Are there portable condenser microphones suitable for field recordings?
This page compares 7 Are there portable condenser microphones suitable for field recordings with verified specifications and prices. Top options include Sennheiser MKH 8060 Short Shotgun Microphone, Rode NTG5 Compact Shotgun Microphone, DPA Microphones 4017B Shotgun Microphone. Prices range from £104 to £1,348. All data is sourced from manufacturer documentation and specialist retailers.
| Product ⇅ | Price ⇅ | Diaphragm Size (mm) ⇅ | Max Sensitivity (dBV/Pa) ⇅ | Frequency Response (Hz) ⇅ | Self Noise Level (dB(A)) ⇅ | Polar Pattern ⇅ | Phantom Power Requirement ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sennheiser MKH 8060 Short Shotgun Microphone
US
|
— | — | -24 dBV/Pa (63 mV/Pa) | 50 - 25,000 Hz | 11 dB(A) | Supercardioid, Lobar | ✓ |
|
Compact professional short shotgun with very low self-noise, high sensitivity, and excellent off-axis linearity. Suited for film, documentary, outdoor shoots and on-camera use where natural sound and directionality are required.
Sources:
|
|||||||
|
Rode NTG5 Compact Shotgun Microphone
US
|
£373.10 ≈ | — | -23.5 dB re. 1 V/Pa (66 mV/Pa) | 20 Hz - 20 kHz | 10 dB SPL (A-weighted) | Supercardioid | ✓ |
|
Lightweight, compact broadcast-grade shotgun mic with RF-bias technology, low self-noise, and a highly directional supercardioid pattern. Suited for location recording, filmmaking, and professional dialogue capture where portability and low noise are priorities.
Sources:
|
|||||||
|
DPA Microphones 4017B Shotgun Microphone
US
|
£1347.79 ≈ | 19 mm | 25 mV/Pa | 20 Hz - 20 kHz | 13 dB(A) | Supercardioid, lobe-shaped | ✓ |
|
Compact, lightweight short shotgun microphone with a 19 mm pre-polarized condenser capsule, supercardioid directivity, low self-noise and switchable high-boost and low-cut filters. Suited for film, broadcast, ENG, boom and camera-mounted location work where high directivity and low noise are required.
Sources:
|
|||||||
|
Sony ECM-670 Condenser Shotgun Microphone
US
|
£202.27 ≈ | — | -36 dB ±3 dB | 40 Hz to 20 kHz | 17 dB SPL or less | Super-cardioid | ✓ |
|
Short, highly directional electret condenser shotgun mic with super-cardioid pickup, low self-noise, and two-way powering (internal battery or external phantom). Suited for ENG, event video, and location recording where compact size and focused pickup are needed.
Sources:
|
|||||||
|
Audio-Technica AT897 Short Shotgun Condenser Microphone
US
|
£186.55 ≈ | — | -40 dB (10.0 mV) re 1V @ 1 Pa | 20 - 20,000 Hz | — | Line + gradient | ✓ |
|
Short 11 in shotgun condenser for video and broadcast use with narrow acceptance angle, battery or phantom operation, and a recessed low-frequency roll-off. Suited to videographers and ENG/EFP use where a compact directional mic is needed.
Sources:
|
|||||||
|
Shure VP89M Modular Short Shotgun Microphone
US
|
£821.11 ≈ | — | -33.5 dBV/Pa | 100 Hz to 20 kHz | 15 dB | Hypercardioid / Lobar | ✓ |
|
The VP89M is a professional modular medium-length shotgun condenser microphone with a transformerless Class-A preamp, switchable low-cut filter, and strong off-axis rejection. It's suited for broadcast, film, and field production where directional pickup and low self-noise are important.
Sources:
|
|||||||
|
Zoom SSH-6 Mid-Side Microphone Capsule (for H6/H8 recorders)
US
|
£104.14 ≈ | — | — | — | — | Hyper cardioid | — |
|
Mid-side stereo shotgun capsule with a super-directional mid element and a bidirectional side element. Includes a hairy windscreen and is designed for on-location dialogue and field recording with adjustable stereo width; best for videographers and podcasters using compatible Zoom recorders.
Sources:
|
|||||||