Sennheiser’s New Climate-Proof Shotgun Mic Is Built for Pros

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Sennheiser’s New Climate-Proof Shotgun Mic Is Built for Pros

Sennheiser announced a rugged new stereo shotgun microphone designed for professional broadcasting and filming applications. The Sennheiser MKH 8018 joins the company’s existing MKH 8000 range of RF condenser mics, which work well in the field due to their climate-proof designs and high-end sound capture capabilities.

“The MKH 8018 is a high-class shotgun model that rounds off our MKH portfolio at the top end,” says Kai Lange, senior product manager at Sennheiser for the MKH series.

“It has extremely low self-noise and truly excellent sound, very clear and pure due to the mic’s great off-axis rejection. Moisture resistance, minimal non-linear distortion, and a balanced audio signal at the transformerless, fully floating output are further benefits of the RF condenser technology, which Sennheiser has been perfecting for more than 60 years.”

A black shotgun microphone with a cylindrical shape and narrow, elongated design. It has slotted vents along the body and a connector at the end. There are switch settings labeled for different audio configurations. — The new Sennheiser MKH 8018 shotgun microphone

The Sennheiser MKH 8018 features an aluminum housing, ensuring it is a lightweight addition to a camera or boom pole. However, unlike the other MKH 8000 series products, the new MKH 8018 is non-modular and features a fixed XLR-5M output and an integrated -10 dB pad against overdriving. The new shotgun mic has filters to tailor frequency response and an additional switchable -3 dB low-cut filter at 70 Hz.

Close-up of a professional camera setup with attached viewfinder and microphone, placed on a green background. The equipment appears to be ready for video recording.

Close-up of a person adjusting cables on a professional video camera with a large microphone attached, set against a green blurred background, suggesting a sports field.

Given that it is designed for broadcasting and filming applications, the typical MKH series frequency response is limited to 40 to 20,000 Hz, which Sennheiser says limits the risk of overloading a mixing console with “unhearable distortion below 40 Hz and above 20 kHz, where ultrasonic camera lens measurement systems are active.”

The MKH 8018 ships with an MZQ 100 microphone clip, an MZW 8018 foam windshield, and a threaded plastic transport tube. The MZR 8000 camera adapter wraps around the microphone’s tubular body and “ensures a secure fit with other mic clips and on cameras.”

Close-up of a Sennheiser MKE 600 microphone mounted on a video camera. The background shows a blurred sports field and stands, suggesting a professional recording setup at an outdoor event.

A directional microphone mounted on a stand is set up on a soccer field. The blurred background shows a goal net and green grass, suggesting a sports event or recording session.

Close-up of a football goal net viewed from behind with a blurred stadium in the background. The field is green, and the stadium seats are red. The focus is on the net, creating a dynamic perspective.

There are also optional add-on accessories available, including the MZS 20-1 suspension/pistol grip, the MZW 60-1 basket windshield, and the HZH 60-1 hairy cover (like a dead cat) for outdoor use.

Pricing and Availability

The new Sennheiser MKH 8018 stereo shotgun microphone is available for purchase now for $1,999. It is shipping immediately. Sennheiser is showing off its latest mic and other exciting products at NAB 2025 in Las Vegas. The company’s booth is in the North Hall.

Image credits: Sennheiser

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