An In-Depth Review of the New MKE200 Recording Engineer

Upgrade your talk photography
On-camera mona and monaural microphone with easy connection

MKE 200

It has now become commonplace to shoot video with a variety of devices, but the microphones in cameras and smartphones often do not take care of sound quality, and there are limits to how much sound quality correction can be done afterwards. Simply being able to hear well in a video improves credibility and makes the video more immersive.

The best product for the need to improve sound quality and make it easier to hear the interviewer's voice alone is SENNHEISER's MKE 200 camera microphone.

Compatible with cameras and smartphones with 3.5mm microphone input.

When you open the elegant package, which shows a commitment to quality, you will find illustrated instructions on how to use the product along with the MKE 200 that it contains.

Open the box and you'll find an instructional diagram.

Inexpensive no-brand recording-related goods are available these days, but many of them have simplified packaging and descriptions. You can tell the difference from inexpensive products by the solid explanations and high quality packaging.

Included in the package is the microphone itself, a windjammer, two connection cables to the camera, and a special pouch.

Box Contents

The reason there are two connection cables is that different cables are provided for the camera and for the smartphone. The camera cable has a 3-pole jack and the one for the smartphone has a 4-pole 3.5mm mini jack.

The smartphone cable has SMARTPHONE marked on it.

The pouch is convenient and can hold all the accessories. It is small enough to easily keep in your camera bag, so it would be good to carry it with you at all times.

Everything can be stored in the included pouch.

Connecting to a DSLR, easy setup that anyone can do

I'm not a video engineer, so I'm afraid the model is old, but I tried to attach it to a CANON EOS KISS X5 camera. First, attach the MKE 200 to the shoe mount on the camera. Slide it on and turn the dial to set it in place.

Attached to the DSLR shoe

Next, I connected the cable. The connection on the MKE 200 side is lockable. I thought it looked like a connector that could not be disconnected, but after attaching the windjammer, I was convinced. When the windjammer is installed, the connector is completely invisible, and it is impossible to see if it is installed correctly. The locking system can be used safely in a hidden state.

Lockable so you don't have to worry if you can't see it.

The opposite side goes to the camera's microphone input. In the case of this camera, the microphone input jack is located on the left side of the camera when the lid is opened.

To the microphone jack on the camera side

Now you are ready to go. This camera seems to automatically switch to the external microphone when an external microphone is connected.
After connecting the microphone, adjust the input level. A good microphone is no good if it is distorted due to over-leveling. Since you can record with good sound quality even if the level is low, it is best to set the level slightly low and with a little leeway. If there is an auto setting, it may be a good idea to use auto.

Delicate Sound even at High Volume. 120dB SPL High Sound Pressure Resistance Design

The sound quality is of a high quality that sets it apart from microphones on the camera itself. When photographing my cat at home, I was able to delicately record my cat's voice in the distance; the MKE 200 is a super cardioid, directional microphone that concentrates sound in the targeted direction. Although it’s not as good as a gun mic, the recording was very comfortable even when shooting at zoomed-in angle.

It can also withstand high sound volumes with a sound pressure resistance of 120 dB SPL. I tested the sound of a car engine, a truck on the national highway, and the sound of a guitar, and I was able to capture these sounds without distortion. However, this does not mean that any sound will not be distorted, so it is important to remember to check before recording.

Attached to a DSLR for a photo walk

As for the sound quality, please watch the review videos on YouTube by various people. You can see it especially well in this video.

My overall impression of the product is that it is best suited for talk recording. It’s better suited for applications where you can zoom in and capture the speaker in a way that is easy to hear, rather than for recording the environment of a wide shooting location.

Highly versatile, can be used with older iPhones and other devices with 3.5mm input

MKE 200 can be connected to smartphones as well: for Android, it can be connected as-is; for iPhone, it can be connected via a Lightning- to 3.5mm conversion adapter. Older iPhones have a 3.5mm jack and can be connected as is.

iPhone 6S and other iPhones with 3.5mm 4-pole input can be connected as is.

The bottom of the MKE 200 has a hole for a tripod camera screw, so it can be attached to a tripod, gun mic arm, mic stand, or other stand. The camera and microphone can also be used separately, expanding the range of applications.

There is a screw hole on the bottom for a tripod.

The author uses it mounted on a tripod as a fixed microphone for YouTube videos.

Mounting on a tripod is also possible.

The microphone can be used with any device that has a 3.5mm 4-pole input, so it can also be used with a laptop computer as a high-quality microphone in meetings using online meeting tools such as zoom.

In addition to its excellent sound quality, the microphone is highly versatile and can be used in a variety of situations, making it a good buy. In today's age of video and distribution, a slightly better sound quality is all it takes to immediately stand out, and a clear transmission of the quality of the speaker's voice is enough to increase the number of fans. For those looking to improve the sound quality of their podcasts on a low budget with a simple setup, the MKE 200 could be a great option.