4 Best Microphone Types for Videos and Vlogging

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Most people, when they plan to create vlogs, their main focus is finding the best camera, but in creating videos, one of the most important things that you will need is a microphone.

If you think about it, you’ll be more likely to watch a video with substandard video quality but has excellent audio instead of visually pleasing graphics but bad, noisy, inaudible audio.

No one’s going to watch your video if they can’t hear you.

In looking to find the best microphone for your vlog or any equipment, you need always to consider what kind of videos you’ll be making.

So which one should you get? Should you get a shotgun microphone, wireless, podcast microphone, lapel or handheld? Let us help you choose.

TYPES: 

1. Shotgun Microphones are usually used to replace the built-in microphones on cameras.

This microphone picks up audio where it’s pointed (imagine a gun being pointed at someone). If there’s a noise behind the person, most likely, it’s not going to be picked up by the microphone.

If you’re filming in a noisy environment, it might get a bit of that. Easy to use, doesn’t need to be set up. Just plug and connect to your camera and you’re good to go.

A popular choice among vloggers, traveling, walking around, or even in a studio. It can be used on camera and phone. It can be used to record multiple people speaking.

  • RODE VIDEOMICRO
  • RODE VIDEOMICRO PRO+
  • RODE NTG4+

2. Lavalier or Lapel Microphones are those that are used for interview-type videos. These are the clip-on microphones that you usually see on TV that are clipped onto a person’s shirt or tucked under their collars.

This is usually placed as near as possible to the speaker’s mouth, and it’s good because even if the speaker moves around, the distance between the mouth and the mic doesn’t change, so the audio will be consistent.

  • Best for Interviews, Speaking Conferences and Studio Recording. It is designed to capture audio from a person, not for background sound recording. They could come as wired or wireless.
  • WIRED: BOYA BY-M1
  • WIRELESS:  RODE FILMMAKER KIT / RODE WIRELESS GO

3. Handheld Microphones. As the name suggests, it needs to be held. You’d usually see this used by news reporters or people presenting at events.

Somehow very similar to how shotgun microphones work,  They are directional and are pointed to the source of the sound.

The advantage of handheld microphones is that you can move them around while you’re recording and they would still be near you.

If you’re using it to interview people, you can move it back and forth,  point it at them while they speak, and then easily point the mic back to you and the audio will be consistent.

It’s better than a shotgun since it’s not mounted to a camera. You can move it around with you. It also blocks out a lot more background noise.

Comes in wired and wireless. Just make sure that when you’re using it, you point it directly to the source of the sound or you will have very little to no audio at all.

  • Great for interviews and events
  • RODE REPORTER. It can be wired or wireless.

4. Podcast Microphone. With this microphone, you need to be close to it. The further you are, the more background noise and echo it will be able to record.

Usually results in a nice, deep, bassy voice. Most podcast microphones are usually just plugged into a USB port, so no worries about losing the battery.

It is also usually mounted on a boom extension or to a tripod on your desk,  or something that you could adjust so it’s right next to your face, but somehow, I find that a disadvantage since you need to be close to it to get amazing audio.

Don’t recommend this for people moving around because you won’t get good results.

There is two types of podcast microphone: Dynamic and Condenser.  Depending on where you are recording, you can determine which type of microphone to use.  

Dynamics are less sensitive; if you are recording your podcast in a place that is not an ideal studio setting, then you should pick a dynamic mic because it won’t pick up as much of that background noise.

Condensers are more sensitive to picking up sound, which makes them more accurate.

  • Podcast recording, Streaming, Radio, Voice Recording
  • CONDENSER: Audio-Technica AT2020 / Rode NT2-A / Rode NT1 / Blackout Spark SL
  • DYNAMIC: Shure SM7B / Rode Procaster / Shure SM58

Again, it all depends on the video you’re creating, but always remember that audio and video come hand in hand. Both need to be good to create great-quality videos.

If you are a gamer and want to broadcast it, there are gaming headsets with mics specifically for this purpose.

See Also

How to start vlogging?

Best video editing software for beginners?

Best DSLR Mics