I would cross post this on /locationsound. Anyways, for what you are looking to achieve I would find a pair of used lectro 411s, mkh416, zoom h8 or a mix pre. Since that is over your budget, I would buy what you can afford and rent till you can buy more gear.
Sennheiser MKH-416 gets used in sooooo many spots. Everyone knows it, everyone likes it, studios buy them by the case. You would be hard pressed to find an on-camera spot that isn't using at least one 416. What the U87 is to LDCs, the 416 is to shotgun mics. It's on the spec sheets all the time, and I don't think I've ever seen a request for a different shotgun.
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.
Top External Microphones on Reddit
1
Shure
SM58
79% positive of 377 users
Indestructible live workhorse; but muffled for studio vocals.
Accomplished-Cup-895
