Microphone types for video — What's best for your project?

Microphones are an interesting category of video tools, in a geeky sort of way. The primary goal of any mic for video production is the same: convert acoustic energy into an electrical signal for use in recording. But that's where the similarities end. From that point on, the variations seem endless. At the high-end, there are large-diaphragm studio condenser mics that excel at capturing voice and music. At the low-end are the mics in our cell phones, which work well for communication, but not much else. And at every point in between, there are specialty microphone types for practically any situation when recording audio for video.

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The most durable shotgun mic ever

The DPA 2017 Shotgun Microphone is designed to ensure that the sound from the primary sound source combines effortlessly with what is captured off-axis. The sound is clear and lifelike, including the heavily attenuated off-axis input. It exhibits the same non-coloration of the off-axis response, i.e., it sounds like what is coming in on-axis, just damped accordingly with the side and rear entries.

Many other shotgun mics don't pick up off-axis sound naturally, making, for example, the crowd noise sound more like a waterfall or something completely unrecognizable.

It's also constructed to withstand rough handling and difficult on-set situations. The 2017 doesn't have any moving mechanical parts and has a solid feel without excess weight, making it extremely resistant to mechanical impact. In addition, the materials used in the capsule design and electronics ensure the mic is resistant to moisture, temperature and condensation issues.

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Lessons from the field

How to handle green screen lighting like a pro

We've all seen bad green screen effects before. Truthfully, they stick out like a sore thumb. One of the most common reasons for this unfortunate occurrence is improper green screen lighting.

For example, an improper lighting setup could leave an uneven shadow gradation on the green screen, making it much harder for editors to chromakey the green out of the shot. When it comes to professional chromakeying, good lighting makes a huge difference in the quality of the effect. While lighting a green screen is relatively easy, it can be a bit tricky if you're new to chromakeying and have never done it before. You want to make sure you light your screen correctly. Otherwise, it's going to take a lot of fixing in post and could even ruin the take and force a reshoot. Read more.

Creator Handbook: YouTube replaces trending tab with ranking charts for micro trends

YouTube announced it is changing the platform's content discovery features, replacing its Trending Tab with new ranking charts designed to showcase popular content across various categories. This change is expected to provide viewers with a more tailored experience, offering an easier way to find viral and highly-watched videos. Read more.

Green screen backgrounds: How to correctly key out your subject

Chroma keying is the process of removing a color from the background of a video. Typically, chromakeying is for removing green screen backgrounds so you can replace the background with another video. There are a lot of great post-production software out there that have green screen keyers. While the process is similar in a lot of them, they each have some variations to their workflows. Let's go over the process of chroma keying in three popular applications: Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve and Final Cut Pro. Read more.

Today's top stories

ARRI has announced the ALEXA 35 Xtreme, an upgraded version of the ALEXA 35 with a new processor, faster memory, the ARRICORE codec and frame rates up to 660 fps. The camera maintains accessory compatibility and will be available in multiple sets and bundles.
YouTube will now allow creators to fully monetize videos that include swearing in the first seven seconds, loosening restrictions introduced in 2022. However, videos with profanity in titles or thumbnails may still face limited monetization.
ASUS unveiled two new ProArt 4K HDR monitors, the 27-inch PA27UCGE with a 160 Hz refresh rate and the 32-inch PA32UCE at 60 Hz, both offering HDR600 and built-in calibration. They're priced at $949 and $1,199.
DJI announced its first 360-degree action camera, the Osmo 360, which records 8K video at 50 fps for up to 100 minutes. It will launch globally starting at about $549, though U.S. availability hasn't been confirmed.
Sigma says it will absorb the new 15% U.S. tariff on Japanese imports instead of raising lens prices, unlike Canon and Fujifilm. The company cites its vertically integrated production and commitment to customers as reasons it can take on the extra 5% cost without passing it to buyers.