MKE 600

>The camera with mic onboard was placed probably 4ft “ish” away! I mean this is probably your issue. No shotgun mic is going to sound terribly good that far away, especially a cheaper model like the MKE600. For interviews that mic should be hanging about a micron above your frame, ideally less than a foot or two from the subject.

Let me think about it, it's a very delicate matter. I think having a good preamp is essential for your purpose. If you get a poor preamp, your sound will be poor even with a good microphone. I can tell you that there are some good preamps out there, but they're very expensive, and if you add the cost of the preamp and the microphone, we're going beyond your budget. Examples: the Fostex Ar501, created for your purpose, or the mm1 sound device, but we're on another level. The sound device is very expensive and perhaps useless for your application. There are similar, inexpensive solutions, but I can't guarantee the performance. As for the microphone, I obviously recommend a Sennheiser MKH416, but we're out of your budget. I'd go with a Deity S Mic 3s, which is within your budget considering the cost of the preamp. That said, if you're looking for a quick and simple solution without too many hassles, an NTG4+ or MKE600 would be better.

Plus one to this! I typically use my MKE 600 boomed and plugged in via XLR to the Zoom F3. My audio turns out crispy perfect every single time.

Audio Technica AT875R ($179), Rode NTG 4 or 4+, Audio Technica AT 897, and the MKE 600 you already listed.

i had the mke 600.. too big, i now have the 400, it's everything you need, best on camera shotgun by far.. just buy that