Zoom ZSG-1

A "on-camera" microphone designed for creators and field sound recording

The Zoom ZSG-1 aligns with the brand's philosophy: offering effective audio capture tools that are easy to implement and suited to creators' real-world uses. Here, the goal is clear: to provide a compact solution to replace the often too distant, reverberant, or noisy sound from built-in microphones on cameras and smartphones. Thanks to its shotgun microphone format and pronounced directivity, it improves intelligibility and presence whether you're filming a scene facing the camera, an impromptu interview, or an outdoor sequence.

Designed to keep up with a fast production pace, the ZSG-1 mounts in seconds on a "Hot Shoe" type accessory shoe and connects immediately to your device's microphone input. This "plug and record" approach is ideal when you need to stay mobile, reduce setup time, and secure your recordings without adding multiple accessories.

Who is the Zoom ZSG-1 for, and in which applications does it make a difference?

The ZSG-1 targets videographers, vloggers, mobile journalists, content creators, and independent filmmakers who want cleaner sound without a heavy setup. Its supercardioid directivity helps to "aim" at the sound scene: you prioritize what's in front of the capsule (voice, dialogue, subject) while attenuating some ambient noises from the sides. The result: a more usable, closer sound, often less dependent on noise reduction in post-production.

Indoors, it is especially useful for improving voice clarity in a reverberant room, provided it remains properly oriented toward the source. Outdoors, the included windscreen limits plosives and light turbulence, securing quick takes for social media, travel videos, or "run and gun" shoots. And if you want to take the microphone off the camera, the ZSG-1 can also be used off-camera, on a boom pole or pistol grip, to bring the microphone closer to the subject and gain even more definition.

Directionality, mounting, and power: key points of the ZSG-1

Supercardioid directivity for more focused sound

The core of the ZSG-1 is its directional behavior. The supercardioid directivity concentrates capture on the front of the microphone, helping to better separate the voice from background noise (street, ventilation, crowd, resonances). This is a real advantage over built-in microphones, which often capture "wide" and give a sense of distance. For the best results, keep the microphone oriented toward the subject's mouth and minimize the microphone-to-source distance as much as possible.

Dedicated shock mount: less handling noise

The ZSG-1 comes with a shock mount specially designed to reduce handling noise and vibrations transmitted by the camera or rig. This becomes crucial as soon as you walk, change framing, adjust focus, or handle the tripod. By limiting these mechanical noises, you gain in cleanliness, and your audio remains more consistent across shots.

3.5 mm mini-jack connection and PiP power supply

The 3.5 mm mini-jack output facilitates integration with most cameras, photo devices, smartphones, and audio recorders. The microphone requires a PiP (plug-in power 2 to 5 V) phantom power supplied by the connected device: a point to check in your equipment's settings or technical specifications, especially on some mirrorless cameras. Once powered, you record higher-quality sound directly into your video file or recorder, simplifying workflow and speeding up online publishing.

Technical specifications