A $36 Shotgun Microphone...

[Justin Beyerlin]

I have been using the CM-500 condenser mic by K&F Concept for a few weeks now and have decided to talk about my experiences with it. This thing sells for $35.99 on Amazon and is one of the most affordable shotgun mics I’ve found.



The on-board microphone on my Canon 5D Mark II leaves a lot to be desired, and while I am mainly a photographer, I have been dabbling in the video world lately. After searching around some of the most affordable mics to get me started, I honed in on the K&F Concept mic. I have a couple K&F Concept products and have been nothing but happy with their quality and performance so I was optimistic about the quality I’d get with this mic.

When I received the mic, I was immediately impressed by its build quality.



The body is made of metal and feels solid in the hand. The base and hot shoe mount are plastic and the base assembly has some shock absorption built into it. It comes with a foam cover to reduce wind noise, but I think I’m going to get a fluffier dead cat style cover because I live in a pretty windy environment in Alaska. The mic is powered with a CR2032 3V button cell battery that is located in the back end of the body, and they claim the battery can last 50-60 hours. Just be sure to bring an extra battery with you on your shoot, because if you forget to turn it off and the batteries die, you’re out of luck. Still, considering the tiny size of the CR2032, it’s easily justifiable to carry one or two extra in your camera bag.

The sound I can get with the CM-500 is considerably cleaner than that out of the onboard mic on my camera. At the 0dB setting, it’s crisp, clear and has essentially no noise. At +10dB, it can pick my voice up clearly from quite a good distance, but there is some added hissing noise in the quiet parts of the audio. The noise is quite manageable though and is easily removed in post with a modest amount of noise reduction. Overall, I’m quite impressed with the sound I can get with a mic that cost me only $35.99.



I have a couple video shoots coming up in the next month and will be using this mic for them. I hope to report back with some more real-life experience with it on an actual shoot. Overall, my experiences so far have been great and I’m glad I got this thing.

--
-Justin

www.JustinBeyerlin.com
www.Instagram.com/AlaskaHDV
www.facebook.com/JustinBPhotograph

 

[NickZ2016]

If they made an unpowered version or at least used a rechargeable battery I'd think about it.

 

[Justin Beyerlin]

If they made an unpowered version or at least used a rechargeable battery I'd think about it.

 

[BillSprague]

Rhode makes one that does not need batteries. I bought one and like it. B&H does not charge sales tax, so this one is probably about $20 more than the K&F Concept CM-500 at Amazon. It does come with a vibration damping shoe mount and a very fluffy "dead cat" wind block. The Rhode cord is not hard wired to the base, so a variety of cords can be used by plugging into the back. A cord is available that will allow you to use a smartphone as a recorder.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1183909-REG/rode_videomicro_compact_on_camera.html

 

[TXDego]

Rhode makes one that does not need batteries. I bought one and like it. B&H does not charge sales tax, so this one is probably about $20 more. It does come with a vibration damping shoe mount and a very fluffy "dead cat" wind block.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1183909-REG/rode_videomicro_compact_on_camera.html

 

[Justin Beyerlin]

Rhode makes one that does not need batteries. I bought one and like it. B&H does not charge sales tax, so this one is probably about $20 more than the K&F Concept CM-500 at Amazon. It does come with a vibration damping shoe mount and a very fluffy "dead cat" wind block. The Rhode cord is not hard wired to the base, so a variety of cords can be used by plugging into the back. A cord is available that will allow you to use a smartphone as a recorder.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1183909-REG/rode_videomicro_compact_on_camera.html

 

[TXDego]

Rhode makes one that does not need batteries. I bought one and like it. B&H does not charge sales tax, so this one is probably about $20 more than the K&F Concept CM-500 at Amazon. It does come with a vibration damping shoe mount and a very fluffy "dead cat" wind block. The Rhode cord is not hard wired to the base, so a variety of cords can be used by plugging into the back. A cord is available that will allow you to use a smartphone as a recorder.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1183909-REG/rode_videomicro_compact_on_camera.html

 

[BillSprague]

... Have you used the Rode Video Mic Pro? If so, how do you compare the sound quality?

 

[Alan_W1]

Rhode makes one that does not need batteries. I bought one and like it. B&H does not charge sales tax, so this one is probably about $20 more than the K&F Concept CM-500 at Amazon. It does come with a vibration damping shoe mount and a very fluffy "dead cat" wind block. The Rhode cord is not hard wired to the base, so a variety of cords can be used by plugging into the back. A cord is available that will allow you to use a smartphone as a recorder.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1183909-REG/rode_videomicro_compact_on_camera.html

--
Bill Sprague
https://vimeo.com/billsprague

That looks like a great option as well... Have you used the Rode Video Mic Pro? If so, how do you compare the sound quality? I'm always looking for frugal ways to improve my end product

--
-Justin
www.JustinBeyerlin.com
www.facebook.com/JustinBPhotograph

I use both the VideoMic Pro and the VideoMicro, but have not directly compared them so far...as I tend to use them for different purposes { 'Pro' for wildlife video, and Micro for general nature video}.

That said {after using the Micro for a short while now}, I could use this little mic for both purposes in many of my video shooting situations....as it is a nice performer for my outdoor use.

The little windshield that comes supplied with the Micro seems very effective in breezy weather...yet I have often had difficulty with the 'Pro', even with a dead cat under similar conditions.

I suspect there is more friction from wind passing over the remaining exposed plastic on the Pro, which the mic picks up....compared to the very smooth exposed part of the metal barrel of the Micro {but that is just a suspicion}.

I also find the Micro picks up less sound from behind, than the Pro {which for my purposes can be both a pro and con...depending on the situation}.

I have noticed the Micro picks up the sound from my slider, more than the Pro....but for my particular video needs this is a non issue {just an observation}.

I do have to have the camera's audio gain turned up higher with the Micro, than with the Pro, but it is rare for me to shoot video in quiet habitats {always wind, and a river in earshot}.

I think the Micro is great value for money {I wish I had bought one earlier}

 

[NickZ2016]

I have the one between the micro and the pro. Can't remember the name. I notice voices from behind the camera are very off. I know that's the way these microphones are supposed to work but other noises got picked up just fine. It maybe a function of how I had the camera set up.

 

[Justin Beyerlin]

Rhode makes one that does not need batteries. I bought one and like it. B&H does not charge sales tax, so this one is probably about $20 more than the K&F Concept CM-500 at Amazon. It does come with a vibration damping shoe mount and a very fluffy "dead cat" wind block. The Rhode cord is not hard wired to the base, so a variety of cords can be used by plugging into the back. A cord is available that will allow you to use a smartphone as a recorder.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1183909-REG/rode_videomicro_compact_on_camera.html

 

[HRC2016]

The OP has posted other psts that read like ads, apparently in exchange for free merchandise.

 

[DMKAlex]

Is it directional? That is, does it pick up voice in front of the camera while ignoring the one from behind?

 

[Justin Beyerlin]

The OP has posted other psts that read like ads, apparently in exchange for free merchandise.

 

[Justin Beyerlin]

Is it directional? That is, does it pick up voice in front of the camera while ignoring the one from behind?

Yes, but not entirely. It does ignore much of the sound from behind, but it doesn’t cancel it out completely.