What are the best external microphones for Panasonic Lumix cameras?

Question

what external mic is actually worth it for a lumix gh5 setup? ive been doing way more video work lately and the internal audio is just not cutting it for the professional vibe im trying to go for especially with clients. i have a wedding gig coming up in seattle in about two weeks so im on a bit of a time crunch to get this gear sorted before then. im mostly stuck between the rode videomic pro+ and the deity v-mic d3 pro but i also saw the sennheiser mke 400 which looks pretty sleek.

my budget is pretty firm at $250 max because i still need to buy extra batteries and maybe a better sd card for the 4k footage. the rode seems like the industry standard but its kind of bulky and i'm worried itll look weird or get in the way when im running around during the reception. the deity is cheaper and the stepless gain knob sounds cool but i read somewhere that the auto-on feature doesnt always play nice with the lumix power output. then there is the sennheiser which fits way better in my camera bag but i dont know if the sound quality is actually on par with the others for outdoor stuff.

its probably gonna be a rainy outdoor ceremony knowing seattle so wind protection is a huge deal for me. i dont want to spend the whole day worrying if my audio is clipping or if the mic died because i forgot to charge it. im leaning toward the rode just for the safety of it but the deity is like 100 bucks cheaper which would be huge for my bank account right now. i gotta make a choice by friday so i can get it shipped in time for a few days of testing before the wedding. has anyone here used these specifically on a gh5 or maybe a g9? id love to know if the preamps in the lumix make one of these sound better than the others or if im just overthinking the whole thing...

HexHelix · Accepted Answer

Ive been shooting on the GH5 for three years now and honestly, I was in the exact same spot when I started doing more professional event work. I ended up going with the Rode VideoMic Pro+ On-Camera Shotgun Microphone and I have been so satisfied with that choice for one major reason: reliability. When youre doing a wedding, you really dont want to be second guessing if the mic actually turned itself on or if the battery is gonna flake out mid-vows. I had a gig last summer where I forgot to charge the internal battery, but because the Rode takes standard AAs as a backup, I just grabbed some from my bag and kept rolling. It works perfectly with the GH5 power-over-plug, so it shuts down when the camera does. It saves so much stress. I did try a buddys <a href="https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=Sennheiser+MKE+400+Compact+Shotgun+Microphone&#038;BI=8941&#038;KBID=10361&#038;SID=12345&#038;DFF=d50" target="_blank" rel="nofollow sponsored">Sennheiser MKE 400 Compact Shotgun Microphone and while the size is nice and the audio is super crisp, it felt a bit more fragile for a rainy outdoor shoot. The Rode is basically a tank. I looked at the Deity V-Mic D3 Pro Super-Cardioid Shotgun Mic too, but I am a pretty cautious shooter and those reports about the auto-on feature glitching with Panasonic bodies scared me off. Tbh, if you are worried about the bulk, it really isnt that bad once its on the hot shoe. It feels balanced on the GH5 because that camera is already kinda chunky anyway. For me, knowing my audio is safe is worth the extra few bucks... especially with a client paying you.

RobertRucky · Answer

Unfortunately, the Deity auto-on feature is a mess with the GH5 power output. I had issues with it not waking up and missed some crucial audio, which was just embarrassing. The Sennheiser is okay but honestly not as good as expected in high wind...Grab the Audio-Technica AT8024 Stereo/Mono Camera-Mount Microphone for better versatility.Use a dedicated deadcat. Its built like a tank and handles outdoor noise much better than those plastic ones for wedding work, tbh.

QuantumQuill · Answer

Really happy with the Shure VP83 LensHopper Condenser Microphone for my GH5. Its built solid and the physical gain switch is a lifesaver when moving fast during weddings, tbh.