Canon Rebel T2i Quick Start Manual page 103

Dynamic vs Condenser Microphones
• A Microphone is a transducer changing acoustic energy to electrical energy.
• Dynamic microphones do not require electrical power to operate. They can be used
to record very loud sounds.
• Condenser microphones are smaller and more sensitive. They are ideal for
recording soft sounds. They can reproduce a greater range of frequencies but they
must be powered by an electrical current called "phantom power".
• When using condenser microphones you must be more careful to avoid distortion
from loud sounds or from too much microphone pre-amplifier gain.