What are the best external microphones for Sony A7IV?

Like someone mentioned, switching to the digital interface is basically mandatory if you want to dodge that hiss. I remember a wedding at a windy lakefront in Chicago where my analog gear just picked up every bit of interference... was a total nightmare to fix. Be careful with those multi-interface shoes though, make sure they are clear of dust or you will get dropouts. Basically the consensus is that digital solves the noise floor issue. I would suggest picking up the Sony ECM-B1M Digital Shotgun Microphone because its compact and lets the camera do the heavy lifting without extra cables. If you need more inputs, the Sony XLR-K3M Dual-Channel Digital XLR Adapter Kit is solid but bulky. Quick tip: always double check your physical dials before the ceremony starts so you dont accidentally bump your levels to max.

> Which digital shoe mics are worth it? I'm super satisfied with the Sony ECM-W2BT Wireless Microphone. It's way more budget-friendly than most Sony digital rigs and works well. Do you need a shotgun specifically or are lavs okay?

Tbh I had the same hiss and switching to the digital interface was the only thing that worked, tho it was a headache. I bought one of those newer digital units and unfortunately had issues with the menus at first. It wasnt as good as expected right out of the box. Just make sure you practice because I almost messed up a whole ceremony being overconfident.

Regarding what #1 said about switching to digital, I think that usually fixes those noise floor issues. Ive tried many rigs and analog ports are just too risky for weddings imo. Not sure but IIRC there was a firmware tweak for the A7IV audio. Quick question though, are you recording mainly dialogue or just room tone? TL;DR: Digital is safer for big gigs.

Exactly what I was thinking