In my latest review, I took a look at the new DJI Mic 3, which is the latest iteration of DJI’s wireless microphone system. In this review I focus more on the casual user, who is looking for a simple “run and gun” system.
Like the previous iterations, it does work as advertised for those looking for a simple solution. Plug it into a phone, camera, or computer and it pops up and works with little fuss.
I bought the two-microphone kit (compensated affiliate link), which comes with two transmitters and a receiver, though the receiver can handle up to four mics. In certain setups you can even record each mic onto its own track, which is useful for editing later if your gear supports it. This new version doesn’t require the receiver unit at all – in fact you can just buy a transmitter and link it directly via bluetooth to a phone. But that’s probably not the ideal configuration.
The included USB-C dongle locks securely into place, which is a big improvement over the earlier version where it would slip out easily. It works with newer iPhones thanks to the switch to USB-C, but anyone with a lightning-based iPhone will need to purchase an adapter from DJI.
The carrying case doubles as a charger, and DJI rates the mics for about eight hours of use and the receiver for about ten. Enabling advanced features like 32-bit float recording will drain the battery faster, and the batteries aren’t replaceable, so longevity may diminish over time. The receiver now has a scroll wheel for navigating menus, which I found more precise than the older tiny touchscreen taps.
Connectivity is broad. Beyond USB-C, there’s also analog TRS mic output and a headphone jack for monitoring, making it usable with cameras, computers, and phones. Each transmitter can also record internally, which is a safeguard in environments with heavy interference. DJI says they’ll store about 57 hours in standard mode or 42 hours in 32-bit float, automatically overwriting the oldest files when full. Audio is downloaded by docking the transmitters in the charging case, and connecting the charging case to a PC, phone or tablet via USB-C.
Speaking of interference, the DJI Mic 3 works across the 2.4 ghz and 5 ghz spectrum, occupying the same frequencies that Wi-Fi uses. It will “frequency hop” to keep the signal steady, but there may be environments with a lot of Wi-Fi and other devices using the same spectrum that could result in diminished performance. My advice would be to always enable the transmitter recording feature just to be safe.
In practice, the microphones sound better than the first-generation set I used before. They are omnidirectional, so they’ll pick up surrounding noise, but there are new noise reduction settings. In testing at a trade show, the basic noise reduction helped cut down background chatter, while the strong mode made the audio sound a little too processed. These settings only apply to the live wireless signal, not the onboard recordings, so any recorded files still need software cleanup if conditions are noisy. There are also voice presets labeled standard, rich, and bright. They’re subtle changes, but I found “rich” gave a touch more warmth to my voice.
Mounting options are flexible. The transmitters have clips and magnets strong enough to hold through clothing, though there are plenty of small accessories to keep track of. For outdoor work, the included furry “dead cat” wind screens snap on securely and help tame wind noise. Through the companion app, I was able to configure professional features like timecode synchronization, lossless recording, adaptive gain, and 32-bit float capture. Timecode is especially useful when syncing multiple tracks in editing. The advanced modes aren’t really plug-and-play and require more post-production work, but they’re there if you need them.
Overall, I see the DJI Mic 3 as both approachable for those looking for a basic mic set but with some additional features that pros will appreciate. While I use a higher-end Sennheiser set for my remote shoots, it’s nice to have something that’s quick and easy for the times I need a quick solution with minimal hardware to get the job done.