Best Microphones for Canon EOS C50
The EOS C50 records dialogue through the handle, not through the body jack. Canon’s U.S. support page lists two balanced XLR inputs on that handle and a 3.5 mm MIC jack that supplies 2.0 V of plug-in power, not 48 V. A shotgun that needs phantom power belongs on the XLR. The RØDE NTG5 is that microphone: 76 g, 203 mm, and 48 V at 2 mA. Check RØDE NTG5 on Amazon.
Our Top Picks at a Glance
Reviewed September 2026 · Handle XLR with 48 V · Body 3.5 mm at 2.0 V · Linear PCM 24-bit / 48 kHz / 4 ch
RØDE’s datasheet asks for 2 mA at 48 V, which is the phantom power Canon lists on the handle. The mic is 76 g and 203 mm.
Check Price at Amazon Read full review ↓B&H lists it at $284.99. It runs on 48 V or one AA cell, and the box includes an XLR-to-3.5 mm cable for the body jack.
Check Price at Amazon Read full review ↓A 94 g on-camera mic with its own battery and a 3.5 mm output. It does not use the handle, and it does not need 48 V.
Check Price at Amazon Read full review ↓This page contains affiliate links. A purchase through those links may earn Cameraegg a commission at no extra cost to you.
| Microphone | Where it plugs into the C50 | Power and size | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| RØDE NTG5 | Handle XLR, 48 V on | 2 mA at 48 V · 76 g · 203 mm | Check price |
| Sennheiser MKE 600 | Handle XLR, or body 3.5 mm with the KA 600 | P48 or one AA · 128 g · 256 mm | Check price |
| RØDE VideoMic NTG | Body 3.5 mm MIC jack, handle off | Internal battery, 30+ hours · 94 g · 171 mm | Check price |
| Sennheiser MKH 416-P48U3 | Handle XLR only. No battery fallback | P48 · Ø 19 × 250 mm · 13 dB(A) | Check price |
How We Picked
Three sourced facts: which jack supplies 48 V, which microphone asks for that voltage, and which one still works when the handle is off.
- 48 V is on the handle, not on the body jack. Canon’s EOS C50 page lists XLR inputs at 48 V on the detachable handle, and Linear PCM at 24-bit, 48 kHz, 4 channels. Canon U.S.A. support lists the body MIC terminal as a 3.5 mm unbalanced jack with plug-in power, DC 2.0 V, bias resistor listed as 2.2 k, MIC sensitivity −72 dBV, and a 20 dB attenuator. The handle XLR MIC line on that page is −60 dBu at volume center, impedance listed as 1.2 k, with the same 20 dB attenuator.
- The NTG5’s power line matches the handle. RØDE’s datasheet lists 2 mA at 48 V phantom, an XLR output, 76 g, 203 × 19 mm, equivalent noise of 10 dB SPL (A-weighted), and 130 dB SPL. B&H lists the microphone at $499.
- The body jack is a different power supply. Sennheiser’s MKE 600 page lists P48 or battery power, about 150 hours on the cell, and a KA 600 XLR-to-3.5 mm cable in the box. The VideoMic NTG datasheet lists its own 350 mAh battery, 30+ hours, and a 3.5 mm output. It does not list 48 V.
Detailed Reviews
RØDE NTG5 View on Amazon View on B&H
| Output | XLR. RØDE lists 48 V phantom at 2 mA |
|---|---|
| Pattern and noise | Supercardioid shotgun. 10 dB SPL A-weighted. 20 Hz–20 kHz, 80 Hz–20 kHz ±3 dB |
| Level | −23.5 dB re 1 V/Pa (66 mV at 94 dB SPL). Maximum 130 dB SPL |
| Size | 203 × 19 mm, 76 g. Pistol grip in the kit is 224 g |
| Price | B&H lists $499 |
Why it fits the EOS C50. Canon’s handle is the 48 V source. This microphone’s only power listing is 2 mA at 48 V, so it goes on INPUT 1 or INPUT 2, not into the 2.0 V body jack. The camera side of that connection is a 3-pin XLR, pin 2 hot. Canon’s U.S. page gives that MIC input a 20 dB attenuator and a level listed at −60 dBu with the volume centered. The microphone adds 76 g. Canon lists the handle at about 300 g and the microphone holder with two bolts at about 60 g. Body, handle, holder, LP-E6P, and both cards are about 1,120 g before this microphone.
Buy it when the handle stays on the camera. Skip it when phantom power will be left off: the datasheet has no battery. The MKE 600 is the one with an AA cell. B&H’s $499 is $500 under the same retailer’s $999 listing for the MKH 416-P48U3.
Check Price on Amazon US, UK, CA, DE → Check Price on B&H
Sennheiser MKE 600 View on Amazon View on B&H
| Power | Phantom, or battery. Sennheiser lists about 150 hours. The cell is not in the box |
|---|---|
| Level | 21 mV/Pa and 132 dB SPL on P48. 19 mV/Pa and 126 dB SPL on battery. Noise 15 dB(A) on P48, 16 dB(A) on battery |
| Size | 20 mm diameter, 256 mm long, 128 g |
| In the box | MZS 600 shock mount, MZW 600 windscreen, KA 600 XLR-to-3.5 mm TRS cable |
| Price | B&H lists $284.99 |
Why it fits the EOS C50. On the handle it uses the same 48 V XLR path as the NTG5, at 128 g and 256 mm against 76 g and 203 mm. Self-noise on P48 is 15 dB(A), 5 dB higher than the NTG5’s 10 dB figure. The reason to buy it is the second power mode and the cable. With an AA cell it does not need phantom. The KA 600 then feeds the body MIC jack, which Canon limits to 2.0 V of plug-in power. B&H’s $284.99 is $214.01 under the NTG5’s $499.
Buy it when the shoot may drop the handle, or when phantom will be switched off. Skip it when the lighter 76 g tube is the point and 48 V will stay on. Sennheiser’s low-cut switch is on the microphone. It is not a second channel.
Check Price on Amazon US, UK, CA, DE → Check Price on B&H
RØDE VideoMic NTG View on Amazon View on B&H
| Output | 3.5 mm auto-sensing TRS/TRRS. USB-C is a separate 24-bit, 48 kHz output |
|---|---|
| Power | Internal 350 mAh lithium-ion. RØDE lists 30+ hours. The datasheet does not list 48 V |
| Acoustics | Supercardioid. 15 dB SPL A-weighted. Maximum 120 dB SPL. High-pass at 75 Hz or 150 Hz |
| Size | 21.6 mm diameter, 171 mm long, 94 g |
Why it fits the EOS C50. Canon’s body without the handle is about 670 g. This microphone adds 94 g and plugs into the 3.5 mm MIC terminal. Its battery means it does not depend on the 2.0 V bias, and it cannot use the handle’s 48 V because it has no XLR. RØDE’s USB-C output is for a computer, not for the camera’s MIC jack. The camera’s Linear PCM line is already 24-bit at 48 kHz, which matches the microphone’s USB sample rate, but that USB port is not the camera input. Use the 3.5 mm cable in the box.
Buy it when the 300 g handle stays off the body. Skip it when the take needs the XLR and the 130 dB SPL figure. This microphone’s maximum is 120 dB SPL, 10 dB under the NTG5.
Check Price on Amazon US, UK, CA, DE → Check Price on B&H
If You Need Something Else
The NTG5 is the short 48 V shotgun. The MKH 416-P48U3 is the longer RF tube, and it has no battery if phantom is off.
Sennheiser MKH 416-P48U3 View on Amazon View on B&H
| Power | 48 V ± 4 V phantom only. Sennheiser’s manual does not list a battery |
|---|---|
| Acoustics | RF condenser. Supercardioid at low and mid frequencies, lobar above 2 kHz. 40–20,000 Hz. About 13 dB(A). 130 dB SPL. 25 mV/Pa |
| Size and connector | Ø 19 × 250 mm. 3-pin XLR |
| Price | B&H lists $999 |
It plugs into the same handle XLR as the NTG5 and asks for the same 48 V. It is 47 mm longer than the NTG5’s 203 mm, and the A-weighted noise figure is 13 dB against 10 dB. B&H’s $999 is $500 over the NTG5. There is no 3.5 mm cable in the description used here, so it does not move to the body jack. Keep it for a boom that already has phantom. It is not the default on a 1,120 g handled body.
Check Price on Amazon US, UK, CA, DE → Check Price on B&H
Frequently Asked Questions
Why the body 3.5 mm jack is not a 48 V input
Canon U.S.A. support lists plug-in power at DC 2.0 V, with a 2.2 kΩ bias resistor, on an unbalanced 3.5 mm jack. Canon’s EOS C50 page puts 48 V on the handle XLR inputs. A microphone whose only power line is P48 does not belong on the body jack.
What the 20 dB attenuator is for
Both the body MIC block and the handle XLR MIC block on Canon’s U.S. page list a 20 dB attenuator. The NTG5’s maximum is 130 dB SPL and the MKE 600’s is 132 dB SPL on P48. The attenuator is the camera’s pad, not a switch on those two microphones.
Whether four channels means four microphones
Canon Europe lists Linear PCM at 24-bit, 48 kHz, and 4 channels. The handle has two XLR jacks. The body adds a stereo microphone and one 3.5 mm MIC terminal. Four recorded channels are not the same thing as four shotgun microphones.
What changes when the handle comes off
Canon lists the handle at about 300 g and the microphone holder with two bolts at about 60 g. Without them, the XLR inputs and the 48 V supply are not on the body. The remaining microphone jack is the 3.5 mm MIC terminal.
Why the VideoMic NTG USB port is not the camera input
RØDE’s datasheet lists USB-C at 24-bit, 48 kHz, for a computer, tablet, or phone. The C50’s microphone input in this setup is the 3.5 mm jack or the handle XLR. The matching cable is the 3.5 mm lead in the VideoMic box.
Final Verdict
The RØDE NTG5 is the microphone for the C50 handle: RØDE asks for 2 mA at 48 V, the mic weighs 76 g, and B&H lists it at $499. The Sennheiser MKE 600 is the $284.99 alternative that still runs on one AA cell and includes the KA 600 cable for the body jack. The RØDE VideoMic NTG is the 94 g microphone for that 3.5 mm jack when the 300 g handle stays off, and its datasheet does not list 48 V.