Smartphones are changing the landscape of how videos are produced, distributed, and viewed. They make it easier for the average individual to create higher quality video content but smartphones by themselves are not yet able to film high quality videos that are up to the same standard as those filmed by a production crew. However, there is extra equipment that you can attach to your smartphone to improve the production quality of the content you’re creating, for example tripods, microphones and lenses.

In today’s article we will be discussing external microphones that can be attached to a smartphone to improve the audio that is being recorded. If you haven’t read it already, in a previous article we talked about tripods for smartphones. 

All microphones discussed in this article are plugged into the smartphone through the 3.5mm headphone jack. If you have a phone that does not have that plug in, an adaptor will be needed to use any of these microphones.

Rode VideoMic Me

The Rode VideoMic Me is a directional microphone that is optimized for smartphone recordings. Since it is a directional microphone it will capture the audio clearly of what it is aimed towards, helping eliminate any unwanted background noise. The microphone doesn’t have any internal battery so it runs off of the battery from your phone. This mic would best be used for vlog or interview style videos since you’ll have to be in near range of the microphone for it to record high quality audio. It also comes with a windshield for recording in poor weather conditions. The Rode VideoMic Me is currently listed for $78.

Pros:

• Lightweight and compact
• High-quality audio recordings
• Muffles background noise
• Comes with a windshield
• Can also be used on DSLR Cameras

Cons:

• Powered from phone’s battery
• Expensive

All Lucky’s Professional Mini Lapel Mic

This mini lapel microphone is a simple microphone that can be used to get louder audio from the recorded subjects. The microphone is small and light, making it easy to hide on the subject and not cause them any discomfort. Since the audio cable is only 1.5 meters, it can also be attached to another phone instead to record audio from a subject that is far away from the camera. The audio recorded audio can be really loud, so it is recommended that the mic is attached near the subject’s chest farther away from their mouth. This lapel microphone is currently listed for $13.

Pros:

• Small and lightweight
• Inexpensive

Cons:

• Short audio cable
• Must have mic away from the mouth or the audio levels will be too loud

 

Boya BY MM1

The Boya BY MM1 is a small directional microphone that can be used for both cameras and smartphones. Unlike the Rode VideoMic Me, it doesn’t have the ability to attach to the smartphone directly. A case or adaptor for the phone would be needed that has either a 1/4 inch screw thread or a hotshoe bracket. Since the Boya microphone has a 1/4 inch thread it can be attached to most tripods since that is the most common tripod thread size. The Boya also comes with a shockmount to absorb any noise that may occur if the microphone is bumped or touched. It is also supplied with a TRS cable which is the cable that plugs into DSLR cameras as well as a TRRS cable that plugs into phones and tablets, so it can be used on both devices. The Boya BY MM1 is currently listed at $40.

Pros:

• Lightweight and compact
• High-quality audio recordings
• Muffles background noise
• Comes with a windshield
• Can also be used on DSLR Cameras
• Comes with a shockmount
• Can attach to most tripods

Cons:

• Powered from phone’s battery
• Needs adaptor to attach to phone directly

 

Conclusion

Our pick for Best Quality:

If you are looking for the best audio quality to get from your smartphone, I would recommend the Boya BY MM1 microphone since it records the best quality audio in comparison to the other microphones of its size. It can also be used with DSLR cameras, so it can still be used if you decide to switch to filming on DSLRs instead of smartphones.

Our pick for easy attachment to your phone:

If you want a microphone that is able to attach itself easily onto a smartphone without finding a special case for a microphone to attach to, then Rode VideoMic Me would be the best choice.

Our pick for recording from a distance:

If you are looking for an inexpensive microphone that is able to record audio from farther distances on another phone, then All Lucky’s mini lapel mic would be the recommended choice for you.

 

If you’re looking for the perfect tripod for your smartphone videos, check out our previous article here!

One of our favorite free tools for the on-the-go video creator is InShot. InShot is a video editing and creation app that is available for Android and iPhone. Grab our FREE InShot guide now to learn how to use this software to edit your footage, add photos, stickers, text and effects and share your video creations in the correct size on all the social media platforms.

 

Wishing you inspiration, innovation, and continuous learning!

Lorena and the Learn to Flourish Team

 

(Prices are accurate and items in stock at the time of publication. Learn to Flourish does not receive a share of sales or any compensation from sharing any of these products, they’re just some of our favorites!)