After making a cameo appearance Osmo Pocket 3 camera, DJI’s Microphone 2 The wireless microphone system has officially arrived with some nice upgrades famous predecessor. It can now connect directly to your smartphone via Bluetooth, while offering improved built-in recording quality, AI noise reduction, a larger touchscreen, easy controls, and more. suggest.
The transmitters are gray with a new transparent design, and DJI has also introduced a white color option. They’re slightly smaller than before, but they’re basically the same as their predecessors, with a clip, magnetic mount and 3.5mm mic input. The power and toggle buttons are now on the same side and round instead of oblong, with a record button and USB-C port on the other side.
In one welcome change, DJI has moved the trigger LED to the sides rather than the front as before, which would look annoying on camera. The DJI logo is front and center, so you’ll still need a piece of black tape to cover it up.
The receiver has been overhauled with a larger 1.1-inch touchscreen and a new dial to make adjustments easier. DJI has made it easy to connect the transmitter directly to your phone, as well as via the included USB-C and Lightning adapters.
Big advantage of Mic 2 over other sets Rode Wireless Go 2 is a charging case sold with two sets of transmitters. It now supports up to 18 hours of use on a single charge, up from 15 previously, and the transmitters have been upgraded from 5.5 hours to six hours.
Topping the list of new features is direct Bluetooth connection support, which lets you connect the transmitter microphone to your phone (or DJI’s Osmo Pocket 3 and Action Cam 4) without the need for a receiver. This will allow creators on a budget to purchase a standalone transmitter mic for $99 or add DJI’s Lavalier Mic for an additional $35.
Pairing the phone is relatively easy — hold down the record button for three seconds, then the switch button for two seconds to put it into Bluetooth mode. From there, your phone should detect the transmitter. Although not on the approved list, it worked great with the Pixel 7a and I was able to start recording videos with better quality audio at least.
There are a few caveats: AI noise cancellation doesn’t work when connected to a smartphone, and you can only use one transmitter at a time. If you have a transmitter/receiver combo, you can also get audio by connecting the receiver directly to your phone as before.
That said, the Mic 2 has several improvements in sound quality. It promises “brighter and more natural-sounding voices” for interviews or stand-up work, where it’s mainly used. While the original DJI Mic supports internal recording as a backup of camera files, it now captures it in higher 32-bit float quality, allowing for maximum gain without fear of distortion. It also supports a higher acoustic overload point (AOP) of 114 dB to 120 dB, meaning you’ll see less distortion at high volume levels.
Another quality trick is artificial intelligence noise cancellation, which allows the Mic 2 to reduce ambient noise so that vocals stand out better. DJI promises that it works in “complex and noisy environments like streets and restaurants.”
A full review is forthcoming, but I tested the Mic 2 in a variety of situations, including inside a car, while cycling, and in howling wind. It performed well in almost all of these situations, blocking out all the distracting noise in car and bike shots and leaving a pleasant ambient sound. However, it was unable to avoid 30-40 mph direct winds on the sand dune. It worked well enough to hit me, but it was effective.
Key features carried over from the last model include an option for a safety track that records at a lower -6 dB (in case you accidentally turn the levels off), a range of 820 feet (524 feet in the EU) with the transmitter/receiver combination. , magnetic clips and a muff for each transmitter. For the receiver, DJI has included preset gains for different cameras so it works relatively well out of the box. It doesn’t include all the latest cameras, so hopefully firmware updates will fix that.
With new options, especially smartphone Bluetooth connectivity and Osmo Pocket 3/Action 4 support, the Mic 2 will once again attract the attention of creators. Now available for $349 with two transmitters, receiver and charging case, $219 for transmitter and receiver, and $99 for individual transmitters. You can also purchase the charging case separately for $69.
