Sennheiser MKE 440: a DSLR microphone designed for focused stereo sound capture of the filmed object

Thanks to two mini-shotgun microphones and a new technique, it records sound from within the camera angle, outperforming any mini AB, MS or XY arrangement.

Sennheiser has just launched the new MKE 440, a stereo camera microphone that solves a fairly common problem encountered by DSLR users: capturing in-focus stereo sound from the filmed object.

Kai Lange, product manager at Sennheiser, admits that "the MKE 440 is not only the most compact stereo shotgun microphone on the market. Unlike other stereo camera microphones, it picks up sound from within the camera angles, thanks to its new stereo principle. The result is a well-balanced mix between ambient sound and clearly understandable dialogue. This allows DSLR users to capture professional stereo sound in one go, saving production time and effort."

DSLR camera operators have always had difficulty getting good sound with the camera's built-in stereo microphone. The new MKE 440 solves this problem. Thanks to two mini-shotgun microphones and a new technique, it records sound from within the camera angle, outperforming any mini AB, MS or XY arrangement. While these classic setups also capture sound and noise from the sides (including any comments from the camera operator or people next to them) the MKE 440's two mini-cannons are mounted in a V shape so that they predominantly pick up sound from inside the focus and reject most noise outside the camera focus.

The MKE 440's paired mini-guns feature super-cardioid pickup patterns that overlap to create a forward focus. For example, this allows filmmakers to capture comprehensible dialogue with enough ambient sound to preserve the mood of a scene. The microphones are designed in-house to reduce any usage noise and are protected from wind noise by a stainless steel micro-mesh. In case of strong wind, a special fur cover is available as an accessory.

The compact MKE 440 attaches to the camera's hot shoe. It features a three-level sensitivity switch to adapt to softer and louder sources of sound and has a filter to eliminate low-frequency noise, such as wind noise. The microphone is powered by two AAA size batteries, with a green LED on/off switch as a low battery indicator. The LED will illuminate red approximately four hours before the batteries run out, ensuring enough time to finish recording.