Looking for a compact external microphone for my Canon EOS R50.

Question

I just got the Canon R50 because everyone said it was great for beginners but honestly I am so frustrated right now. I took it out yesterday to film some stuff at a local food market and the video looks amazing but the sound is just trash. Like actually unusable. All I can hear is the wind hitting the camera and the sound of the lens zooming in and out it is so loud and it completely drowned out everything I was saying. I feel so stupid because I thought the camera would just handle it but I guess not.

Now I am looking at microphones and I am so confused I could cry lol. I see all these different terms like shotgun or lavalier and I have no idea what any of that means. I just want something I can plug in and it works. I dont want to have to carry around a separate recorder or sync things up on my computer later because I barely know how to use the editing software as it is. It needs to be really small because the R50 is tiny and I dont want some giant fuzzy thing sticking off the top that makes it heavy or hard to carry in my bag.

I am in Manchester and I have a trip to a wedding in London next Friday so I really need to buy something before then. My budget is probably around £80 or maybe £100 if it is really worth it but I dont want to spend a fortune.

has to be small

easy to use (literally just plug it in please)

good for blocking out wind

doesnt need its own battery if possible because I will definitely forget to charge it

Does anyone know a specific one that works with this camera? I saw some that say they need an adapter and I really dont want to deal with more cables. I just want one that goes in that little hole on the side and sits on the top. Sorry if this is a really basic question but I am just getting started and everything feels way more complicated than I expected...

Henry · Accepted Answer

> My budget is probably around £80 or maybe £100 if it is really worth it but I dont want to spend a fortune. Honestly, spending nearly 100 quid on a tiny mic feels like a total rip-off when you just spent a fortune on the camera. I was so disappointed when I realized the R50 sound was so bad... felt like a massive hidden cost. Unfortunately, some of the 'name brand' ones aren't as good as expected for the price anyway. If you want to save some cash for your London trip, check out the Movo VXR10 Universal Video Microphone. It is basically a clone of the more expensive brands but usually costs half the price. It is tiny, plugs right in, and has no batteries to mess with. Just a heads up tho, even with the fuzzy cover, heavy wind might still be a bit much. Try to stand with your back to the wind if you can... it is a cheap trick but it works better than any tech sometimes. You can usually grab these on Amazon for like £40 so you will have plenty of money left for the wedding!

nathan.wright · Answer

> It needs to be really small because the R50 is tiny @Reply #1 - good point! I spent years lugging around massive recorders before I finally wised up. I've been using the Rode VideoMicro II Ultracompact On-camera Microphone for a while and it's basically perfect for what you need. No batteries to worry about, just plug it in and you're good. It comes with a furry windshield too which is a lifesaver for outdoor stuff. Definitely makes the audio way cleaner than that built-in one.

BinaryDrifter · Answer

I totally get the frustration because the same thing happened to me at a crowded market last year. My R50 footage was gorgeous but the wind just ruined everything. I definitely agree with you that a simple, no-battery setup is the way to go for this specific camera because keeping it lightweight is the whole point of owning an R50.

Having a mic that runs off the camera power is a total lifesaver because I always forget to charge my gear before heading out.

A proper fuzzy windshield is essential for outdoor shoots to block those gusts you mentioned at the food stalls.

Getting something with a built-in shock mount will stop those annoying lens clicking noises from being picked up through the camera body. It honestly makes the whole filming process so much more enjoyable when you can just plug it in and know the sound is gonna be solid. No more syncing in editing for me either... it is just way too much work.