Budget DSLR Shotgun Microphones - Movo VXR4000 Pro

1080P, 4K, 12 megapixels, 24 megapixels... ahh! When in the market for a new camera, you're bombarded with video quality specs and claims. Sure, achieving that super-crisp image and dazzling zooms are important, but why is audio quality such an afterthought for most DSLR manufacturers? Well, the simple answer may just be that anyone serious about video production is expected to pick up some sort of external audio solution!

Lightweight, but sturdy construction gives the VXR4000 Pro a nice feel.

Venturing into the vast land of DSLR audio solutions, you may soon realize that not all is sunshine and lilies. Mic prices can range from five dollars to a few thousand! What?! Fear not! I'm writing this series of articles to hopefully bring some clarity into your field of view on some great budget solutions. Let's start off with the VXR4000 Pro from Movo.

The VXR4000 Pro has a few sound customizing tools up its sleeve.

The plastic construction may seem like a downfall at first, but don't forget this powerhouse carries a sub $50 price tag! Also, if you're a mobile producer and find yourself carrying your camera gear around often, you'll appreciate this light shotgun mic when it's attached to your DSLR.

The VXR4000 Pro carries some fairly high end features, such as a high pass filter and dB adjustments. For those new to the game, a high pass filter is used to remove lower frequency background noise. The dB +/-10 feature is also a nice addition, as it'll boost or reduce your audio sensitivity on the mic and allow you to get that extra reduction/boost in your sound levels.

The suspension system used is one with rubber bands. Though not my favorite, as they tend to need replacing after prolonged use, they do a great job at stabilizing the mic and quelling any vibrational noise you would otherwise get. Movo includes extra rubber bands, as well as a basic felt carrying bag  in the box.

But wait, how does it sound??? I'm glad to report that the sound is absolutely phenomenal at this price point. It rivals $100 and even $200 mics I've used in the past from Røde. It captures a nice balance of highs and lows in recording, which makes for a fuller sound compared to many mics on the market that seem to forget that lower frequencies exist in sound. The VXR4000 Pro doesn't suffer from this, and provides you great, malleable sound that can be further adjusted in post production. 

All in all, the Movo VXR4000 Pro is gets a thumbs up from me at this price point. It competes with much more expensive shotgun mics and comes in an easy to handle, lightweight form. It has yet to stand the test of time, as I've only been using this mic for a few weeks, but preliminary signs elude to the overall build being just okay. I do fear the shoe-mount area to be the weak point of the entire build though... time will tell.

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for my upcoming review on the VXR5000 Pro, as well as the Blue Snowball desk microphone. You can buy the VXR4000 Pro using my affiliate link before. It doesn't cost you extra and it really helps out the channel.  

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