Whether you’re shooting on your smartphone, action camera or DSLR, the built-in microphone just isn’t equipped to deliver top-notch audio to match up to the great visuals. Issues can include the built-in microphone being too far away from the subject, too much ambient noise, low sensitivity, and picking up the noise of the device’s own internal electronics. For anyone shooting video content, whatever the device, an external microphone is essential to give the finished piece a polished feel.