Buy the microphone
Funny story: in decades of producing videos, I have spent many hours hiding microphones. I have invested in the tiniest of lavaliers so that I could mic an interview without the viewer knowing. Now, not only is it cool for people to proudly hold their clip-on mics on social media… but they use the very visible fuzzy windscreen! I’m not complaining, it’s much easier this way. But it’s funny.
I started investing in my own personal video equipment back when the iPhone only took grainy videos. Coming from news, I thought I needed a BIG CAMERA to be legit. So, still today, I have my BIG CAMERA, plus a smaller camera, plus a GoPro, plus an iPhone. They all serve different purposes, which are necessary for serious video production. But for the average creator (or mom who wants to get awesome videos of birthday parties), an iPhone really will do the trick these days, visually.
However, audio is a different story.
If you are creating content for social, if you are a professional who needs to present via Teams, if you just want to make an elevated home video to watch for years to come, then get yourself a microphone! The mic game has also changed drastically over the past 5 years. Now, you can get a quality mic that is tiny and plugs into your phone for $50 or less. BUT, all mics aren’t created equally. And trust me when I say that the frustration of doing a shoot and then going back to your footage and having the audio crackle is enough to make you say some words. I can’t speak to all of the obscure brands that pop up when you search ‘iphone mic’ on Amazon. While I’m sure there are more than three good microphones on the market, these three are trusted brands that I’ve personally vetted:
This is my personal mic and top pick. My RODE wireless for DSLR has been an absolute powerhouse in my gear bag. The battery lasts soooo long, the sound quality is extremely consistent, and wireless range is impressive. It often outperforms my other, more expensive, microphones.
DJI is killing it in the creator video equipment game right now. While I don’t have a DJI mic in my lineup, I do have several pieces of equipment, including a professional video drone. Trust me when I say, you want a reliable company to make the drone you’re using, and DJI is solid. This mic also has the most reviews on Amazon, so is well vetted.
This is my budget pick, at about half the cost of the RODE and DJI. NEEWER was one of the only brands selling pro video equipment on Amazon when I started my video production company in 2018. So, it has been around for awhile. The equipment is not top quality. But, it gets the job done and is a great choice for someone who isn’t using it all day every day.
*This post is unsponsored but contains affiliate links