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  1. Do you look at the manufacture's polar patterns as well as their frequency response charts when you are comparing mics? A polar pattern is a graphical representation of the microphone's sensitivity by axis. Complete polar patterns will have overlapping graphs of many frequencies because mics will have different polar patterns varying with frequency. At a glance you can see how a mic will sound when your actor talks into the side when the boom operator misses his cue or, when by design, he "sides" the mic to a, louder overlapping, actor to balance the level of a softer speaking actor he has put on axis. Also note the jagged "phasey" uneven polar pattern of shotgun mics at the sides and rear. This is why they sound so strange inside and so nice outside. The reflections from interior walls are received by the shotgun's "interference rejection tube" and "phase" differently depending on frequency. These reflections are virtually absent (not in a forest though) when there are no adjacent reflective surfaces and this accounts for the desireable "reach" too. Careful polar chart observation will show you where the mic is least sensitive. If you can orient that axis to the noise and the front of the mic to the actor you have maximized your, desired, signal and minimized your, undesired, noise. Tip: If you point a Sennheiser MKH70 or Neumann KMR82 straight down to the ground from overhead to intercept the actor's voice you will "Tune Out" horizontally polarized (there's that word again) noise. Works just as well for "Lofer" mic placement (mic points up to the sky under the chin of the actor on closer shots). But don't expect the Sennheiser MKH 815/816 to do this because the polar patter is different. Want to identify a superior sounding interior mic with good reach. Study the smoothness (uniform pattern verses frequency) of your hypercardiod mic candiates. The smoothest polar pattern I have ever seen belongs the the Neumann KM105/KM185 hypercardoid capsule. I was told by the microphone's designer at a visit to Neumann Berlin that their KK50 capsule had the best X/Y (matrix) performance of their entire line (and the KM105/KM185 are, by far, not their most expensive music recording mics). Note too that the Schoeps MK41 hypercardiod capsule is no slouch either. Wonder about that newcomer Sennheiser shotgun the MKH8070? I haven't used it but for sure it will have excellent outdoors reach. But watch out because if your actor is just a bit off axis you are going to lose highs. Or use it for for a lispy actor and side the very tight pattern just a tiny bit. Bit don't expect a lush sound indoors. Note too that the 8070's frequency response is virtually flat to 10Hz so you will be buying the $500 low cut accessory with the mic. The high end goes out almost flat 30Khz so by now you might get the idea that the 8070 wasn't designed for dialogue but could be pressed into that service. The MKH70 has a built in roll off switch and a high frequency boost switch usefull-when you use the, muffling, dead cat windscreen cover. If you interested there's lots more since polar patterns describe fundamental characteristics of wave motion and work just the same for aerials too but at Radio Frequencies.
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