Audiences forgive a slightly soft image, but they won't forgive bad audio. A wireless dropout mid-vow or a thin on-camera track can sink an otherwise beautiful piece. If you're starting from zero, our advice is three mics: an on-camera shotgun, a wireless lav system and one boom shotgun. Below are the seven microphones we rely on, grouped by type, with what each is best for and the catch.
At a glance
- Sennheiser MKE 600: best boom shotgun for interviews
- Deity S-Mic 2: best value pro shotgun
- Audio-Technica AT875R: best compact short shotgun
- DJI Mic 2: best all-around wireless system
- Rode Wireless GO II: best for two-person interviews
- Hollyland Lark M2: best when the mic has to disappear
- Rode VideoMic Pro+: best on-camera mic
Shotgun microphones
Shotguns pick up a narrow area in front of them and reject much of what's around, which makes them the standard for dialogue from a boom pole or camera mount.
1. Sennheiser MKE 600
The MKE 600 is our go-to shotgun for narrative and documentary work. Its supercardioid/lobar pattern rejects off-axis sound well, so dialogue stays clean on a busy street or at a crowded reception. Self-noise is low (Sennheiser rates it at 15 dB(A) on phantom power), which makes it excellent in quiet interview rooms too. We run it on a boom for nearly every sit-down interview we shoot.
It runs on 48V phantom power or a single AA battery, and has a switchable low-cut filter for wind and rumble.
The catch: plugged into a camera with a 3.5mm cable, it runs on the AA, so keep spares. For phantom power, use an XLR cable into a recorder or XLR adapter.
Our pick
Sennheiser MKE 600 — our primary boom mic for interviews, documentary and narrative work.
Check price on Amazon2. Deity S-Mic 2
The S-Mic 2 is one of the best values in professional shotguns. Its sound is warm and natural, close to mics that cost two or three times as much. Deity builds the body from brass and rates self-noise at 12 dBA, so it holds up in the same quiet rooms where you'd use the MKE 600. We use it as our second boom on multi-camera interviews and as a backup on documentary shoots.
The catch: it's an XLR mic, so you need an XLR input. The included foam windscreen handles light breeze; outdoors, add a furry windjammer.
Our pick
Deity S-Mic 2 — a professional shotgun at a mid-range price, with a brass body that holds up on set.
Check price on Amazon3. Audio-Technica AT875R
When size and weight matter, the AT875R is our short shotgun. At about 6.9 inches and 80 grams, it's one of the most compact shotguns available, so it adds little front weight to a camera rig. We use it on run-and-gun event coverage and wedding days as a camera-mounted safety track for ambient sound and dialogue. It's also very affordable for the sound quality.
The catch: it runs on phantom power only. To mount it on a camera, you need an XLR input that supplies phantom power, such as a camera XLR adapter or a small recorder.
Our pick
Audio-Technica AT875R — a compact, lightweight short shotgun for camera-mounted safety tracks.
Check price on AmazonWireless lavalier systems
Wireless lavs let a small crew mic a subject without cables and monitor from the camera or recorder. These three cover nearly every situation we see.
4. DJI Mic 2
The DJI Mic 2 is the wireless system we grab most often. The transmitters have built-in mics that sound good on their own, plus internal recording (including 32-bit float) as a backup. That backup has saved us more than once when the signal dropped for a moment at an outdoor event.
Magnetic clips let you attach a transmitter to a collar in seconds, which matters when you're wiring a groom five minutes before the ceremony. The charging case keeps everything topped up between setups, and the transmitters can also connect straight to a phone over Bluetooth. We go deeper in our DJI Mic 2 review.
The catch: DJI released the Mic 3 in August 2025, with smaller transmitters, more storage and adaptive gain. The Mic 2 is still an excellent system, so compare prices on both.
Our pick
DJI Mic 2 — our most-used wireless system, with built-in mics, backup recording and magnetic clips.
Check price on Amazon5. Rode Wireless GO II
The Wireless GO II is a dual-channel system that puts each subject on an isolated channel, which is why we use it for two-person interviews. The transmitters are tiny and clip onto clothing, and they record on board as a safety track. A safety channel option also records a second, lower-level track in case the main one clips.
Range has been solid for us at large event venues and on rooftop shoots. The Rode Central app handles gain, the safety channel and exporting on-board recordings.
The catch: Rode's newer Wireless GO (Gen 3) adds 32-bit float recording and longer range. The GO II is still sold and still very capable.
Our pick
Rode Wireless GO II — dual-channel wireless with on-board recording, our pick for two-person interviews.
Check price on Amazon6. Hollyland Lark M2
The Lark M2 is the smallest wireless system in our kit, at about 9 grams per transmitter. That makes it our choice when the mic can't be visible: hidden under a lapel or inside a collar, or on talent who doesn't want visible gear. The sound is clean, and its environmental noise cancellation, toggled with a button on the transmitter, helps with wind and ambient noise outdoors.
We've used it on branded content where wardrobe can't change, fashion-adjacent events and documentary interviews where we want the subject to forget they're mic'd. Battery life is strong for the size, and the charging case fits in a pocket.
The catch: noise cancellation can change the character of a voice. Test a take with it on and off before relying on it.
Our pick
Hollyland Lark M2 — ultra-compact wireless with noise cancellation, for when the mic needs to be invisible.
Check price on AmazonOn-camera microphone
7. Rode VideoMic Pro+
The VideoMic Pro+ is our standard on-camera mic. It sits on the A-camera on nearly every shoot as a reference track, and often serves as primary audio on fast-moving work where booming isn't practical.
Auto power turns it on and off with the camera (when the camera supplies plug-in power), which has saved us from lost audio on long wedding days. A two-stage high-pass filter and three-stage gain (-10, 0, +20 dB) help you set levels without an external preamp, and the Rycote Lyre mount isolates handling noise. It runs on Rode's rechargeable LB-1 battery, AA batteries or USB. We've used VideoMic Pro units for years, and the Plus refined everything we liked.
The catch: it's still an on-camera mic. For interviews, a lav or boom closer to the subject will sound better.
Our pick
Rode VideoMic Pro+ — the on-camera mic that lives on our rig, with auto power, a high-pass filter and a focused pickup.
Check price on AmazonHow to choose
- Match the mic to distance. On-camera mics are for reference and run-and-gun work. Booms and lavs get closer to the voice and sound better.
- Check power and connectors. XLR shotguns need an XLR input, and some need phantom power. Know what your camera or recorder supplies.
- Insist on backup recording. On-board recording in a wireless transmitter turns a dropout into a non-event.
- Count your speakers. Two people talking means two isolated channels.
Our budget starter kit: the Rode VideoMic Pro+ on camera, the DJI Mic 2 for wireless, and the AT875R or Deity S-Mic 2 on a boom. To build out from there, add the Sennheiser MKE 600 as your main boom, the Rode Wireless GO II for multi-person setups and the Hollyland Lark M2 for talent who can't show a mic.
Questions about our audio setup, or planning a production? Get in touch.