Clear sound enhancement and reduction of AF-noise on DSLR!

To reduce my view here and there quite annoying autofocus noise my DSLRs (EOS60D / EOS650D), I decided to buy an external microphone. After I tested a handful of cheap microphones which took off across the board a clearly audible degradation, I took grudgingly more money in hand and bought the Sennheiser MKE400.

Since I do not know much about the technical details of microphones and me the matter is completely alien, I will not go into this further in order to spare me any embarrassment. Therefore, so a review of a practitioner without sound engineer background.

What struck me first was the size of MKE400. It's just almost 12cm long and therefore fits very well to a DSLR. Only the view through the viewfinder is a little affected since the forehead upon reviewing inevitably abuts the rear end of the microphone. But well, so you can come to terms. The thin coiled cable with 3.5 mm jack plug is to be out long enough to visually acceptable to the bush.

The processing of the microphone is impeccable! Only when you open the battery compartment already notice that you bought quality. Since hakelt and nothing wobbles and the lid is certainly very, very many good openings - which should in the light of the specified operating time of around 300 hours mean many years.. Look and feel to know as to inspire and rubber dampers act also very trustworthy.

The sound quality is the MKE400 worlds better than over the built-in microcomputer. Wind noises are filtered well even without dead cat and better it would probably only means of fully external audio recording, so camera-independent means of recording device.

The real purpose for me, namely the reduction of AF noise can MKE400 solve almost perfect. Although this can be heard as before, but occur much in the background and covered with normal ambient noise significantly less. In a completely quiet room although they are still audible, but not compared to the camera's internal solution. The AF-typical rattling sounds duller and less intrusive and is in any case constitute an immediately noticeable improvement.

Although not yet perfect, but absolutely suitable for domestic use, especially since worked as a rule anyway in some form with background music and the natural sounds of the shooting situation swallow the AF chatter almost completely (when using external microphones).

So bottom line, a near-perfect solution. Whether you should spend this around 180.00 euros, just everyone can decide for themselves. As I said, the AF noise is not eliminated, but quite reduced to a 10-point scale of 10 points on 4-5 nerve nerve points.

In any case, you can buy with the MKE400 top quality that clearly reflected in the look and feel. From the sound not to mention - just super!

My conclusion: to reduce a not exactly favorable solution, the AF noise significantly (but not quite) and on top of it, there is a sound quality 1a.

+ Quality corresponds to the price
+ Optics / haptics and processing
+ Size
+ Sound
+ AF noise is significantly mitigated

+/- Look through the viewfinder somewhat impaired
+/- Cable management to jack on DSLR inevitable ugly
+/- Hotshoe occupied (internal flash turned off / flash system stays outside)

- Determine any real negative points, you do not know before you buy (see +/-) - but this can not just prevent