We Recommend the Sennheiser MKE200 Mic for Vlogs!

For those who think that the microphone performance of their camera for vlogging is not good enough, we recommend SENNHEISER's MKE200. It is compact and relatively inexpensive, yet has good sound quality, so we think that this is a great first microphone for your camera. As the writer, I will therefore introduce the sound quality and windproof performance of this microphone.

SENNHEISER / MKE200 Camera Microphone

What kind of microphone is the SENNHEISER MKE200?

First, let's start with the basics: what kind of microphone is the SENNHEISER MKE200? This microphone is designed for video cameras and smartphones. It doesn’t require an external power supply such as phantom power and can be easily used through a 3.5mm TRS or TRRS connection. It can be set on a camera with a hot shoe, and for a smartphone, it can be used as a tripod if you purchase a Mobile Kit. If you use a gimbal, you can also set it there if the gimbal has a hot shoe.

In addition, it should be small anyway. If it is large, it will look unbalanced with the camera, and when using a gimbal with a camera attached, it may get caught on the gimbal and prevent movement.

Another method is to set the camera on a selfie stick with a hot shoe.

About the Sound Quality of the SENNHEISER MKE200

This is just my personal opinion, but the sound quality seems to have a strong high frequency range, but thanks to this, voices can be heard clearly. There is some directivity and if the sound in front of the microphone is recorded at 100%, the volume is about 60% when the sound is recorded from behind, the sides, or above the microphone.

When considering vlogging, it is easy to use a microphone with a high frontal directivity because it is often used to take selfies while speaking from the front, without unwanted sounds from the surroundings. It is also possible to clearly record distant sounds such as bird songs in the trees. However, if you are speaking from behind while filming, be aware that the volume of your speech will be reduced. You can increase the volume level during editing, but since some sounds are spoken from the front in a selfie, you need to select and increase the level only if you are speaking from the back. As a special technique, you can set the microphone upside down front to back, though it is a bit of a pain...

Windproof Performance of the SENNHEISER MKE200

I think the best thing about the SENNHEISER MKE200 is its windproof performance. This microphone has a tubular shape, and this tubular shape is a case that contains the actual microphone. The case acts as a windscreen. In addition, there is also a fuzzy windscreen that is attached to the case to cover the microphone, so it provides double wind protection.

I use a Nikon Z30 camera and I set the small-rig windscreen on the camera's built-in microphone. To be honest, this still gives me pretty good wind protection.

Windproof Performance Test of the SENNHEISER MKE200

I tested the windproof performance of the SENNHEISER MKE200 on a windy day at the beach. It was a really strong wind that day, and if you shoot without a windscreen, you can barely hear your voice. First, the Z30 built-in microphone plus small rig windscreen, but the sound of the wind was coming in quite well. Next, when I tried the SENNHEISER MKE200 with only the main unit (no windscreen), the windscreen was as effective as the Z30 built-in microphone plus small-rig windscreen. I was a bit surprised to find that the SENNHEISER MKE200 itself is quite compact and looks cool! And yet, it can still provide some protection from the wind. It was a very strong wind, so if I used it in normal wind, I would hardly hear any wind noise. The sound quality is also strong in the high frequency range, so it can be heard well even with noisy wind.

Finally, I took a picture with the full set, the SENNHEISER MKE200 main unit plus windscreen. Compared to the main unit alone, the wind noise was reduced by about half. I can hear voices clearly. This was also a surprise. With the windscreen attached, it looks like an Eskimo hat is on top of the camera and it is quite large, but the windproof effect is outstanding because of its size. If you leave the windscreen on all the time when shooting outdoors, you don't have to worry about wind.

One thing that bothers me a little is that when attaching the windscreen to the SENNHEISER MKE200, the opening is quite narrow. It is very hard to get it on even if you pull it hard. It would have been better if the opening was a little wider, but, it is unlikely to come off because of this narrowness.

Also recommended for SONY ZV-E10

The SENNHEISER MKE200 is also recommended for use with the SONY ZV-E10, a pioneer in vlogging, as it helps improve the sound quality of the ZV-E10 and provides excellent wind protection. No power supply is required to attach it to the SONY ZV-E10, just plug it into the 3.5mm TRS, set the microphone on the hot shoe, and you're done. The SENNHEISER MKE200 can be used with both cameras and smartphones. By the way, there are two attached connection cables, one for the camera and one for the smartphone. Please note that if you use the wrong type of cable, you will not be able to record properly.

Let's shoot vlogs with good sound quality!

As you get used to vlogging, you may be concerned about sound quality. If you want to enjoy Vlogging with ease, try using the SENNHEISER MKE200. I think you will feel that the level of your video work will improve just by changing the sound.

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