DJI's Mic Mini 2S is the first in its Mini lineup that can record your audio internally
The feature provides a backup and can save your bacon if any of your audio is clipped.
DJI's Mic Mini lineup has been popular with creators, but one missing feature has been keeping professionals away. The Mic Mini 2S solves that problem with addition of 32-bit float internal recording, giving video shooters a high-quality and reliable backup for their camera or smartphone recordings.
I've had the Mic Mini 2S for a couple of days, and so far I'm impressed. Along with the Mic Mini 2, it's the lightest and most discreet DJI wireless mic, while providing very good (but not phenomenal) sound quality. The internal 32-bit float setting is a godsend, particularly for independent videographers who need a backup and may not have a sound person available to set audio levels perfectly.
The Mic Mini 2S has an identical design to the Mic Mini 2. The transmitters (microphones) have a slightly higher 12 gram weight compared to 11 grams before, along with a clear plastic case, magnetic clips and colorful, swappable front covers. They come with clip-on wind muffs, along with a 3.5mm camera cable and smartphone adapter.
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That takes us to the key new feature of the Mic Mini 2S. The reason the transmitters are slightly heavier is that each carries 14.5GB of built-in storage, enough to capture 28 hours of 24-bit audio, or about 21 hours of 32-bit float audio by my calculations. The benefit of 32-bit float audio, of course, is that sound won't clip — a feature that can save your bacon if your audio levels are cranked too high.
Like the Mic Mini 2, the Mini 2S offers two levels of AI noise cancellation. The "Basic" level reduces indoor backgrounds sounds like fans, air conditioning and reverb, while "Strong" cuts through aggressive outdoor noise to keep speech clear. In my brief tests, the latter setting should only be used if truly required, as voice quality is heavily impacted.
Other settings include "Clipping Control" that can attenuate audio in volatile environments and "Loudness Balance" (effectively audio normalization) that maintains consistent voice levels for interviews and live streams. As before, it also offers three tone presets: "Regular" for balanced and natural audio, "Bright" for added clarity and "Rich" for a fuller, warmer tone.
If you're interviewing or doing YouTube content with multiple subjects, you can connect one Mic Mini 2S receiver to up to four transmitters at the same time. It's also compatible with previous generations of DJI mics including the Mic 2, Mic 3, Mic Mini and Mic Mini 2. "This offers a cost-effective way for creators to upgrade and expand their existing equipment as they move into multi-person content," DJI notes.
Steve Dent for Engadget
DJI's Mic Mini 2S transmitters can connect natively to select DJI cameras via the company's OsmoAudio Direct Connection, including the Osmo Pocket 4P, Osmo Pocket 4, Osmo 360, Osmo Nano and Osmo Action 6. The receiver can connect to any mirrorless or other camera with a 3.5mm mic input, or smartphones via an included adapter.
As with past models, the Mic Mini 2S is available with a 1,950mAh charging case that can charge two transmitters and a receiver about 3.2 times with a charging time of about two hours. That allows an operating time of about 42 hours before you need to plug in again — a nice convenience when you're on the road.
I've used the Mic Mini 2S to shoot some production footage and found that the audio quality is very good, but it slightly lacks the clarity and bottom end "oomph" of high-end pro wireless setups from Sennheiser and others. With that said, it's far more convenient to use than most other wireless mics, thanks to the charging case, automatic receiver connection, incredible 400 meter (437 yard) range and tiny size.
DJI's Mic Mini 2S is now available in Europe for £169 or 189 EUR with two transmitters, a receiver and the charging case, along with wind muffs, a camera cable and a smartphone adapter. If you're mainly a smartphone creator, you can get it with a single transmitter, mobile receiver and charging case for £79 or 99 EUR. Given DJI products are effectively banned in the US, and the FCC is hunting down resellers who are rebadging its hardware, we're doubtful you'll see this coming to the States any time soon.