£40 mic

[Girl01]

If my budget is £40 which is a good mic? Or am I better off just using the camera mic and saving up for a more expensive one?

I was not sure which mic maybe a rode mic? It's just me talking to camera in a room

 

[Will]

If you're vlogging the BEST thing to do is get a shotgun mic, with a boom pole rig. But that would be more for a permanent studio setup, where you don't want your microphone seen on camera. But that would probably triple your budget.

The best option IN your preferred price would be a blue snowball. I have one and it sounds great. The drawback is that it has to be set more on a table and has to be moderately close to get quality sound (About no more than two feet away from where you're speaking). It's probably more preferred to gamers, since they don't have to worry about being seen hunkered down over their microphone. But you could definitely make it work.

Then, as you said, you can use your camera's mic. It's free, but I don't recommend it. It's been proven that it is easier to irritate your sense of hearing than your sense of sight. (Which is why no matter what videos you're going about making, worry about decent sound or sound recording hardware before a 500 $/£ camera lens.)

 

[Tarmack]

OP, please don't buy a Blue Snowball. It's a cheap piece of junk marketed to young gamers who have never heard of another brand of microphone and its' the wrong microphone for what you're doing.

Need to know what camera you have. Does it have a microphone input? If so, is it a minijack (same size as any non-studio regular set of headphones or earbuds)?

If so, a good option for vlogging where you're not doing a lot of moving would be a lavalier mic. These are the mics you see on talk shows pinned to the shirt of the guest. There are several that are within your price range. You may need to buy an extra cable (male to female 1/8th inch mini-jack) to give you plenty of cable so that you can have whatever distance from the camera that you need.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rode-Smartlav-Lavalier-Microphone-Smartphone/dp/B00EO4A7L0

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Audio-Technica-ATR-3350-Omnidirectional-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B002HJ9PTO

The only thing to be cautious of with a lav mic is that they do not respond well to movement. I wouldn't recommend a lav for a mobile vlog where you're walking around because as you move, your shirt moves and makes noise that the mic will record. If you're just sitting quietly in a room though, they're perfect. And also, very unobtrusive in a video.

 

[ItsJustJames]

I would go shotgun mic over lavalier if you're inexperienced with sound recording. I can think of a number of reasons a vlogger shouldn't use a lavalier. Just one is what if you have a friend with you? You can't have one person with a mic and not the other.

Also to get one that sounds professional, you've got to spend some serious money. I don't believe in cheap clip-on mics.

Have a look at Rode's NTG range for shotgun condensers.

Best of luck,
James.