The Best External Mic For Nikon D3200 Cameras!
The Nikon d3200 is probably one of the most popular entry-level DSLR cameras in the Nikon lineup and has managed to earn itself an absolutely massive customer base since its release. Due to this, we are always seeing people reaching out with various questions based around different camera accessories for the d3200. Over the last few months, we have noticed a steady increase in the number of people reaching out and asking for advice on the best external mic for Nikon d3200 cameras so we have decided to make this the topic for today’s article.
Our hope is that by dedicating an article to what we feel are the best external microphones for the Nikon d3200, we will be able to help any of our readers who are in this same situation. On top of this, due to the d3200 being such a popular camera body, we are pretty confident that a number of people will end up coming across our article due to the sheer number of people reaching out for advice on the topic.
Although we feel that the Rode Video Mic Go is probably going to be the best external microphone option for the vast majority of d3200 owners out there due to its low price tag and excellent performance, we have actually shortlisted three different microphones. This is due to us wanting to be able to recommend something for all budgets and needs to try and help as many of our readers as possible.
Our regular readers will know that we have our standard comparison table and a short breakdown of the three microphones below to offer some quick information for anyone short on time. After that, we have our full, in-depth look at the Rode Video Mic Go for any of our readers who want as much information as possible about any new potential addition to their camera accessories.
Comparison Table
Last update on 2023-09-07 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
All three of the featured microphones in our comparison table above have a decided sized customer based of Nikon d3200 owners who use them as their go-to external microphone of choice and as you would expect, each microphone has its own positives and negatives. With the d3200 being an entry DSLR we have tried to factor in the expected budget that people looking to pick up an external microphone may have available to them in our microphone selection too.
As we mentioned earlier in the article, in our opinion, the Rode Video Mic Go is probably the best all-round option when it comes to an external microphone for your Nikon d3200. Considering the audio quality and performance of the microphone it has a relatively low price tag and we would imagine that most of our readers who already own a d3200 will be able to add it to their camera accessories without having to go over their budget.
Since its release onto the market, the Rode Video Mic Go has gone from strength to strength amongst the vlogging and videography communities and earned itself an excellent reputation that just keeps getting better and better. The audio quality of the Video Mic Go can be used for both amateur and professional level work and should seriously be considered as your primary microphone option.
Next up, we have the big brother to the Video Mic Go, the Rode Video Mic Pro that is a professional level microphone that offers the best possible performance but also has the price tag to match. Although there is a very strong argument to be made that this is the best microphone for Nikon d3200 users, its price tag is high for an entry-level DSLR camera user.
Finally, we have the Takstar SGC-598 that is a solid little entry-level, budget-friendly microphone that many people use with their Nikon d3200 as well as a whole range of other popular camera bodies. Although it has an absolutely massive customer base, it does have its drawbacks as you would expect from such a cheap microphone. This includes problems with a slight hiss as well as some random issues with noise contamination too.
Although the Takstar SGC-598 can be a solid option for anyone just starting off in their photography or videography journey, we would not recommend the SGC-598 for any paid work or anything you plan to put in your portfolio due to the issues with hiss and noise. The Rode Video Mic Go is a much better option and in the grand scheme of things, its price tag is not too much for the audio quality that the microphone delivers.
Performance And Functionality
On top of this, a key feature that has ensured that Rode microphones maintain their dominance over the market is their ease of use. As the Rode Video Mic Go is one of the entry-level models from the Rode mic range, it is extremely easy to use and is essentially a plug and play microphone meaning that you simply jack it into your Nikon d3200, mount it to your hot shoe mount and you are good to go making it perfect for any run and gun style videography.
The microphone has been designed to provide you with a clear, crisp audio track to help supplement the video footage that you capture with your camera and the directional microphone head has a tight pickup area. This can benefit you greatly over a traditional cardioid microphone as it can reduce the background sound that the microphone picks up during use massively.
If you are looking to use your microphone for something like vlogging on your Nikon d3200 then the Rode Video Mic Go is perfect as the mic will almost exclusively pick up what you are saying with minimal external interference from your surroundings. This can be particularly beneficial if you are involved in something like travel vlogging and visit a whole bunch of waterfalls as there are so many vlogs on YouTube where you can barely hear the vlogger speaking due to their voice being drowned out by the crashing water from the waterfall being picked up by the microphone.
Rode has really been picking their Rycote Lyre shock mount with the last few microphones that they have released and the Video Mic Go is no different. Although the competition are starting to catch up to the tech that Rode has developed, their Rycote Lyre shock mount is still probably out ahead of the pack and does an excellent job of ensuring that your microphone is protected from bumps and vibrations during use that may have potentially contaminated your audio track.
If you are planning to use your Nikon d3200 with the Video Mic Go in a niche with a ton of vibrations like action sport vlogging then this can really help to improve the audio quality that you are able to capture. The Rycote Lyre shock mount does a great job of effortlessly absorbing all of the vibrations and keeps your microphone head level without it bumping against your camera or lens and picking up the sound of the bump.
Although a basic windshield is included with your purchase of the Video Mic Go as standard, you will have to purchase the actual Rode deadcat separately if you know you will be out and about in windy conditions with your d3200. That said though, the included windshield does a decent job and will likely be enough for many of our readers, especially if you are looking for a microphone for an indoor streaming setup with your d3200 being used to capture your video.
Now, depending on what you are doing, the fact that the Video Mic Go uses phantom power provided by your d3200 rather than an actual battery can be a blessing or a curse. If you are planning to use your setup for vlogging or videographer where your microphone will be close to your subject or sound source then it is ideal as you don’t have to worry about running out of battery during your session.
If you are working in a niche where the source of sound is further away than a few meters from your Nikon d3200 and microphone then we would highly recommend that you go with the battery-powered Video Mic Pro instead. The dedicated battery in the Pro really does help its effective range and ensures that you get crisp audio at further differences than you can with the Go but this is the only time we would recommend the Pro mic over the Go mic for a Nikon d3200 users.
When you factor all of this in, it really is easy to see why the Rode Video Mic Go is such a popular option amongst vloggers and videographers and why so many people within the community have chosen to post their own glowing independent review of the microphone online. If you do have a few minutes spare we would recommend that you skim over some of those reviews as they offer a great insight into the performance of the microphone from independent videographers and vloggers who use it as their go-to external microphone of choice.
User Interface And Control System
This lets you take it out the box, mount it to your hot shoe on your Nikon d3200, jack it into your external microphone port and go off and capture your video footage with a crisp clear audio track within seconds. There is no pre-programming or set up required, no need to tweak settings mid-session, and no need to have to get to a location early to calibrate your microphone for optimal performance.
If you are brand new to using an external microphone with your d3200 then this is a great option and lets you really cut down on the amount of time required before you are able to mount the microphone and get out and about capturing your footage. Even to this day, some of the compeating brands in the external microphone space are putting annoying control systems on their entry-level microphones that really aren’t needed in this section of the market.
Build Quality And Design
If you are a travel vlogger or are working in a niche where you know that you will be traveling via plane on a regular basis then this lightweight microphone can help ensure you can take all of your camera accessories with you without going over your luggage allowance. The small and compact design of the microphone also ensures that it is easy to pack away or store in a regular camera bag for your Nikon d3200 without issue too.
The rugged and reinforced ABS construction of the microphone also ensures that it is easily robust enough to take all the bumps and knocks coming its way while either in use, in transit, or in storage without breaking too. Until a few years ago, it was very common for microphones in the sub-one hundred dollar price range to suffer damage to their filaments from bumps or knocks causing long term damage but thankfully, those days are gone.
Rode have also developed the technology for their Rycote Lyre shock mount too with the mount for the Video Mic Go having been constructed from a single piece of durable thermoplastic. This ensures that the mount for your Video Mic Go is also as lightweight and robust as possible and should never wear out or start sagging during use.
Our Verdict
That brings our article on what we feel is the best external mic for Nikon d3200 camera users on the market right now to an end. As we mentioned back at the start, the Rode Video Mic Pro is an excellent professional level microphone and you can easily argue that it is the best option but its price tag is very high for an entry-level DSLR like the d3200.
The TAKSTAR SGC-598 can be a solid entry-level microphone but although it is extremely popular within the community, it does have problems with hiss and noise meaning it is not suitable for any paid videography gig or vlogging on an established channel either.
That leaves us with our primary recommendation for your d3200, the Rode Video Mic Go. As we have explained throughout the article, we feel that it offers a number of advantages over the competition and its low price tag and excellent performance offer some great bang for your buck. If you are yet to make your mind up then we would highly recommend that you check out these third party reviews of the microphone as they offer some great insight into its performance.
