Isn’t there a better way? You’ve probably had this thought after searching countless hours, eyes bloodshot, online for the perfect mic that fits your situation. Paul Virostek had this thought, too—and in his proactive and resourceful nature (see his metadata app roundup and Sound Effects Search), he released a specs guide that compares the popular field recording mics you see recommended time and time again. The list compiles the prices, signal-to-noise ratios, frequency ranges, and more from over 90 popular mics, and it comes in a variety of formats. Once again, thank you, Paul!
Check out the mic spec sheet on his blog here.