Problem
The Nikon D7000 internal microphone has insufficient quality for anything beyond casual use.
Requirements
Easy to setup and use
Semi-pro to pro-level audio quality
Record to the camera to simplify post-production editing
Nice to be portable to possibly use on vacations
<$1000
Option 1 Boom mic
A boom mic would have the highest quality but requires more work to setup and adjust
Option 2 Lavalier mic w/ wireless transmitter
There several brands in the $150-$250 price range but most reviews were negative. In the $500-$600 range are models from Sony & Sennheiser. Given the slightly lower price and generally positive reviews, the Sony UWP-V1 was selected.
Settings
Nikon D7000 Shooting Menu
Movie Settings
Microphone
Low Sensitivity (1)
– Note – normally use 720p 30 FPS as D7000 can only do 24 FPS at 1080p – makes no difference for audio quality
Sony Transmitter Attenuation
Set
ATT-003
Other references