Shotgun mics offer a great upgrade over the built in microphones on the camera. Even plugging a shotgun mic straight into the camera is a major upgrade. More advanced filmmakers use a “dual-system” or “two-system” recording, where audio and video are recorded separately and then put together in post-production (editing phase). That is what those clappers or slates are for–to give a clear, sharp visual and audio cue to sync up video and audio for later. Shotgun mics are best for outdoor recording. They come in a blimp (or zepplin) to reduce wind noise, with a fuzzy (or windsock or dead cat or windscreen or dead cat) that covers the blimp that cuts out even more of the wind noise.
We have one Sennheiser MKH70 and one Rode NTG-3 available to rent.