Sennheiser MKE 400 Review
Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
- Pickup Pattern: supercardioid, lobar
- Frequency response: 40Hz - 20kHz
- Max SPL: 126 dB ("vol-"); 118 dB ("vol +")
- Power Supply: 1.5V battery (size AAA)
- Runs for approximately 300 hours from one battery
- Connector: 1/8-inch stereo mini jack
- Rugged, all-metal Housing
Introduction
In this article, we delve into a detailed analysis of 6,530 user reviews from various languages worldwide to examine the Sennheiser MKE 400. This analysis is performed by the RR artificial intelligence and updated daily with newly submitted reviews. The RR AI utilizes a complex algorithm to first scrutinize user reviews for credibility, filtering out unreliable ones. It then proceeds to dissect and evaluate the valuable insights within these reviews, providing users with ratings regarding the features of this product. Based on these assessments, users can make informed decisions about whether this product is suitable for them or not.
Ratings Based on Features
These results are a summary of user reviews of the Sennheiser MKE 400. For example, 80% of 907 users who have commented on the Value for money of the Sennheiser MKE 400 have given positive feedback.
Highlighted Customer Reviews
Showing 21 to 40 of 222 Reviews
Quality product with great sound capture
Sennheiser MKE 400 Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
The MKE 400 Compact Shotgun Microphone is a solidly built, though lightweight mic that fits nicely on to my Canon 7D's hotshoe mount. I have used it at family events and it picks up conversations without un-due interference from either the camera shutter or extaneous noises to the sides of the viewing area. It uses one AAA battery that is included with the mic. It also has a hi-low sensitivity switch, which I have not had an opportunity to use and compare functions. Only potential down side, is need for a seperate bracket mount for use with external flash when mounting mic on hotshoe. Though this is not a big deal, as there are several brackets on the market that will mount flash as well as give you better control when shooting video. Overall, a great product made in Germany. ... More
Its not the size of the boat....
Sennheiser MKE 400 Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by Combat Camera on B&H Photo Video
Im not going to sit here and write an entire review on this mic, theyre all over the net. Ill just hit on a few items that caught me off guard when we received our shipment of MKE400's. First we are using these mics in extreme conditions, hence the need for compact stereo mics. Anyways.... the overall size was a lot smaller than I imagined. Even after reading reviews, specs, and looking at a ton of photos... the mic still surprised me with its compact size. The second thing that I immediately noticed was the flimsy shockmount used to dampen sounds coming from the camera. With one day on my camera the mount was ripped and mic out of commission. Like I said though, we put these camera systems through the ringer on a daily basis. Overall great compact mic with an amazing boost in audio quality over the internal mic. Great for crisp clear ambient sound and much nicer than having to run a designated audio recorder and mics. Buy it.... you'll love it! ... More
Great Mic, Bad Foam Cover
Sennheiser MKE 400 Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by Karn on B&H Photo Video
I purchased 15 of these mics for the Digital Film Production class I teach at a High School. I love the easiness of use and the durability of the mic. If I have one complaint, and unfortunately I do, it is that the foam sleeve that covers the mic comes off very easily. I have lost 4 of them in the first year. The fact that the replacement costs almost 7 bucks is a bit crazy as well. I have a set of RODE VideoMic Pro Plus that I don't like as well as they are made of plastic. However, I have used the heck out of them and never loose the foam cover. Slight design flaw there Sennheiser. ... More
Compact, Light, Affordable and Good Audi
Sennheiser MKE 400 Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Awesome! We have two of these, using them on the 5D MKII shooting video. Light, small footprint. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because the mount is a little weak. I barely brushed over the mic while it was mounted and the rubber piece snapped. Although Sennheiser replaced the mount free of charge with no issues, I think it's a design issue they should look at. Also, an on/off indicator would be nice. A couple of times I forgot to turn it on and even though that's my fault, an indicator probably would have helped me. Overall though, pretty good sound and a great value. We only use them for reference audio and run and gun audio but much, much better that the on board cam audio. ... More
Excellent Mic
Sennheiser MKE 400 Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by Jim Costa Films on B&H Photo Video
Even though this mic has been around for many years, I purchased it because the frequency response is fantastic. I use it to shoot outdoors and in conjunction with the MW400 wind muffler, it cuts down the low frequency rumble of wind noise. The mic is easy to use and the directionality of the pickup pattern is fairly tight; somewhere between cardioid and ultra cardioid which is amazing considering the size of the unit. It is small enough that even with the muffler, it won't hang in front of the lens as longer mics do. It costs a bit more than a Rode mic, but is well worth the few extra bucks. ... More
Ads
Good Microphone for a DSLR
Sennheiser MKE 400 Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by Aleksey on B&H Photo Video
Bought for using with my D800. Built well. Works good, as expected. Tested this weekend on the shore with MZW400 Wind-m@ff in mild wind conditions no noise, zero. I took one star for two reasons. First, I don't understand why MZW400 Wind-m@ff is sold separately as an accessory I am guessing there are very few to none users that would not need the wind m@ff not really an option, should be included. Second the wind m@ff clicks on fairly easy, but it's also easy to accidently knock it off A more secure mounting option would be nice.
Great Interview Microphone
Sennheiser MKE 400 Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by Ralph on B&H Photo Video
I found that having the camera and microphone 8 to 10 feet from an interview subject under not too noisy conditions produces really good and realistic sound. With the furry cat accessory light breeze isn't a problem. Great product.
Well worth the price
Sennheiser MKE 400 Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by nlubsen on B&H Photo Video
Unless you are spending around $2000 dollars on a camcorder, you are likely to be getting a surface mounted camera mike that gets all sorts of extraneous noise that is not coming from your picture subject. if your camcorder has a stereo mini microphone jack, This microphone really changes the sound quality of your recording and is well worth the price Pros: Small footprint compared to the Rode camera mikes; this is especially important if you are using wide-angle lenses or want to film without calling attention to yourself. Long battery life. Good sound. Functional shock absorber. Cons: Hard to tell if it's on. Foam windscreen easily pulls off the conical shaped mike and is not easy to replace thru Sennheiser or anywhere else if lost. Umbillical cord is in the way on cameras with a small distance between the accessory shoe and the mike jack. Overall this is a great purchase for b-roll cameras or home video cameras where the sound is awful using the built in mike. ... More
Perfect Match for my DSLR
Sennheiser MKE 400 Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by Gregg on B&H Photo Video
I'm giving this mic 5 stars not for sound quality (which is surprisingly good for an inexpensive mic) but for ease of use and compact size. I purchased solely for use with my Canon 5D2. In certain shooting situations, I don't always have an audio engineer or want the clumsiness of a second recording device hooked up to my rig for simple b-roll types shots. This is the answer! Perfectly acceptable for secondary sound and extremely light weight for mounting to the hot shoe. This has a permanent home in my kit now, and don't leave home with out it.
Great features, small size
Sennheiser MKE 400 Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by Alton on B&H Photo Video
First of all, trying to put sound in any DSLR like I do will disappoint, and requires a Beachtec audio amp or a separate recorder. So this doesn't solve the DSLR sound problem, but will produce great sound if you know its limitations--like, GET CLOSE! That said, what I like about this mic is its size, that goes easily into the suitcase, and two switches in particular. One is on-WIND PROTECTION-on without wind protection, and the other is close/far. So you have electronic wind canceling with the foam protector (which wind can batter) and auxiliary fury wind protector, and you have a switch to amplify sound if the subject is far from the camera. At least you have more chances than most enthusiasts to get it right. ... More
Okay sound but flimsy construction
Sennheiser MKE 400 Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by Luis on B&H Photo Video
I bought this mic about a year ago and my first impression was that it was a great improvement from the internal mic on my 5D MKII. I use my 5D to mostly shoot weddings and what I can tell you is that this mic is not made for run and gun type of shoots. After using it on about 4 or 5 weddings a small piece of plastic broke off that helps keep the rubber shock absorbers in place, leaving the mic flopping about a little. I managed to order a new part from Sennheizer but since then I've had situations where I don't get any audio at all or intermitten audio with static. I'm not sure what's broken on it now but it's defintely not made to last. ... More
Good but not perfect...
Sennheiser MKE 400 Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by Chi on B&H Photo Video
Good audio quality, but not perfectly build...actually pretty fragile. I broke mine twice, always at the same location; the plastic that hold the rubber break easily under small pressure. I also don't like the red light to indicate low battery. It turn on when battery is low, but if you miss the warning and ran out of battery then there is no more red light and you end up shoot without audio. Happen to me few times.
Perfect Ergonomics for Small Cameras
Sennheiser MKE 400 Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by Aaron on B&H Photo Video
I had been looking for something that works with my camera, but couldn't find anything that was small enough to just throw in my carrying case and go. This little guy is a perfect addition to capture better audio quality than the on-board audio options - I was shocked at the small size and output of it and would recommend it to anyone who wants their audio quality to match their video quality (it's amazing how good the HD cameras are getting for such a low price!!) Don't skimp on the audio part, an external microphone really does help make your video's come alive. ... More
great sound but noisy floor
Sennheiser MKE 400 Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by Beyond Revolutions on B&H Photo Video
Used both on my Nikon D800 and MacBook Pro. On the D800 it helps eliminate the autofocus noise the internal mic picks up. With a mini-TRS extension and a tripod, you can attach this to your laptop and setup a quick interview or capture some superior nat sound for a production. Doesn't come with any accessories. Should atleast come with the TRS to XLR adapter.
This shotgun mic sounds great
Sennheiser MKE 400 Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by Patrick on B&H Photo Video
I've used this on several shoots now and it has produced very solid audio (a huge improvement from my 7D's onboard mic). Exceptional quality in small rooms, outdoors and in large indoor spaces. There does seem to be a minor buzz present when you set it to high pickup mode, but this can be easily corrected in post with a little finesse and doesn't create a big problem. All-in-all I'd recommend this to anyone doing shoots in the field who needs a fail-safe audio solution. Glad I picked this over the far chunkier Rode mic.
Good mic
Sennheiser MKE 400 Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Have just begun to use the microphone. It is very sensitive and does a good job for us. We also purchased a SGM-1X by Azden Mic and a XLRPRO Universal Dual Input Audio Adapter to integrate the two mics with our two camcorders. Both mics enhance the auido over the built-in camcorder mics. We are making educational videos in medical exam rooms. The only issue, which may be the mic or may be the audio adapter is a noticeable hiss in the background. This occurs when we are using the mics separately too. We are trying to figure out how to eliminate this from the backgroud. Overall, we are pleased with the purchases. ... More
I bought this mic again...
Sennheiser MKE 400 Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by Keyboarder on B&H Photo Video
I bought this Sennheiser Mic again, because when we shot some motorcycle videos, it had become a victim of high speed and got damaged beyond repairs. The first thing I did is order another one - love the quality sound it records, the small size is great for video production. In the studio it picks up every little noise, even the hum of a refrigerator. Highly recommend it!
Very Disappointed....
Sennheiser MKE 400 Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Very disappointed in this little microphone. It's easy to use and light weight. I even bought the dead cat to go over top the foam. It snapped right in place and stays in place, but I still got a lot of wind noise. I used the microphone to pickup engine noises, but the nice throaty sounding engines are no longer throaty sounding in my videos....
Seems good...
Sennheiser MKE 400 Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by Greg on B&H Photo Video
I have a couple of K6 capsule mikes, lav mikes, but wanted something for simple & quick. While it's nowhere near as good as my better mikes through my Beachtek, it's WAY better then the D600 body mike.At the sale price of $$, it was an easy buy. The Rode may be better, don't know. This is built well, I don't think it gets 5 stars, maybe realistically 3.5. It's useful for what it is, a compact shotgun, but I'd only use it when I don't want to boom pole a mike. It's going to have a bit of hollow sound reletive to on-camera mikes, sometimes that works in your favor...The gain boost is good on my Nikon, and the focus switch does narrow the field. ... More
Good build quality-indicator light NG
Sennheiser MKE 400 Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone
Reviewed by Gustavo J. on B&H Photo Video
The last thing I want on top of my DSLR is a huge unwieldy mic setup with all sorts of rubber bands, brackets, etc. This fits the build nicely and won't fall apart like another brand I bought earlier. The only thing I don't understand is why the indicator light doesn't stay on while it's on. Very strange and makes it easy to mistakenly leave on and use the whole battery charge by mistake.
