Review of the Canon DM-E1D Digital Microphone

[Markr041]

This directional microphone only works with Canon cameras that have the new hot shoe. Currently that is the Canon R3, the Canon R7 (new), Canon R5C, and the Canon XF605 professional camcorder.

The advantages of the design are that the mic needs no battery, as it gets power from the camera through the hotshoe - no need to worry about mic power going off - and there is no need for a cable, which reduces the likelihood of external noise pickup.

The mic is also versatile - it has settings for mono shotgun, 90-degree stereo spread and 120-degree stereo spread.

Finally, a button on the mic brings up the audio menu on the camera lcd, where you can set levels (or to auto level), turn on or off a limiter, turn on and off noise reduction, and set the mono-stereo spread.

The mic comes with a deadcat muffler. All these features are a step up from the internal stereo mics of the cameras, which are not directional.

So, how does it sound? I went out to my favorite place for live music - Washington Square Park in NYC. And there I found a grand piano player and a large drum kit played, two very extreme sources of sound.

Here's the 4K video, shot with the R7 and the DM-E1D mic set for 90-degree stereo, no limiter, no wind reduction:

 

[StoneJack]

This directional microphone only works with Canon cameras that have the new hot shoe. Currently that is the Canon R3, the Canon R7 (new), Canon R5C, and the Canon XF605 professional camcorder.

The advantages of the design are that the mic needs no battery, as it gets power from the camera through the hotshoe - no need to worry about mic power going off - and there is no need for a cable, which reduces the likelihood of external noise pickup.

The mic is also versatile - it has settings for mono shotgun, 90-degree stereo spread and 120-degree stereo spread.

Finally, a button on the mic brings up the audio menu on the camera lcd, where you can set levels (or to auto level), turn on or off a limiter, turn on and off noise reduction, and set the mono-stereo spread.

The mic comes with a deadcat muffler. All these features are a step up from the internal stereo mics of the cameras, which are not directional.

So, how does it sound? I went out to my favorite place for live music - Washington Square Park in NYC. And there I found a grand piano player and a large drum kit played, two very extreme sources of sound.

Here's the 4K video, shot with the R7 and the DM-E1D mic set for 90-degree stereo, no limiter, no wind reduction:

I think for a on-camera mike it records pretty decent; it is good there was not much wind (did you use the deadcat?) unfortunately, as it is limited to Canon, probably only Canon users could be excited about the mike and at 300 bucks a bit pricey.

In order to appreciate the mike, I thought that you could record with and without the DM mike so we could compare camera mike and DM mike quality. Hearing just DM recording makes it harder to evaluate, though generally I am pleasantly surprised by the sound quality.

 

[Markr041]

This directional microphone only works with Canon cameras that have the new hot shoe. Currently that is the Canon R3, the Canon R7 (new), Canon R5C, and the Canon XF605 professional camcorder.

The advantages of the design are that the mic needs no battery, as it gets power from the camera through the hotshoe - no need to worry about mic power going off - and there is no need for a cable, which reduces the likelihood of external noise pickup.

The mic is also versatile - it has settings for mono shotgun, 90-degree stereo spread and 120-degree stereo spread.

Finally, a button on the mic brings up the audio menu on the camera lcd, where you can set levels (or to auto level), turn on or off a limiter, turn on and off noise reduction, and set the mono-stereo spread.

The mic comes with a deadcat muffler. All these features are a step up from the internal stereo mics of the cameras, which are not directional.

So, how does it sound? I went out to my favorite place for live music - Washington Square Park in NYC. And there I found a grand piano player and a large drum kit played, two very extreme sources of sound.

Here's the 4K video, shot with the R7 and the DM-E1D mic set for 90-degree stereo, no limiter, no wind reduction:

I think for a on-camera mike it records pretty decent; it is good there was not much wind (did you use the deadcat?) unfortunately, as it is limited to Canon, probably only Canon users could be excited about the mike and at 300 bucks a bit pricey.

In order to appreciate the mik, I thought that you could record with and without the DM mike so we could compare camera mike and DM mike quality. Hearing just DM recording makes it harder to evaluate, though generally I am pleasantly surprised by the sound quality.

The deadcat really makes a difference. Sony also has a digital mic, that works the same way for a select group of its cameras.

I agree, a comparison of in-camera mics and the external mic would be informative, but that is not easy for recording actual performers, since they are not going to repeat the same music just for this purpose. In any case, I want the videos to be interesting in their own right, and having different sounds across a performance is ugly. I know the DM is superior in many ways to the internals, although the internals are not bad.

I am sure there are YouTube videos that compare, but usually (perhaps always) they just compare recordings of the tester's own voice. Narration and interviews are only one use for mics and such tests are quite limited - the stereo property is basically ignored. Indeed there are very few if any music recording tests of mics, because it is normally very expensive. And almost none are of acoustic music if they exist at all.

I may post additional music recordings with the mic. And I might try a comparison - jazz music is very repetitive, so that might work. At least from this video one gets an idea of what you get and a nice performance. Again, the deadcat really makes a difference for outdoors recording, as does the DM's directionality. Wind is a destroyer.

 

[MikeDVB]

Ugh. I’ve been looking for a decent mic for my R5. Wish this was supported.

 

[zakool21]

The Rode NTG mic has been great for me on the R6 and on a boom, but I am opting for the fully digital connection/version now that I have the R3. I'm keeping the NTG for secondary use and for Zoom calls (which is where it has been living anyway).

 

[Markr041]

The Rode NTG mic has been great for me on the R6 and on a boom, but I am opting for the fully digital connection/version now that I have the R3. I'm keeping the NTG for secondary use and for Zoom calls (which is where it has been living anyway).

Just to be clear, the Rode NTG is a fine shotgun mic, but it is strictly mono and thus limited in applications. The Canon digital mic can be used as a mono shotgun but also as a stereo mic, with two patterns, wide and narrow.

 

[Franz Kerschbaum]

Still happy with it? I am still wondering if the limited frequency range is a problem for music and how the noise is in more silent situations like a concert hall. He is quite scepical:

 

[Off The Mark]

Sounds good!

Always nice to hear some Debussy played in a park.

No idea how he gets his piano down there.

 

[Steven Blackwood]

Sounds much better than what you would get normally. Also great to see that you don’t need a cable.

 

[Rik_C]

I just received my DM-E1D. First impressions: great conveniance and good audio pickup as well when speaking directly behind the camera which is often not discussed in reviews but conveniant e.g. when shooting family videos.