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Customer Ratings & Reviews

Your price for this item is $329.99

Customer reviews

Rating 4.8 out of 5 stars with 28 reviews

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96%
would recommend
to a friend

Customers are saying

Customers are satisfied with the sound quality and appreciate the convenience of the built-in flash recording feature. The backlit LCD screen is also a popular feature, while some customers have expressed concerns about the battery life. Overall, customers are pleased with the VP83F LensHopper Camera Mount Condenser Shotgun Microphone with Flash Recording.

This summary was generated by AI based on customer reviews.

The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.
Page 1 Showing 1-20 of 28 reviews
  • Pros mentioned:
    Audio quality, Lcd screen
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Great alternative to built-in camera mic.

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    This product was sent to me for the purpose of this review. I am not being paid by Shure or BestBuy for this review. The opinions expressed are my own and are not influenced in anyway by either source. From the company that makes two of the most iconic microphones comes a pretty good Camera mic with built-in SD flash recorder. First this mic comes packaged very well. It is in custom cut-out foam inside the box to secure it in shipping. Yes, batteries are included as well. A rare feature of any manufacturer is the included full-size manual written in several languages. Also included is paperwork for the warranty, a safety and warning paper an addendum written in what appears to be Chinese and a sticker. Not a huge fan of product stickers. Shure save your money on printing and do not include them please. Mounting the mic is as simple as mounting a flash. It attaches to the flash shoe on top of the camera. This mic can be used with cameras with or without a mic in jack as it has an internal recorder that uses a microSD card. This is a nice feature as it also gives you a backup recording of the audio if your camera for some odd reason did not record a good audio track. The LCD screen on the back provides access to the menu for adjustments of the mic settings, which there are several and it is very user friendly. There is mic gain, headphone volume, camera output volume, low-cut filter (to remove low frequency rumble) as well as setting for screen brightness and contrast. However setting the proper gain level can be quite tricky if you are a solo YouTuber or other platform creator. It is trial and error until you find the right level as you cannot see the screen while you are standing in front of the mic/camera. Also on the back, there are power and record buttons as well as a joystick that allows you to move around the screen to set various settings like mic gain and headphone output. The mic also has two output jacks for monitoring with headphones and an output for connecting to a camera. It also runs on 2 AA batteries which are included. Shure did not cut corners here, they are using name brand batteries to power the mic. The sound quality is pretty good. If you are recording in a room in your house, be prepared for a bit of room echo. As with any recording at home this is to be expected unless you have sound treatment, even cheap moving blankets hung on the wall will help with this. If you are planning to import the file into a video editing software that allows you to tailor the audio, this really will not be an issue. If you can mount the mic closer to the source you are recording it helps lower the gain needed to record an acceptable audio sample to sync with the video later and help cut out unwanted room noise. The build quality is what to expect from Shure. The mic body seems to be aluminum mounted in a shock mount to help stop vibrations from entering the sound recording. Seems to be built like a tank. They also have included a foam wind screen/ pop filter. You call also purchase a separate fur style wind screen that cuts wind noise by 25dB, according to the Shure web site. I have only recorded a short video to test this mic out vs. the onboard mic that is in my camera. Any external mic is better than what Is built into the camera. Overall impressions of the mic are rather good. The downsides I had found were where the battery polarity indicators are located. The front of the body opens to reveal the battery compartment and SD card slot. The battery compartment has its own door as well and when opened it covers the inside of the main door that has pictures of batteries to show which way, they are supposed to go in. I did not notice this at first and reading the instruction was of no help to show where to look for the polarity markings for proper battery placement. Also, the LCD screen is of no use when standing in front of the camera with the mic attached and trying to set the proper mic gain. These are not major faults to knock off any stars for this review, just a couple of minor annoyances that I found that needed to be pointed out.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Audio quality, Lcd screen
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Clean, crisp sound, durable build, wide stage

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    The Shure VP83F is an easy-to-use camera-mountable condenser shotgun mic with built-it flash memory recording capability. It weighs about 10 oz as the body of the mic is made from a durable metal, and it comes pre-fitted with a foam windscreen and mounted on a Rycote Lyre shockmount. The mic requires 2 AA size batteries but can use various types including alkaline, Li-ion, or NiMH rechargeables. On a pair of alkalines you can expect about 9-10 hours of recording, NiMH 12-15 hours, and 17-23 hours using Li-ion batteries. While a bit on the hefty side, the build quality feels premium. I’m using this mic primarily with my compact mirrorless camera which nearly always produces noisy or unusable audio when recording video. I like that I can attach the Shure mic directly to the hot shoe on top of my camera. The sound captured from the Shure VP83F is clear and more focused with less noise and better clarity than the built-in microphone on my camera. While there was still a bit of ambient noise, even with the low-cut filter enabled, there was far less than what the camera mic picks up. Note that it captures mono audio only. Unfortunately, when used in the hot shoe of my camera, I cannot use my camera’s flip-up LCD for selfie-view nor can I use the electronic viewfinder that also requires the use of the hot shoe. Since the mic can also be mounted onto any ¼”-20 threaded mount, I’ve found that using a flash bracket and attaching it offset to the side of the camera, or simply on a tripod, works better for my particular setup. While the super cardioid/lobar polar pattern is supposed to reject unwanted off-axis sounds, I found that it doesn’t eliminate a whole lot of sound from the sides and back if they're not super quiet, so the sound stage is actually fairly wide for a shotgun style mic. Therefore, the closer you can be to your subject when recording with the VP83F the better, to get that really dialed-in focused audio. That’s why it’s great to have the option to mount it on a tripod off-camera if your camera is far away from your subject. You can output the VP83F’s audio directly into your camera (if it has a mic input jack) using the included AUX coil cable via the red jack located on the left-hand side of the mic and this will replace the onboard audio from the camera’s mic in your video recording. You can simultaneously record the LensHopper’s audio separately to flash memory (microSD card, not included) and sync the audio and video in post-production. The benefit here is that you have a backup copy of the audio track, and the audio recorded directly on the mic may offer better quality since a camera’s preamp could introduce some noise even when using an external mic. Output level to the camera can also be reduced by -20 or -40 dB in the settings depending on your camera’s pre-amp sensitivity. The max card size it can use is 32 GB which can store up to 64 hours of recorded audio in 24-bit 48kHz WAV format. The mic has a second output jack on the right-hand side for headphone monitors so you can listen to the mic’s audio feed live. The live monitoring is great because you can adjust some of the mic’s settings on-the-fly while recording as recording conditions change like mic gain, low-cut filter, and headphone volume (0 to 60). You can also adjust the mic gain from 0 to 60 dB and use the levels meter on the LCD to determine when you’ve got the optimal level of signal to reduce background noise (too little gain) but avoid clipping (too much gain). The levels meter will display when it detects clipping, so you can adjust your settings or distance to your audio source. Of course, if you’re a solo shooter and are also the subject in front of the camera, this feature isn’t as useful since you can’t see the LCD on the mic. I liked that you can also use the monitor headphones to listen to tracks recorded on the microSD card in playback mode right on the mic, so you don’t have to pull the tracks off the card in order to review them, saving me time if I need to reshoot right away. While I thought the tiny LCD screen would be way too small to be useful, I actually was quite impressed with its user-friendliness; it has a bright backlight and the 5-way joystick makes it easy to navigate the menus and settings on the screen to make adjustments. I wasn’t a fan of the shape and feel of the record button though because I found it a bit hard to press and more so when pressing and holding to end a recording since the microphone tends to shift in the shockmount when you try to press the button. The low-cut filter helps reduce low frequency noises and ambient sound like rumbling trucks passing by, machine hum, handling noise, and even wind noise to some degree, which I thought worked pretty well. If you record outdoors though, I highly recommend getting the optional fur windjammer (aka “dead cat” windscreen) to further buffer against noise from wind. Overall, I’m pretty happy with the improvement in sound over my camera’s onboard mic, though the sound in my opinion could be more directional, however, the feature set of the controls gives you a lot of flexibility and customization options to optimize the sound in different recording conditions.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Audio quality
    Cons mentioned:
    Battery life
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Internal SD recording is a game changer!

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Pros: - SD recording in unit (Easily it’s best feature!) - relatively small and lightweight - easy to navigate menus - quickly adjust levels while recording - cold shoe and 1/4in threaded mount options - great recording quality for the average user - a run and gun staple - low cut filter (can be turned off) - adjustable camera out signal dependant on your camera preamp - headphone out for monitoring with separate volume control - Fine gain adjustment to get that sweet spot dialed in - Line out to camera with provided coil cable Cons: - AA battery vs a rechargeable in body battery (can use rechargeable AA though) - screen is a bit small for those with poor eyesight or in bad viewing conditions - battery compartment is not labeled for + and - (it’s a small detail but annoying and easy fix) - maybe not top quality audio you’d expect from Shure but 99% of ears won’t notice - without a “dead cat” windscreen, you’re going to get a lot of wind noise, even with a low cut on, so if you’ll be outside, you’ll need to purchase this separately. (Pretty common issue) THE GOOD: The Shure Vp83F lensHopper is a fantastic shotgun for anything from run and gun to boom mic-ing interviews. This little thing can be used in a ton of situations and can be your main audio source or a backup, or both when you use the optional SD card internal recording. And let’s talk about that available SD recording for a second. This adds so many possibilities to your setup that it’s really worth the extra cost vs a similar mic without internal recording, even the Shure VP83, which is basically the same mic, just without the SD recorder. Having available internal flash recording allows you to not only get a direct, clean recording, but also allows you to move the microphone away from the camera and use it to mic talking head interviews or lock down the camera for a wide shot, away from the subject, and boom mic over or under frame. Once in the editing room, you simply sync audio with your on board camera reference audio track and you’re all set. No longer are you tied to long mic cables or the limits of keeping your mic and camera in the same location. This also negates any bad preamp your camera body may utilize. (More common than you think.) Ok, awesome, but what if you’re doing more of a run and gun, or vlogging on the streets, maybe a walk and talk? The LensHopper is still a great option for that as well! You can mount it to your camera's cold shoe or a standard quarter inch thread anywhere on your camera rig and you’re ready to go. Keep in mind, if you use the cold shoe, depending on your camera body, the mic may block the flip up screen if you are trying to vlog in a “selfie” style shot. In this situation I would recommend an external monitor or moving the mic to a different mount. Regardless of how you mount it to your camera rig, the VP83F is perfect for youtubers and run and gun shooting like wedding receptions or events where you don’t have time to use a lav or set up your better audio equipment. And thanks to the aforementioned SD internal recorder, you can still record directly to the SD card AND into the camera with the provided coiled mic cable. Keep in mind, depending on your camera and the preamp on it, you may need to adjust the camera output levels on the microphone menu to get a good sound into your camera. For my setup with the A7iii (which has a controversial preamp debate) I was able to still get a good clean sound recorded in body but I still chose to use the SD direct recording because in theory, that will always be better. This does however give you a good backup, two audio source redundancy, so if you have a pop, drop out, or corrupt file, etc, you won’t lose your audio and have an embarrassing conversation with your client. THE CONS: A quick note about some of the “cons” I found while testing this mic. One very tiny detail but just bugged me; everywhere I looked, I could not find a little + or - for the battery compartment. I did see two springs at bottom and figured usually negative end to spring, but that didn’t work. I had to arrange the batteries a few times until it was correct and the power came on. Once you figure it out, no problem, but it’s just odd they didn’t bother to mark it. Also with the batteries, I’ve seen other reviews say the compartment is loose and will probably break open in the field. I don’t know if Shure has updated this or other reviewers were testing in earthquakes, but there are TWO latched compartments holding the batteries in and they are pretty tight latches. I don’t see how those could pop open on accident. Battery life seems like it may be an issue and unfortunately means my camera bag will once again be full of AA’s rolling around. The manual includes a general life expectancy for battery type and you’ll definitely want to get rechargeables or at least NiMH to get decent life out of them. Just remember, having extra batteries is the difference between newbies and pros. OVERALL: (TL:DR) I have only had this microphone for about 5 days so I haven’t tested it in EVERY real world situation but I did run it through a lot of simulated tests to avoid surprises out in the field and can say, overall, this is a fantastic little shotgun mic for the everyday user, youtuber, vlogger or run and gun videographer. So often audio is forgotten or done poorly, and this mic won’t make you magically sound better, it’s still a piece of professional equipment and requires professional training and expertise to use correctly. But if you take the time, learn how it works, what it does, and how to get the best out of your gear, then the Shure VP83F will give you nothing but good, clean, quality audio. Stop looking like an amateur by using your on camera mic and get this microphone to dive into the world of pro audio! For those of you looking for specs, I included a picture of the manual specs page with all the juicy details. I won’t get into them here because I think most readers don’t care or understand, but the info is there if you want it. Overall, I love this mic and will be taking it with me everywhere I shoot. It’s compact, powerful, and versatile with a beautiful sound representation for voice capture to help bring better sound to your videos.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Audio quality, Ease of use, Lcd screen
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Versatile High-Quality Shotgun Microphone

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    The Sure Lens Hopper VP83F Shotgun Microphone is a high-quality microphone for your DSLR camera or even as a secondary audio source should one need it. This review will be done in 3 parts – features, usage impressions, and pros/cons: Features: The features of this Microphone are simple but effective. It is a compact but relatively common-looking shotgun microphone for use with DLSR or HD video cameras. It has a built-in Rycote® Lyre® shock mount so that the recording is isolated from vibration and mechanical noise. The Mic has both a headphone out for monitoring and an output port for the microphone port on your camera. What is unique about this microphone is that it has its own integrated Flash Recording feature (uncompressed WAV capture at 24-bit/48khz sampling rate) that allows for high-quality audio capture that in my testing has been better than the audio that is captured via the camera – even when the microphone is plugged into the camera. The microphone has a very small LCD display that is amazingly readable that can be used for monitoring as well as setting up the recording options to be used. The manual states that it supports up to a 32GB micro-SD card, however, I have been using a 64 GB card during my testing without issue. The menus are controlled via a 5-position control joystick/lever. The microphone comes with a foam windscreen (fur windscreen available as an accessory), 2 AA Batteries, and a 3.5 mm detachable coiled cable for connecting to your camera. This microphone has a Supercardioid/lobar pattern to avoid unwanted audio. Usage Impressions: The audio quality of this microphone is top-notch. It is very easy to use, and the feature and capabilities of the flash recording system are impressive, especially with the small LCD screen. The options available in the menus on the microphone include File List, Mic Gain, Headphone, Low Cut, and Utilities (SD card options, backlight, time/date, battery type, camera out, contrast, reset defaults, Device data, update firmware). This Device is a high-quality, versatile shotgun microphone that can be used as a primary audio source or even as a secondary source on a boom or stand when needed. The only challenge here is remembering to start the flash recording and the camera recording when using the integrated flash recording feature. Pros: High Audio quality, Uncompressed Flash Recording, shock mount, monitoring features. Cons: None

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Audio quality
    Cons mentioned:
    Battery life
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Time for an upgrade

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I’m currently using this on my Canon 70D. My passion is photography and videography. But I’ve been doing my best to up my videography game for a while and recently started shooting with a more cinematic vibe in mind, and wanted to upgrade my mics to have even better sound and control. It’s easy to use and attach to the hot-shoe mount. It doesn’t take much to setup, as you can use this straight out of the box, but the benefits and advantages of using this mic goes far beyond just plug and record. The build quality is superb. It has a metal body construction. Its much smaller than my other mic but it weighs slightly more due to its metal construction. It has a solid premium feel and look. It’s also less intrusive sitting on top of my camera or in front of me when on a stand as a boom. It’s a directional mic so it will pick up on sounds directly in front of it. It won’t eliminate background noise but does a heck of a job minimizing it. Most of my footage, is of me speaking or using the audio as a voiceover on certain parts if not all of my footage so this type of mic is always perfect in those situations. And this one does not disappoint. It features a built in recorder. It’s a bit of a learning curve when it comes to adjusting your sound on the mic, especially if you’re use to the old plug and go mics. This one sports a display on the back of the unit to track just about everything when it comes to your sound output/input. This has two jacks; one for input and the other for a headphone. The headphone Jack is useful if you’re behind the camera where you’re able to track, set levels and listen to the sound being recorded. For me I’m usually in-front of the camera so I won’t use the feature as often, but I’m glad it’s there if or when I do need it, if I’m recording footage where I can be behind the lens. A pro for me is that the cord isn’t permanently attached to the mic, like my other one. I can use a much longer cord without having to join multiple extenders together. So I’m able to use this on a boom much more easily. This is useful for background sounds or sounds I want to bring attention to, like pouring tea into cup, cutting vegetables, or similar to highlight my footage. The quality of audio is crisp and clear and the sound is great. It’s not that much of an improvement over my current setup but there is a difference. I’m sure it’ll be even more noticeable once I fine tune my audio settings even more. The Rycote Lyre mount is great for stabilizing and controlling accidental knocking or bumping sounds from being picked up by the mic. When I use this on my cameras hot-shoe it will still pick up the sound of the lens micro adjusting its focus. Which isn’t something I don’t think will go away no matter what mic you use. Luckily, there are different options to eliminate that which isn’t focusing on the mic itself, and I won’t get into, as it doesn’t benefit this review. Another benefit is it has a slot for a micro SD card, which means that the sound can be recorded as a backup and saved. That’s awesome, especially if the sound drops out of your footage at anytime you have a backup ready to go. One immediate negative is that I hate the battery life. Estimated 10 hours on two double A’s. I haven’t ran it for that long to confirm this data. I don’t use my camera continuously for that amount of time, however, I’ve been known to accidentally leave my mic on for days. My other mic uses a 9V and lasts ultimately forever and even when the battery life is low it will still turn on and record quality sound for months. Shameful me, I know, lol. I find myself changing it maybe once a year, if that. So I’m not too fond of the possibility of having to change this out much more frequently. Another negative is that the screen is quite small. I feel like there is room to improve the screen size just a little, but it isn’t a major downside. The display is readable, the backlight is nice and bright and the menus are somewhat easy to navigate, especially once you go through the options several times. It displays everything you need to know right up front so this outweighs the screen size. I’ve been playing with this mic and adjusting the settings to find my sweet spot. Like I mentioned it’s more involved than your regular plug and record mic, but you also don’t need to change a setting out of the box. It’s great. I recommend this mic, if you have the extra bucks definitely upgrade your old mic or if you’re new to this gear, this is a great start as this is one mic you’ll get real use out of.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Audio quality, Lcd screen
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Stellar Audio Camera Recording

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    At first glance, this condenser microphone will leave video and film fans intrigued. Known for their audio quality, Shure is a reputable brand that had me wanting to try their VP83F camera mic. Its shotgun-look but barrel-integrated design with Rycote Lyre suspension (touts zero vibration and mechanical noise caused by microphone mount movement) will call the attention of anyone seeking a compact, high quality, professional recording microphone. The Shure VP83F LensHopper has the ability to attach to your camera or to a mic stand. The packaging includes a windscreen, AA batteries, and an audio aux cable that connects from the left side of the microphone base to your camera’s mic input to record audio. Also, a headphone output is located on the other side of the microphone so you’re able to monitor the sound as you’re recording it. Over on the front (or on the opposite side of the tip of the microphone), is a bright backlit LCD screen, a joystick, and what I call simple buttons to power the microphone on and to record. The button also has a small light in the middle and above to indicate a recording is in progress. The backlit LCD display on the mic is a big plus. Using the joystick on the mount, you’re able to set a time and date to help better label or locate your audio recordings. On the display, you can also set mic gain adjustments from 0 to 60, depending on the sound and levels you are trying to capture. The headphone volume levels can also be adjusted from 0 to 60. The Shure VP83F also has a low cut filter, which you are also able to turn on or off through the settings available on the display. Setting the low cut filter will help minimize any background humming or electronic feedback noise. The most important feature of this mic for any film or video fan, is the ability to record audio at 24 bit 48kHz quality on a microSD card by simply inserting up to a 32GB card and pressing the red record button. Your camera will still be recording audio through the mic. However, using a microSD to record your audio at the same time will allow you to have an audio backup, in case your camera’s audio recording was to become corrupted or to be able to conveniently edit audio later. While testing the mic, without setting the low cut filter and with the volume at 28, the sound level picked up was louder and much clearer than I expected. While recording at an outdoor presentation of my child’s kindergarten choir concert, I greatly enjoyed the details of the voices picked up from the mic. From hearing the children’s voices and instrumental track, to the hand claps and parents’ shouts, the footage and audio recording will help bring this memory back to life in the future. Overall, I recommend this microphone for anyone looking to record not only clearer, better audio for professional recordings, but to capture more detail in their camera audio recordings. There have been times where I connected an external mic to my camera expecting more from my audio. With the Shure VP83F, I am not kidding, there was a huge upgrade and therefore recommend it.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Audio quality
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    If you take your video’s audio seriously, get one!

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Shure has been making microphones for nearly 90 years and they have been used in the music and entertainment industry almost as long. Being a musician and singer I already own several Shure microphones: Super 55, SM 58(2), SM 57 & Beta 58. Singers and musicians have been using the SM 57s (usually used to mic amps) and SM58s (vocals mostly) since the mid 1960s for live performance and they are still in production. So with that kind of pedigree I expected a top notch microphone and I Was Not Disappointed! Before I go any farther I want to make it clear that this microphone and integrated recorder are MONO. If you are wanting or needing a stereo mic then this likely isn’t for you. I compared the Shure mic to the built in mics on my Canon EOS R, 6D and 70D. I also compared it to my Tascam DP-004 pocket 4 track that has a couple of condenser mics built into it. I have used it when shooting video as well as recording live music. I didn’t compare it to any of the microphones I listed earlier because they are Dynamic mics and the VP83F is a Condenser mic. I’m not going to get into the differences between the two in this review other than to say a condenser mic is more sensitive and has a mostly flat frequency response across the audio spectrum. The VP83F is a “shotgun” style mic meant to be mounted on the shoe of a DSLR or Mirrorless camera. You have the option of connecting it to the mic input of the camera (if it has one), using the mic’s built in audio recorder or Both. The latter is nice because you can mix the two in post production. You can even use the mic on a boom or stand. One could even construct a rig to use it with a smartphone if so desired since the mic has an integrated recorder.. Audio is clean and clear and the lows are not muddy. The integrated recorder has 24 bit resolution at a sample rate of 48 khz. My Canon cameras record 16 bit / 48 khz audio. So technically the VP83F should sound better due to a greater bit depth but when I compared the audio from the integrated recorder to the Canon EOS R (2 mics) and the Tascam DP-004 (16 bit / 44.1 khz) they sounded pretty much the same. The VP83F sounded slightly better and you could easily tell it was mono. Compared to the 70D (2 mics), and 6D (1 mic) as expected, the difference was slightly greater. But here’s where the VP83F shines. It’s very directional. It’s only going to pick up what’s in front of it. Not so with the camera’s built in mics or the Tascam. I placed them all on a tripod one at a time and rotated them 180 degrees. I did this outdoors in an open area with a babbling creek about 8 feet away. There was a noticeable difference with the cameras and was even less so with the Tascam. But with the VP83F the difference was dramatic. I could barely hear the creek at all when it was directly behind the camera. I also used it with a telephoto lens with some birds singing in the trees and it soundly beat the camera’s built in mics for getting the birdsong with very little ambient sounds from the sides and none rear. I did the bird test with the Canon EOS R and VP83F (see photo) with the mic’s integrated recorder, and then connected to the camera’s mic input. The EOS R has some pretty darn good mics and preamps but I think the VP83F is a little cleaner overall. The isolation of the subject is what is most noticeable. No rotary switch clicks or lens AF noise will be pickled up either. The VP83F has a tiny LCD screen and joystick to navigate it. (see photos) It has a power button and record button with LED indicators too. The power button is pretty hard to press but the record button is softer. Not sure if this is a defect or by design to prevent accidentally turning it off. Record is lit steady when recording and flashes when paused. LCD shows track, time, battery level and audio levels. (see photo) When connecting it to a camera you can set the output level to match your camera’s mic input by setting the output level settings. Your camera will likely have settings you will need to look at too. My Canons have audio settings for Auto, Manual, Attenuation, Wind. If you just connect the mic to the camera without doing that you will likely have problems. Anything from low noisy audio to overdriven. You can set the microphone gain and headphone output levels. There’s also a Low Cut Filter that “Rolls off low frequencies 170 Hz and below. You can set the time, date, contrast and backlight options. You can play audio tracks back from the VP83F too via screen navigation. If you don’t want / need the integrated recorder Shure has the VP83. I think build quality is superb. Metal casing and plastic shock absorbing mic holder. Brass mounting foot. Battery life ranges from 9.5 hours to 22.5 depending on 2 AA batteries used and recording options. Maximum 32GB card - 64 hours. See manual link below for instructions and complete specs. https://pubs.shure.com/guide/VP83F/en-US Conclusion: Product met my expectations and then some for a Shure product.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Audio quality
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    An excellent sounding versatile microphone

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    As an avid photographer and videographer, I am always looking out for the best tools to get the job done with a professional end result. The first and arguably most powerful feature that drew me to the Shure VP83F, was simply the “F” part of the name. The F stands for flash recording using the Shure preamp (as opposed to the camera preamp) via direct recording to a micro SD flash card (up to 32GB). This is a very useful feature. It not only sounds MUCH better through the Shure preamp (uncompressed 24 bit WAV files), but it also gives you the ability to record simultaneously through the included 3.5mm cable to the internal camera file, thus giving you a backup audio file if needed. Awesome! I mostly use this on top of my mirrorless camera that is flying on a gimbal for fast paced recording. While this mic does add a little weight considering it is mostly made of metal, I don’t find it to be overbearing at all. Especially once everything is balanced properly at initial gimbal setup. That said, I also have a cage for my Hero 9 which enables me to use this microphone on top of my GoPro. Again, since the Shure records to a micro SD card, this is an excellent choice if you are wanting to massively upgrade your audio recordings with a GoPro. In fact, since this is a cold shoe mount, you really could use it for just about any audio recording you want. You could place it on a tripod or light stand, set it just out of frame for voice tracking while using a zoom lens, or even fly it on a boom. A very versatile all-in-one audio recording device. Another great feature that I find helpful with this microphone is the fact that you can use headphones for monitoring with their own dedicated input. You can also set the gain level for your headphones quickly with the center joystick. The visual display menu is extremely small but also very welcome and useful. Here you can set the gain level for recording (including a visual peak warning), set a separate gain level for your headphones, view your track numbers, preview pre-recorded tracks, view battery status, view remaining recording time in minutes, and see at-a-glance if your low cut filter is on or off. If you click the center joystick left/right/up/down, you can also very quickly change any of these features. You can even do any of these adjustments on the fly while you are recording. From the same center joystick, you can also go further into the menu system to format your SD card, update firmware, and even select what type of AA batteries you are using, Alkaline, Lithium, NiMH. It’s great to know you can use rechargeable batteries if you prefer. As a guitar player, I own and use several other Shure microphones for different scenarios. I fully trust the Shure name for audio recording, so it really was a no-brainer for me to use a Shure microphone on top of my camera as well. Ultimately, this is a very feature packed, versatile, and sophisticated (albeit easy to use) microphone. The sound quality is crystal clear and so much better than all of the other camera top mics I have tried, that I can easily and highly recommend the VP83F. Lastly, while the design is rugged, I would have liked if there was at least a zipper clam shell case included for travel. As it stands, you will need to purchase a small case separately. This is a minor gripe and doesn’t change my views of the package whatsoever. If you want to take your camera, camcorder, or even GoPro audio recordings to a way higher level, look no further than the Shure VP83F!

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Audio quality
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Great for Vlogging

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    The Shure VP83F Shotgun Microphone is a great recording device. The audio quality is very good, definitely what you’d expect from a Shure product. It easily mounted on the shoe mount of my Sony a6500. It could also be mounted on a stand with a ¼”-20 thread. There are multiple ways to adjust the gain. The manual is a great resource on getting started with this audio recording device. It has a small learning curve, but it’s rather simple once you know how to navigate to each setting with the joystick. I used this microphone for vlogging which was definitely a step up from the internal camera microphone. If the subject is further than arm’s length, I just have to adjust the gain. The LED readout screen is small but suitable enough for checking levels and navigating the menu. The integrated Rycote Lyre shock mounting system isolates the microphone so it doesn’t pick up noises from vibrations or handheld movements and is supported even further with the integrated low-cut filter feature that can be turned on or off. The only downside of the shock mounting system is that it makes it hard to click the buttons. I have to put some stability on the front or sides of the metal housing to press the buttons or close the battery and memory card compartment. The front panel that opens to show the memory card slot has the battery polarity indicators on it. The battery door requires a good push and a flip of the latch to close properly. This is stated clearly in the manual. This mic uses 2 AA batteries which are included in the package, definitely a plus. The Shure VP83F’s flash recording feature is super handy if you’re wanting a back up .WAV file or recording only audio. Personally, I will mostly be recording through the camera itself, but I’m really glad flash recording is an option for when I need to record audio separately from the camera or if I want to play it back through the mic. It will accept up to a 32GB microSD card and I was able to test it out with a 16GB microSD card. The manual suggests to format the card from the microphone menu. The .WAV files were perfectly satisfactory. Overall, this is a great product and I can definitely recommend it as an on-camera shotgun microphone.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Audio quality
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Must have for a DSLR

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    If your are serious about recording video with your DSLR (or mirrorless) camera at all - you pretty much have to get an external microphone. Camera internal mic is typically noisy, picks up all camera sounds and not sensitive enough. Shure is a well know microphone maker (SM7B is pretty much a gold standard in podcasting) so I was super excited to try their camera mounted microphone! Mic goes on top of the camera into the hot shoe (where flash normally goes) and connects to the camera microphone input via 3.5mm cable (included). Microphone output is a dual mono, unbalanced. Not only this dramatically improves sound quality and makes it possible to record a person standing 10ft away from the camera, but it also cuts down on the noise significantly! This is a shotgun microphone with a pop/wind filter attached to it, it's capable of recording sound frequencies 50Hz to 20kHz. Microphone gain is adjustable 0 to 60 points with 1 point increment, there is a low-cut filter (on/off) which rolls off frequencies below 170Hz 12dB per octave (useful to remove wind noise), however in a windy conditions - wind screen is recommended (model number A83-FUR). Microphone is powered by 2 AA batteries, battery chemistry can be selected in the menu (Alcaline, NiMH or Lithium) so you have accurate lifetime representation. All settings done on the on-board LCD screen and a 5 position joystick. What if you prefer to record sound separately? You don't need a recorder with this mic! It has a micro SD card slot which can hold cards up to 32Gb and record up to 64 hours of sound! SD card recording and camera output are active at the same time, camera output level is independently adjustable as well (LOW, MED, HIGH). Live monitoring is possible via on-board headphone monitoring port (output level is adjustable 0 to 60 with 1 step increments). Overall - microphone quality and amount of possible adjustments is impressive! It can be used without a camera too (just as a standalone recorder), just use the 1/4" mount at the bottom.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Audio quality
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Lightweight Mic, great for audio

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I am a novice photographer and have zero exposure to video recording but, considering my move cross country and that I will be closer to friends who are into vloging and podcasts, I decided to up my game and start studying up video creation. And when this product popped up on my radar, I asked my photography friend what he thought of Shure, and at his recommendation, I snagged one of these. The microphone is not heavy at all, and because I have space in my camera bag, it fits securely there when not in use so the added “weight” is negligible, considering my D750 is the brick of the bag. Set up is easy but if you have a difficult time reading small print, try turning on the back light in a dark environment. I had to get the reading glasses out for it, but navigating the menus are easy, as the center button is also a 4 direction joystick. The manual explains how to connect your camera up to it and set it up, but you may need to refer to your camera manual to configure the settings correctly on that end as well. Be advised you will need a Micro SD card, as it does not come with one. Didn't expect one and I already have a few on hand so I'm not deducting any points from that. This doesn't use power from your camera battery, and I am not sure if that is a blessing or a curse, but this unit uses two double A batteries in a cleverly hidden-esq compartment. (Took a picture cause I found it to be really neat). I carry batteries though for my flash as it is, so again, I'm not inconvenienced by this. Audio quality is great, the wind screen definitely makes the difference. I haven't tested how much space an audio file uses on the card but I offload my card every session so I have a 64gb card and that seems to be fine. Overall, if you want to create content with clear sound, this is a great microphone from a solid company.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Solid sound, slightly dated design

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Pros Long battery life Uses regular AA batteries Can record to microSD MicroSD recording bypasses preamp issues Can dual record to camera and microphone Includes audio monitoring passthrough Can record audio independently Low-cut filter option filters out camera noises Excellent off axis sound rejection Excellent RF protection Integrated shock mount Cons Small, recessed screen can be difficult to read Using click buttons on isolated microphone is awkward Battery door latch is hard to release with larger fingers Battery orientation graphics are hard to see Screen and button design feels antiquated Screen is angled an inset making using at or near head level hard Shure was around long before vlogging was a thing. While there are an increasing number of new vlogging products and microphones, the Shure VP83F is a seasoned offering in camera mounted condenser microphones with the design going as far back as at least 2013. It is uncertain if any changes have been made over the years. It seems unlikely as even the firmware hasn’t progressed beyond 1.0.9 during this time. This might be concerning except that Shure has been designing microphones for so long they have mostly worked out the general design. It has an integrated shock mount system and includes a foam windscreen. Unfortunately, the Windjammer (dead cat) isn’t included. Setup and Performance Getting started is pretty straightforward. Just add batteries and, in most cases, attach it to the hot shoe mount of the camera. The main choice you have is if you want to pass the audio through to the camera for recording or use an SD card to store recordings and bypass the in-camera preamp. If you decide to record the audio in camera, others have recommended turning gain as far down as possible on the camera an only use the gain control on mic. Others have said it is possible to pass audio through as well as record it to the SD card at the same time but it’s hard to find a use case to do both. That said, having the option is nice. In either case, the base of the camera has an audio monitor out so you can hear exactly what the microphone is picking up. The controls are traditional tactile buttons which require a fair amount of force to activate. This might be good for preventing accidental changes, but it has a downside. With the integrated shock mount, button presses either require you to hold the body or press the button until the shock mount binds and can’t move. While operation is reliable, the interface feels dated with a tiny, angled screen set deep into the body. This means not only are changes to gain during recording a bit tricky, seeing the screen without holding it below your head is a bit of a challenge. If you are vlogging solo, you are going to need a have a camera that has a forward-facing screen, hopefully you already do, that can show audio levels. A bonus of having integrated storage is you don’t have to actually use the VP83F on the camera. You can even hold it in your hands if needed as a makeshift microphone. It might seem a bit odd, but it can be really helpful to have one less thing to carry with you. Performance is very good. Off axis noise rejection means you can record audio even with a significant amount of background noise. One setting you must turn on if you are going to be using it mobile is enable low-cut. If you don’t, any adjustments or movements while holding the camera will be recorded as well as some wind and motor noises. Sensitivity is excellent with speech being very clear and rich. In fact, if you have the gain on the higher side, you could inadvertently create an ASMR video as it will pick up breathing and mouth sounds of the subjects you record so some initial setup is a must. Final Thoughts If you are a vlogger looking to improve your audio quality, don’t ignore the veterans of audio looking only at the new kids on the block. Shure might not seem as interesting, possibly even dated, but the functionality is definitely there. Having built in recording also makes getting clean audio far simpler. While the interface could use some modernization, once you get your setup dialed in and just use it, you will find the feature set and audio quality hard to beat.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Audio quality
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Perfectly balanced in weight and quality

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Very light, doesn't add much weight to the camera. Picks up great sound quality and seems to cancel out outside noise good. Shure is shaping up to be a Good Brand.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Cons mentioned:
    Battery life

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Works great

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Works perfectly. Batteries are a pain though. Wished it would have came with a wind sock for outside video.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Audio quality
    Cons mentioned:
    Battery life
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Feature Packed Shotgun Mic

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    If you shoot video with your DSLR, you are likely unhappy with the quality of sound it records. The mics on most DSLRs have underpowered preamps and don’t let you find a decent sign-to-noise ratio. That’s when you realize the need for an external mic. And when go down that path, be sure to put the Shure VP83F on your shortlist. The Shure VP83F isn’t the cheapest shotgun mic for DSLRs on the market, but it packs a lot of features you didn’t know you needed. The primary (but not the only) difference between this and the Shure VP83 is the “F” for flash. That means this model lets you optionally record your audio to a MicroSDHC at a very high quality 24-bit/48kHz sampling rate. You can still use your DSLR to capture reference audio when you record to the SD card on the mic. The VP83F also has fine tuned gain control, letting you adjust gain up to 60 db in 1 -db increments (Note: as of the time of this review, the Best Buy description stating this model has only 3 settings is incorrect. That is for the VP83). That level of control ensures good SNR regardless of your recording environment or subject. All settings and controls are easily configured via a joystick on the LCD display. The text might be a bit small for some folks, but it’s still legible and easier to navigate than a bunch of buttons. The display also gives you a view of battery life, recording space available on the SD card, level meter, and more. The major downside of this mic is that 2 AA batteries will get you about 10 hours of operation versus the 130 hours for the VP83. There are also some minor quirks such as no indicator on the mic for which direction the batteries or SD card should be inserted; but once you’re aware, it’s not an issue. In my test run, the mic delivered on its promise of recording high quality sound. It was certainly better than the reference audio from my camera. I can’t wait for my next shoot.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Audio quality

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Great audio

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    Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Love it. I was able to use this with my Sony a 7S and capture wonderful audio.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Audio quality, Ease of use
    Cons mentioned:
    Battery life
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Great easy to use wonderful sounding microphone

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    This microphone is great. The design is great, I’d easy to use, and it sounds wonderful. Design is ergonomic. It feels well built. The built-in suspension does a great job at keeping the microphone stable. I love that it has a digital screen to see what settings I’m changing. Setup was easy. I just installed the batteries, plugged in the audio cable, and it worked as a thru mic for my device. There’s also an onboard recording button if you’re trying to record directly to the microSD card. Side note: I found the battery configuration is a little misleading. Based on the springs, one would assume that the positive side goes in first for both batteries. However, the configuration is regular (i.e. one battery goes in positive first and the other negative first. The onboard recording is a really nice benefit. It’s not always ideal to mount the microphone in the same spot as the where the camera is shooting from. Having an onboard recorder really allows for the flexibility of mounting the microphone and the camera in different places. Also, if you’re trying to improve the audio quality of an iPhone or Android device that doesn’t have a headphone jack, this is nice because you don’t need an adapter to plug it into your phone. (Worth noting to plug into a mobile device you may need a different audio cable on top of a lightning or usb c audio adapter, make sure to check the specs for your phone. Another great feature of this mic is it has an monitor port where you can plug headphones directly in to listen without latency. Most importantly; this mic sounds great. If you’re upgrading from an onboard microphone on your DSLR, it will be leaps and bounds better than that. It sounds crisp and really isolates voices well. Overall, this is a great microphone and I’d highly recommend to anyone looking for an shotgun microphone with the flexibility of recording independently.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Audio quality, Ease of use
    Cons mentioned:
    Battery life
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Excellent shotgun mic but very poor battery life

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    This turned out to be a difficult to review microphone for me. The Shure VP83F is the product I've been waiting for ever since I made the mistake to get a mirrorless camera that didn't handle external audio sources very well. With it's integral flash recording, the VP83F is perfect in this regard. Audio quality of the recordings is fantastic directly to the microSD card and very good through the camera and headphone monitor outs as well. Controls are super easy to use (surprising considering the tiny screen and 2 buttons + joystick system). It also has a tripod style screw mount built into the shoe mount so you can screw this into an adapter for a mic stand quite easily. My only frustration with the Shure mic is the poor battery life. Due to the screen and extra controls you only get about 10 hours of life out of a pair of AA batteries. In terms of practicality, this means your bag is going to need a couple extra packs of batteries in order to make the VP83F a part of your regular kit. I'm not sure if I've missed it but there doesn't seem like there's an auto power-off feature, and I've killed the batteries once already because I forgot to turn the mic off when done recording. The battery life is an issue even if you don't use the flash recording capability and just use the mic output. So if you're looking for an easy to use, high quality mic to use on a dslr or mirrorless camera (especially one that doesn't have a mic input) - the VP83F is a fantastic choice in general. Unfortunately, the battery life is a major downside that you have to keep in mind if you're considering this type of product.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Audio quality, Ease of use, Lcd screen
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Great shotgun mic

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I have been using this to generate content for my business mounted to my Sony A6400 mirrorless camera. I had previously just used the built in mic I also had some lav mics but didn't find those useful for most of the content I was trying to generate. The VP83F has offered a tremendous upgrade in sound quality. Does a great job of filtering background noise, what your focus is comes in loud and clear. Have not used the built in record to microSD feature yet but will play with that soon. That should offer even better sound quality, but not sure its even necessary for my use case. Built in LCD screen shows useful things like audio level, power level, and it will show you the recording time remaining when using a microSD. This shotgun mic also has a output to go to a set of headphones so you can actively hear the quality of the recording. To be perfectly frank this is probably way above my pay grade, regardless it was easy to set-up and easy to use so I am enjoying the added benefits of a high quality shotgun mic without any headaches to speak of.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Audio quality, Lcd screen
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    A great condenser shotgun microphone!

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    With two kids in orchestra (cello and violin) and theatre, we do a lot of performance recording - from full orchestra to individual performances. Our Full HD camcorder works quite well with its built-in microphones, but we want to do more recordings in 4K and 8K on our phones (without dishing out a lot of money for a new 4K camcorder), but the pick-up on the phone microphone isn't the greatest. I had been looking for a good external microphone for a while when I came across the Shure VP83F LensHopper. After looking at the features, I felt this was the right one to try. While the VP83F is mainly designed for use with DSLR or HD camcorder (any camera with a hot shoe and a 3.5mm mic input - which, unfortunately, neither our older DLSR and HC camcorder have the 3.5mm input), I am able to use it to record on my phone using a TRS to TRRS adapter cable. I also got a phone mount with a cold shoe for our tripod. Once getting the settings on the microphone adjusted, it works great! (Note: you will need to unplug the cable from the phone in order to play back the recording). It definitely picks up the full richness of their instruments with no distortion. Just with the recording to your camera, camcorder or phone/tablet, the VP83F is a great shotgun microphone. But one thing that helps it stand out is the ability to record directly to a microSD card (it will accept up to a 32GB card, which will store around 64 hours of recordings), which it will save in WAV format. With the headphone jack, recording can be played back without plugging the card into a computer. This is a nice feature when just audio is needed without having to set up all of the equipment. Since I also play the piano accompaniment for our kids, this will come in handy when they need to play along with just a recording. To assist with just audio recording, the microphone can be mounted directly to a tripod (using the 1/4" screw slot in the shoe mount). Using the built-in LCD screen (which is fairly small, but completely usable) and joystick, getting everything configured is pretty easy. The gain can be adjusted in 1dB increments. A setting is available to turn on a Low Cut Filter, which will roll off low frequencies 170 Hz and below. There is a Utilities menu to handle everything from the output levels (for the camera output setting, it can be set to HIGH [0 dB], MID [-20 dB] or LOW [-40 dB]), to microSD Formatting, along with different display settings. The recording files on the microSD card can be played, renamed or deleted using the menu. The settings can be adjusted as needed live while (using the headphones to monitor), but I will say that I do find it a little difficult to use the joystick or the power and record buttons without holding the main microphone body steady with my other hand due to the shockmount that connects the microphone to the shoe mount (so keep that in mind). For inserting the batteries for the first time, I couldn't seem to find the polarity labels, so I had to play around to get the batteries installed correctly. I did eventually find the images a few days later, with them being on the outer-most cover near the hinge (somewhat less than obvious battery shapes instead of (+) and (-) indicator). I am definitely not a professional (but much more than a novice), but from what I have seen so far, this should be the top choice for any type of recording with any level of experience!!

    I would recommend this to a friend
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