So you’ve got your snazzy new Canon 5D MKII, 7D, or 1D MKIV (well, your pre-order anyway)…now what to do for high-quality audio capture?

It’s well known that these cameras all have issues in the firmware that lead to overly-noisy audio…but all is not lost, young grasshopper! A number of third-party options exist, some require you to sync sound in post from a standalone recorder, others allow you to record directly to the camera. Recently P3Pictures conducted a number of audio tests with several popular third-party options, namely the $299 juicedLink CX231, $299 Samson Zoom H4n, $177 M-Audio Microtrack II, and the $374 Beachtek DXA-5D (<-- B&H buy links).

Allan Tépper has each of these video tests conveniently embedded all in one post if you wish to get an idea of the testing methodology and process. P3Pictures category leaders are as follows:

Standalone Recorders: Zoom H4n (low noise, good interface, remember to turn on hi-pass filter and use deadcat outdoors)
In-camera Solutions: juicedLink CX 231 (quiet active preamps, will not block 5D battery, lowest-noise solution overall)
Overall Winner: juicedLink CX 231

Finally, it’s important to note that the Beachtek solution allows you to record directly to the camera without using any third-party firmware hacks. That is, it works right out of the box. In contrast, the juicedLink CX231 is not going to deliver optimal results until you add the Magic Lantern audio-gain disable firmware loader, a simple solution to the 5D’s nasty autogain settings. If you are the type who shies away from community/hack solutions, perhaps the best option for you is the standalone H4n. Otherwise, the juiceLink looks like a fantastic option.