What does Royalty-Free vs Rights Managed stock footage/photos or music mean?

Let’s define some terms.

What is stock footage or stock photography?

Stock footage or stock photography is material that you didn’t create yourself that you are using in your project after having obtained it from an outside source. Stock photo websites provide images you can license, usually after paying a fee and agreeing to terms of use (although some websites offer free stock photos).

For instance: Let’s say you’re making a documentary film and one of the people you’re interviewing casually mentions the Eiffel Tower. Later, while you are editing, you decide that you need footage of the Eiffel Tower to help illustrate a part of the story. You don’t have the budget to fly to France and shoot the footage yourself so instead, you decide to find a clip of the Eiffel Tower on a stock footage website which will be much cheaper. So you license stock footage of the Eiffel Tower for use in your project.

What are royalty-free stock footage and royalty-free stock photos?

Stock footage and stock photography (as well as stock music for that matter) generally comes in two different flavors: royalty free and rights managed. The simpler of these two is royalty-free. What does that mean?

Royalty free means that you may use the footage or photos or music in virtually any type of project as many times as you like, to be distributed in any fashion you prefer. It does not mean that the stock photos are free (although depending on which website you find them on, they might also be “literally free for download” in addition to having a royalty-free rights status).

Instead, “royalty-free” just means that you aren’t limited in how many times you incorporate the material into your projects or which types of projects you can use it in. So, for instance, you could use the same royalty-free stock song in 10 different projects. And it doesn’t matter if you’re making a TV commercial or a YouTube video. Royalty-free licensing generally means there are very few restrictions on how you use the material you’ve downloaded. You might even build up your own little private library of royalty-free stock photos or music as you make various different projects over time and find yourself re-using elements.

What are rights-managed photos or footage/music?

Although royalty-free stock footage/pictures and music are common, it’s also common to encounter stock materials that are available only for licensing on a rights managed basis. This tends to be more expensive in general.

Rights managed stock footage/photography etc is material that you are only allowed to use under specific conditions, subject to the licensing agreement that you are bound by. For instance, you might license a specific stock photo for use in a specific project on a rights-managed basis. You might be asked certain questions like what type of project you’re using it in and how it will be distributed before the stock photo website gives you a price for how much it’s going to cost for licensing.

Examples of rights managed agreements include:

• Web use only
• Advertising use
• Publishing & editorial use
• Fictional films or TV programs
• Documentary film use

Often times stock footage websites and so forth will offer low-resolution material for less money, while full quality footage licensed for television broadcast or films is more pricey. Licensing imagery or other material for use in advertising is often the most expensive of all, for rights managed photos, music, or footage.

Related: Storyblocks Audio Review – Is Storyblocks Audio Worth It? All you can download Royalty Free Stock Music Review

What is the difference between creative licensing vs editorial licensing?

There is another important distinction that you will encounter on many websites: whether photographs or footage are available for licensing on an editorial or creative basis. Let’s break down the difference:

Creative use licensing is usually available when a photographer hires models or actors to portray any featured individuals in the footage or photographs. Since they’re hired, they’ve filled out a model release form and have agreed that the material can be used by anyone who buys a license. Stock pictures or footage that you’ve licensed under a creative use agreement can generally be used in fictional storytelling or advertising.

Editorial use licensing is less permissive. Editorial photos or footage are created when the photographer does not have the express permission of the person appearing in the imagery and thus is provided without warranty and should only be used in news or informational content. For instance, a stock photograph of the president taken by a news photographer will likely only be available for licensing under an editorial use agreement so it can probably only be used if you are publishing news reporting or documentary films or nonfiction programming.

Why is this important? Occasionally filmmakers may accidentally use editorially licensed material in a “creative use” manner that may violate the rights agreement. For instance, in one well-publicized scenario in 2019, filmmakers editing a fictional film made for Netflix called Bird Box used real-life news footage of a train wreck in their film. Because the footage wasn’t meant to be used in a “creative use” case (it was really only appropriate for editorial news distribution), Netflix had to re-edit the film to remove the shot. The mayor of the town where the train crashed in real life and 47 people died said Netflix’s use of the footage demonstrated “a lack of respect” for victims.

What does “public domain” mean?

Stock footage licensing, especially for rights-managed materials, can certainly get expensive. But not everything needs to be licensed! Some items are in the public domain which means they can be used for free without any licensing agreement needed.

Public domain footage, photos, or other material are items that are generally not eligible for copyright because of either:

• When the material was made – for instance being so old that the copyright has expired
• How the material was made – items published before a certain date without a copyright notice may be ineligible for copyright protection
• Who the material was made by – items made by US federal government employees as part of their job duties are public domain for instance, which is why all NASA photographs taken on the surface of the moon for instance are un-copyrighted.

Even when materials like footage or photos are not in the public domain, you may be able to use them without paying a license fee if your use falls under a limited set of exceptions called fair use. For more information and examples of the Fair Use Doctrine, at least as it relates to documentary filmmakers, check out the Documentary Filmmakers statement of best practices in fair use.

Frequently asked questions

I’ve heard that if I only use 30 seconds or less of copyrighted material, it’s fair use. Is that correct? No. This is a common misconception but, at least under US law, there is no free blanket right to use copyrighted material if you only use a small part of it. Under the Fair Use Doctrine, it is true that judges may take into account the amount of material used in a courtroom setting in the case of a copyright lawsuit, there is no rule of thumb about how many seconds of material you can use. On a technical level, an artist or creator can be found guilty of copyright infringement just as easily of using 10 seconds of unlicensed copyrighted material versus using ten minutes of material.

What are the rules for using footage on YouTube? YouTube has a content recognition engine that can identify many types of copyrighted material although it will not be able to tell if you’ve properly licensed the footage or songs or are using them unlicensed. If you get a copyright strike or a copyright notice on YouTube, you’ll be able to file a dispute if you have indeed licensed the material. If you haven’t licensed the material, YouTube may take the video down or monetize your video for the copyright holder by putting an advertisement on the video page with the revenue going to the owner of the copyrighted work you infringed upon. Repeated violations may eventually subject your YouTube account to deletion.

What other factors should I be aware of when licensing copyrighted material? One other factor you will want to pay attention to is the term of the license. Royalty-free agreements are generally permanent, while rights managed license agreements may be limited in time (for instance for 1 year or 5-year terms after which it would need to be renewed).

How much does stock footage or photos cost to license? The cost of licensing footage of photographs can vary wildly depending on how rare of a photograph or footage it is, plus how old the material is, plus how you want to use it (in a commercial vs in an indie film for YouTube), plus how long you want to use it for (permanently vs getting a 5 year rights window). It won’t surprise you to learn that the more unique a piece of footage or photograph is, the higher a price the licensor can demand.

Here are some sample footage/photo licensing costs, although there is quite a wide range and these costs may be far higher or lower for particular pieces:

$5 – a photograph of a hand holding an iPhone on a discount stock photo website

$5,000 – rights managed cost for licensing unique photograph of a well-known celebrity at a particular event

$25 – generic b-roll footage of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

$100/second with a 30-second minimum regardless of whether you need to use all 30 seconds – TV news footage licensing agreement for a 2-year rights window

Free – Creative Commons licensed material from a free website like Pixabay

For more on this topic, see our related article: How to license TV news footage for a documentary: How much does TV news footage cost to license?

See also:

What are the steps to make a documentary film? How to make a documentary

Creative B-Roll Ideas for Documentary Filmmakers

Storyblocks Audio Review – Is Storyblocks Worth It? Royalty Free Stock Music Review

How to Make a Low Budget Documentary Film

The post What is the difference between royalty free and rights managed stock photo/film/music licensing? appeared first on Documentary Film Cameras.

Canon C300 Sample Test Footage

Here is some C300 Mk II sample footage. Pay attention in particular to the C300’s shallow depth of field, color, low light situations, and slow motion. This video also highlights some nice bokeh effects.

Sony FS7 Sample Test Footage

Here is some FS7 II sample footage. This video has some silhouettes and timelapse examples in addition to FS7 slow motion examples, shallow depth of field, color handling, low light situations, and slow motion.

Canon C300 vs Sony FS7 Tech Specs Compared

Below we’ll compare the technical capabilities of both the Canon C300 Mk II and the FS7 II cameras. How much do these two cameras overlap and how much is different?

Specification	Sony FS7 II	Canon C300 Mk II
Sensor Type:	CMOS	CMOS
Max Resolution:	4K (4096 x 2160)	4K (4096 x 2160)
Max ISO:	ISO 2,000	ISO 25,600
Max Framerate:	60fps (4K), 180fps (1080p)	30fps (4K), 60fps (2K), 120fps (1080p)
ND Filters	5 Settings	3 Settings
LCD Monitor	8.8cm	10.1cm
Video Format(s)	XAVC, MPEG-4 H.264/AVC	MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
Max Bitrate	600Mbps (4k)	160Mbps (4K)
Media Type	XQD Card (Example price)	CFast Card (Example price)
Weight without lens	4.4lbs (2.0kg)	3.9lbs (1.7kg)
Shoulder Mount?	Included, detachable	Requires kit
RAW/Log Modes?	Yes & Yes	Yes & Yes
Price	Check Price	Check Price

Bottom line on technical comparison between the FS7 and the C300: Both cameras are capable of shooting extremely high quality video in resolutions up to 4K. The FS7 can record higher frame rate 4K video at a higher frame rate than the C300, and at a higher maximum bitrate, but it’s also bigger and heavier (comparing both cameras before adding lenses). Both cameras have pretty different form factors which needs to be taken into consideration as well, which brings us to our next section…

Ergonomics of the Sony FS7 vs the Canon C300

While these two cameras record similar quality footage, one key difference between the C300 and the FS7 is that they have slightly different form factors. The Canon camera, perhaps owing to the still camera ancestory, is configured a bit closer to a chunky (but still small) DSLR than a video camera. Meanwhile the Sony, perhaps because of its own video camera heritage, has a form factor that’s more like a traditional video camera.

While both cameras can be set up with rigs to work in any way you desire, it’s worth considering whether this form factor difference will impact your decision to buy either the Canon C300 or the Sony FS7. The FS7 for instance comes with a detachable Smart Grip with rec recording control as well as a zoom controller and more.

What type of media cards do the Sony FS7 & Canon C300 use? Video out options?

The Sony FS7 has two slots for XQD memory cards. The FS7 also has an SD card slot but that’s only used to copy configuration settings from one camera to another (the FS7 cannot record video to SD cards).

Meanwhile, the Canon C300 Mark II has two CF card slots for recording to CFast cards and one memory card slot for SD cards (which are not fast enough to record at the highest quality settings).

In addition, both cameras have HD-SDI video out and HDMI output ports, allowing you to connect an external hard drive for high quality recording to solid state drives, etc. Both cameras can also output a feed to a range of high quality external monitors. Here are the technical specifications of the video output port options on each camera.

C300 Video Out Ports:
2X HD-SDI MON. terminal, REC OUT terminal, HDMI OUT terminal, headphones terminal, SYNC OUT terminal (also serves as GENLOCK terminal), TIME CODE terminal (input/output switching), VIDEO terminal

FS7 Video Out Ports:
BNC(x2), switchable with 3G-SDI/HD-SDI, SMTPE292M/424M/425M, HDMI

What lens mounts do the C300 and FS7 use?

Here’s what the Sony website says about FS7 lens options:

Sony’s α mount lens system offers unsurpassed compatibility with both Sony and third-party lenses. The FS7’s E-Mount can take Cinema lenses and SLR lenses with a third party adaptor, as well as Sony’s E-mount and A-mount lenses. So whether buying new lenses, or making use of lenses you’ve already purchased, the FS7 makes it easy.

Here’s what the Canon website says about C300 lens options:

Expand your creative options by shooting with more than 90 of Canon’s current interchangeable EF and EF Cinema lenses. Servo zoom support further increases shooting versatility. The camera’s EF lens mount can be switched to EF mount with Cinema Lock or to PL mount, and back again by an approved Canon service centre.

Both cameras can also use lens mount adapters to attach other types of lenses.

How much do the FS7 and the C300 cost? Where to buy the FS7/C300

Amazon offers fast shipping and a great return policy on camera equipment.

The post Sony FS7 vs Canon C300: Video Camera Specs, Sample Footage & More (Which pro video camera to buy?) appeared first on Documentary Film Cameras.

Boom microphone stands & mic stand holders

Light stand with boom arm kit

This is a simple kit that consists of a lighting stand, a boom arm with a clamp for mounting it, and a counterweight. The stand extends up to 6.5 feet tall (about 2 meters) and the boom arm telescopes up to 7 feet long (2.13m). The adjustable counterweight weighs about 12 pounds which is enough to balance shotgun microphones at almost any length extended. You’ll also want to pick up a pair of film sandbags to weight the lighting stand’s legs down for safety so the whole thing doesn’t tip over or come crashing down on your interviewee.

To attach your microphone to the end of the boom arm, you’ll want a shockmount with a standard 5/8″ screw thread, like this one.

Pros: Simple setup, lightweight kit (except for the included but optional 12 pound counterweight!). Can also be used for small lights or other purposes. Doesn’t require you to already have a boom pole.

Cons: Not quite as versatile or rugged as a heavy duty C-Stand. Also can’t accommodate quite as much weight. Doesn’t use a boom pole so if you need to quickly reconfigure and switch into “run and gun” mode you may want to consider a C-stand with a boom pole holder attachment.

Boom pole holder for C-Stands

To use this boom pole holder with a stand, you’ll need: a heavy duty C-Stand, a grip head mount to clamp the holder to the C-stand at an angle, and of course a boom pole, shotgun microphone, XLR cable, and film sand bags to weigh down the C-Stand legs for safety. The length that you can extend this solution to is however long your boom pole is.

Pros: Works with your existing boom pole, allows for quick release, doesn’t generally require a counterweight on the boom pole, works with a standard C-stand if you already have one handy, e.g. for lighting

Cons: Requires more accessories, the C-stand will also generally bit a bit bulkier to set up (although it’s not difficult, just heavier).

Rode VideoMic Complete Boom Kit for DSLRs

If you have a DSLR and you need a way to hold a shotgun microphone above an interviewee while filming, this is a great possible solution. It’s a complete kit with almost everything you need, ranging from a stand to a Rode Videomic for DLSR cameras or camcorders, a wind muff, a 25 foot audio extension cable, and all the mounting gear you’ll need to set it up. The only thing you’ll want to pick up in addition to this all-in-one-kit is a couple of XLR cable, and film sand bags for safety (to weigh down the legs of the stand so it doesn’t tip over – especially if someone trips over the audio cable). The stand extends up to 7 feet tall (2.13 meters). The boom arm is only about 3 feet long and does not extend however.

Pros: Includes just about everything you need to hold a boom mic for an interview, including the microphone itself!

Cons: Only works with DSLRs or camcorders with 1/8th inch audio inputs. Doesn’t work with larger cameras that have XLR inputs (though this may not be a con if you’re using a DSLR to begin with). The boom arm does not extend past about 3 feet in length so you won’t be able to get the stand too far away from the person speaking, which means your shot will need to be relatively close up (not a full body shot).

Frequently asked questions about rigging a boom microphone and pole to a stand

Is it better to get a C-stand with and outfit it with boom pole mounts, or just get a dedicated boom pole stand?

It depends. While C-stands are certainly more versatile and can be used for lots of other things beyond just holding boom poles, they’re also heavier, larger and they may take up more space. On the other hand, C-stands are certainly the sturdiest, most rugged option. Dedicated boom pole stands may be less expensive and easier to transport but they won’t be quite as durable and might not last as long.

Another factor to consider is whether you already have a boom pole that you want to use, or if you’re without a pole to begin with and you only have the shotgun microphone to start off with.

Is there a maximum weight load for these boom pole holder solutions?

Generally speaking, any shotgun mic you use will be light enough that it won’t need much of a counterweight nor will it be too heavy for the boom arm in general. However, if you’re planning to also use the boom arm on a light stand to hold lighting or other items, you’ll probably want to use a C-Stand since that’s the most versatile heavy duty solution.

Top Photo credit

The post Boom Pole Stands & Boom Pole Holders: How to Set Up a Boom Mic on a Stand appeared first on Documentary Film Cameras.

Documentary Film T-Shirts

This shirt reads “I love documentaries” except the word “love” has been replaced with a heart, reminiscent of the iconic “I Heart NY” tourism shirts that everyone recognizes.

This is a great indie filmmaker shirt as well as a T-shirt for people who love watching doc films. Documentary film fans unite! This documentary film shirt is available in both men’s and women’s sizes in the color white only.

Non-fiction T-Shirt

Here’s another great documentary film shirt for filmmakers, people who love documentaries, or general fans of nonfiction. It reads “(non)fiction” in a simple typewriter font style. This is also a great shirt for journalists or reporters because it isn’t film specific.

Broadcast your love of nonfiction content to the world with this nonfiction t-shirt. Makes a great gift as well. Available in men’s and women’s fits.

The Evolution of Cinema Film Shirt

From the days of old-fashioned cinema cameras through the present day of digital cinematography, filmmaking technology has changed quite a bit. This t-shirt pays homage to the filmmakers and cameras of yore through the present day. It features an image of an old cinema camera, a Bolex, a Panavision film camera, an ENG style video camera and a more modern video camera presented in an “evolution of man” style progression. Camera technology has changed a lot and this film shirt tracks the progress from the early 20th century up to the present day in five stages, each representing a different decade in Hollywood and the film/movie/television industry. This is a great shirt for filmmakers or fans of the history of cinema in general. It’s also a great film student shirt. This film shirt comes in black, blue, navy, red, and gray (men’s and women’s sizes available).

This is How we B-Roll T-shirt

This funny documentary t-shirt is for those filmmakers and editors who know the importance of picking the right b-roll. To the casual viewer, b-roll footage is just filler, but creators know how it can enhance a documentary and express a unique style.

This t-shirt declares “This is how we b-roll” with a variety of film and movie cameras from the history of cinema. Available in men’s, women’s, and youth sizes in black, navy, asphalt, royal blue, and brown.

You’ve probably seen plenty of film shirts for generic fiction filmmakers or cinema fans but this is more of a rarity: a documentary film shirt. This is a great shirt for documentary filmmakers as well as a documentary film fan t-shirt. Whether you’re a fan of older classic documentary films like Grey Gardens or Hoop Dreams or The Thin Blue Line, or you’re a fan of newer documentary films like Bowling for Columbine, Super Size Me or An Inconvenient Truth, this is the shirt for you. It takes a special breed to appreciate important indie documentary films as opposed to whatever fictional film Hollywood is putting out at any given time. Broadcast your love of documentary film with this non-fiction t-shirt. Documentary filmmakers and documentary film fans unite! This shirt for documentary filmmakers comes in men’s and women’s sizes in light blue, red, and gray.

Documentary Filmmakers Unite – Documentary Film T-Shirt

Here’s another great t-shirt for documentary filmmakers and documentary film fans. Although the pool of people who make documentaries is probably smaller than the pool of fictional filmmakers, we’re small and mighty! Documentary filmmakers need to support each other and form a community of their own. Embrace this message with this “documentary filmmakers unite” shirt.

This film shirt comes in men’s and women’s sizes in gray, light blue, olive green, and dark gray.

This is the shirt for those film students who dream of getting behind the camera and making their own blockbuster film. Whether they’re in college or university, this shirt proclaims what their focus of study is: Film School.

This is the shirt to wear to class or while producing their first short film. It makes a great gift for aspiring young filmmakers of all genres, including those who love documentaries.

Rock Out With Your Doc Out – Documentary Film Shirt

“Rock Out With Your Doc Out” is a funny shirt for documentary filmmakers with a sense of humor. It features an old-school VHS tape with the words on it, so it’s also a great shirt for retro tech enthusiasts. This film shirt will make it clear that you have both a sense of humor and that you’re a documentary film fanatic. Fun!

This documentary film shirt comes in men’s and women’s fits in white, baby blue, red, gray and orange.

If you liked these shirts for documentary film fans and documentary filmmaker shirts, you might also enjoy feminist shirts for women filmmakers.

The post 8 Shirts for Documentary Filmmakers & Film Fans appeared first on Documentary Film Cameras.

Here are the best high quality action cameras for pro filmmakers

Sony RX0 II 1″ Sensor Ultra-Compact Camera

Sony’s new entrant into the action camera category is an update to its RXO model. The ultra-compact RX0 II comes in a robust, waterproof body perfect for any extreme shooting situation. The biggest upgrade is you can now shoot 4K video internally (3840×2160 24p/30p). This is a mountable compact video camera aimed squarely at the professional filmmaker: it has options for S-Log2, MF assist, picture profiles and more. The Sony RX0’s slow-motion settings allow you to record up to 120 frames per second in HD with a Zeiss f/4 lens and a 1-inch sensor (15.3 megapixels). Capture captivating time-lapse with built-in interval recording between 1 and 60 seconds. Use the mini microphone jack with your favorite external microphone.

Like most action cameras, it’s also waterproof to 33ft (10 meters), shockproof (drops up to 6.5ft/2m), extremely durable, and has wireless controls. Check out some jaw-dropping demo footage that was shot with this tiny action camera:

Vloggers will love the LCD screen that tilts up 180 degrees and down 90 degrees so you can get the perfect selfie angles for Youtube or Instagram videos.

Comes with a rechargeable battery pack, AC adapter, micro USB cable, wrist strap, memory card protector and instruction manual. There’s also a vlogger bundle option that comes with a selfie grip.

GoPro Hero 8 Black

The GoPro wasn’t the first compact action camera but it was the camera that redefined the category. By bringing high-quality imagery to the masses at a low cost and simple controls, the GoPro has become quite common even on some film and TV sets. The latest iteration of the top-of-the-line GoPro Hero Black packs a powerful punch for pros. It records 4K video at up to 60 frames per second and can be cranked all the way up to 240 frames per second at 1080p.

And, importantly, the GoPro Hero Black also features a picture profile called ProTune which allows for advanced color correction (it’s a little like shooting ungraded RAW footage instead of the super-saturated consumer-oriented video modes of many lower-end action cameras). This model is waterproof up to 33 feet (10 meters) without a housing and has a remarkably mature ecosystem for mounts and accessories. Features wifi recording controls for your cell phone.

The built-in camera mount means it’s ready to go with all kinds of GoPro accessories you may already own. If you’re a vlogger or Youtuber, the 1080p live streaming feature is perfect for broadcasting to your followers from anywhere.

Check out this GoPro Hero 8 Black sample footage:

If you’re considering getting a GoPro but you don’t want the pro Hero Black model, see this GoPro comparison chart.

Blackmagic Design Micro Cinema Camera

BlackMagic Design has been coming out with an array of really interesting pro filmmaking cameras lately and the Micro Cinema Camera is no exception. It’s an interchangeable lens camera (you can buy it bundled with a Micro Four Thirds lens here) that doesn’t have a build in LCD. Instead you’ll need to use an external HDMI field monitor or a wireless HDMI solution for setup and operation.

The BlackMagic Micro Cinema Camera is slightly larger in size than a GoPro but it features a pretty incredible 13 stops of dynamic range with a Super 16 size sensor and internal native Cinema DNG RAW and ProRes recording at 1080P. It also has an ISO up to 1600 for low lighting environments.

Check out this test footage shot with the BlackMagic Cinema Camera:

Frequently asked questions about professional action cameras & GoPros

What format does the GoPro shoot in? GoPros record H.264 and H.265 MP4 files that range in resolution from 4K (3840 x 2160) all the way down to 1080p. The top of the line GoPro Hero 8 Black records frame rates up to a full 60 frames per second. Lower resolutions like 2.7K can record at 120 frames per second or an astonishing 240 frames per second in 1080P mode for silky smooth extreme slow-motion effects.

What other types of specialty action camera uses are popular? In addition to action camera use by filmmakers, there are a number of other popular action camera applications these days. are popular, as are cat camera collars/dog collar cameras. Action cameras are also being used with motorcycle helmet camera mounts and the best makeup cameras are also popular among YouTube vloggers.

Why don’t some action cameras have 4K recording onboard? Overheating is always a risk with compact mountable action cameras. Some cameras deal with this by imposing recording time limits and others require the use of external recorders for super high-quality 4K recording modes. Another limitation to recording 4K video is whether or not the media can actually write fast enough– low-speed SDHC memory cards, for instance, may lag or drop frames or corrupt data when trying to record 4K video, so external video recorders that record to SSDs for external video recorders which have very fast write speeds are necessary.

Fortunately, as the technology gets better, we are beginning to see internal 4K recording on more professional action camera models.

Related: External GoPro Microphones

The post The Best Mountable Professional Action Cameras & GoPros for Filmmakers appeared first on Documentary Film Cameras.

Feminist Filmmaker & Women in Film T-Shirts

Female Filmmaker Friday T-Shirt: “Shoot Like A Girl”

This #FemaleFilmmakerFriday shirt features a vintage image of a female camera operator from the days of yore. It has a retro feel to it and encourages people to “shoot like a girl.”

Available in black, olive green, and purple colors (sizes are available for women, men, and youth).

This shirt, like all the shirts on this list, is 100% cotton and stitched in a lightweight classic fit style.

Also available as a hoodie.

The Future of Film is Female T-Shirt

This shirt proudly forecasts the future of the filmmaking industry. It’s a play on the popular slogan “the future is female” which you may have seen. The text style for this film shirt matches the same familiar type of impact labels that are sometimes used on film sets.

This t-shirt celebrates the shift we all hope to see in the film industry: more opportunities for women filmmakers and creatives to work on movies and television.

This feminist filmmaker T-shirt is available in both women’s and men’s sizes in black only. Also available as a hoodie.

Shoot Like A Girl

For too long, the phrase “like a girl” has been negative. But today there are more women cinematographers than ever, and they’re quite talented! Support women in the camera department with this #FemaleFilmmakerFriday shirt. Their hard work and determination bring nuance and brilliant stories and visuals to our screens.

This is also a fantastic shirt for directors and other lady indie filmmakers.

Available in both men’s, women’s, and youth shirts in black, navy, royal blue, white, cranberry, lemon, heather blue, purple, orange & pink colors.

Women Filmmakers Unite! Shirt

Women in Film, Unite! That’s the message of this proud feminist filmmaker shirt. Women are becoming more and more represented in the film industry every year but there’s still a long way to go. With every passing decade, there are more and more female filmmakers working in all kinds of positions: women screenwriters, female directors, women editors, and female gaffers, and more.

Whether you’re a female filmmaker or not, you can help increase visibility and show your support women filmmakers with this shirt. Available in black, purple, and slate gray (sizes are available for women, men, and youth).

Also available as a hoodie for chilly weather.

The Future of Film is Female Feminist Filmmaker T-Shirt

Here’s another great shirt proclaiming “The Future of Film is Female.” This female filmmaker t-shirt is available in both men’s and women’s sizes in baby blue, yellow and pink. Whether you’re a woman filmmaker or a male ally or a fan, encouraging women in film is a great message to promote.

This is a great gift for women who already work professionally in the film industry, women who make documentary films, women in film school, and more. Also available as a hoodie.

Women’s Future Filmmaker T-Shirt

If you know a young woman or teen who dreams of making movies or working behind the scenes, this is the shirt for her. It’s a great tee shirt gift for aspiring young filmmakers and girls who want to work in Hollywood.

Available in women’s, men’s, and youth sizes in black, navy, brown, pink, and purple.

The Future of Film is Female Illustrated T-Shirt

Same message with a bold illustration to match. Yes, the future of film is female! And you can proudly show your dreams or your support of women filmmakers with this comfy and freshly designed t-shirt.

Comes in men’s, women’s, and youth sizes in black, navy, brown, pink, and purple.

Related:
Gift ideas for documentary filmmakers

Shirts for Documentary Filmmakers & Documentary Film Fan Shirts

The post 7 Feminist Shirts for Filmmakers: #FemaleFilmmakerFriday T-Shirts & Beyond appeared first on Documentary Film Cameras.

The best teleprompter brands you can buy online

Parrot Teleprompter for Smartphones

The Parrot Teleprompter system is a cheap teleprompter setup that works with your smartphone. It cradles either your iPhone or Android phone with a free app and reflects the text displayed on your phone’s screen to cover the lens of your camera. The Parrot Teleprompter system is a compact system that can travel easily since it doesn’t take up much space. It’s probably the best teleprompter system for use with smartphones.

This kit works well with DSLRs and other cameras with various lens sizes and it comes with lens adapter to fit on all sorts of brands of camera. It even comes with a Bluetooth remote control that you can use to control the speed of the teleprompter advance. You’ll need to bring your own camera, smartphone, and tripod to this setup.

Glide Gear Adjustable iPad/Tablet Teleprompter Beam Splitter Glass

Here’s a teleprompter for iPad or other tablets (it also works with smartphones too although the text will be smaller). This portable teleprompter kit comes with a soft case for the glass and hood/teleprompter tripod mount. This teleprompter system has a built in bubble level to make sure your camera is on an even surface. Note that larger cameras may not fit on this teleprompter system because it’s really designed for more of a DSLR size camera.

Like most of the other teleprompters in this list, this teleprompter attaches directly to your tripod. (Related article: What is the best video tripod for filmmakers?.)

Ikan Elite Universal Tablet Teleprompter Kit with Elite Remote

If you’re looking for a teleprompter for iPad/Android tablet that works with larger cameras than a DSLR, this tablet teleprompter might work well. It has rods to accommodate a larger pro video camera and features a larger lens hood as well. It works with an iPad or Android tablet and it even comes with a wireless remote control which allows you to adjust the rate of scroll speed for the text reflected on the glass. There is also a version of this product that comes with its own hard travel case.

Ikan PT3700 Teleprompter & Hard Case Travel Kit

If you want a teleprompter system that doesn’t rely on you already having an iPad or other tablet, this system might be up your alley. It’s a professional level teleprompter system that consists of a teleprompter tripod mount, reflective beam splitting glass, a hood, and a 17 inch LCD monitor (different monitor sizes are available too). The monitor connects to your laptop– software for both Mac & Windows is included for professional teleprompter control. This pro teleprompter comes with its own sturdy hard travel case with custom-cut foam inserts so everything fits perfectly. This is one of the best teleprompters under $2,000 on the market today.

Telemax G2-19 Teleprompter

This teleprompter stand has a 19 inch monitor that hooks up to your Mac or PC and uses included software to run (you’ll need a VGA cable to plug it in, which means you may need a VGA adapter as well if your computer doesn’t natively have a VGA output port). The Telemax teleprompter folds flat for storage/travel use and is readable up to 33 feet away. One thing that makes this model different from some other teleprompter equipment in this article is that it has a hard plastic hood instead of a fabric hood to shield the reflective glass. This teleprompter fits most camera sizes from a full sized ENG camera all the way down to a small DSLR camera.

Frequently asked questions about how teleprompters work, teleprompter prices, etc

How do teleprompters work?

Teleprompters have a screen that displays backward white text on a black background. Reflection from that screen is displayed forwards on a piece of glass which is covered on three sides by a hood which allows for a crisp reflection. The camera lens is positioned behind the glass and focused on the person reading the text so it doesn’t see the text reflection itself.

A teleprompter is made up of essentially three parts:

1. The screen which displays the text, usually slowly scrolling upwards as the person speaks (to reveal further text)
2. The glass which reflects the text from the screen below it
3. A hood over the glass which shields it from other light sources reflecting on it so the white text is visible clearly

In some cases teleprompters are not used directly in conjunction with cameras but are instead simply displayed in “standing” configuration for a person’s speech, such as at a political event. Sometimes large LCD televisions with black background and white text are used as teleprompters positioned at the rear of a room as well. A common configuration of teleprompters for speeches is:

With this setup a person speaking can appear to be looking at all portions of the crowd as each teleprompter is displaying the same text so they can move their head around and address different sections around the room.

How much does a teleprompter cost?

Teleprompter price ranges from about $100 for kits that require you to bring your own smartphone or tablet for the screen, all the way up to several thousand of dollars for models that have their own large built-in screens. Teleprompter cost has been falling in recent years thanks to more manufacturers making them, plus the growing popularity of iPads and Android tablets.

Is there a difference between normal teleprompters and teleprompters for speeches?

Yes. In this article we’re listing teleprompters for use with cameras. If you’re interested in stand-alone teleprompters for speeches, check out the other style, sometimes called presidential teleprompters.

What is a beam splitter in the context of teleprompters?

A dielectric beamsplitter mirror (or beam-splitter) are very high quality glass which teleprompters use to reflect text without making it visible by the camera whose lens is behind the text.

Can you use a teleprompter with PowerPoint?

You can if you use a teleprompter that allows you to hook it up to your computer, like some of the higher-end models in this article do. Normally people use special teleprompter software though, and it often comes included with high end teleprompter purchases. You can also use free online teleprompter tools by doing a search for “teleprompter online.”

Can you recommend a good teleprompter tablet for use with teleprompters that require a tablet?

The Apple iPad is a great choice for using a teleprompter with a tablet. There are tons of free and paid teleprompter apps available for iPad, plus it’s such a versatile and long-lasting device you’ll probably also come up with lots of other uses for it too.

Which is better: teleprompters or cue cards?

Between electronic teleprompters and old fashioned words written on pieces of paper (“cue cards”), there’s really no better or worse, but they both have pros and cons. Here are some factors to consider when choosing between using cue cards and a teleprompter.

The post The Best Cheap Teleprompter Equipment appeared first on Documentary Film Cameras.

The best bounce cards & lighting reflectors for video and photography

Neewer 43-inch / 110cm 5-in-1 Collapsible Multi-Disc Light Reflector

First up is a standard round reflector for photo or video use. This is a normal size (approximately 1 meter wide, or
3.5 feet) collapsible disk reflector. It folds into a compact 15 inch wide (35cm wide) round carrying bag which is included. This bounce disc is translucent, meaning it allows a small amount of light to get through to be used as diffusion but it also comes with reversible covers that can make it pure white, pure black (for light absorption/light blocking), gold or silver colored. These covers attach with a zipper. If you don’t have a standard bounce reflector in your lighting kit, this is a basic model to start with. It may not have any specialty flair but nearly every professional cinematographer or photographer has something simple like this in their lighting kit to add fill light to a subject’s face.

Note: if you plan to use this reflector on a set (as opposed to outdoors), you’ll probably want a lighting stand with a reflector holder too.

Reflector with light stand and boom arm kit

Here’s a kit that contains a 5 in one reflector (with diffusion, white, silver, black and gold surfaces), plus a lighting stand and a reflector holder arm to position the bounce disk with. The reflector disk that it comes with also features two hand grips which is, well, handy for when someone needs to hold the reflector by hand (large reflectors can often be a struggle to control when there’s any wind so the hand grips on either side are a welcome feature). This reflector for film and video is 43 inches wide (110 cm), so that’s about three feet seven inches wide when it’s expanded. When you collapse the disc so it fits into the included carrying case it’s only 15 inches wide.

Note: It’s a good idea to get a film sandbag for the legs of the lighting stand to weigh it down so it doesn’t tip over or accidentally get knocked over.

Flat Panel Light Reflector for Video & Photography

If you need a full body length reflector, here’s a good option. This flat panel rectangular reflector measures about four and a half feet tall (140cm) by more than 3 feet wide (100cm) and can provide ample bounce lighting for a standing person. It comes with white reflector fabric, black light absorbent fabric, plus silver and gold fabric which you can swap out. This reflector kit for photo/video use also comes with a lighting stand and mounting gear. You may want to get a film sandbag for the legs of the stand to weigh it down so it doesn’t tip over or accidentally get knocked over.

Wescott Scrim Jim Reflector/Diffusion Panel Kit

The Wescott Scrim Jim is an ingenious reflector product that folds up into a compact carrying case (included). It can serve as a large full body sized reflector or as a diffusion panel to soften the impact of light, depending on what type of fabric you have attached to it. The frame is made of ultra-lightweight, ultra-strong aircraft aluminum and it snaps together quickly and easily. This kit comes with both a 3/4 stop diffusion fabric panel and a reversible white/silver fabric panel. You can also get a set of c-stands with possibly a set of two double clamps to hold the scrim in place. This Scrim Jim is 42 inches x 72 inches (3.5 feet x 6 feet or 106cm x 182cm), although Scrim Jims are available in different sizes too.

Note: It’s a good idea to get a film sandbag for the legs of the c-stand to weigh it down so it doesn’t tip over or accidentally get knocked over.

Reflector Umbrella

Umbrellas can be used as light diffusers particularly in photography with flash bulbs, but also less commonly in video setups sometimes. Typically a light is positioned away from the subject and towards the umbrella, as seen in this umbrella reflector kit, which then bounces the light towards the subject. The result is a nice diffused, bounced light that evenly covers your subject.

Frequently asked questions about bounce discs and reflectors

How do you suspend a bounce disc and position it in a lighting setup without holding it? The best solution is to use a lighting stand with a reflector holder to do this task so a person doesn’t have to continuously hold a bounce panel by hand. This combination is made up of a lighting stand or a heavy duty c-stand, plus a boom arm of some kind which holds the reflector disc and allows you to position it at the right angle to light your subject. Clamps can also be used, depending on your setup. We recommend always using film sandbags for the legs of the lighting stand so it doesn’t either tip over in the wind (if you’re outdoors) or get knocked over by a person tripping on a leg.

Is there a difference between reflectors for photography and bounce discs for video? Not really. Reflectors come in all shapes and sizes and pretty much any reflector or diffuser can be used for either film or video or photography regardless of how it’s marketed. These days most lighting equipment manufacturers will market to both still photographers as well as filmmakers because reflectors are equally applicable to both forms of image capture.

Can you recommend some lights to use with these reflectors? We have several articles about lighting. Here are some that may interest you: Cheap LED Video Lights & LED Lighting Kits, Best Interview Lighting Kits for Documentary Filmmakers, Best Small & Compact Portable Video Lighting Kits.

The post The best bounce discs & reflectors for video, filmmaking & photography appeared first on Documentary Film Cameras.

Since this is a long guide, we’re using a table of contents to help you find what you need faster.

The Best Lavalier Microphones for Documentary Filmmaking & Interviews

There are few pieces of documentary filmmaking equipment more useful than the wireless lavalier microphone. You can use a wireless lav for interviews, put it on a subject as they go about their daily life and you film them, even set a wireless lav on a podium and use it capture sound from the person speaking at a public event. Wireless lapel microphones used to be quite expensive but today they’re a standard part of any documentary film sound kit.

The Best Lavalier Mics for Interviews

Sennheiser EW 112P G4-A Omni-Directional EW System

The Sennheiser G3/G4 is known as a workhorse in the documentary filmmaking community. It’s one of the most common wireless microphones in the industry and for good reason: it’s rugged, easy to use, affordable and sounds terrific. This wireless lav has a good wireless range of up to a couple hundred feet from the transmitter on a person to the receiver unit mounted on the camera.

Sennheiser also sells a G3/G4 kit with a plug on transmitter to use with reporter style interview microphones that you can use with the lav receiver instead of the lav body pack. Uses two AA batteries in the receiver, two in the transmitter.

Sennheiser AVX Wireless Lav System

The venerable Sennheiser G3 also has a bigger brother called the AVX. The AVX is a newer wireless lavalier and it incorporates new tech to provide a better wireless range, rechargeable batteries, and smarter power saving technology. It also has a smaller receiver unit which is lighter on your camera which is especially nice for run and gun documentary filmmaking when you’re not using tripods as much so you get tired faster (less weight is a big win!). With automatic on-and-off switching, the AVX saves battery power and lasts longer than the G3.

Check out this video that shows some of the enhancements of the new AVX wireless lav that make it the best Sennheiser lav mic:

Movo WMIC70 Wireless 48-Channel UHF Lavalier Microphone System

If you’re looking for more of a budget lav microphone for documentary filmmaking, the Movo 70 Wireless Lav might be up your alley. It’s definitely cheaper but can also provide decent quality sound within a 328 foot wireless range. Like the Sennheiser units listed above, this lav mic comes with both XLR and 3.5mm audio outputs so you can plug it into either a pro level video camera with 3-pin XLR inputs as well as DSLRs and camcorders with 1/8th inch audio minijack inputs. If you’re interested in getting a Movo, also be sure to check out the other kits and configurations available such as a dual wireless lav setup or kits with reporter style microphones.

Honorable mention – The Sony UWP-D Lavalier Microphone is another great wireless lav mic for documentary filmmaking. It’s slightly easier on the budget than the Sennheiser versions an provides excellent sound quality at a decent wireless range.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Lavalier Mic for Documentary Film

When you’re choosing which lavalier microphone to get for documentary interviews, there are a few different things to keep in mind:

Compatibility with other systems – All of the wireless lav mics for documentary that we’ve listed here are compatible both with DSLRs/camcorders and also professional video cameras because they include XLR outputs and 3.5mm minijack plugs for your camera. But if you choose a model with that is compatible with other accessories (like the Sennheiser options for instance), you can use this mic to connect to other systems. For instance, if you pair a Sennheiser G3 or AVX which uses a 3.5mm microphone input, you can disconnect the mic cable and swap it for a 1/8th inch to XLR cable which allows you to plug into event soundboards and wirelessly receive the microphone feed at rallies or speeches–quite handy.

Type of batteries – Lav mics tend to burn through batteries in a few hours, although how long your batteries last depends on how actively you’re using them and the distance between the transmitter & receiver. The further apart they are, the harder they have to work to reach each other and the faster your batteries may run down. Especially high or low can also negatively wireless lavalier battery life.

The upshot is, you’re probably going to be going through a lot of batteries if you’re doing heavy shooting with wireless microphones. Many wireless mics use standard AA batteries, although some higher end models like the Sennheiser AVX use rechargeable battery packs. If you’re getting the AVX, we strongly recommend getting extra battery packs for the transmitter & receiver to go with it. Even though its battery packs last longer than typical AAs, nothing is worse than having material to shoot but not enough battery power to film.

Cost – Expense is often a factor for low budget documentary filmmakers and unfortunately the sound department is often the victim of cost cutting. Just remember, nobody gives you credit for having great sound but everyone will notice if your sound is poor quality. Fair or unfair, bad quality sound is often less forgivable than poor picture quality.

The Best Lavalier Microphones for Indie Film

Independent filmmakers work very hard to balance budget demands with a desire to achieve high production values. Even though sound is “invisible” it’s also extremely important and not an area you want to skimp on since poor sound can doom a film faster than many visual problems.

Luckily wireless body microphones are cheaper and higher quality than ever before. It’s entirely possible to build a pro-sounding sound kit for indie filmmaking for affordable prices these days. We’ve done research on the best wireless body mic options. Here they are below.

Wireless Body Mics/Lav Mics for Indie Filmmakers

Sennheiser EW 112P G4 – G Omni-Directional Wireless Lavalier Microphone System

The Sennheiser G4 wireless lavalier microphone is well known in the indie filmmaking community for its versatility, durability and good quality sound. Sennheiser is one of the most respected microphone producers in the world and their G4 lav is a classic. Although its shipping configuration is aimed at documentary filmmakers and television reporters with a lapel clip, you can easily detach the clip and hide this lav under an actor’s shirt with tape (more on this below in the tips section). We would argue that every indie filmmaker looking for a great wireless sound system should at least consider the Sennheiser G4.

Lectrosonics ZS-LRLMb-B1 L Series Kit

If you’re curious which lavalier microphone Hollywood sound departments use, look no further than Lectrosonics. Their high priced, high quality microphones are used extremely frequently in professional Hollywood films. This kit includes the Lectrosonics receiver M152 omni-directional microphone, a transmitter and receiver pack, as well as a semi-soft carrying case to safely store them away with. It also includes mounting hardware to attach this pro-level wireless lav to your camera setup, although many Hollywood sound departments are recording directly to an external audio recorder and therefore have no need for camera mounting hardware.

Saramonic UWMIC9 96-Channel Digital UHF Wireless Lavalier Microphone System

The Sarmonic wireless lav system is used by some low budget indie filmmakers to get good quality sound for the money. It has a wireless range of up to about 300 feet and it provides clear high quality audio. This kit includes both an XLR output cable as well as a 3.5mm minijack for DSLRs or camcorders with 1/8th inch microphone input ports. It also includes camera mounting hardware to secure the wireless receiver to your camera’s hot or cold shoe.

Honorable mention – The Rodelink FM Wireless Filmmaker System is a good medium budget lav microphone for indie filmmakers. It’s also compatible with a neat Rode accessory for easily concealing lav microphones underneath shirts. Since you’ll probably need to hide lav mics underneath clothing for your film, this is an option worth considering.

How to hide a wireless lav underneath clothing

Unlike documentary filmmaking where microphones are commonly seen on screen, indie filmmakers normally need to hide all microphones. Here are three tricks to hide wireless lavs under your actors’ shirts:

Using a vampire clip – A vampire clip (see photo) is a tiny clip that holds a lav microphone and secures it underneath a shirt by sticking two tiny pins as if they’ve “bitten” into the shirt. This won’t work especially well if your actor is wearing light colored clothing since these pins are traditionally black, stick out on top of a person’s clothing, and will stick out and might be visible. But if your actors are wearing coats or dark colored (or patterned) shirts, they can work quite well.

Using tape – You can also use a special type of skin-safe tape to affix the microphone to your subject’s chest or the inside of their shirt. For more on hiding lavalier microphones, check out this video:

Using a Rode Invisilav concealer: Additionally, you may want to consider getting the Rode lav mic and a set of invisible lav holders that Rode makes to easily conceal their microphones underneath clothing. If you go that route, sure to get a minijack to XLR converter if you have a camera with XLR inputs because the Rode FM Wireless Filmmaker System only comes with a 3.5mm jack out of the box. Depending on the size of your lav microphone this invisible lav holder might work with other lavs too (some people are using it with the Sennheiser G3 with good results even though it’s not a 100% perfect fit.)

The best lavalier mics for iPhone, iPad

If you’re recording audio on an iPad or iPhone you already probably know that the quality of these devices’ built in microphones isn’t great. A lavalier microphone for iPhone can be a great solution.

If you have an iPhone that has a headphone jack (like the iPhone 6 or earlier), then you can get a normal 3.5mm lavalier microphone. However if you have an iPhone 7 or later with just the small rectangular Lightning jack, then you’ll need either a lavalier microphone with a Lightning cable or a lav mic with a 3.5mm jack plus two adapters daisy chained together. Below we’re going to break down your options for using a lav mic with an iPhone or iPad.

How to use a lav microphone with an iPhone/iPad

Sennheiser ClipMic digital Mobile Recording Microphone for iOS Devices

Sennheiser makes very high quality microphones and if budget is no concern, we have no hesitation recommending this high quality lavalier microphone for iPhones. It features the ME 2 microphone head– the same model used by professional documentary filmmakers– with a Lightning connector at the end to plug into your iPhone or iPad. It works with the normal iOS voice recording app that comes with your phone, as well as third party voice recording apps. This unit is a plug and play microphone for iPhones– it doesn’t require a special app or software or drivers. This is an excellent quality iPhone 7 microphone, and probably the best lav mic for iPhone 7 that exists today.

Wireless Lavalier Microphone System w/ Apple Lightning to USB Adapter

If you need a wireless lavalier for iPhone or iPad, consider getting a USB lavalier microphone like this one and connecting it to a Lightning to USB adapter like this one.

Professional Grade Lavalier Lapel Microphone for iPhone

If you have an iPhone 6 or another iOS product like an iPad with a headphone jack, you can buy this smartphone lavalier microphone and you’re good to go. If you have an iPhone 7 and above, or other iOS device with just a Lightning jack you can still use this lavalier microphone but you’ll need two adapters to use it. First, you’ll need to plug into a Lightning to headphone port adapter like the one that came with your iPhone (if your phone didn’t come with one or you’ve lost it, you can get a replacement one here). Next, you’ll need to plug a headphone-microphone jack splitter into that. You can get a cheap one of those here. Does that make sense?

Here’s a short video demo-ing how this works with the adapters in practice:

Honorable Mention – If you would prefer a microphone with a Lightning jack at the end of it instead of a clip on lavalier microphone, consider the Zoom iQ6, which plugs directly into your iOS device’s Lightning jack and provides you with a high quality microphone.

The best lavalier microphones for Android smartphones

If you have an Android phone or tablet, it’s pretty simple to plug in a lavalier mic with a 3.5mm jack and record good quality audio. Here are our favorite lavalier mics with 3.5mm headphone-size jacks:

Professional Grade Lavalier Lapel Microphone for Android

This solid quality lavalier microphone for Android smartphones that plugs into your phone or tablet’s headphone jack. It includes the lav mic itself, a removable shirt clip and an extra cable extender in case the original cable is too short for your intended use. The shirt clip is reversible so you can easily configure it to clip on either the right side or left side of whatever article of clothing you’re using (a tie, a jacket, shirt, etc). The cable extender can also be used with headphones instead of the microphone, to provide you with an extremely long-cabled headphone. It comes wrapped with a convenient re-usable velcro tie.

Stony-Edge Condenser Lavalier/Lapel Microphone for iPhone & Android Smartphones

Dual Lavalier Microphone Kit for Smartphones

If you need to do a two-person interview or you’re recording a podcast on your cell phone, consider this two-lavalier microphone kit. It plugs into your phone’s headphone jack and then branches out into three directions. Two of them are lavalier microphones with shirt clips, and the third is a headphone jack so you can wear headphones to monitor the sound quality (optional but helpful in some situations). Be sure to read the description of the item for more information on how it works.

How to use a lav mic with USB C Android phones

If you have a newer Android phone that only has a USB C port instead of a headphone jack, you may still be able to use an adapter cable to hook up a lapel microphone. There are a few possible routes for making this work (although we should note that they may not work with every single Android gear/software combination).

Option A: Use a USB C to microphone dongle to connect a lav mic with a 3.5mm audio jack (like the ones listed above) to your smartphone. Here’s an example USBC to microphone dongle that’s getting decent reviews. Again, keep in mind that depending on what your exact hardware/software combination is, there’s a chance it might not work. Reading the reviews from other customers or using the pre-buy question asking feature can give you clues however.

Option B: Use a USB C to full sized USB adapter and the connect that to a USB lavalier microphone, like this one.

Lavalier microphones that work with DSLRs

Midrange to high end DSLRs typically have microphone input ports but they’re not the same size that professional video cameras have. Pro video cameras typically have XLR audio inputs, whereas DSLRs will often have 1/8th inch microphone jacks that look like headphone ports. So, how do you use a professional lapel microphone with a DSLR that only has a 3.5mm microphone input?

There are generally two options: you can either get a DSLR audio adapter for XLR microphones, or use a lavalier microphone for DSLRs. Below we’ll present a roundup of the best lav mics for DSLRs.

Lav microphones that work with DSLR cameras

Sennheiser EW 112P G3-A omni-directional EW system

The Sennheiser G3 is known as a workhorse in the documentary filmmaking community. It’s one of the most common wireless microphones in the industry and for good reason: it’s rugged, easy to use, affordable and sounds terrific. This wireless lav has a good wireless range of up to a couple hundred feet from the transmitter on a person to the receiver unit mounted on the camera.

Sennheiser also sells a G3 kit with a plug on transmitter to use with reporter style interview microphones that you can use with the lav receiver instead of the lav body pack. Uses two AA batteries in the receiver, two in the transmitter.

Movo WMIC70 Wireless 48-Channel UHF Lavalier Microphone System with Omni-Lav

Movo makes budget-friendly wireless lav microphones which work well with DSLR cameras such as the Canon 5D, 7D, Rebel, Sony A7, Panasonic GH3, GH4, GH5 and many others.

This model of lav for DSLR boasts a wireless range of up to 328 feet. It offers both an XLR cable and a 3.5mm microphone jack that you can use to plug into your DSLR camera or camcorder.

The Movo WMIC70 comes with all the mounting gear you need to affix the receiver to the hot or cold shoe mount on top of your camera and runs off standard AA batteries.

Saramonic UWMIC9 Digital UHF Wireless Lavalier Microphone System<

Sarmonic is a competitor to Movo in the budget lavalier microphone category. Its products come with both DSLR-friendly audio jack hookups as well as XLR cables suitable for bigger professional video cameras. This particular unit offers 96 wireless channels and easy to read displays on both the receiver and the microphone transmitter body pack. It can even auto-scan frequencies to find an available one without interference from other wireless devices nearby. This is one of the best lavalier microphones for the money.

Frequently asked questions about using DSLRs with pro microphones

Can I use a lavalier and a shotgun microphone on a boom pole at the same time with my DSLR?

Yes but it’ll require a bit more gear. In order to use two different microphones with a DSLR you’ll need to use an XLR audio adapter. These breakout boxes take two different microphone inputs and mix them down to a single 3.5mm microphone cable (but still two channel separable stereo) which you can plug into your DSLR. We’ve got an article to help you pick the best XLR audio adapter for DSLRs.

Is there an advantage to using an XLR lav with an XLR adapter for DLSRs instead of using a lav microphone with 3.5mm audio output?

Since XLR audio adapters for DSLRs can be heavy and bulky, we’d generally suggest that you use the 1/8th inch (3.5mm) microphone jack to plug into your digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera directly instead of running it through an adapter first. With that said, if you’re planning to use multiple microphones at the same time (such as a a boom microphone and a lavalier), you’ll need one of these XLR breakout boxes.

Do these lavalier microphones for DSLRs also work with pro video cameras (i.e. with XLR audio ports)?

The lapel microphones for DSLRs that we’ve listed in this section all include both 3.5mm microphone jacks for DSLRs/camcorders as well as full size XLR audio adapters for pro video cameras. That way if you buy a full size video camera with XLR inputs later, you’ll still be able to use these wireless microphones.

What is the best lav mic for DSLR cameras?

If you’re looking for the best DSLR lavalier microphone and money is no object, we’d recommend you consider the Sennheiser AVX system. It offers many of the features of its less expensive cousin model the G3, but the AVX offers some additional features. For one thing its round shaped receiver pack is smaller and lighter than traditional size lavalier receiver. Size and weight is often of particular importance to DSLR videographers and so that’s a win. Plus it has some advanced power saving features which may mean that you need to carry less batteries with you, again lightening your load if you’re shooting as a “one man band” as many DSLR shooters are.

How do I use two lavalier microphones with the same DSLR camera?

In order to use a DSLR camera with two microphones, you’ll need to add an XLR audio adapter for DSLRs which can merge two audio streams into a single cable that you plug into your camera. Of course you could also conceivably use an external audio recorder such as a Zoom recorder to capture audio completely separately from video, although you’ll need to then sync them up later. Generally unless you have really substantial post-production resources we recommend recording audio and video together because it makes your editing process afterward much simpler and less error-prone.

Lav Mics for Camcorders

Consumer level camcorders generally have 3.5mm microphone jacks. Not every lavalier microphone or lapel microphone system works with these– many only offer the larger XLR size audio outputs. In order to use your camcorder with a wireless lapel microphone you’ll need to get a special type of microphone that has 3.5mm (or 1/8th inch– same size) audio output cables. We’ve rounded up the best of these below.

The best wireless lavalier microphones for camcorders

Movo WMIC70 Wireless 48-Channel UHF Lavalier Microphone System with Omni-Lav

This basic lapel microphone for camcorders has a range of up to about 330 feet (100 meters). It’s simple to connect the receiver unit to your camera using the 3.5mm microphone jack, and the transmitter body pack with the microphone comes with a handy belt clip (although you can also place it in a person’s pocket). Both the transmitter and receiver units are powered by 2 AA batteries each and they can last for up to 8 hours of continuous use before they’ll need to be replaced with fresh batteries.

Saramonic UWMIC9 Digital UHF Wireless Lavalier Microphone System

Sarmonic makes decent quality budget lavalier microphones for camcorders. This unit has a range up to 100 meters (over 300 feet) and offers 96 channels to choose from so you can avoid radio interference from other devices.

It also has an auto-scan function which can help you choose a clear frequency to use. This wireless microphone works with camcorders and also full sized professional camcorders with XLR audio inputs. Runs off of AA batteries.

BOYA BY-WM24G Wireless Lavalier Microphone System for Canon 6D 600D 5D2 5D3 Nikon D800 Sony Panasonic Camcorders

This wireless lavalier system for camcorders is one of the easiest to use on the market today. It comes with a 3.5mm audio output jack that you can plug into your camcorder or DSLR and has a maximum range of about 164 feet (50 meters). It doesn’t have a screen since you can’t switch wireless frequencies. Powered by two AA batteries (both the receiver and transmitter) which last for up to 4 hours of continuous use.

Note: this unit does not include an XLR audio adapter which the other two units listed in this section do. So if you plan to get a bigger professional camera with XLR audio inputs later on, consider choosing a different model. If all you need is a lav mic for camcorders with 3.5mm audio microphone inputs however, this is unit may be a good low budget choice.

Frequently asked questions about using lapel microphones with camcorders

These are all wireless microphones; what about wired lapel mics for camcorders?

Generally we recommend people choose wireless lapel microphones since they provide you with much more flexibility in terms of what/how you can shoot, plus there’s no long cable that people can trip over. However if you really need a wired lapel microphone for camcorders, then we recommend the Movo LV1 Lavalier Lapel Clip-on Omnidirectional Condenser Microphone which comes with a 20 foot audio cable to connect to your camcorder. It has a normal 3.5mm audio jack to connect to the “audio in” port on your camera, as well as an adapter for 1/4th inch (6.35mm) audio inputs. Comes with a tie clip and foam windscreen, runs off a LR44 button cell style battery (included) which lasts about 700 hours. You may want to remove the battery from the unit when it’s not in use to avoid any accidental “vampire” power drainage.

How do I adjust the audio level of a lapel microphone?

Each camcorder is a little bit different and some camcorders allow to you manually adjust the volume of external microphones while others do not. Often these audio settings are buried deep in the camcorder’s menu system so we’d recommend first looking to see if you have any options to adjust this. You can also often adjust the volume of the microphone from the receiver or transmitter of your lavalier microphone by using its menu system or external buttons. Consult your manual for more detailed instructions applicable to your specific microphone model.

Lavalier mics for podcasting

Often podcast hosts will use desk-mounted condenser microphones for podcasting, but there are situations where podcasters may want to use lavalier microphones instead. For instance if you’re recording a podcast on the go, using your hands, or you’re recording a live event you might want to be able to clip a microphone to your shirt or jacket. Because there are a lot of different possible podcasting setups, we’ve picked a variety of great lavalier microphones for different configurations below.

Best lavalier microphones for podcasting

Movo M1 USB Lavalier Lapel Clip-on Omnidirectional Condenser Computer Microphone

This is a basic no-frills USB lavalier microphone for podcasting. It works on both Macs and PCs and has a normal USB type A connector at one end and a lavalier microphone with a windscreen and clothing clip on the other. If you need a lavalier microphone for podcasting and you’re planning to record on a computer, this might be a great choice– especially for the money. It has a 20 foot long cable (6.1 meters) and comes in black. Comes with a bonus extra foam windscreen in case your first one gets lost.

Samson SWXPD1BLM5 Stage XPD1 Presentation – USB Digital Wireless System

This is a wireless USB lavalier microphone for podcasting. The kit includes a lavalier microphone, a transmitter body pack powered by two AA batteries, and a USB receiver stick which you plug into your computer. It has a wireless range of about 100 feet and you can use it to record podcasts or other applications where you need to record audio to a computer. Since this is a simple lavalier microphone system you won’t have to fiddle with choosing which wireless frequency to use; it works right out of the box without any setup.

Tascam DR-10L Digital Recorder Lav Mic System with 32GB SD Card and Headphones

If you need to record a podcast without access to a computer, you might want to consider using an all-in-one unit like this Tascam digital recorder with lavalier microphone. It records broadcast quality WAV files to Micro SDHC memory cards and this kit includes a memory card and headphones for monitoring, in addition to the recorder and microphone itself. This is a great lavalier microphone for recording podcasts with if you need to be mobile.

Zoom H4n PRO 4-Channel Handy Recorder Bundle with Movo Omnidirectional and Cardioid XLR Lavalier Microphones

If you want to record a podcast without a computer, this podcast recording kit could be a great solution. It combines a high quality Zoom H4n audio recorder with two lavalier microphones for podcasting. Two people can clip these lapel mics to their shirts and podcast from anywhere, powered by the Zoom unit’s batteries (2 AA batteries not included). The lavalier cables are each about 6 and a half feet long (nearly 2 meters) and you can also record with just the Zoom recorder’s built in microphone array.

Note: if you need a kit with four lavalier microphones for podcasting, instead of just two, consider this kit instead.

Extra tips for using lavalier microphones for podcasting

You can also find lavalier microphones for iPhone/iPad and lav mics for Android phones.

Keep in mind that almost all lapel “clip-on” microphones are omni-directional, which means that they’ll try and pick up sound within a 360 degree circle around you. Their range may not be too far but if you’re in a noisy environment such as in a crowded room, they may pick up some of that background noise. For best results, try to record only in quiet environments.

Generally speaking it will always be easier if you can record all your audio to the same device rather than trying to stitch together multiple audio streams from different devices into one single file. Because of the way different recorders work, there can be small discrepancies in time that get bigger the longer the recording gets.

Lapel microphones for pastors & church use

Lavalier microphones for church can be quite useful because they free the person speaking from standing behind a lectern. Being able to move around can make a sermon more dynamic and can also allow for a wide range of different types of interactions with worshippers. We’ve rounded up the best wireless lapel or lavalier clip on microphones for religious institutions.

Best lavalier microphones for church uses

Sennheiser EW 112P G3/G4 omni-directional EW system

Sennheiser is known for their professional quality audio gear and this lavalier kit for pastors is no exception. It provides a range of about 100 feet (perhaps more in some environments) and it’s also easy to set up and use. It has a wide range of tunable frequencies so you can find a frequency that will work interference-free in your church, synagogue, or mosque.

Nady 401X QUAD Wireless 4-Channel Handheld & Lapel Microphone System with 4 Transmitters

This kit includes a receiver system plus two wireless clip-on lavalier microphones and two handheld microphones. The wireless microphones and lav mics have a range of about 250 feet (and sometimes more under ideal circumstances). The receiver has very simple and easy to use controls with volume knobs for each microphone which allows you to adjust the levels of each one individually. On the reverse of the unit you have four XLR outputs or a 1/4th inch “phono” cable.

Nady ENC DUET Wireless Dual Channel Handheld / Lavalier / Headset Microphone System with 2 Wireless Transmitters

This wireless microphone kit for pastors comes with three microphone options: A standard handheld microphone, a wireless clip on lapel microphone and a headset which can be plugged into the wireless lavalier transmitter body pack. It has a range of up to 250 feet (sometimes more, depending on the space) and runs off of 9V battery packs for up to 10 hours of continuous use before you’ll need to swap out batteries. The wireless components have low battery indicators which tell you when you’ll need to swap batteries.

Frequently asked questions about church microphones

How do I combine the sound from multiple microphone systems to use with my speakers?

If you have multiple wireless systems or multiple microphones working at once that you want to combine into a single stream to send to your speakers, you’ll probably need an XLR mixer like this unit. Make sure you choose one that has both the right number of inputs (how many audio sources/microphones you can plug into it) as well as the correct audio output types for your speakers.

How do I record an MP3 of a sermon so we can put it on the internet or release it as a podcast?

We recommend using a portable recorder which you can plug into your soundboard using a 1/4th inch phono to 1/8th inch microphone input adapter cable.

Lav mics for weddings

Lavalier microphones for weddings need to fulfill a few different requirements: they need to be easily concealable (or at least not super-obvious) and they also need to have decent range and a wide variety of choosable frequencies because of the number of cell phones that will be in the area which can cause radio interference. Below we’ll provide examples of lavalier microphone gear for weddings.

Best lavalier microphones for weddings

Sennheiser AVX Wireless Lav System

The Sennheiser AVX wireless lav system is a great microphone for weddings. It has a range of up to 150 feet, more than enough for most wedding videography uses. It also offers an intelligent link protection feature which can automatically switch frequencies if there is any interference (which is helpful if you have 100 guests with cell phones in their pockets and purses). Plus the Sennheiser AVX has a small and light transmitter and receiver which works with both DSLRs that have 3.5mm microphone jacks as well as full size video camera with XLR inputs.

Check out this video that shows some of the features of the AVX wireless lav that make it the best Sennheiser lav mic:

Sennheiser MKE 1-EW-1 – Omnidirectional Subminiature Lavalier Microphone with Evolution Wireless Connector – White

If you need to put a lavalier microphone on a bride wearing white, there’s a good chance you won’t want to use a traditional black microphone. Sure you can get a white lavalier windscreen, but why bother with that if you can get an actual white lavalier microphone to use with your wireless transmitter and receiver kit? This white lav mic from Sennheiser works with their popular G3 system as well as their advanced AVX lavalier microphone system, mentioned above. The MKE 1-EW-1 is an extremely small, extremely high quality lavalier microphone that’s smaller than the one included in the default AVX or G3 kit, and it comes with white casing. Plus with extra sweat-proof coating above and beyond what most body mics provide, this model is one of the best lavalier microphones for weddings.

Countryman B6W4FF05WSR B6 Omnidirectional Wireless Lavalier Microphone for Sennheiser Transmitters

This tiny Countryman lavalier microphone is ideal for mic-ing up brides. It comes in white and works with Sennheiser and other lavalier microphone transmitters with 3.5mm locking connectors such as the popular Sennheiser G3, the newer Sennheiser AVX, and even lower cost systems like the Saramonic TX10. It’s a little less expensive than the Sennheiser white lavalier microphone but it’s still excellent quality for the money. It features a protective cap that you can remove for cleaning off sweat, makeup, etc and you can draw on it with a felt tipped marker to color it temporarily for additional camouflage.

Other tips for using microphones at weddings

If the wedding you’re filming already has a DJ with a sound system that’s hooked up to amplify wedding vows and the officiant speaking, it’s often better not to try and duplicate the work they’ve already done– instead you can usually piggyback on their setup. If you can get an audio stream out of the DJ’s sound system you can patch that into your camera. We like to use this trick to get a wireless feed from a sound board:

1. Unscrew the microphone from a standard lavalier transmitter pack like the popular Sennheiser G3 to a 3.5mm to XLR cable.

2. Connect the XLR cable to the sound output port on the sound board. You will then have an transmitter that’s broadcasting the “sound out” of the board.

3. Connect the transmitter to your camera and adjust the gain settings on the board, transmitter, receiver, or camera, as necessary (usually you’ll have to crank things way down since the board will often be feeding you line out by default– way too high).

If you arrive with plenty of time before the wedding, or make arrangements ahead of time, this solution can often be worked out with the DJ’s help or the wedding venue’s help if it has a built in sound system.

Best USB lavalier microphones for YouTube & other uses

USB lavalier microphones are useful for a wide variety of purposes. Many people use USB lavalier microphones for YouTube videos or speech to text dictation programs like Dragon Naturally Speaking for instance. However some cheap USB mics are extremely low quality and can lead to sub-par results. We’ve done the research on the best lavalier microphones for computers (PCs & Macs) and we’ve laid out our findings below.

Best USB lav mics for PCs & Macs

Movo M1 USB Lavalier Lapel Clip-on Omnidirectional Condenser Computer Microphone

The Movo M1 lavalier microphone with a USB jack provides you with a generous 20 foot cable and plugs into your Mac or PC. It comes with a foam windscreen and can be clipped to your shirt or another article of clothing. Available in black, no batteries necessary. This is a great microphone for YouTube as well as a good microphone for dictation programs because you don’t need to wear it as a headset which can become uncomfortable over time, and can mess up your hair.

Samson SWXPD1BLM5 Stage XPD1 Presentation – USB Digital Wireless System

In some circumstances you might want a wireless lavalier microphone for computers, for instance if you’re making a podcast or you like to record memos while pacing around the room. This wireless lavalier USB microphone has a range of about 100 feet (30 meters) and consists of a transmitter bodypack, a clip on microphone and a USB receiver unit that plugs into a normal USB Type A port found on most computers today. You don’t need any special software, this USB microphone works with any standard audio recording program that allows audio input from an external computer microphone.

USB Over Ear Headphones with Microphone

In some cases you might want a USB microphone that also provides headphones in the same unit. For those situations a USB headset like this model might be an ideal choice. It combines a pair of high quality over-ear headphones with a microphone. This pair of headphones with microphone is comfortable for several-hour use and provides a generously-lengthed cable. It’s compatible with Macs as well as PCs without any additional software to install. This is also one of the best headsets for gamers.

An additional note about USB lavalier microphones

Although the choices we’ve listed here are “native” USB microphones– that is to say they have USB plugs at one end to connect directly to your computer– you can also connect other types of headphones into a USB port. If you have, for instance, a professional XLR microphone you just need a USB preamp like this unit which lets you hook up an XLR microphone to a USB port. It also works with a variety of other types of audio inputs ranging from RCA cables to 3.5mm microphones and headsets.

Lavalier microphones for GoPro cameras

GoPro cameras can use a variety of different types of microphones and we’ll be breaking down the best GoPro microphones below. One thing that’s important to know is what type of GoPro camera you have. If you have GoPro Hero 5 and above you’ll need one type of microphone but if you have GoPro Hero 4 and below you’ll need a different type. We’re going to list the best external microphones for GoPro cameras below, separated by which type of GoPro they work with.

Best External Microphones for GoPro Hero 3 & GoPro Hero 4

MXL Mics MM-165GP Lavalier Microphone for GoPro Cameras

This lavalier microphone for GoPro Hero 3/4 plugs into your Gopro’s mini USB port and provides you wih a clip on microphone and windscreen. The cable is 5 feet long which will give you plenty of room to mount the Gopro as needed without needing to be too close to the camera yourself. This all in one external clip-on microphone for GoPro is ideal for recording a person’s voice, and it will also pick up higher quality environmental sound than the microphone built into your camera.

Marshall MXL MM-C003GP Mic adapter for GoPro Cameras

If you already have a microphone with a 3.5mm headphone style microphone jack that you want to use with your GoPro, this is an adapter that can help you bridge that gap. On one end it offers a 3.5mm (1/8th inch) female port and on the other end it plugs into your GoPro camera’s mini USB port. This GoPro external audio adapter should work with most 3.5mm microphones.

Saramonic G-Mic Microphone for GoPro Cameras Hero4, Hero3+, Hero3 (Black)

Although this is technically an article about lavalier microphones for GoPros, we’re going to sneak this other external mic for GoPros in here just because it’s quite popular and worth considering. It’s an L shaped microphone that plugs into your GoPro 3 Hero or GoPro 4 Hero’s Mini USB port on the side and then extends upwards to capture sound much better than the tiny microphone built into your action camera. Also be sure to check out the extra furry dead-cat style windscreen which can dampen down wind noise.

Best External Microphones for GoPro Hero 5 and GoPro Hero 5 Session

GoPro Pro 3.5mm Mic Adapter (HERO5 Black/HERO5 Session) (GoPro Official Accessory)

If you have a GoPro Hero 5 or GoPro Hero 5 Session or above you’ll need an external microphone adapter for USB C. This GoPro external mic adapter provides you with two functions: you can use the 3.5mm microphone jack to attach an external microphone (like these) and you can use the USB-C port to hook up to an external power supply to charge your GoPro for extended run recording longer than the camera’s internal battery.

Additional resources & accessories for GoPros

The Best GoPro Carrying Cases

GoPro Camera Comparison Chart

What is the best GoPro Gimbal Stabilizer?

The 3 Most Popular GoPro Selfie Sticks, Boom Arms & Monopods

The best cheap lavalier microphones for the money

Extremely high quality professional lavalier microphones can cost a thousand dollars or even more. However you it is possible to get decent quality sound using a lavalier microphone on a low budget. We’ve rounded up the best cheap lav mics for the money below.

Cheap wireless lavalier microphones

Saramonic UWMIC9 96-Channel Digital UHF Wireless Lavalier Microphone System

Saramonic offers a good cheap wireless lavalier phone that comes with 96 user selectable channels so you’ll be sure to find one that doesn’t have any radio interference on it. It also comes with two types of audio ouputs for you to use, depending on what type of camera you have (XLR pro audio outputs plus 3.5mm microphone jack style outputs). This unit has a range of up to 330 feet in ideal conditions although realistically you probably won’t need to get that far away from the camera. Both the transmitter and receiver run off of two AA batteries each.

BOYA BY-WM24G Wireless Lavalier Microphone System for Canon 6D 600D 5D2 5D3 Nikon D800 Sony Panasonic Camcorders

Here’s another low budget lapel mic. This unit saves money by not including an XLR output so if you have a pro video camera with XLR video inputs you’ll want to look elsewhere. But if you have a camcorder with a 3.5mm headphone jack sized mic input, this model will work just fine. It also saves cost and makes operation easy by only operating on one pre-set wireless frequency.

Azden WMS-PRO Wireless Microphone System

This cheap wireless lavalier microphone has a twist up its sleeve: not only does it allow you to use a clip-on microphone, it also includes a handheld microphone which you can optionally use with the transmitter pack instead of the body mic. Note that this model only comes with 3.5mm microphone jack output for your camcorder or other device– it won’t work with cameras that have full sized XLR audio ports without an 3.5mm to XLR adapter cable.

Extra notes on cheap wireless lavs

You’ve probably heard the old saying, “buy cheap, buy twice.” We haven’t included the absolute cheapest wireless microphone systems since those are almost always poor quality but instead we’ve hunted down the units that at least have decent reviews and features that people commonly need. Still, it is possible that you won’t be satisfied with the results of a very low budget microphone system. In our view the “sound department” is very often overlooked and shortchanged but poor audio quality can often separate a good video from a bad one. So we’d encourage you consider your options carefully when selecting a lavalier microphone system and weigh the pros and cons of choosing an inexpensive mic option vs a more expensive one.

Best lavaliers for undercover microphone recording

If you need to secretly record audio by “wearing a wire” as they say in movies, there are a few different options available to you.

Best undercover microphones for secret recording

Tascam DR-10L Digital Recorder Lav Mic System with 32GB SD Card and Headphones

This recording system will capture high quality audio from a lavalier microphone attached to a small recorder that’s easily concealable. It records audio on a micro SDHD memory card (included). You can tape the microphone underneath your shirt to your chest or clothing and conceal the wire and recording pack underneath your clothing. This is not a wireless recorder; it doesn’t transmit to anywhere, but instead records straight to the unit. Comes with a pair of headphones.

Spy Pen With Hidden Audio Recorder

This spy recorder will capture audio for several hours on its built in memory storage. You can easily slip this pen into a shirt pocket or place it on a desk and hit record to capture audio. It even writes if you need to use it as a pen (it comes with 2 refillable ink cartridges). To transfer it to a computer simply unscrew the top of the pen and plug it in via the included USB connector. It can even serve as an 16GB USB flash drive if desired. Works with Mac OSX and Windows.

Important notes about secretly recording audio

Keep in mind that local laws vary from place to place and before you do any secret audio (or video) recordings, you’ll want to check to see what laws are applicable in your local area. For instance some US states are considered “one party consent states” which means that as long as one party to the conversation knows it’s being recorded (and presumably you know, since you’re doing the recording) it’s legal. Other states however are two-party or all-party consent states which means it may not be legal to record people without their permission.

For more information on your own state’s status, go here and click on your state in the sidebar. If you live outside the United States, be sure to research the legality of secretly recording conversations in your municipality.

Wired lavalier microphones

Most of this article is dedicated to helping you select appropriate wireless lavalier microphones but of course wired lavalier microphones exist as well. Although they’re more limited in how you can use them (and how close you need to be to the camera), they’re also cheaper and they can be easier to operate. With a wired lapel microphone you don’t need to fuss with changing channels or wireless interference.

The Best Wired Lav Mics

Movo LV8-C Broadcast-Quality XLR Omni-directional Lavalier Microphone

Here’s a basic low budget lavalier microphone that connects to your camera with a 6.5 foot (2 meter) XLR cable. It doesn’t require any batteries (it’s powered by the phantom power from your pro video camera with XLR sound inputs) and has an omni-directional pickup pattern. A cardiod version is also available, which will only pick up sound in one particular direction instead of all around. This wired clip on microphone also comes with a soft carrying case for travel use and storage. Note that if your camera doesn’t have an XLR audio input port, you’ll want to consider a different mic.

Stony-Edge Condenser Lavalier/Lapel Microphone for iPhone & Android Smartphones

This is a basic lavalier microphone with a 3.5mm jack that plugs into a microphone or “audio in” port on a camcorder or even a cell phone. It has a cable that measures 50 inches long (1.27 meters) and it comes in black. Includes a windscreen and a tie clip. No batteries necessary.

Movo M1 USB Lavalier Lapel Clip-on Omnidirectional Condenser Computer Microphone

If you’re looking for a lavalier microphone that plugs into your computer, look no further than the Movo M1. It’s a basic wired lavalier microphone for computers and it works with both Macs and PCs without any additional drivers or software (it works with whatever recording app you’re using). You can use it as a microphone to record podcasts, for voice dictation programs like Dragon Naturally Speaking, for YouTube video narration and more.

Notes to consider about getting a wired lavalier microphone

Because of how much wireless lavs have come down in price, we’d still encourage you to consider getting a wireless mic instead of a wired one because of how much more flexibility it gives you. Using a wireless lav you can shoot much further away from the camera and in all sorts of setups you can’t make work with a wired model. Plus with a wireless lapel mic, there’s one less cable to trip over or forget that it’s connected while you start walking away.

Didn’t find what you were looking for? Consider browsing Amazon’s directory listings for lavalier microphones.

Frequently asked questions about lavalier microphones

What is the lavalier definition?

Above: a lavalier microphone with a cable that has not been concealed.

What is the difference between a lapel microphone and a lavalier microphone?

The terms lavalier microphone and lapel microphone are often use interchangeably; they both refer to a microphone which clips on to a person’s clothing (also sometimes called a body mic). Sometimes the term “lavalier” is used more frequently in the filmmaking community and the term “lapel” is used more often in the videography community.

What is the difference between omni-direction lav microphones and directional ones?

Omni-directional microphones have a roughly spherical pickup pattern. This means that audio from roughly any direction around them. By contrast, a directional microphone like a cardioid mic will only pick up audio in one particular direction (or at least it tries to isolate sound). While directional cardioid lavalier microphones do exist, they’re rarer and in some ways more error prone since they won’t pick up the sound of your voice unless you have them positioned perfectly.

How do you mic a two person interview?

There are different ways to capture sound for a two person interview and if you’re shooting one we recommend you read our article: How to mic a sit down interview.

What are lavalier microphones used for?

Lavalier microphones are used for all sorts of purposes in many different industries. Here are some example uses for lav mics:

• Interview microphones for documentary filmmakers or TV journalists
• Wireless microphones for musical theater
• Clip on microphones for YouTube videos
• Lapel microphones for tour guides
• External microphones for camcorders, GoPros, and DSLRs
• Lavalier microphones for indie filmmakers
• Mics to pick up sound far away from cameras

Related: External GoPro Microphones

The post The Ultimate Guide to Lavalier Microphones & Lapel Mics appeared first on Documentary Film Cameras.

Recommended reporter style handheld ENG microphones:

Shure VP64A Omnidirectional Handheld Microphone

Shure, the well known manufacturer of the classic instantly recognizable SM58 “ice cream cone”/”stick microphone,” provides this model of handheld mic for reporters. It’s omni-directional, meaning it has roughly a circular pickup pattern capable of picking up both a reporter and a person they’re interviewing asking them questions. Comes with a windscreen for outdoor use and a microphone mount. First introduced in 2003 this rugged ENG microphone is one of the industry standard mics for TV reporters around the world. Has an XLR plug at the end (if you have a camcorder without XLR inputs or a DSLR see this article about XLR adapters with phantom power or use one of the wireless solutions listed later in this article).

Rode Reporter Omnidirectional Dynamic Interview Microphone

The Rode Reporter microphone is a newer entrant into the interview microphone category and it’s getting rave reviews. It features an extra long stem which allows you to get closer to the action even in situations where there are many reporters gathered around a single person. The Rode Reporter microphone is omni-directional so it can pick up both the interviewer’s voice as well as the interviewee’s voice, no matter the direction of the mic. It also comes with a handy carrying soft bag and an optional over-the-top flag for your logo sticker. Has an XLR plug at the end (if you have a camcorder without XLR inputs or a DSLR see this article about XLR adapters with phantom power or use one of the wireless solutions listed later in this article).

Sennheiser MD 46 Cardioid Interview Microphone

The Sennheiser MD46 is a premium quality handheld interview mic with a special design to reduce wind noise and handling noise of your hand adjusting its grip on the stem. Unlike the other microphones in this list, this is a cardioid microphone which is well suited for noisy outdoor environments because it will isolate the sound of your reporter instead of the background noise. Note: Sennheiser also makes a omni-directional version of the same microphone. Features rugged metal housing and a long stem. Has an XLR plug at the end (if you have a camcorder without XLR inputs or a DSLR see this article about XLR adapters with phantom power or use one of the wireless solutions listed later in this article).

How to Make an Interview Microphone Wireless

There are two basic ways to have a wireless microphone for street interviews. You can either plug in a wireless transmitter and battery pack to the bottom of the microphone, or you can use a special microphone that’s already wireless out of the box, and hook either of these up to a wireless receiver which is connected to your camera. Here are our picks for the best wireless interview microphone solutions:

Sennheiser Wireless Microphone System with Plug on Transmitter, Receiver, Lavalier Mic & Handheld ENG Microphone

If you’re looking for all the interview microphone basics in one bundle, this is the set for you. It includes a microphone for interviews (DSLR compatible), a receiver to attach to your camera (camcorder, pro video camera or DSLR compatible– both XLR and 1/8th inch or 3.5mm jacks are included), plus a lavalier microphone transmitter pack and a plug on transmitter for the handheld microphone. It even comes in a handy Pelican hard case to keep your microphone kit protected. The plug on transmitter will also work with shotgun microphones on boom poles to make them wireless too (although neither a boom pole nor a shotgun mic is included). Note that if you already have a Sennheiser G3 lav kit and a handheld microphone for interviews, you can buy the plug on transmitter separately (just make sure you get the right model for whichever wireless band your Sennheiser G3 lav receiver uses– there are multiple bands available).

Saramonic Wireless XLR Microphone System with XLR Plug-in Transmitter, & Receiver Unit

If you’ve already got a handheld ENG “stick” microphone or you’re planning to purchase one of the models we’ve listed earlier in this article and you want to make it wireless, this Saramonic kit is what you need. It includes a transmitter which plugs directly into the bottom of your microphone’s XLR port and provides power, and a wireless receiver which you can mount on your camera. Both units have easy to read LCD displays and a range of up to 300+ feet. If you have a DSLR or camcorder this will work with your camera as well since it comes with both an XLR cable and a 3.5mm headphone style jack output on the receiver unit.

Note: Saramonic also offers a wireless microphone and transmitter kit.

Interview Microphone Cube Logos/Handheld Microphone Flags:

On television news you frequently see reporters holding microphones with cube shaped or triangle shaped logos on their stems. These microphone cube logos are officially called microphone flags, and they’re a combination of a plastic cube (or triangle) with printed logos upon them. Here are some microphone flags or “microphone interview cubes” to choose from:

Auear Square Cube Shaped Interview Microphone Flag

This basic microphone cube for a station logo comes in white and is large enough to display a 6.7cm x 5.1 cm logo on each of its four sides (2.64 inches by 2.01 inches). Its diameter is 3.9cm, appropriately sized for most professional electronic news-gathering microphones (handheld reporter style microphones) to be held securely with its foam insert.

Triangle Mic Flag for Reporter Microphones

This microphone flag for ENG microphones (handheld reporter microphones) is 9.4cm by 5cm (3.7in x 1.97 in) and has a 3.9cm hole to fit a microphone stem into. Also available in a white version. Made of durable ABS plastic.

Rycote Triangle Mic Flag for Reporter Mics

This triangular microphone flag (“microphone interview cube”) grips your interview microphone with rubber vanes instead of foam which ensures that it won’t slip or wear out over time. Plus you can remove vanes to achieve a custom fit, depending on how thick or thin your microphone is. This model is also available in a cube version which is less expensive.

Additional Accessories for Microphones for Street Interviews:

Foam Mic Cover Handheld Microphone Windscreen, Black

If you’re planning on conducting interviews outdoors, using a foam windscreen will cut down substantially on wind noise. This 5 pack of foam microphone windscreens is shaped appropriately for news interview type microphones (ENG).

Balanced XLR Cable Premium Series Microphone Cable, 25 Foot

If you’re not planning on using your reporter style microphone wirelessly (see the section on wireless handheld mics above) then you’ll need an XLR cable to attach it to your camera. A 25 foot cable is often a good mid-length choice for this purpose and this XLR cable we’ve chosen is great quality and comes in several different colors for visibility to minimize the chance people will trip over it. It also comes in different lengths in case you want a shorter or longer cable.

Reusable Cinch Straps

XLR cable ties are a must if you have any lengths of XLR at all in your workflow. These handy velcro cable ties come in a 10 pack are measure 1 inch wide and 12 inches long– plenty long enough for even a long XLR cable. They attach to your cable and then wrap around either the full coiled cable or a section of it to make it shorter, to keep it snug and secure.

Frequently Asked Questions about Interview Microphones:

What is the best microphone for DSLR interviews?

Any of the microphones used in this article will work with a DSLR if you use an XLR converter box for DSLRs. (In the same way, any of these models with a breakout box can be an interview microphone for camcorder use.) However if you want an interview microphone that works natively with 3.5mm 1/8th inch jacks out of the box without a converter, we suggest considering the wireless Saramonic Handheld Microphone which comes with both an XLR cable and a minijack for smaller cameras. Plus, it’s wireless!

What is the best microphone for interviews with iPhone or Android?

The interview mics listed in this article will not work with cell phones since your phone doesn’t have an XLR input jack. But the good news is there are some microphones specifically designed for use with smartphones. If you have an iPhone or iPad we recommend this model, and if you have an Android phone we recommend this one.

What is the logo cube on a reporter microphone called?

The cube or triangular logo block on a reporter’s microphone is called a microphone flag, flag, or station ID tag.

Related Articles & Resources:

Ultimate Guide to the Best Lavalier Microphones

Ten Killer Documentary Filmmaking Interview Tips

Best Interview Lighting Kits for Documentary Filmmakers

List: Top Shotgun Microphones for Documentary Filmmaking

Best Wireless Lavaliere Microphones for Documentary Film

How to mic a documentary style sit down interview

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