Boom mics are great, allowing you to place your microphone directly over your subjects and keep it there even when they move. Problem is, you need a dedicated operator for the boom mic, making it a no go for one-man production teams. The Zacuto MicroBOOM changes that.
A boom pole that mounts to your camera, the accessory gives you a functional boom mic that moves alongside your recording device, so that the mic is placed directly over whichever subject you have in the frame at all times. That means, a single individual can operate the camera and the boom mic at the same time, allowing you to keep your production lean while capturing more professional-sounding audio.
The Zacuto MicroBOOM is an erstwhile miniature telescoping boom pole that can extend from 14 to 35 inches, so it’s not exactly on par with the standard 12-foot boom poles used in professional productions, which are likely to be too unwieldy to mount on a camera. It is, however, a good size for vlogs, livestreams, and similar types of video content, so this is aimed at the current crop of social media content creators, allowing them to get that professional-sounding boom mic audio without the need to hire additional crew.
You can attach a microphone to the pole using a cold shoe mount, although it can only support lighter mics that weigh two ounces or less, with the outfit recommending using mics that weigh 1.4 ounces for best maneuverability. A 3.5mm cable runs the entire length of the pole, so you can set up a wired connection between the mic and the camera without anything dangling in the way. In case you use an XLR mic, we’re guessing it can work with an XLR to 3.5mm adapter.
The Zacuto MicroBOOM requires a NATO rail to mount the pole to your camera. If you don’t have that, you can use the outfit’s CUBE adapter to attach it with onto a standard cold shoe mount instead. Once all connections are made, you can extend the pole to the scene’s requirements, adjust its angle so it’s out of the camera frame, and even adjust the angle of the mic for ideal recording position. Basically, so long as you stick to the recommended weight guidelines, you shouldn’t have a problem positioning this exactly to your liking.
It’s made from carbon fiber, so it’s very durable, allowing it to survive the hazards of whatever kinds of content you plan to shoot. Coming in at just 6.5 ounces, it’s very lightweight, too, which is a big reason why it’s able to be held up by simply mounting on your camera. According to the outfit, it should be compatible with most types of cameras, even smartphones. We’re not entirely sure how you’re supposed to mount this on a smartphone, but we guess you can it if you use a case with a cold shoe mount. At least, that’s the only way we imagine that setup working.
The Zacuto MicroBOOM is available now, priced at $125.