Digital NcStereo Microphone with Windscreen (Shotgun) for Nikon D5200

After buying my Nikon DSLR, I hesitated spending too much on a stereo microphone for videos, so I opted for the Bower Elite. I have nothing to compare it with except the monaural mike built into the camera. The Bower Elite actually seems less sensitive than the built in mike, and no matter how you set it the stereo spread is narrow. The windscreen works amazingly well, but I soon lost it (my bad, I know). Without the windscreen the mike is pretty noisy.I wasn't expecting audiophile sound at this price, just something serviceable in stereo. It basically fills the bill. I can always increase the volume when editing my videos and even tweak the separation spread if necessary. The main problem I have with the device is its power switch. You must turn it on each time you take a video. I like to turn it off when I complete a clip to preserve the battery, but I sometimes forget to turn it back on when I shoot another video. I wish that it simply powered up automatically and shut down after a period of disuse. Maybe I'm just a forgetful old man, but I have accidentally shot several video clips without sound. I don't know if the more expensive microphones work any differently.