Sony Takes On DJI With $400 ECM-W5 Wireless Microphone Kit
Sony's new ECM-W5 kit pairs two transmitters with one receiver, records 32-bit float audio at 96kHz and ships in November for $400, undercutting nothing but DJI's cheapest models.
The system captures 96kHz audio at distances of up to 500 meters in line-of-sight conditions. It is designed to work most simply with Sony's Alpha series cameras, connecting through the Multi Interface Shoe to draw power and transfer data without cables. For cameras and devices outside that ecosystem, the receiver includes a USB-C connection that lets it feed a smartphone or a PC.
The standard kit contains one rectangular receiver and two microphone transmitters. Buyers who add extra transmitters at $120 each can record up to four tracks at once. Each transmitter carries 64GB of internal memory, which Sony positions as a backup recording path, and that memory is what enables 32-bit float capture. The format lets the ECM-W5 record both quiet and loud sources without requiring the user to adjust gain before or during a shoot.
Each transmitter can be mounted on a separate microphone, runs for 11 hours on a charge and comes with a magnetic backplate so it can be pinned to a shirt. The receiver offers a touchscreen for adjustments and supports wireless monitoring over Bluetooth LE with a pair of Sony headphones.
The pricing places the ECM-W5 well above DJI's competing kits. The DJI Mic 3 costs $259 and the DJI Mic Mini costs $99. Engadget wrote that it is difficult to imagine the ECM-W5 as a compelling alternative to those systems unless a buyer specifically wants to use the new kit with Sony cameras, though the outlet noted that 32-bit float recording could simplify post-production for creators willing to pay $400.
Sony is also selling the components separately for users who want to expand or replace parts of a kit. A standalone ECM-W5R receiver is priced at $190, and an individual ECM-W5T transmitter is priced at $120. Both are available for preorder alongside the full kit.