Started by nate_ferreira, 17 Aug 2026. 6 replies, 217 views
Gear in this topic: Sony ZV-E10 II, DJI Osmo Pocket 3, DJI Mic 2
keep seeing 32-bit float on every new mic, like the new dji mic mini 2s. right now i just use the pocket 3 with its built in mic, or my zv-e10 ii when i want the wider shot.
is 32 bit float something i actually need or just marketing? i mostly talk to camera while walking around town, sometimes in a cafe. budget is tight so if its not needed i'd rather put the money somewhere else. sorry if this is obvious, i'm only a couple months into this
Honestly no. 32-bit float saves you when levels are wildly unpredictable, someone shouting then whispering, a drummer next to you, a crowd going off at a gig. It means the recording basically can't clip, and you pull the level down in the edit instead of losing the take.
Talking to camera at a steady volume, set your gain once so your normal voice peaks around -12 and you're fine. That's been good enough for every interview and vlog anyone did for twenty years.
The things that actually make vlog audio bad are wind, distance and echo. A mic on your chest instead of on a camera at arm's length fixes distance. A furry fixes wind. Nothing fixes a tiled bathroom. 32-bit float fixes none of those three, which is why I think it's overhyped for most people. It's a nice extra, not a reason to buy.
If you want to spend money on audio, a wireless lav and a cheap furry will do more for you than any spec on the box.
Disagree a little. It's not that you NEED it, it's that you stop thinking about levels entirely. For walking vlogs where a bus goes by, or a dog barks right next to you, or you laugh suddenly at your own joke, it's one less thing to mess up. I've saved more than one take on my Mic 2 because I'd left the gain set for a quiet room and then went outside.
If your next mic has it, great. Don't buy a mic just for it though.
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zebrastripes said:you stop thinking about levels entirely
Until you forget to check the mic is actually switched on. Ask me how I know. Forty minutes of a band rehearsal, beautiful 32-bit float silence.
lol ok. so a wireless mic is the real upgrade and 32 bit is a bonus
nate_ferreira said:so a wireless mic is the real upgrade and 32 bit is a bonus
Exactly. And a wind muff if you're outdoors, biggest upgrade for the least money. The Pocket 3's built-in mics are actually decent in a quiet room, it's wind and distance that kill them.
ordered a cheap wind muff for the pocket for now, mic later when ive saved up. thanks