DIY built-in microphone wind stopper
When filming outside candid sounds can be ruined by the wind hitting your microphone. When preparing for our upcoming hike on Gröna Bandet we were trying to decide how to record the sound for our footage. We were interested in small ‘shotgun’ microphones, but we decided to save some money and use the built-in microphone for this trip as we aren’t sure of our needs yet. Our Nikon D800 has a very good microphone, but nothing can stand up to wind. I used my DIY skills to create a pocket sized microphone cover weighing about 3 grams (1 ounce) to help buffer out that nasty wind. Below I’ve written out step by step instructions. If you have questions about this post please feel free to comment.
Microphone cover shown on the Nikon D800
This is what a microphone cover or commonly referred to as a ‘dead cat’ looks like:
I wanted to recreate the furry part that goes over the actual microphone. It is designed to buffer the sound of the wind resulting in clearer audio, and closer to the sound heard in real life.
Here's how I did it!
Materials:
small piece of fake fur*
small piece of cotton*
15-20 cm (6-8 inches) of flat narrow elastic
Scissors (not shown)
Thread
needle/sewing machine (not shown)
The camera you wish to make this for (not shown)
*Expert tip: You can get the fabric by going to a fabric store, picking out the fur and cotton that want and asking for ‘swatches’, it’s usually free!
Step 1: Locate your camera’s built-in microphone
Built-in microphone on the Nikon D800
Whether it’s a point and shoot or a DSLR the built-in microphones on digital cameras are pretty easy to find. It’s usually a few holes close to each other in the front of the camera.
If you’re not sure if that is the microphone, take a video and talk into that area. Test it by putting your thumb over it while talking to hear if it makes a difference.
Step 2: Cut your fabric
Cut your fur into a coin sized piece. When doing this keep in mind that you want to have as long fur strands as possible, that will ensure the best wind protection. The best way to do this is to turn the fabric so the fur is facing down and draw a circle on the back (don’t worry about seam allowance), and use an exacto knife or a blade to cut just the backing.
Cut your cotton into a coin sized piece. For this you can add a seam allowance if you want to but it isn’t necessary as you will sew around the whole circumference of the piece so it will avoid fraying.
Step 3: Measure and cut your elastic
This part can be a little fiddly and it will be slightly different on each camera. You want the fur to be held taught over the microphone, so find two points where the elastic will hold around the camera. Make sure it’s not so tight that it is impossible to get it on or off.
Cut two pieces of elastic to your measured length and set aside.
Step 4: Sew the pieces together
Referring to the diagram above, sew the pieces together accordingly. I did it with one piece of elastic at a time double checking where I wanted it to go on the camera before I sewed it.
It’s important to use the zig-zag stitch if you are using a sewing machine* because it is stronger than the straight stitch, and the elastic with create a lot of tension on the thread.
*I used a sewing machine to do this, but it very possible to it without. Just hand stitch around the fabric instead.
Step 5: Try it out!
Put the cover on your microphone and test how it needs to be positioned for the best effect.
Record a video of you or a friend blowing into the microphone without the cover on and then again with the cover on, and listen to the playback. If the cover is positioned properly you will hear a significant difference. Make adjustments accordingly.
