Best

May 21, 2023

Recording great-quality video footage is only one part of the equation – good-quality audio is also important.

There's no bigger turn off than amateur-hour sound on your videos, with wind-noise or muffled voices, so whether you’re into vlogging, making movies for your YouTube channel or sharing footage with family and friends, make sure your sound is as good as possible. Here's our guide to the best-value audio accessories for video.

Picture credit: Sennheiser

Smartphones and cameras that record video will have a built-in microphone for audio capture. But while integral mics are convenient with no set-up required, are always with you and effectively free, the sad truth is that they don't produce great audio. Often, on-board mics are not high spec and produce an indistinct or muffled sound even in ideal situations. They are also prone to suffer from wind noise and, very annoyingly, they pick up the noise of the camera being operated and handled.

In other words, in-device audio recording is really only fit for notetaking and reference. The good news, however, is that the situation is easy enough to resolve and there are external mics of many types and at all budget levels. You’ll get a better audio experience even with a basic add-on mic, plus, there are many accessories that can help too.

Before reading on for our full-guide, don't forget to check out our guides to video creation and how to set up your camera to shoot video, plus the best free and paid-for video editing programs. We also pick the best video and vlogging cameras in 2023,

Microphone essentialsThere is a huge range of microphones available to suit every situation and if you look at broadcast-level kit, they’re not cheap either. However, our focus here is on products that suit enthusiast creators and vloggers.

The lavalier mic (this is a Sennheiser unit) is tiny and discrete. For wireless use, it can be plugged into a dual mic like the Rode Wireless Go II which has its own integral mic. Picture credit: Sennheiser and Røde

For convenience and discretion, the lavalier or ‘lav’ mic is tough to beat. It's a small device that clips directly onto the speaker's lapel, collar or shirt. This mic is then plugged direct into the camera, computer or into a transmitter which is clipped onto a belt or stowed in a pocket.

Wireless mics for use with phones and tablets are available, and with wired mics, you need a cable with the correct connection to suit your recording device. Most cameras have a 3.5mm mini-jack socket for microphones and headphones, and connecting cables come with different endings. For a mobile phone you will need a TRRS mini-jack cable and for cameras the TRS jack is used. TRRS stands for tip-ring-ring-sleeve which refers to the four conductors in the cable, while TRS stands for tip-ring-sleeve. You can see the difference if you look at the jack pin.

You need the correct cable for your device. For a mobile device you will need a TRRS lead (left) and for cameras the TRS lead (right).

A popular device is the dual lav mic such as the Røde Wireless GO II and Joby Wavo Air. In this type, the microphone and transmitter are combined into one unit. Although this type is a little bigger, so more obvious in-shot, they are versatile and can also accept an external lav mic so there's the option of both ways of working. The signal from the mic/transmitter is sent wirelessly to the receiver and this is plugged into the device or camera.

The working range of such devices can be considerable – from 50m upwards – so they’re perfect when the speaker is moving around and for long distance commentaries. For crisp, clear results, position the lav mic within a handspan (9 inches approx.) of the mouth (and certainly no more than 12 inches); also, make sure it is free of clothing for a clean signal and to avoid any rustling.

The full-frame Sony ZV-E1 costs £2300 and is aimed at vloggers, shown here fitted with its dedicated furry windshield to help keep wind noise down. Picture credit; Sony

Shotgun mics and windshieldsSpeaking of unwanted extraneous sounds, shooting outside can be an issue even on days with a gentle breeze and wind noise can render recordings totally unusable. To minimize this, the mic is best covered with a windshield, muff or ‘dead cat’ made from open cell foam or synthetic fur. The windshield might be part of the mic's integral design made from metal or plastic, and many mics will use a combination of design and an extra physical shield.

The lav mic is popular when shooting on location and for interview situations, but there are other options for the keen video maker. The shotgun mic is a long thin microphone that can be mounted on-camera, or used off-camera on a stand or with a boom arm. Such mics have a unidirectional pick-up pattern which means it is most sensitive in one direction, ie front of the mic, although it will have sensitivity to the sides and behind too.

When a shotgun mic is used on the camera's hot-shoe, with its narrow pick-up region the speaker needs to be centrally positioned in the frame for the best results. If the speaker drifts off axis there’ll an obvious fall off in signal so try to avoid that.

Different scenarios need different mics for the best results. For vlogging indoors an on-camera mic like the Røde VideoMic is a good option, while a lavalier wireless set-up would suit location shooting. Picture credit: Røde

Desktop micsYou might have a lav or on-camera mic for shooting, but for adding a voice-over, streaming and for podcasting a desktop mic is needed. Of course, you may already have a suitable one for home working and Zoom/Teams meetings that you can press into service.

Microphone pick-up or polar patterns vary so when shopping for a mic check you have one suitable for your needs. As a rough guide, a cardioid or super-cardioid is good for on-camera vlogging; a bi-directional mic with front and rear sensitivity will suit if you’re adding commentary from behind the camera; and a subcardioid mic with a wider front focus might suit general shooting. Do a web search on microphone polar patterns if you want to know more.

Mics are very sensitive to sounds generated by vibration, so they perform best, whether on-camera, on a stand or on the desk, held in place by stretchy elastic absorbers in a shock mount to absorb vibrations. Before a session it is worth checking that absorbers are correctly fitted and gripping the mic properly because they can slip out of position. Some mics come with a dedicated shock-mount supplied and third-party options are available from brands including Rycote, Smallrig and Røde.

A pair of quality headphones to monitor audio while shooting and for editing afterwards will soon pay for themselves. The Røde NTH-100 are shown here. Picture credit: Røde

HeadphonesFor checking audio on location, listening to output on the camera's tiny speaker isn't ideal and a pair of headphones is a much more practical proposition, but even in-ear headphones will suffice if the space taken up by headphones is an issue. However, not all cameras are equipped with a headphone port, and it is only with more recent, higher end or vlogger-centric models that the feature was supplied as standard, so you need to check the options on your kit.

If a dedicated port is not provided, your camera might provide the option via the USB-C port and a 3.5mm mini jack adaptor.

If there is no headphone port you can check audio in other ways, although they are probably for the keener video shooter. For example, an optional HDMI monitor can be plugged into the camera, and these have headphone ports, or you can use a separate audio recorder with an external mic attached.

The Nikon Z6 II has both microphone and headphone 3.5mm ports, alongside other essential ports such a HDMI and USB-C.

A camera with an on-board headphone port is the most convenient solution for most people and models with this feature include the Canon EOS R6 Mark II, Fujifilm X-H2S,Nikon Z6 and Panasonic Lumix S5 II.

You don't need to spend much on a suitable pair of headphones. Audio quality just needs to be good enough for you to check recordings and what the mic is picking up, and comfort is not too important because you’re not going to be wearing them for hours on location. Also, they might be thrown in with your other kit so they might get bashed about, so no point ruing an expensive pair. The best advice is to buy a decent, good value pair for location use and invest in a higher-quality pair for home studio use.

At a glance

The Hollyland Lark M1 is a truly compact wireless mic system available in two variants: the Solo with one transmitter and one receiver, and the Duo (above) which consists of one receiver and two transmitters. The transmitter has an integral mic while the duo kit comes with a matching charging case.

The Lark M1 system uses the 2.4Ghz bandwidth and features Adaptive Frequency Hopping (AFG) and HearClear noise cancelling to filter out annoying ambient sounds. Fully charged, units have an eight-hour life and a working range of up to 650feet/200m. Charging is via USB-C and if you buy the Duo the charging case does the job in 1.5 hours and it can recharge the TX/RX units twice.

At a glance

Joby's Wavo Air kit comes with all the essentials for a versatile, high quality wireless mic system. The outfit includes one receiver and two transmitters with integral mics with windshields. If you prefer to use wired lav mics, two of these are supplied too, complete with foam windshields. TRS-TRS and TRS-TRSS cables are also provided for camera and smartphone use. All three units are USB-C rechargeable and once fully charged will deliver up to six hours of working life. The Wavo Air system is easy to use and pair instantly when powered up, and you get audio with excellent clarity and that is up to 50m working range.

At a glance

Pricing: $249/£239 User level: beginner to intermediate Website: Rode.com

The VideoMic NTG is a versatile shotgun mic that will deliver an impressive performance wherever and whenever you need it. On-camera, its highly directional pick-up pattern coupled with its innovative tube design featuring acoustic perforations along the length of the mic delivers a natural, transparent sound. For recording voice-overs and podcasts the VideoMic NTG is a highly capable USB mic too. In USB mode, the 3.5mm jack doubles as a headphone output for auto monitoring.

A range of supporting features help you get the best audio in all situations. There's a high-pass filter, high frequency boost to enhance detail and an infinitely variable gain control to tailor output to your devices. The 3.5mm output port is auto-sensing which means no fuss when you change from using your camera to a smart device. The mic comes with a shock-mount.

At a glance

Incredibly compact and versatile, the Røde Wireless GO II outfit comes with a dual channel receiver and two transmitters. Series IV 2.4GHz digital transmission and 128-bit encryption provide clean, stable audio even in challenging RF environments with a 200mm line of sight operating range. It is also universally compatible with cameras, mobile devices and computers.

The system also has on-board recording with up to 40 hours of internal memory so if your device's recording gets corrupted, you have a back-up. The on-board rechargeable lithium-ion battery give up to seven hours of working life.

With its pro-level sound quality, user friendly nature and incredibly versatility, this is an excellent mic system and it's supported by a desktop and mobile companion app which helps you enjoy its full potential without fuss.

At a glance

Designed for vloggers and content creators, the Sennheiser MKE 400 is a compact, lightweight shotgun mic with a super-cardioid sensitivity pattern so it's most responsive to where it is pointing. It delivers audio with impressive clarity and a low-cut filter helps minimise wind noise and a three-step gain sensitivity switch lets you adjust the mics’ responsiveness to suit different situations. There's also a built-in windshield and shock-mount to reduce camera-handling noise.

The MKE 400 suits use on DSLR and mirrorless cameras, but also comes supplied with locking 3.5mm TRS-TRS and TRS-TRRS coiled cables so you can apply the mic's talents to your mobile devices too. Another plus point if your camera does not have a headphone port is that the MKE 400 has a 3.5mm headphone monitoring port so you can directly check audio and sound levels can be adjusted with an integrated volume control.

Pricing: $70 /£69 User level: beginner to intermediate Website: www.beyerdynamic.comAttractively priced, these high-performing, compact and robust headphones are equally happy in the studio or out on location. They are friendly with most devices requiring little amplifier power for decent volume, so perfect for use with laptops, smartphones and cameras.

User comfort rates highly too with an ergonomic headband and specially designed ear cups that are comfortable for extended listening while eliminating sound leakage. Handily, the ear pads and cable are replaceable, so the product has a potentially long working life.

Sound quality, as you would expect from Beyerdynamic is first rate, delivering clean well defined deep bass, smooth mid-tones and clear treble. Offering good value, comfort and capable performance, the Beyerdynamic DT 240 Pro headphones are ideal for the vlogger and video maker.

At a glance

Røde is a renowned brand for mics and relatively recently has branched out into headphones and the NTH-100 is an impressive pro over-ear headphones perfect for mixing, recording and podcasts. Their great sound is thanks to custom-matched 40mm dynamic drivers in over-ear closed-back ear-cups that give very good isolation from external sounds and no leakage.

Also, low impedance and high sensitivity make the NTH-100s easy to drive from any interface and mobile device. They aren't especially compact, but they are decent value and sound great, plus the luxurious Alcantara cushions coupled with Røde's CoolTech gel make them super comfortable for long periods of editing and daily listening. CoolTech gel make them super comfortable for long periods of editing and daily listening.

At a glance

This a powerful highly featured, multi-track audio recorder suitable for all sorts of audio applications, and it's designed to be easy to use. After start-up the device shows the Launcher which lets you quickly pick the best settings for the situation with presets – voice, podcasts, music – you can start recording without having to dig deep into the Portcapture's features. However, if you prefer, you can go fully manual and here you can record up to six audio sources and a stereo mix.

Premium dual A/D converters with 32-bit floating point resolution enables wide dynamic range recordings, so can cope with very loud or deathly quiet sources and the levels can be edited without impacting the signal-to noise-ratio so output quality remains high.

The unit comes with two high-quality condenser mics as standard, and these can be arranged in A-B or X-Y pick-up patterns. Adding the optional Bluetooth adapter gives you wireless control via the Portacapture Control app.

Further readingBest video and vlogging camerasHow to make a great video recording with your cameraHow to set up your camera to shoot videoBest accessories for videoBest video-editing software, including free toolsCommon video problems and how to fix themHow to get started with vlogging

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Will Cheung FRPS is a very experienced photographic journalist and in his long career on imaging magazines has edited Practical Photography, Digital Photo and Photography Monthly. He is also a very capable photographer and achieved the Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society distinction with a submission of black & white photographs.