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Review of the Canon DM-E1D Digital Microphone

Started 7 months ago | Discussions
Markr041 Forum Pro • Posts: 10,078
Review of the Canon DM-E1D Digital Microphone
3

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:

 Markr041's gear list:Markr041's gear list
Panasonic ZS100 Olympus TG-5 Canon EOS M Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4 Nikon Z6 +5 more
Canon EOS R5 C Canon EOS R7
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Sgt_Strider Senior Member • Posts: 2,674
Re: Review of the Canon DM-E1D Digital Microphone
1

I'm surprised this microphone hasn't gotten more attention. This seems like a decent microphone, especially for travel? No cable is definitely a plus!

Goodmeme Forum Member • Posts: 52
Re: Review of the Canon DM-E1D Digital Microphone

Sounds great. Have you tested it with usm lenses yet?

I'm just starting out with video, and wondering if I can make it work with my walkaround 35L (i.e. usm focusing lens)  on a future rf body without terrible autofocus noises, or if I will need to swap out the 35L for an stm focusing rf 35mm.

On my 5d4 the 35L makes a terrible racket, even with the little sennheiser mke 200 mic. This Canon mic looks a lot higher up so wondering if it will work better by being further away from the lens...

 Goodmeme's gear list:Goodmeme's gear list
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Canon EOS R6 Canon EF 20mm f/2.8 USM Canon EF 35mm F2.0 Canon EF 35mm F1.4L USM +8 more
Robbey TC
Robbey TC Forum Member • Posts: 82
Re: Review of the Canon DM-E1D Digital Microphone
1

These are interesting opinions by an audio engineer .... watch both

and

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Learning all the time ... trying to get better pictures ... enjoying life

 Robbey TC's gear list:Robbey TC's gear list
Canon EOS R7 Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM Canon RF 50mm F1.8 STM Canon RF-S 18-150mm F3.5-6.3 IS STM
Sgt_Strider Senior Member • Posts: 2,674
Re: Review of the Canon DM-E1D Digital Microphone

Does anyone here know if this microphone is compatible with the Canon EOS RP, Canon EOS R5, and the upcoming Canon EOS R8?

koenkooi Contributing Member • Posts: 920
Re: Review of the Canon DM-E1D Digital Microphone
1

Sgt_Strider wrote:

Does anyone here know if this microphone is compatible with the Canon EOS RP, Canon EOS R5, and the upcoming Canon EOS R8?

Only the R8 has the new fangled hot shoe it needs. The RP and R5 don’t have it.

 koenkooi's gear list:koenkooi's gear list
Canon EOS 7D Canon EOS M Canon EOS M6 II Canon EOS R5 Canon EF 85mm F1.8 USM +20 more
Sage Senior Member • Posts: 2,596
Re: Review of the Canon DM-E1D Digital Microphone

Thanks for posting these You Tube reviews. I appreciate his sincere honesty. Much too often IMO You Tube reviews are done by Canon fanboys, whose reviews I find unhelpful.

 Sage's gear list:Sage's gear list
Canon PowerShot G1 X Sony a6000 Canon EOS 7D Mark II Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Sony a6500 +24 more
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