My Favorite Shotgun Microphones Ranked (under $300, $300 - $500, $500 - $1000, $1000+)

Our sound and lighting courses can be found at https://school.learnlightandsound.com! In this episode I rank my favorite shotgun microphones in different price categories - under $300, $300 - $500, $500 - $1000, and $1000+. This is based on my experience and is totally SUBJECTIVE. Let’s talk it through! See the detailed reviews of the microphones we cover here: DPA 4017b https://www.youtube.com/live/J16R49-j... Sennheiser MKH416    • RODE NTG5 Shotgun Microphone Review - Comp...   DPA 2017    • Awesome 4017b/MKH-416 Alternative: DPA 201...   RODE NTG3    • RODE NTG5 Shotgun Microphone Review - Comp...   Azden SGM 3500L    • Azden SGM-3500 Series Shotgun Microphones   RODE NTG5    • RODE NTG5 Shotgun Microphone Review - Comp...   DEITY S-Mic 2    • Deity S-Mic 2 Shotgun Microphone: Initial ...   Sennheiser MKE 600    • Sennheiser MKE 600 Shotgun Microphone Review   Rycote HC 15    • Rycote HC 15 and HC 22 Shotgun Microphones   DEITY S-Mic 2S    • Deity S-Mic 2S Short Shotgun Microphone   Azden SGM250H    • Azden SGM 250H Shotgun Microphone vs. Senn...   Sony ECM-674    • Sony ECM-674 Shotgun Microphone: Compared ...   Azden SGM 3500    • Azden SGM-3500 Series Shotgun Microphones   RODE NTG4+    • RODE NTG4+ Shotgun Microphone Review   Audio Technica AT 875R    • Audio Technica AT875R Budget Short Shotgun...   RODE NTG2    • Better Sound for Your Video: RØDE NTG-2 Re...   MOVO X3 II    • MOVO X3 II Budget Shotgun Mic: Quality Aud...   Godox VDS M3    • Godox VDS M3 Shotgun Microphone   Here’s a table with all of the microphones ranked and my notes: https://airtable.com/appwlPbcx7ViBstb... If you’d like to learn how to make great dialogue audio for your film and video projects, please have a look at my courses including processing dialogue audio in Adobe Audition and DaVinci Resolve/Fairlight, recording sound, how to use the Zoom F4, F6, F8, and F8n, and how to get the most from the Sound Devices MixPre series of recorders. Our latest courses cover Sound for Live Streaming with the ATEM Mini and an Intro to Izotope RX. See https://school.learnlightandsound.com for more info! Support my work creating videos by donating at Ko-Fi.com: http://ko-fi.com/curtisjudd Gear used or mentioned in this episode (the links below are Amazon.com, B&H Photo, Sweetwater, or other affiliate links. As an affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases): DPA 4017b https://geni.us/0au8jgx Sennheiser MKH416 https://geni.us/AVgsgHZ DPA 2017 https://geni.us/BCB4u RODE NTG3 https://geni.us/zKMxmAB Azden SGM 3500L https://geni.us/nidBDho RODE NTG5 https://geni.us/LoGE7F4 DEITY S-Mic 2 https://geni.us/MYgwqbe Sennheiser MKE 600 https://geni.us/LQYpZr Rycote HC 15 https://geni.us/aDsFLO4 DEITY S-Mic 2S https://geni.us/eU4v Azden SGM250H https://geni.us/OCcR Sony ECM-674 https://geni.us/t8ahw Azden SGM 3500 https://geni.us/Ik2IRN RODE NTG4+ https://geni.us/MyQA Audio Technica AT 875R https://geni.us/1zFDS5 RODE NTG2 https://geni.us/xh5Z6DB MOVO X3 II https://geni.us/d33BUJd Godox VDS M3 https://geni.us/TkCaJSound Devices MixPre audio field recorders — https://geni.us/O8e0 Sennheiser MKH50 boom microphone — https://geni.us/iYb065 Impact Turtle-Base C-Stands — https://geni.us/8a8tt Aputure LS 600x Pro Bicolor LED Light — https://geni.us/EreRQa Aputure Light Dome III Softbox — https://geni.us/AVHU1p Amaran 300c RGBWW Single-Point LED Light — https://geni.us/uGkDX Amaran Spotlight SE —  https://geni.us/4DuyTz Rosco Prismatic Glass Gobo in Cool Lavender — https://geni.us/GWKt Canon C70 Cinema Camera — https://geni.us/ABYB Canon RF 24-70 f/2.8 lens — https://geni.us/qwsEs Panasonic GH5 camera — https://geni.us/InspOl Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 II lens — https://geni.us/gr47 The outro music for this episode is from Musicbed - “Dynamo” by Virgil Arles. Take your films to the next level with music from Musicbed. Sign up for a free account to listen for yourself: https://geni.us/G7by Copyright 2025, Curtis Judd #microphone #shotgunmicrophone #review Index 00:00 Please buy my courses 00:06 Introduction - my favorite XLR shotgun microphones 00:46 This is purely subjective, just my opinion 01:12 Check the detailed reviews for audio samples and more detail 01:57 Less than $300 shotgun microphones 02:14 Godox VDS M3 shotgun microphone 03:37 Movo X3 II shotgun microphone 04:26 RODE NTG2 shotgun microphone 05:24 Audio Technica AT875r shotgun microphone 06:15 $300 to $499 shotgun microphones 06:23 RODE NTG4+ shotgun microphone 07:01 Azden SGM 3500 shotgun microphone 07:49 Sony ECM-674 shotgun microphone 08:25 Azden SGM 250H shotgun microphone 08:59 DEITY S-Mic 2S 09:50 Rycote HC-15 10:46 Sennheiser MKE 600 12:09 DEITY S-Mic 2 13:08 RODE NTG5 15:11 $500 to $999 15:23 Azden SGM 3500L 16:17 RODE NTG3 17:42 DPA 2017 18:58 Sennheiser MKH 416 20:28 $1000+ 20:33 DPA 4017b 21:54 Shotgun microphones are colored off-axis 22:42 For more natural off-axis sound, use a pencil condenser 23:40 Please buy my courses