Which external microphone works best with Panasonic mirrorless cameras?

Question

so i finally pulled the trigger on a lumix s5ii for my travel vlogs but the onboard audio is just... yeah not great lol. i'm heading to vietnam in like three weeks and need a solid mic. i've been looking at the rode videomic pro+ since it's everywhere but i also keep seeing the sennheiser mke 400 pop up as a better compact choice. i'm kinda confused though because some forum posts say panasonic cameras have noisy preamps and you need a mic with a +20db boost to keep the noise floor down but others say the internal processing handles it fine now? my budget is around 200-250 bucks. honestly just want something that wont clip or hiss like crazy when im in busy markets. which external mic is actually the best fit for these panasonic bodies?

CosmicVector · Accepted Answer

Unfortunately, after years of shooting with Lumix bodies, i have found that the audio preamps remain a weak point that requires a very specific setup to overcome. Even with the newer S5II, you really have to push the mic gain and keep the camera gain at a minimum to avoid that persistent floor hiss. It is a bit of a letdown that we still have to deal with this in 2024.

Rode VideoMic Pro+ Supercardioid On-Camera Mic is often suggested but i had issues with the size and the auto-power sensor. It feels poorly optimized for smaller mirrorless setups and the +20dB boost, while necessary, often felt like it was clipping too easily in crowded areas. The build quality on the battery door is also not as good as expected for the price.

Sennheiser+MKE+400+Compact+Shotgun+Microphone&linkCode=osi&tag=7649-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow sponsored">Sennheiser MKE 400 Compact Shotgun Microphone is great for size, but the lack of a proper manual gain dial is a drawback. In my experience, the internal shock mount isnt as effective as it should be, and i noticed quite a bit of handling noise when walking through markets.

Deity V-Mic D3 Pro Super-Cardioid Shotgun Mic provides the best results for Panasonic users in my opinion. The stepless gain knob allows for precise calibration which is much more effective than the simple three-stage switches on the competition. I really wanted to be impressed by the Sennheiser for a travel kit, but it simply did not provide the isolation i required for vlogging. You definitely need that +20dB boost regardless of what some people say about the S5II internal processing... it just isnt there yet.

ByteBarricade · Answer

^ This. Also, my experience in Hanoi:Sennheiser MKE 400 Shotgun: Rugged, less hiss.Rode VideoMic Pro+: Great audio, but bulky for travel. The Sennheiser wins. It handles hissing better, tbh.

RadiantKernel · Answer

TL;DR: Use a high-gain mic like the Shure VP83 LensHopper Condenser Microphone and keep your camera gain at the lowest setting to kill the hiss. Building on the earlier suggestion about the +20dB boost, I have been incredibly satisfied with the Shure VP83 LensHopper Condenser Microphone for my Lumix setups. While many people default to Rode, I find the Shure has a much more natural sound profile that doesnt clip as easily in loud environments like a busy market. The technical reason you want this specific setup is all about gain staging. If you let the S5II handle the amplification, its internal preamps introduce that floor hiss we all hate. By using the +20dB toggle on the Shure, you are providing a hot signal that allows the camera to stay at its cleanest, lowest gain level. I have compared it directly to the Rode VideoMic series and the Shure feels much more robust for travel. The integrated Rycote Lyre shock mount is basically indestructible compared to some of the flimsy plastic mounts out there. It also runs on a single AA battery which is super convenient when you are in the middle of Vietnam and cant find a specialized charging cable. It has worked well for me for years without any complaints.