VideoMic NTG

Going to be hard to beat the rode video mic ntg. And it's $240. I have one. It sounds terrific. Feature packed. Light as a feather. Self powered. USB interface built in. A little eq in post, and it's as good as any on cam mic you're going to get. It's no slouch in a sit down interview or any over the top boom scenario either. I have no complaints.

The rode is self powered and has an 1/8" jack, so goes right into my Sony a7c. I would not recommend another mic for this purpose. It's perfectly designed for this.

Condenser mics are indeed more sensitive than dynamic mics, but they're also better at picking up fine detail and are typically the go-to for professional vocal recording. Dynamic mics tend to be more robust and able to handle extreme transients, so they're the obvious choice for live, loud environments. So while condensers are great for voice and pick up the widest range of detail, just like a dynamic mic they can also have specific polar patterns to help capture the sound you want and reject that which you don't. Shotgun mics have an extremely narrow polar pattern which ensures they only pick up what they are being directly pointed at. The disadvantage is that if you move around too much when you speak, you'll hear a signficant change in volume depending on your angle to the mic. If you needed a decent USB powered shotgun mic, you could look into something like the Rode Videomic NTG. Its primary role is for use on cameras, but it can absolutely be used as a desktop podcast/streaming microphone.

The video mic ntg is solid and fits your reqs well. Small, easy, decent quality, worth the price.

I know I'm late but I really like the Videomic NTG. Internal battery, works perfectly together with the Wireless Pro transmitter. But on a side note be wary about the Wireless Pro. Mine just messed up a client shoot. The receiver went from 100% battery to empty and shut down in about 4 minutes even though both the receiver and the case was fully charged overnight before the shoot. Also the internal recording didn't work on either of the transmitters even though they were set to always record internally. Looking to switch brands because of this. Always carry a backup!

This 100% I actually game on my AirPods Max after my SteelSeries bit the dust. I use a Rode VideoMic NTG on an arm for my Discord and in-game mic.

Agree I never liked the Rode mics. I have the VideoMic shotgun and I find it not only too bright but, captures bass very poorly, also rather noisy.

I use a second hand Rode shotgun mic, homemade pop filter, homemade mic stand, positioned about 2" from my mouth when I'm recording voiceover. My voice comes out clear, no background noise despite not sanitizing my environment at all. Moving closer to the mic is my recommendation, if you haven't already, it does wonders.