This video was a blast Parker! Thanks for having me

Ok, I'm a professional boom operator in the film industry and have some input here. I've used all of these mics before and, quite honestly, there are a bunch of unfair tests here. Let's start with level matching... none of these mics are level matched which skews results. People are more accepting of things they hear slightly louder than others. I appreciate what you guys were doing and tests with this many mics isn't easy (so you deserve a lot of credit there) but I have to share my thoughts here. Test 1: Your mic cluster has all kinds of issues in it. Since they are jammed so tight together, you're changing the pickup patterns. Angled in, on the bottom with an fully open interference tube is the CMIT 5U. Of course it'll sound best in that circumstance and the Deity is literally jammed between 3 mics with the only open side facing up (away from your mouth). Since it's a supercardioid pattern mic, you're cutting into the pattern so of course it sounds thin. The Video Mic pro has foam around it and that space keeps other mics away from interfering with it's pattern. The 416 also sounds off because the slits are facing into other mics. I see what you're trying to do by testing so many mics but test 1 is skewed all over the place. Test 2: Again, in the array you show the mics are angled in and stacked on top of each other. I can't see which mic is where but all jammed together with zeppelins all over the place is going to affect the sound again. Off axis sounds can only be tested fairly if you level match, use the exact same zeppelins and don't have other mics or zeppelins coming between the mic and noise you're trying to reject. Test 3: Not fair for the CMIT and probably the others too. Again, jammed together and this time the CMIT is on the bottom where the element has to listen thru the slits and in the way are, you guessed it - other mics. You hear it being blocked because it goes slightly muffled and the level drops more than it should. Test 4: Sounds like a fair test to me. The Deity had a weird sound in there and definitely didn't win this one. I thought the others all sounded about the same on your voice... at least on KZfaq. Where it stands out thought is the background noise. The world around you seems most natural and attenuated on the CMIT followed by the 416 and the NTG3. Test 5: The tight cluster array where mics interfere with each other's pickup. Being closest to the wall reflection behind you will likely lead to picking up more reflections by the mic closest to that wall. Aside from that... The CMIT is a very bright mic with low noise and great reach and deserved to win but I still prefer the DPA 4017B which wasn't part of your test. I will add that if it were part of your mic cluster, I'm not sure it would have performed up to it's full potential either because the interference tube slit blockage might have skewed the sound. There's a lot to mic placement and anything directly up against a mic or even right next to it will affect the sound. Remember that the elements inside the mics need to hear out of the slits in order to sound accurate. The Video Mic Pro was very impressive in these tests but... I've used it before and the low end coloration gets to me when it's on top of a camera but did sound quite good in these tests - probably because it had the same wind protection in all environments, didn't have mics on it and wasn't on top of a camera. The 416 reach, natural noise floor and signature sound made it quite pleasant to listen to. I've used the NTG3 and it did sound very unaffected by most of your tests. I'd almost say it sounded better than I remember it and can't help but wonder if there was a little favoritism shown in it's place in the array because the two I've used didn't sound that good and natural. I own two of the S-Mic 2s and recognize what it does well and where it it is lacking but being honest, the clarity was off and it routinely sounded thinner than either of mine. I don't know why and don't believe you'd sabotage it so I'm wondering if it wasn't getting along well due to it's proximity near other mics when clustered. I went back and listened to my own review and compared it so I feel I'm being fair here. I would have loved to see a test with the mics right on top of your head barely out of frame. For many sit down interviews and vlogs, that's where you'll have it. I know I'm coming on kinda strong here and I'm sorry about that. What you did wasn't easy to do with so many mics and it's very difficult to be fair to all of them when trying to get them close enough to be positioned in roughly the same place. I can't help but feel that in post the results were also skewed on some tests because they weren't level matched. I made the same mistake by using the wrong level matching technique on many of my earliest videos so I recognize the importance. Thank you for doing this test and I wish you luck in all of your future tests.

that audio guys just sitting there looking so proud

TEST! 1 2 3 4 5...That is going to be stuck in my head now. Thank you for this.

Amazing video Parker! I just bought the NTG3 a week ago - had the same dilemma as you and was tossing up between the 416 and NTG3! Good to know i made the right choice. Keen to start implementing it in my vids :)

Fantastic video. So much content concisely edited. And as a 416 owner, I was surprised at how good the NTG sounded in comparison.

Thanks for including the Videomic Pro in this review. I haven’t used it as a boom but even though it didn’t rank as high as the others, hearing its capability in those different scenarios encourages me to move forward with it in projects until I can upgrade.

Excellent comparo! I have used 416s for decades in really harsh situations and been amazed by the durability. Sonically, I was super impressed by the NTG3. If it comes anywhere close to the 416’s reliability, it’s a no-brainer.

I love my Sennheiser MKH-416. Never selling it, lol. I love comparison style / battle tests. Great work bro.

1:08 homie looks hella high

You are so awesome! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge to the youtube community. You have inspired me to start my youtube channel and shoot video properly. Your content is always so specific and so helpful. I was actually looking into buying the rode NTG so this is perfect timing.

Parker Walbeck makes a post. I run! I grab my headphones. I set video to highest quality. I fall in love!

Imagine editing this. you would go crazy....

This video is EXACTLY what I needed :D :-) ! So relaxing to see that you dont get lost in all the technical details but instead just show me as a beginner what I need to know !!

What's the best mic setup for two people sitting side by side like you guys were in the video?

Watching this on an iphone xs Plus and there were ZERO differences between all the mics haha

Surprised you didn't do a sensitivity and SNR test as those are incredibly important, but this was a fun video to watch.

This just proof, that i dont really have to change out my RVMP+ for any other mic with the type of videos i do. For the price its a damn good mic !! Great video!

Million years of editing and not getting confused and mistaken for each mic) Thanks, but for me they sound almost indentical

I am undecided between H2N / H4NPro / Shure VP83 / Azden SMX30 / RODE Stereo VideoMic shotgun. What do I need to do to use what advice? I register events, excursions, dialogues and film my children. Thank you

They legit all sound so similar... but thanks for the video Parker. I wanna learn more about audio. And thanks for having Brendo; he's hilarious lol and really smart.

I remember trying to decide between the 416 and the NTG3. Ended up talking to a professional sound guy who had experienced the NTG3 fail on him in the cold weather, and he swore up and down on the 416 for its ability to hold up in rougher conditions. So it's not a fair comparison to put up $$ tags next to only audio samples, there are other factors in the build quality and long term reliability that make the difference in price. Fortunately, I ended up finding an MKH-416 on eBay for less than the NTG3's retail price. :) Buy used if you can, especially because those mics are built like tanks.

How impressive was the video mic pro considering! 😮 Awesome video Parker!

I've used the 416 for years and I understand why it's a industry standard - very faithful sound and a workhorse mic for most environments. My biggest gripe is the it's so focused (a good and bad trait) that it's very unforgiving with following moving subjects - you have to be spot on.

Couldn't have come in at a more perfect timing. Had the Sennheiser in my cart and saw your video go up. Looks like I'm going for the Rode NTG-3!

I love every bit of your videos , I hate the time it takes you to create a new video , I die out of sheer wait

Poor Deity...☹️ I might be bias because I own one, but the NTG3 is a great mic and my favorite of all the mics tested.

The fact that I don’t have to goto a fancy school to learn all this is definitely a motivator. Channels like this is the reason I spent everything I had on starting my production company, my first year as a director and you wouldn’t believe the progress I’ve made. #Xraycinema🎬

Well done for a great comparison video! looking to upgrade my audio so I will check out the NTG...!

NTG3- So good, gotta get one! The boss thing about the NTG3 is its has a damn low noisefloor and is quiet sharp/esssie... means if you slighty darken it up or eq it, it will be even silent. Maybe one, if not the most quiet shootgun on the market. The cmit and 416 sounds smooth inside but will lack in hf totally if used in a blimp (my opinion) outside. Never forget, you lose quiet a bit of sparkle in the high end this way. if you wanna restore it via eq you crank the mics self noise up badly. And the cmit is quiet noisy anyway. This is from a sounddesigners and mastering guys perspective. Im not talking about run and gun broadcasting and isolation.

hey Parker! i was hoping you could tell me what stand you are using to hold up your boom pole? and is there anything else i might need to hold it all up? thanks man!

I was just looking for this, Thanks Parker for the video. Should've included Senheiser MKE 600 and Rode NTG4 plus.

...and THAT...is how you make an excellent review video. Props Parker, Brendo. Way to set the pole...I mean the bar, on this one.

Can rode go 2 wireless mic used by professional filmmakers. Waiting for your response.. thanks

In this video we are going to focus on Mike's scar. It got me distracted. Also a side note, I've heard that the RodeVMP+ sounds better if you remove the foamy filter and use a rode deadcat instead. Haven't tried it yet though.

Guys! Incredible comparison video! Really appreciate the effort put into this. The edits were EXCELLENT for actual sonic comparisons. Gold standard for a video of this type.

Really thorough comparison. Thanks for taking the time to put this together!

THANK YOU for this test! I will be picking up an NTG-3 due to it, possibly two. I'm tired of 'laving' on screen interviews up. Well done!

I was trying to decide between the NTG3 and Deity S-Mic 2 (and the 416) for bioacoustic fieldwork in Panama-this was so helpful, thank you so much for this high-quality, well-thought-out series of tests. NTG3 purchased! ¡Muchas gracias!

It will be interesting to see the same comparison with new RODE Videomic NTG

So great parker! I immediately click on your videos, dont stop creating!

Easily the best channel on KZfaq for filmmaking tutorials...

I'm genuinely surprised at how fantastic the NTG 3 sounds, seems to sound just as fantastic as the 416 for a fraction of the price. Deity sounds much worse to the NTG3 and 416 - actually worse than all the other microphones here.

Thank you! I’ve been going back and forth on which mic to get and it looks like the NTG3 is the best option - to I’ve saved me from considering the deity so thanks for that!

Makes me want to buy rode video mic pro+ For the price I think the quality is awesome But I got a bad experience with video mic go Got some problems with little use only just after the warranty expires Awesome video!

Finally, new video at my favorite filmmaker

5:22 PLZ somebody do a REMIX for this/:

Revisiting this months later to now agree with your findings. I hate my s-mic, now after "learning" to hear from months of real recording work. I pit it against an Octava w/hypercardioid and the Octava blew the s-mic away. Cheers-

thanks for this shotgun mic shootout. I almost bought the Senn 8060 until I saw this video. Now I am purchasing the Rode NTG3...thanks again!

The free bit of info about proper placement for movement what the bee's knees

Amazing video Parker - these detailed comparison videos are super valuable.

This video was extremely Helpful!!! EXTREMELY And I liked ur honest opinions Thanks for the help!

Another great video Parker, always love your videos.

Ive purchased from B&H before and the service was pretty efficient! My only problem with B&H is there ability to relay proper information concerning ETA's on gear on back order. For instance, I preordered the BlackMagicPocket CinemaCamera4K from them because they told me that it would take about 3-4 weeks for it to arrive (keep in mind that I preordered it in January after I spoke with them). My friend preordered his from another company who told him 4 weeks as well but got his after a week. So I called B&H and asked about an updated ETA on the BMPCC and they said it would arrive in April....I told them that they originally told me 4 weeks rather than 4 months and they said "Sorry, nothing we can do about that"...decided to cancel my preorder with them and place it with the company my friend got his from. Only instance where Ive been annoyed with their service. Awesome video though Parker, as always! Thanks!

Is there such a thing as color blindness for audio? I tried so hard but could barely notice any difference between them.

Wow that Deity sounded pretty terrible. My results matched Brenden almost every time so maybe I'm a snob? But holy cow I expected a bit more for $350 compared to the Rode hot shoe camera. I'm definitely gonna look for the NTG used. Much appreciated as I was looking at new mics!

Can you review and compare $60 - $200 shotgun mics? There are some VideoPro, Polsen, Boya mics that are very cheap but everyone seems to love them...

Woot!!! Always look for your videos man. Keep up the great content.

Ntg3 sounds amazing I realised the other day that I really like the sound of the ntg3 and this video proved it because I preferred it’s Audio in the blind test.

Very useful test/video. Thank you.

Nice video! I've been using NTG3 over 5 years and i love it very much.

Parker, can u make a video comparison, rode videomic go vs micro? I’m planning on buying my first dslr soon and cant decide which to get.

Natural sound test 1 - neutral, pleasing. 2. Brighter, might work for more authoritative presentation. 3. Sharp, good for certain things. 4. Maybe nasally 5. Natural, a bit bright All good for different situations, 3 is the only one I would really avoid. I like the dark character of number one, which I would guess is the deity. Edit: all right, the deity is brighter than I gave credit for. Some of the rode video mic models are hit and miss but I like that one on your voice in this scenario. Most likely, the playback system will have a stronger influence on which one sounds best than the microphone itself. As well as the voice and the room.

Great mic review!

Excellent review thanks so much

Audio engineer here myself. Don't know too much about shotgun mics, but for the Deity, would you be able to hook up a cloud lifter? 🤔 the swooshing is coming from boosting the mic levels, correct? If that's the case that just means it has a super low output. Most dynamic mics do. Maybe give that a shot and see how it sounds? This is what I recommend to anyone using a dynamic mic. Doesn't have to be a cloud lifter, possibly a sE electronics DM1. But these require phantom power so this may not be possible. Again, Idk much about filming but I hope this is possible and able to help. 🤘🏼

this is a crucial test among those mics...

That Rode NTG-3 is the goat. For most small budgets and stuff I can't seem to justify the CMIT's price tag but I'm usually helping fund my projects myself. It's nice to see how well the Rode really holds up. Might have to add the NTG-3 to my kit and stop renting stuff so often.

Perfect. Just the comparison I was looking for. Probably go NTG3 with you when I get there (not too long but not just yet) but those exact others were the perfect comparisons that I was looking to "shotgun mike shoot off". Thanks guys.

Thanks guys! Awesome and super helpful comparison!

Thanks Parker and Brendo! Very useful information!

Can you pleaaaase do a tutorial on iPhone X Max videography tips! and color grading!! :)

Nice thumbnail really says everything we can expect from the video🙏

I am a newbie to the world of sound and would be grateful if you could answer a question: I record video on my Sony A7iii of streams and rivers and want to add high quality sound to the video. I can't figure out the equipment I need to accomplish this result. I could use a RODE Stereo VideoMic X which seems to be the simplest answer but many people seem to attach Zoom F6 devices to their camera along with mics and other equipment. What kind of configuration or equipment would you suggest buying if I want to add very high quality sound to my videos of streams and rivers ? Is the Sennheiser MKH-416 the right mic for the job ( I keep reading it is the industry standard but I am pretty sure it is unidirectional so will that be a problem if I want to record streams and rivers in nature ). Thank you.

The Schoeps cmit 5u is a fantastic microphone ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - not only for voice recording in the studio/field but also for recording acoustic instruments. In many ways it has the same sound/capabilities of a large diaphragm mic.

Hey man! Question for you. So I have been teaching myself about codecs lately and I notice that all of the KZfaq videos that discuss export settings from Adobe Premiere Pro to KZfaq recommend the H.264 file format. I have been wondering to myself, why not H.265 since it's newer, better and uses smaller file sizes? So I decided to do a test on my own channel by exporting the exact same video twice with the only difference being using H.264 on one and H.265 on the other. Once I uploaded to KZfaq (privately listed) and played them back the H.265 (HEVC) was NOTICEABLY clearer and sharper. Am I missing something on why everyone is still recommending H.264? Thank you!

To be honest, there is no big difference in sound. Maybe it is the KZfaq compression? (Using the DT 1770 Headphones)

Shout out to the legendary sound guys across the planet. When you work a shoot and edit where there is a budget for a sound pro you get gold! Its a shame there seems to be less work for these guys as video shooters are often working as a one man band doing their own sound. (I wish it wasn't so!) On the sets i have been on - the sound guys seem to be the most enthusiastic movie aficionados on set - ironic but true? Remember the saying - "great audio is very visual."

Awesome Review guys, thanks for giving the sound the importance it deserves.

You just saved me some bucks not buying the Deity S-mic. Think I will continue working with the Video Mic Pro+ and think more about the room and positions!

I'd love to see another collab with you two comparing popular lav mic setups like the rode, tascam, senn and etc. Great review guys!

Thanks for the comparison parker, really in the market for a nice boom mic that could last me years of use..

What about Shotguns mics that are not name brand and are Sub $200? There has to something worth it. They make them and sell them. Have that video? I can't afford anything in this video. Can you help?

This is absolutely fantastic! You guys know EXACTLY what we watchers are looking for! Thanks so much for paying attention and delivering to us! Two questions! 1. In a scene shooting an interview of two people with one camera. Sometimes people turn their heads away from the mic. Any thoughts on the mic performance when it comes to this? Will placement do the trick? ... or would a lav be possibly better? 2. I have a supercardiod vocal mic - the neumann kms 105. I looked at the polar pattern compared to the NTG3 and it's less directional even though they're both supercardiod, but any thoughts on using it as a boom mic for video? (and also super/hypercardiod vocal mics in general)

NTG3 is still my favorite mic. Love it

Hey? Which extension cable should I use for my ntg to mount on my boom pole for my canon 90D? I got the rode VC1 10 inch cable but it keeps cutting out and I hear static. Which extension cable should I buy or what can I use to extend the cable?

Thank you for making this video... helped me a lot

Excellent review. One question though: Do you have any idea about the life span of a Rode NTG-3? (I recently ordered a pre owned one that released about 10 years ago)

To put the Rode Video mic pro plus you need to use it without the foam. You'll be blown away with the results!!

I don't have to boast on my audio experience. film and audio are both my profession for many years. Here is my thoughts, the rode video would be the better option on budget if you can't afford the ntg-3. I do agree the ntg-3 is just a solid overall sounding mic in most applications, including the open reflective room. I can tell the difference of each mic easily. My ears are that solid. I would also recommend not spending a dime on the cmit microphone. The price didn't match the quality just as the U87 for neumann microphones don't also perform well with every talent that uses it. It sounded decent but definitely not worth the asking price. The other solid sounding option was the sennheiser. Although it wasn't perfect, it peformed very well retaining the true sound of the midtones even in the reflective room which was nice. Most of the mics did a great job focusing on the audio close to it in proximity or range. The deity sounded awful and is a complete waste of money. I wouldn't use that microphone unless you have really solid audio editing skills in post.

I was considering the NTG-3 for long now but after watching this i clearly tend to the 416. The frequency response is more natural. There is something in the lower mids in the NTG-3 which can't be taken out with an EQ without interfering with the fundamental frequency of most human voices while some booming in the bass area can easily be corrected with a low shelf or cut. The high frequency responce is also a bit harsh. Yes that's probably on a nitpicking level for most viewers but if i spent that much money the additional 300 bucks are worth it.

Excellent review!!!!!!!

I would have loved to see the NTG4+ in this video, good stuff though! I've shot with the NTG4+ for about a year now and I love it. the NTG3 is next on the list though. Moving away from a lav mic was the best thing I've ever done for my videos. Keep these great videos coming Parker, and Brenden you now have a new subscriber.

dude brando so chill.

Feels good to have picked all the same shit as your audio homie in my run through of the video

Thank you amazing video learned a lot.

Brilliant test - many thanks!

12:38 that face says "just get a used NTG3"

Very nice test. The NTG3 is definitely the best bang for buck

Could you recommend a decent Cam Mic for recording music live ?it’s for live street gigs (I think a shotgun would be fine as it would be directed at an AER Domino 2A Amp.. We tried using an Apogee MiC (just perfect for live ‘indoor’ venues but too clean for outdoor gigs) I came across a few cam mics on eBay that I thought may suit & well priced , sE Electronics ProMic Laser, Deity D3, Rode video mic pro & Sennheisers.. I’m guessing the Sennheisers & Deity maybe a little bright? Does a deadcat soften the high end detail more or maybe too much compared to a foam windshield ? I would still like to have a little street ambience. Thanks 🙏🏻