Unlike the omnidirectional mics built into most cameras, the XM-50's supercardioid polar pattern delivers focused frontal pickup with less ambient noise. It runs for up to 120 hours on two AA batteries (available separately) and connects to your camera via its attached 3.5mm TRS cable. It incorporates onboard switches for gain control and high-pass filtering, allowing you to optimize signal quality at the mic rather than in postproduction.
Directional Shotgun Condenser Microphone
Compared to the omnidirectional mics built into most cameras, the supercardioid condenser capsule of the XM-50 provides more focused, directional, and detailed sound pickup. This helps you achieve more intelligible speech capture with less ambience and noise.
Easy Hookup to Camera
The XM-50's cable is permanently attached to the mic for fast hookup to your camera, and you don't have to worry about misplacing the cable. It utilizes a 3.5mm TRS mini plug to ensure compatibility with most DSLRs, mirrorless cameras, camcorders, and portable audio recorders.
Headphone Port for Audio Monitoring
Plug your headphones into the XM-50's 3.5mm headphone port to monitor the quality of the microphone signal. This is crucial for verifying that your audio is clear and free of distortion before recording it to your camera.
Long Battery Life
Grab two AA batteries (available separately) and pop them into the XM-50. They will provide up to 120 hours of operating time, so you can do plenty of gigs before swapping them out for fresh batteries. The LED power indicator is useful for confirming operating status and the On/Off switch helps you conserve battery life; simply turn off the mic between shoots.
High-Pass Filter
The XM-50's On/Off switch features a third position, which activates the 80 Hz high-pass filter. High-pass filtering is recommended when you need to reduce low-frequency noise from common sources such as traffic and hum from machinery.
3-Stage Gain Control
Diving into camera menus to adjust input gain can be cumbersome and inefficient, so the XM-50 has a gain control with three positions—flat, +20 dB, and -10 dB. The -10 dB option helps avoid distortion when recording loud sound sources, whereas the +20 dB setting is ideal for boosting the level of quieter signals. Switch to the flat setting when using a separate high-quality preamp.
Integrated Shockmount Inhibits Vibrations
The XM-50 incorporates an integrated shockmount to streamline setup of the mic and decouple the mic from noise caused by camera handling and stand-borne vibrations. The bottom of the shockmount features a camera shoe mount with a 1/4" thread, ensuring easy attachment to your camera or a tripod stand (available separately).
Indoor and Outdoor Wind Protection
Two forms of wind protection are supplied with the XM-50. The foam windscreen is designed to attenuate noise from light wind and indoor HVAC systems such as fans and air conditioners. Slip the furry windshield on the mic to achieve increased reduction of wind noise in outdoor environments.
In the Box
- Vidpro XM-50 Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
- Foam Windscreen
- Furry Windshield
- Carrying Pouch