The Audio-Technica AT897 Line + Gradient Condenser Microphone is designed for field audio acquisition in film/TV production, studio, and wildlife recording. It requires 1 AA battery (included) and has dimensions of 50.8 x 5.08 x 12.7 cm. It was first available on 10 April 2018 and is manufactured by Audio-Technica in Japan. The microphone has a short length of 279 mm to stay out of the shot when used with compact digital cameras. It provides natural-sounding on-axis audio quality and has a narrow acceptance angle for long-distance sound pickup. The product is not discontinued and does not have a specified end date for software updates.