The 10 Best Shotgun Microphones
Updated by · How we research
Ten shotgun mics for boom poles, cameras and phones, compared on reach, hiss, power and wind gear. The Sennheiser MKH 416 is still the film-set standard. When users buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
A shotgun mic narrows what it hears, but it can't reach across a room. Aimed from a foot or two away it beats any camera's built-in mic, and from far off it picks up plenty of echo. This list covers long boom tubes for film crews and short camera-top mics for solo shooters, vloggers and phone users.
Editor's Notes
October 26, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Admin:
Film sound crews still judge every boom mic against the Sennheiser MKH 416, so it takes the first spot. It has outlasted most of the mics once ranked above it. The old list leaned on studio and broadcast tubes that are now gone or down to single units at pro prices: the Schoeps CMIT5U and Neumann KMR 82 I are unavailable, the Shure VP89L and Rode NTG8 are down to one unit each, the Sony ECM678/9X can't be shipped here, and the Audio-Technica BP4071 has no current offer. The lighter, quieter Rode NTG5 replaces the Rode NTG4.
The Rode VideoMic NTG and the Sennheiser MKE 600 stay. Most readers shop for camera-top mics, so the page now covers those too, with the Rode VideoMic GO II, the Sennheiser MKE 400, the Rode VideoMicro II and the Movo VXR10. The Audio-Technica AT897 and the Synco D2 round out the boom side.
The evidence: Rode's own spec pages, a 12-mic XLR comparison from DSLR Video Shooter, two film-gear roundups and recall checks. Sennheiser's site wouldn't load for us, so a few MKH 416 figures come from a film-gear review.
October 29, 2020:
One of the most exciting new models we've added to the list here is the Rode VideoMic NTG, which comes in to replace the formerly included Rode VideoMic Pro. I've used just about every Rode product on the market, and I've always been particularly impressed with their VideoMic series. I've also almost exclusively used a Rode NTG4 as my go-to on small indie film sets, so it's nice to see the company taking the best of the NTG series and shrinking it down to something small enough to mount on a camera body.
We also added the Neumann KMR 82 I, which is phenomenally directional and that has a nice amount of reach to it. If you need something to use in an environment where instruments or people are going to be hitting widely different registers with varying levels of intensity, this might be your best bet. That's due both to its 20Hz-20KHz response, where most similar models have a floor around 40 or 50Hz and sometimes stop as low as 15KHz. It's also because this model has a maximum SPL of 128 decibels, meaning it can be pushed pretty hard for a shotgun without distorting.
October 30, 2018:
German company Schoeps proved more adept at creating realistic sound environments than companies many might expect to outgun it. There's something warmer and more natural about it, almost like the difference between shooting movies on film rather than digitally. Of course, customers who prefer the sharpness and low-light performance of digital video might also want a mic with a colder pickup that's more manipulable in post, like a Rode or Sennheiser, for example.
Special Honors
Deity S-Mic 2 Deity's S-Mic 2 and S-Mic 2S are boom mics that two film-gear reviewers praise for build quality close to mics that cost several times more. We couldn't find a current offer in the usual stores, so check Deity's site for dealers. deitymic.com
Schoeps CMIT 5 The Schoeps CMIT 5 is a German short shotgun that high-end film and TV crews pick for its smooth, natural sound and how well it behaves indoors. It's a professional tool priced well above everything on this list, and it's sold through pro audio dealers. schoeps.de
Boom Mic Or Camera Mic
A camera-top mic slides into the camera's shoe and plugs into its 3.5 mm mic jack.
Decide first where the mic will live. A boom mic rides on a pole held just out of frame, a foot or two from the speaker, and plugs into a recorder or mixer with an XLR cable. That cable also carries 48-volt phantom power, which most boom mics need. The Sennheiser MKH 416 and Rode NTG5 are this kind, and so are cheaper tubes like the Synco D2. Film crews use them because distance matters more than price: a mic a foot away sounds cleaner than any mic on top of a camera across the room.
A camera-top mic slides into the camera's shoe and plugs into its 3.5 mm mic jack. It's the choice for solo shooters, vloggers and anyone filming alone. Some, like the Rode VideoMic GO II, take power from the camera, while others carry a battery; the Rode VideoMic NTG runs more than 30 hours on its built-in cell. A camera-top mic is a big step up from the camera's own mic, but it still sits wherever the camera sits.
If you want both, a few mics bridge the gap. The Sennheiser MKE 600 runs on phantom power or one AA battery, so it can go on a boom with a recorder or on a camera with an adapter cable. As FilmLocal puts it, a mic is only as good as the rest of the chain, so budget for the recorder, pole and wind cover too.
How The Tube Works, And Where It Struggles
The long slotted tube is what makes a shotgun mic. Sound arriving from the sides enters through the slots and partly cancels itself, so the mic favors what's straight ahead (Wikipedia). A longer tube narrows the pickup further, which is why long mics like the Audio-Technica AT897 suit outdoor work at a distance.
The tube doesn't erase noise in front of or behind the speaker, and it still hears some sound from the rear. Indoors, in a small room with hard walls, reflections reach the slots from every direction and a shotgun can sound hollow. For that kind of room, MicrophoneGeeks points to a shorter supercardioid such as the Sennheiser MKH 8050 instead.
Self-noise is the hiss a mic adds on its own, rated in dBA, and lower is quieter. Rode lists 10 dBA for the NTG5, and FilmLocal gives 13 dBA for the MKH 416. Low self-noise matters most for soft voices and quiet scenes. Sensitivity matters too: a mic with low output makes a camera's preamp work harder, and cheap preamps add their own hiss. DSLR Video Shooter measured both in its 12-mic comparison.
Wind, Handling Noise And Cables
Outdoors, a foam cover isn't enough. Even a light breeze can rumble across a mic, and a furry cover, sometimes called a dead cat, is what stops it. Most camera-top kits include one; for boom mics it's often a separate purchase, though the Rode NTG5 kit includes one. A low-cut switch helps with leftover rumble from wind and traffic.
Every bump of a pole or camera travels into the mic as a thud. A shock mount, a cradle of rubber bands or flexible arms, stops most of it. Move the pole slowly and keep cables taped or looped so they don't tap against it.
Cables matter for phones. Cameras use a three-band 3.5 mm plug (TRS), while phones use a four-band plug (TRRS), and the wrong one leaves the phone recording through its own mic. The Rode VideoMicro II comes with both cables; the VideoMic GO II needs a separate Rode cable for phones. Recording people from a distance can also run into eavesdropping laws, which differ by state and country, so check the rules before you point a mic at a conversation you're not part of.
How we researched this
We compared 23 shotgun microphones, from film-set boom tubes to small camera-top mics, and read maker spec pages for the finalists where they loaded. We weighed three independent roundups, including a 12-mic XLR comparison, used owner ratings only as a screen, and checked every brand against the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's recall database.
Sources (9)
- DSLR Video Shooter: best XLR shotgun microphones (12-mic comparison)
- FilmLocal: best shotgun mic for film production
- MicrophoneGeeks: mics for budget filmmaking and video
- Rode: NTG5
- Rode: VideoMic NTG
- Rode: VideoMic GO II
- Rode: VideoMicro II
- Wikipedia: Shotgun microphone
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: recalls
Frequently asked questions
What is a shotgun mic?
It's a long, slim microphone with a slotted tube in front of its capsule. The slots cancel much of the sound from the sides, so it favors whatever it's aimed at. Film crews use them on boom poles, and smaller versions sit on top of cameras.
Do I need phantom power?
Most XLR boom mics need 48-volt phantom power from a recorder, mixer or audio interface. Camera-top mics take power from the camera's jack, a battery or USB. A few, like the Sennheiser MKE 600 and Audio-Technica AT897, can run on an AA battery instead.
Is a shotgun mic better than a lavalier?
Not always. A lavalier clipped to a shirt stays close to the mouth and handles noisy places well, but it can rustle and must be hidden. A shotgun on a boom sounds more natural and needs nothing on the actor, but it needs someone to aim it.
Why do shotgun mics come with a furry cover?
The furry cover stops wind from rumbling across the mic. A foam cover handles indoor air and breath, but outdoors even a light breeze needs fur.
Is a cheap camera mic worth it?
Yes, for casual videos. Almost any directional mic on top of a camera or phone sounds clearer than the built-in mic. It won't match a boom mic held close to the speaker.
Can a shotgun mic record a conversation from far away?
Not clearly. It narrows its pickup but doesn't amplify distant voices, and from across a room it mostly records echo. Recording people without consent can also break eavesdropping laws, which vary by state and country.
