> i mostly just want to point and shoot without worrying about levels too much. Saw this earlier but just now responding. If you want to avoid messing with levels, you gotta be careful with the ZVE10 internal preamps. I would suggest looking at the <a href=" https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt= Sennheiser+MKE+200+Ultracompact+Directional+Mic&BI=8941&KBID=10361&SID=12345&DFF=d50" target="_blank" rel="nofollow sponsored">Sennheiser MKE 200 Ultracompact Directional Mic because it is dead simple. Since it doesnt use batteries, you never have to worry about it dying in the middle of a shoot. Make sure you manually set your camera audio level around 10 or 12 with this one. Honestly, the biggest mistake is leaving the camera on Auto Gain... itll just boost the street noise every time you stop talking. The MKE 200 is super directional, which helps block out those NYC crowds, but be careful not to talk from the side or youll sound muffled. It comes with a furry windshield too which you 100% need for those wind tunnels between buildings.

Re: "> i mostly just want to point and..." - honestly its just ridiculous how much we are expected to shell out these days for audio gear that basically performs like a toy. i totally get the panic of trying to gear up for a nyc trip last minute but the whole market is kinda a scam at this point. it drives me crazy because:

• companies keep jacking up prices for digital shoe tech that usually just masks really poor raw audio quality with high noise floors
• build quality has gone downhill so much that $200 gets you thin plastic with terrible vibration isolation
• you end up spending a fortune and still dealing with a signal-to-noise ratio that is embarrassing for a modern device it is so frustrating that there is no real middle ground anymore. unfortunately most of these mid-range options are not as good as expected and it feels like the big brands dont care about making something durable for actual street use. i really feel for you tho, honestly hope you find a setup that doesnt fail you in the middle of manhattan.

yo nyc is gonna be crazy loud so you definitely need something better than that internal mic. i actually use the zv-e10 for my street vlogs and i went through this exact same panic last year. honestly... that digital shoe is a total lifesaver when you're rushing around. here is what i think after trying a few different setups:

• Sony ECM-B10 Digital Shotgun Microphone is basically the king of convenience. no cables or batteries to worry about. the digital interface avoids that hiss you get from camera preamps. it has three pickup patterns too, so you can block out stuff behind you.
• Rode VideoMic Pro+ Battery Powered Shotgun sounds way more natural and warm, but its honestly a bit of a chonk on such a small camera body. i always felt like i was gonna snap the cable or forget to turn it on.
• DJI Mic 2 Wireless Microphone System is the play if you want your voice to be crystal clear regardless of sirens. you just clip it on and go. if i were you and i wanted to just point and shoot without the headache... id grab the sony mic. not having to worry about a dead battery or a loose 3.5mm jack while youre dodging tourists in times square is worth it. the processed sound people complain about is usually just the noise reduction doing its job, which you definitely want in a city like that. it's way better than having your voice drowned out by a random taxi horn.