Review: DJI Mic 2

Anyone who has shot video outside can attest that getting decent audio is a huge challenge. Every passing car and gust of wind can ruin whatever you’re trying to record. That's what makes portable clip mics like the new DJI Mic 2 so appealing. The previous wireless mic solution from DJI was already one of the most convenient ways to record audio on the go, and the latest version improves on it in almost every way.

The DJI Mic 2 is a small transmitter and recorder roughly half the size of a Tic Tac container. It’s not quite small enough to hide, the way a lavalier mic you may have spied on a TV interview guest's lapel would be, but it’s also stylish enough that it can be visible on camera without feeling like it doesn’t belong. While the previous model came only in black, the DJI Mic 2 comes in either a translucent black shell or a minimalist white.

The transmitter is only half of the equation, though. The full DJI Mic 2 kit ($350) comes with a receiver and a sturdy charging case. Additional transmitters cost $100, and while you can technically use them on their own, you won’t be able to change a number of settings without the receiver. This is important, because some of those settings are the best new features of the Mic 2.

Photograph: Eric Ravenscraft

Portable Convenience

One of the biggest changes DJI implemented in the new generation is support for 32-bit float audio, which is a huge benefit when you’re shooting in environments where you can’t always control audio levels. In short, 32-bit float audio can record a much wider range of audio values, which means you can adjust gain levels in post and avoid those pesky times when someone speaks a little too loudly and the audio clips.

This isn’t the cure-all for level setting that it’s often claimed to be, but it’s a helpful tool to have, and the portable DJI Mic 2 is exactly the kind of device you’d need it on. The transmitter has a small button with a red circle on its side. Press this once and, boom, you’re recording. It’s the kind of workflow that’s excellent for on-the-spot interviews or run-and-gun shoots where stopping to adjust levels isn’t in the cards.

To add to the convenience, the clip on the previous DJI Mic has been improved. There's still a spring-loaded clip that you can attach to a shirt or coat, but while I was testing this mic, I hardly ever used it. Instead, the DJI Mic 2 has a powerful, square magnet that snaps onto the back of the mic. This lets you place it anywhere on your subject’s clothes, including the middle of a shirt, or closer to their collar for better sound.

Photograph: Eric Ravenscraft

All this adds up to one of the most convenient recording systems I’ve ever used. I was able to attach this microphone to the shirt of multiple subjects with minimal effort. As long as the person you’re recording is wearing enough clothing close-ish to their face, it takes seconds to set up the mic and start recording.

The audio quality of my recordings was similarly impressive. DJI advertises intelligent noise canceling built into the transmitter, which normally I would be skeptical of. I usually prefer to record as purely as I can and do any modifications in post, but this mic is designed for convenience above all else. So I was pleasantly surprised to see that the noise canceling, which works on background sounds that aren't voices, was effective without distorting the audio I was trying to capture.

Extended Interviews

The battery life on the DJI Mic 2 has also gotten a substantial upgrade. The transmitters and receivers on the original each had 320-mAh batteries, while the Mic 2 comes with 360 mAh each. Meanwhile, the charging case has been upgraded from a 2,600-mAh battery to a generous 3,250 mAh.

In practical terms, that means that each transmitter and receiver got a little over six hours of battery in my testing. The case could recharge each device from empty to full in a little over an hour, which isn’t great if you run out in the middle of a shoot, but you can charge one mic while using the other, so there’s a lot of flexibility to get a full day of work out of these microphones.

Photograph: Eric Ravenscraft

The transmitters also have a 3.5-mm port on the top, so you can use your own microphones, if you don’t prefer the sound on the mics themselves, or you want to hide a more discrete mic somewhere and put the transmitter in a pocket. You can also pair the transmitter to your phone or tablet via Bluetooth, so you can skip the receiver while recording. However, it’s worth pointing out that this can drag down battery life a bit, and you’ll also miss out on some of the key features of the system, like noise canceling and 32-bit float audio.

Despite its minor downsides, the DJI Mic 2 is a solid improvement over the original and still one of the most convenient ways to record audio. If you’re a content creator who works in online media, where speed is often just as important as recording quality, there are few options that are easier to use. The $350 price for the full kit might be off-putting at first, but it pays for itself in time saved on your shoots.