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How to Use an External Microphone with a GoPro Fusion or GoPro Max
Steps to using an external microphone with a 360 camera if there are no audio inputs.
(Or the Insta360 One X…or many other 360 cameras for that matter)
You just bought that shiny new GoPro Max and you want to record a realtor talking on the beach patio for an oceanside 360 video shoot, but the ocean is overpowering the realtor’s voice in the GoPro mic. Or maybe you’re trying to record a restaurant owner talking about their business on location, but the ambient noise prevents their voice from being heard clearly using the built in mics. Time to get your trusty external microph… oh wait, where does this thing plug in????
360 video cameras are unique in that they record video in all directions using 2 or more lenses, so the videos can be stitched together to create a 360 video. This means if you were to have cables coming out of the camera, they’d probably show up in the video. For this reason and whatever other reasons, your only option for recording high quality vocal audio (especially in places with lots of ambient noise) for many 360 cameras is to record with an external mic and a separate device with audio recording capabilities. This article takes a look at the steps involved with recording audio with a separate device, and then syncing it with the video taken by the 360 camera.
This page contains links to products, so if you find this site useful and use a link to make a purchase, I’ll get a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Enjoy!
Step 1) Find a device that can record audio (you probably already own one)
If you have a phone, you can probably record audio with it. Whether you have Apple’s iOS, Google’s Android, or something else relatively recent, there are multiple audio recording apps you can use on the various app stores.
Some of the audio recording apps available on Apple’s App Store.
Step 2) Get a wireless microphone system
You may already have a wireless mic system (transmitter & receiver), or you may be starting to look at options. When I recently recorded a 360 video in a bar with a host/narrator, I used the Rode Wireless Go mics, which are a great option. They are super lightweight and small enough that the narrator can just clip the transmitter/mic to their lapel, and you’re ready to roll. I have used these mics both with and without the optional Rode Lavalier Mic. In situations where you want to minimize ambient noise, I would opt for using a lavalier mic, but if you’re OK with a little ambient noise then you probably don’t need it (I recorded someone talking 20 feet from a busy road with just the basic Rode Wireless Go kit, and it allowed a little bit of the traffic noise in the background, but the person’s voice was clear). If you want to be safe, you could use the lavalier mic and you’ll still have the ability to add in ambient noise using the audio captured by the 360 camera once the audio is synced, which I’ll explain later in this article.
One thing to remember if using this system is to keep the receiver as close as possible to the transmitter/mic. Rode advertises them to work at “a line-of-sight range of up to 70m,” but if a person’s body or wall comes between the pair, the range can shorten significantly. In many cases, I will hide the Rode receiver (attached to my iPhone) in the 360 scene with the narrator where the camera can’t see it, rather than taking the phone with me and hiding around the corner of a wall. This minimizes the chance of audio intermittently cutting out.
In order to plug the receiver into my iPhone, I had to use an Apple Lightning to 3.5 mm Headphone Jack Adapter and a Rode SC7 3.5mm TRS to TRRS Patch Cable.
The Rode Wireless Go Microphone system, hooked up to an Apple iPhone.
Step 3) Start Recording
When you have your wireless mic system hooked up to your phone (or other recording device), you’re at the scene you want to shoot, and you or another narrator is ready to speak, it’s time to record! After pushing record on the 360 camera and also the smartphone, have someone clap near enough and/or loud enough to overcome other noise happening in the scene. Just a single clap will suffice… don’t applaud until your client mails you a check! =) This will give us a nice audio spike that will allow you to easily sync the audio in post-processing. To make it easier on yourself in post-processing, clap a single time before each video section, and before each take. Then you can trim out bad takes and manage your project easier in your favorite video editing app.
Step 4) Sync the audio to the video in your editing app
After you import your stitched 360 video in a video editing application like Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere, it’s time to sync the external mic’s audio with the 360 camera’s audio. If you add the external mic’s audio into your timeline, you can see graphically where your audio spikes are from somebody clapping before speaking:
Syncing Audio between an External Mic and a 360 Camera in Post-Processing
All you have to do is line them up, and then playback the video a couple times to make sure they are exactly aligned. You want the external mic’s audio track to be so perfectly aligned that it sounds like a single person clapping one single time. Repeat for each clip.
Once you have the audio tracks perfectly aligned, you can also decide how much audio you want from the camera to come through. For example, if you were recording audio next to the ocean, you could reduce the 360 camera’s audio track to 20% volume, rather than eliminate it completely. Or, if the narrator didn’t start talking right away, you could leave the camera’s audio at 100% and then fade it down as the narrator started speaking. As long as the audio tracks are perfectly aligned, you’ll have a lot of flexibility in regards to what the final video will sound like.
And that’s all there is to it! Hopefully that will give you a few helpful ideas about recording with a 360 camera and processing audio from external mics. Even if your scenario isn’t described here, hopefully it will give you a few ideas.
A Few 360 Camera Options
Insta360 One X2
5760 x 2880 Video, 6080 x 3040 Photos
*Note: They have an optional microphone adapter that allows for external microphone input, but you might end up with the mic in the 360 video if you attach it directly to the camera
GoPro Max
5376 x 2688 Video, 5760 x 2880 Photos
Ricoh Theta Z1
3840 x 1920 Video, 6720 x 3360 Photos
Ricoh Theta V
3840 x 1920 Video, 5376×2688 Photos
DJI Drone Sensor Size Comparison Page
There are many drones & cameras available from DJI with minor or major differences in sensor size, photo resolution, video resolution, and video format. I thought it would be handy to have a page with specifications and significant differences laid out clearly in order to make comparison easy.
See also: DJI Product History Timeline
See also: Megapixels vs. Sensor Size: Can the Mavic Air 2 Beat the Phantom 4 Pro?
See also: DJI Air 2S Review: Has DJI Finally Created a Superior Successor to the Phantom 4 Pro??
There are many drones & cameras available from DJI with differences in sensor size, photo resolution, focal length, video resolution, and video format. I thought it would be convenient to have a single page with a visual sensor size reference and key camera specifications laid out clearly in order to make camera comparison easy. Did you know that in December 2018 there were five different variations of the Mavic being sold, with two different sensor sizes? =)
I will try to keep this page updated as new products come out.
For more info you can click on the product name and it will take you to DJI’s website.
**Note about camera sensor sizes: I am listing approximate physical sensor sizes in millimeters based on my own calculations and research to make them easier to compare. Actual dimensions may vary slightly.
The main reason I created this page is due to the different ways DJI lists the sesnor sizes in the specs pages, making it difficult to easily compare cameras. For example, DJI’s website lists the sensor size of the Zenmuse X7 in millimeters (23.5 × 15.7 mm) based on the real physical dimensions, but lists the Phantom 4 Pro’s sensor size as a 1” sensor, though it’s real diagonal measurement is probably more like 0.6 inches. By listing all the sensor sizes the same way it should be easier to visualize the difference. For more information on sensor format sizes, check out this table.
If you find this page helpful, most current products on this page have product links, and I'll get a small commission if a purchase is made through one of the links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The information provided here is for convenience only and should be confirmed on DJI’s website before making a purchase. Thanks, and enjoy!
- DJI FPV Series -
- Mavic Series -
Mini 3 Pro
(Mini 3 Pro on Amazon)
Sensor Size: 9.7 x 7.3mm
Max Photo Resolution: 8064×6048 (48 MP Mode) or 4032×3024 (12 MP)
Max Video Resolution: 3840×2160 @ 60fps
Camera Rotates to Vertical/Portrait Orientation: YES
Lens Focal Length (35mm Equivalent): 24mm
Aperture: f/1.7 (fixed)
Photo Formats: JPEG or DNG (RAW)
Video Formats: h.264, h.265
Mavic 3
(Mavic 3 on Amazon)
Sensor Size: 17.3 x 13mm
Max Photo Resolution: 5280 × 3956
Max Video Resolution: 5120 × 2700 @ 50fps / 4096 × 2160 @ 120fps
Lens Focal Length (35mm Equivalent): 24mm
Aperture: f/2.8 - f/11
Photo Formats: JPEG or DNG (RAW)
Video Formats: h.264, h.265, Apple ProRes 422 HQ (Apple ProRes is Mavic 3 Cine Only)
Mavic 3 Upper Telephoto Camera
Sensor Size: 6.4 x 4.8mm
Max Photo Resolution: 4000 × 3000
Max Video Resolution: 3840 × 2160 @ 50fps
Lens Focal Length (35mm Equivalent): 162mm
Aperture: f/4.4 (fixed)
Photo Format: JPEG or DNG (RAW)
Video Formats: h.264, h.265
**(Note: DJI released a firmware update in May of 2022 that added multiple features to the telephoto camera, including RAW shooting and video fps options. If the firmware is not updated you won’t see the RAW shooting option or a number of other features.)
DJI Air 2S
(DJI Air 2S on Amazon)
Sensor Size: 13.2 x 8.8mm
Max Photo Resolution: 5472 × 3648
Max Video Resolution: 5472 × 3078 @ 30fps / 3840 × 2160 @ 60fps
Lens Focal Length (35mm Equivalent): 22mm
Aperture: f/2.8 (fixed)
Photo Formats: JPEG or DNG (RAW)
Video Formats: h.264, h.265
DJI Mini 2
(DJI Mini 2 on Amazon)
Sensor Size: 6.3 x 4.7mm
Max Photo Resolution: 4000 × 3000
Max Video Resolution: 3840 × 2160 @ 30fps
Lens Focal Length (35mm Equivalent): 24mm
Aperture: f/2.8 (fixed)
Photo Formats: JPEG or DNG (RAW)
Video Formats: h.264
Mavic Air 2
(Mavic Air 2 on Amazon)
Sensor Size: 6.4 x 4.8mm
Max Photo Resolution: 8000 × 6000 (sort of… see this)
Max Video Resolution: 3840 × 2160 @ 60fps
Lens Focal Length (35mm Equivalent): 24mm
Aperture: f/2.8 (fixed)
Photo Formats: JPEG or DNG (RAW)
Video Formats: h.264, H.265
Mavic Mini
(Mavic Mini on Amazon)
Sensor Size: 6.3 x 4.7mm
Max Photo Resolution: 4000 × 3000
Max Video Resolution: 2720 × 1530 @ 30fps
Lens Focal Length (35mm Equivalent): 24mm
Aperture: f/2.8 (fixed)
Photo Formats: JPEG
Video Formats: h.264
Mavic 2 Pro
(Mavic 2 Pro on Amazon)
Sensor Size: 13.2 x 8.8mm
Max Photo Resolution: 5472 × 3648
Max Video Resolution: 3840 × 2160 @ 30fps
Lens Focal Length (35mm Equivalent): 28mm
Aperture: f/2.8 - f/11 (adjustable)
Photo Formats: JPEG or DNG (RAW)
Video Formats: h.264, h.265
Mavic 2 Zoom
(Mavic 2 Zoom on Amazon)
Sensor Size: 6.3 x 4.7mm
Max Photo Resolution: 4000 × 3000
Max Video Resolution: 3840 × 2160 @ 30fps
Lens Focal Length (35mm Equivalent): 24-48mm Zoom
Aperture: f/2.8 - 3.8 (non-adjustable, changes with focal length)
Photo Formats: JPEG or DNG (RAW)
Video Formats: h.264
Mavic Pro / Mavic Pro Platinum
Sensor Size: 6.3 x 4.7mm
Max Photo Resolution: 4000 × 3000
Max Video Resolution: 4096 × 2160 @ 24fps
Lens Focal Length (35mm Equivalent): 26mm
Photo Formats: JPEG or DNG (RAW)
Video Formats: h.264
- Phantom Series -
Phantom 4 Pro, Phantom 4 Pro v2.0, & Phantom 4 Advanced
Sensor Size: 13.2 x 8.8mm
Max Photo Resolution: 5472 × 3648
Max Video Resolution: 4096 × 2160 @ 60fps
Lens Focal Length (35mm Equivalent): 24mm
Aperture: f/2.8 - f/11 (adjustable)
Photo Formats: JPEG, DNG (RAW), JPEG + DNG
Video Formats: h.264, h.265
Phantom 3 SE
Sensor Size: 6.3 x 4.7mm
Max Photo Resolution: 4000 x 3000
Max Video Resolution: 4096 x 2160 @ 24/25fps
Lens Focal Length (35mm Equivalent): 20mm
Photo Formats: JPEG or DNG (RAW)
Video Formats: h.264
Zenmuse X7 (Inspire 2)
(Zenmuse X7 on Amazon)
Sensor Size: 23.5 × 15.7 mm
Max Photo Resolution: 6016 × 4008
Max Video Resolution: 6016×3200 @ 30fps
Lens Focal Length (35mm Equivalent): 24mm, 36mm, 52mm, or 75mm via the 16mm / 24mm / 35mm / 50mm DJI Lenses (There is a crop factor of 1.5)
Photo Formats: JPEG, DNG (RAW), JPEG + DNG
Video Formats: CinemaDNG, ProRes RAW, ProRes RAW HQ, ProRes, h.264, h.265
Zenmuse X5S (Inspire 2)
(Zenmuse X5S on Amazon)
Sensor Size: 17.3 x 13 mm
Max Photo Resolution: 5280 × 3956
Max Video Resolution: 4096×2160 @ 59.94fps
Lens Focal Length (35mm Equivalent): Can take a variety of MFT lenses. Default lens is a DJI 15mm, and with a crop factor of 2, makes it 30mm
Photo Formats: JPEG, DNG (RAW), JPEG + DNG
Video Formats: CinemaDNG, ProRes, h.264, h.265
Zenmuse X4S (Inspire 2)
Sensor Size: 13.2 x 8.8mm
Max Photo Resolution: 5472 × 3648
Max Video Resolution: 4096×2160 @ 59.94fps
Lens Focal Length (35mm Equivalent): 24mm
Photo Formats: JPEG, DNG (RAW), JPEG + DNG
Video Formats: h.264, h.265
Zenmuse X5R (Inspire 1)
(Zenmuse X5R on Amazon)
Sensor Size: 17.3 x 13 mm
Max Photo Resolution: 4608 x 3456
Max Video Resolution: 4096 x 2160 @ 23.98fps
Lens Focal Length (35mm Equivalent): Can take a variety of MFT lenses. Default lens is a DJI 15mm, and with a crop factor of 2, makes it 30mm
Photo Formats: JPEG, DNG (RAW), JPEG + DNG
Video Formats: CinemaDNG, h.264
Zenmuse X5 (Inspire 1)
Sensor Size: 17.3 x 13 mm
Max Photo Resolution: 4608 x 3456
Max Video Resolution: 4096x2160 @ 23.98fps
Lens Focal Length (35mm Equivalent): Can take a variety of MFT lenses. Default lens is a DJI 15mm, and with a crop factor of 2, makes it 30mm
Photo Formats: JPEG, DNG (RAW), JPEG + DNG
Video Formats: h.264