Which is more valuable:
- The Sennheiser MKE 400 mini-shotgun mic
- $200 in your pocket?
This is the question that every gear-obsessed dork must ask themselves. There are a few things that the MKE 400 does really well, but it isn’t the silver bullet to all of your audio-for-video needs. Silver bullets do not exist. Don’t let the marketing behind watered-down domestic beer fool you.
After conducting the Great On-Camera Mic Shootout 2010, I came away from it thinking the MKE 400 would be my first choice to have in a portable bag, for run & gun, everyday shooting. I still feel like it’s the best choice for that application. The only thing I’m questioning now is if it’s worth $200 for me to have a mic like this.
I did a location sound job this week, and during a break the stills photographer on set asked me which on-camera microphone I liked best for DSLR video. Seeing as I had just completed my on-camera shootout, you’d think I’d be able to give this guy an affirmative answer. This was not the case.
The first mic I mentioned was the MKE 400. He had already tried that one and said he didn’t like the sound. Then I asked about Rode, and again he said he was unhappy with them. Then I told him that any mic going into a DSLR’s mini-plug mic input wasn’t going to knock his socks off. He already knew that too. Basically, I had no audio wisdom to impart on this fellow. The only thing left to say was “Hire a location sound person,” but I spared him that indignity. Mainly because I’m certain he already knew that as well.
So if I were to buy an on-camera mic this week, I would indeed get an MKE 400. I suppose my hesitation has more to do with the fact that my checking account currently doesn’t have any extra cheddar for electronics. And it doesn’t help that the muffler on my 98’ Camry loudly exited this world on Monday morning. So yeah, the idea of spending $200 on a shotgun the size of my pinky doesn’t work for me right now. Tack on the extra $43 for the essential MZW400 wind muff accessory, and even Ramen noodles start sounding like extravagant expenses.
When a ball of fluff is beyond your means, you have to take a step back and appreciate the simpler things in life. Like how refreshing ice water tastes.
Great presentation for The Great On-Camera Mic Shootout 2010. Perhaps a follow-up with a working Rode SVM would be fair. I’ve used the Rode SVM in many conditions and everything you mentioned in your description of its sound quality seems accurate. It needs to be close to the subject for any quiet dialog and it is perhaps better suited to recording live music or ambient sound, but it sounds good overall on a well placed boom. The MKE 400 seems like the best value for the dollar for a relatively inexpensive mic. I’m looking forward to a December 2010 Great HDSLR Camera Shootout on your site next!
Hi Larry! Thanks for posting. I’d love to do another on-camera mic shootout and include the Rode Stereo Video Mic. Maybe I’ll get to do another shootout next year for the 2011 edition.
If you’re looking for a great DSLR camera shootout, you’ve got to check out The Great Camera Shootout 2010 over at Zacuto.com.
It’s a three part video series that takes over an hour and a half to watch, so have some popcorn handy! It’s a very scientific test to show the differences between a few popular DSLR cameras and 35mm film movie cameras. I was so impressed by their video that it’s what inspired me to make the on-camera mic shootout.
Hi Sam,
have you ever tried the MKE400 on something like the Sony M10, Zoom H4n, or Tascam DR100? It would be very helpful in order to get an idea how the mic sounds regardless of poor-quality DSLR audio-inputs. I was trying to find audio samples – to no avail.
Hi Martin. I have not tried this personally, but I would guess that it would sound pretty decent. However, one thing you alway have to keep in mind with these mini-plug on-camera mics is that they are decent, but they’re not going to deliver the same sound quality that a $10,000 location audio kit can.
I’m actually going on vacation later this month, and I am considering buying an MKE 400 in order to plug it into my Edirol R09HR. I was hoping to buy a Panasonic GH2 before the trip, but I don’t think that’s going to happen. Now I’m thinking I can shoot video on my little Canon PowerShot SD1000, and record audio externally on my little recorder. I’ll use the MKE 400 to pick up dialog. The only thing I need to figure out is how I’m going to manage handling the camera, shotgun, and recorder. I only have two hands.