Specialty microphones have their place too. While you won't use them in every situation, they can be a real shoot-saver. Imagine you're shooting a corporate board meeting with several people around a table. You don't have mics for everyone, and a shotgun won't cover all the participants. Why not try a boundary microphone? Available from all the major manufacturers, boundary mics (frequently referred to as PZM mics, even though that's a trademark of Crown) lie on a table or other flat surface and pick up everything equally in every direction. It won't have that in-your-face sound, but you'll capture all the voices at the table, minimize setup and eliminate a dozen wires running across the floor.

If budget allows, try to purchase new microphones based on the needs of your current project. The client helps fund your collection, and you get a new mic that fits the production. Don't forget, you can also rent microphones from production companies, music stores and other rental outlets. This is very common with wireless mics. The rental price buys you the chance to try different models, identifying features and options that suit your production style.

As you can see, there are lots of options when choosing a microphone. Multiply that by the dozens of models offered by each manufacturer, and the task might seem too daunting. Read the spec sheets and reviews, but trust your ears and your gut. The right microphone is waiting for you.

Contributing Editor Hal Robertson is a digital media producer and technology consultant.

If you need more than one microphone on a shoot, adding a small mixer is a great option. Starting around $100, there are dozens of mixers that offer this flexibility. A mixer lets you match volumes from different types of mics and a variety of on-screen talent. You can also mix in other audio sources, like MP3 players or sound systems. As a bonus, you gain easy headphone monitoring and level meters. Several mixers will even run on batteries for extreme remote shoots. It may take an adapter or two to get the signal from the mixer to the camera, but this simple, inexpensive audio addition offers a lot of power and flexibility.