The directional microphone has a slender body that resembles a shotgun. Shotgun mics look like extra-long versions of small-diaphragm condenser microphones. They usually have supercardioid and hypercardioid audio pickup patterns. These enable them to record sounds coming from one direction while eliminating background noise. Premium brands offering them include Rode, Audio-Technica, Shure, Sennheiser and Synco.

There are two types of condenser shotgun mics: boompole and on-camera. A boompole shotgun microphone attaches to a boom pole that extends its reach while an on-camera version mounts on a video camera. A quick way to differentiate between both types is their input connections. Boom models use XLR connection while on-camera units use the TRS jack. 

How to Choose a Shotgun Microphone

Key factors to consider include audio pattern as well as whether it’s a battery-powered mic or one that relies upon phantom power. You should also consider on-axis and off-axis audio capture, sensitivity, and self-noise. The best audio wired shotgun mics ENG/EFP have high directionality. This means they’re good at capturing on-axis (coming from desired sources in front of the mic) audio and rejecting off-axis sound (coming from elsewhere). A high sensitivity is also important for clear audio pickup. Self-noise produces audible hiss from interference introduced by the mic’s electronics. For clear recordings, pick a unit with low self-noise.