Comica CVM VS08 Shotgun Mic
If you’re looking for an inexpensive way to boost the quality of your smartphone video, the Comica CVM VS08 Shotgun Mic for Smartphones is something you need to consider. The VS08 shotgun mic is a really simple and clever device that will make a big difference in your video’s audio quality. It’s direct connection to your smartphone keeps the form factor down and you don’t need to worry about batteries, wires and cables to make it work.
What’s in the box
The VS08 kit includes the microphone, a clamp, a foam wind protector and a furry, dead cat wind protector. It’s a condenser mic with a cardioid pickup pattern. As a condenser mic, it gets its power from the phone itself.
CVM VS08 Shotgun mic components.
Both the pro and the con to this little shotgun mic is that it connects directly to the phone with a 3.5 mm plug that extends from the middle of the mic tube.
The pro is that it makes for a light, compact camera to shoot with. The con is that if your phone’s camera is on the same end of the phone as the phone’s earphone jack, the mic will be in the picture. See an example in the video below.
The other pro is that it sounds very good, especially for a $50 dollar microphone. As you’ll hear in the video, you’ll need the dead cat when shooting outside. Even a small amount of wind will over power the microphone. On the other hand, with the dead cat attached, a gentle wind will almost entirely disappear. The foam cover is good for inside shots as a pop filter.
VS08 shotgun mic mounting plug
Another nice feature of the VS08 is the headphone jack in the rear of the mic. This allows you to play back your video without removing the mic, just plug in some earphones and you’re good to go. Depending on your recording app, you might also be able to monitor recording as it occurs.
CVM VS08 headphone jack.
VS08 Shotgun Mic Rating
Overall I was impressed with the Comica CVM VS08. Several reviewers compared it favorably with a similar Rode model. For about $15 dollars less, I’d recommend you give it a try.
Now for a caveat. When using my Galaxy S8 with a Zhiyun Smooth Q 3 axis stabilizer, I ended up with the mic on the same side as the gimbal arm and things didn’t fit well. I could slide the phone out a bit but the mic ended up pointing about 45 degrees down.
If I reversed the phone in the gimbal mount, the mics extra weight on the end of the phone was enough to keep me from balancing the combo of phone and mic on the gimbal and the motors weren’t powerful enough to hold the phone in this out of balance state.
I’ve got a Comica CVM VS10 with a cold shoe mount on order to see if I can use it to solve the balance and arm interference problem.
On the other hand, when using a simple hand-grip style phone mount, a selfie stick or just my fingers, the direct attachment of the mic to the phone was perfect. As I said earlier and I hope you heard for yourself, the sound was quite satisfactory.
Video
Amazon Link
