphone’s quality and capacity to record clean audio could be completely wasted if it is not attached to your camera correctly. Wireless and wired microphones are available for selection. Whereas wireless microphones send audio signals to the camera using Bluetooth or other wireless technologies, wired microphones connect directly to the camera through a cable. More mobility and flexibility are offered by wireless microphones, however, there may be problems with interference and signal quality.
4. Battery life
For extended recording sessions, you should search for a microphone with a long battery life. The majority of action camera microphones, depending on the model, have a battery life of between five and eight hours. Furthermore, if you want to record for extended periods of time, certain microphones come equipped with a built-in rechargeable battery.
5 Best Action Camera Microphone Attachments in 2023
1. Rode Wireless GO II
If all the wires are restricting your movement, why would you want an action camera? The Rode Wireless Go II is the greatest action camera microphone adapter of the year because of this.
Although the initial version was fantastic, the most recent V2 has a few useful additions that make it even more beneficial for high-quality audio recording in the run-and-gun method.
Its distinctive clip’n’go design makes it remarkably versatile and user-friendly, all while remaining lightweight and compact.
The main advantage of the second version Rode Wireless Go is its capacity to record two sound sources simultaneously, which makes conducting two-person interviews easy. It may also be used to record a backup of a single source.
The most recent generation, which employs Series IV 2.4GHz digital transmission technology with 128-bit encryption, can reach up to 200 meters (656 feet) in open space, while the previous model’s transmission range was just 70 meters.
In addition to being lightweight and portable, the Rode VideoMic Pro is professional-grade gear, so the sound quality is superb.
2. Sennheiser MKE 400
A shotgun-style unidirectional microphone is the Sennheiser MKE 400. While moving, the design aids in lessening both background noise and vibrations. If that’s still not enough, you can record sound in extremely windy conditions by using the microphone’s attached fuzzy windscreen.
Excellent audio quality is to be anticipated from Sennheiser, a company known for high-quality audio recording and reproduction. If your action camera also includes a headphone jack, this is useful. It features a built-in control headphone jack.
It can be connected to your camera with a TRS-to-TRS connection. Additionally available is the MKE Mobile Kit, which includes a TRS to TRRS connection and a Manfrotto tripod for connecting to mobile devices. You can record audio for an amazing 100 hours with the MKE 400, which uses two AAA batteries to power it. At 344g, it is compatible with any camera thanks to its cold shoe mount.
Also Read: https://thegamedial.com/telegram-web/
3. Rode VideoMicro
As an action camera microphone attachment, the Rode VideoMicro is a great option because of its small size and lightweight build. Measuring about 21 x 21 x 80 mm, it weighs a mere 42g.
To assist in reducing outside noise, the Ricote® Lyre® shot mounting and fuzzy windscreen of the Rode VideoMicro are included.
Being powered by the action camera itself eliminates the need to recharge or change the battery, which is one of its best features. Better sound quality may be achieved in your movie even when recording outside with the Rode VideoMicro, a condenser directional microphone.
It is compatible with smartphones as well as any action camera that allows for the input of an external microphone. It’s true that the bouncing doesn’t improve the sound quality, but seeing it sway while recording can be unsettling!
4. Rode Lavalier Condensor Microphone, smartLav+
The Rode SmartLav+ is a lapel microphone that may be used in either direction. It has an easy-to-use clip-on mechanism and is incredibly light and tiny. If you owned the original Rode SmartLav, it’s definitely worth upgrading to the Rode SmartLav+ because the sound quality is much better.
The Rode Smartlav+ only needs to be connected to your smartphone or action camera in order to register the audio signal and enhance speech recording in films instantaneously.
The Rode app is available for download on smartphones; however, the Pro edition requires payment and supports more file formats for registration than the lite version, which is only available for free.
You will need the 6-meter-long SC3 adapter in order to utilize the Rode SmatLav+ with certain action cameras.
Also Read: https://thegamedial.com/how-to-screen-record-on-iphone/
5. Zoom H4n
For musicians, podcasters, and filmmakers, the all-black, battery-operated Zoom H4n is the ideal recording equipment. The Zoom H4n can record in stereo or multitrack modes, allowing it to capture high-quality audio. Recording up to four tracks at once is what distinguishes the Zoom H4n Pro from other handheld recorders.