SONY ECM-M1 Shotgun Microphone

The beamforming technology really works—switching between the eight modes on the dial is seamless, and the sound is incredibly focused even in a noisy room. I used it for a quick interview outdoors and was shocked at how little background wind noise it picked up.

I was worried a compact mic might sound tinny, but the beamforming technology actually isolates my voice perfectly even with the AC running in the background. The eight dial-selectable modes make it incredibly versatile for everything from interviews to outdoor shoots.

The dial to switch between recording modes is incredibly convenient—I can adjust on the fly without digging into menus. It picks up my voice clearly even from a few feet away in a noisy room.