Does your camera not have a line in?

Another option is getting a digital recorder. Some of them come reasonably cheap. Using a laptop isn't the best choice because laptops don't typically have good soundcards, and no XLR imports.

That's called the signal to noise ratio. The closer the mic is to the actor the lower the volume can be.
So you get more signal and less noise. As you move the mic away from the actor you need to raise
the volume so the mic picks up everything - you start to get more noise than signal. That's why the
on camera mic doesn't work well. Not because they are bad mics but because they are so far away
from the actor.

The SM58 is a mic designed for the studio and the stage. On stage and in the studio the performer
is speaking directly into the mic - often less than one inch away. It's an excellent mic for that application.
It is - as you have already found out - not a good mic to be held several feet away from the actors.

You don't need to adjust the volume or change your ghetto boom pole or even your recording device - you need a shotgun mic.

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The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)

A couple of things first off just for testing it I have the microphone right up to my face and still get it coming out pretty quiet I was able to get volume up to where I can make out what I am saying by using Mic Boost. As far as geting a shotgun mic thats a wee bit out of my price range my initial search turned up mics between 200 and 2000 dollars and I got a $100 budget with about $60 left. and to answer Dave it does not have a line in and same boat as the shotgun mic to expensive for my budget hence why I resorted to the laptop

Oh and If I was to get a shotgun mic which would you recomend for a person on a budget? also what are some stores that would carry them so if it is to expensive to keep after my project I could possibly return it, I am in the orlando area if that helps

Ok turns out it was one of two issues either there was a impediance issue which generally means(im not big on sound so i am rehashing what I was told) profesional microphones are usually low impedance computers typicly use high impedance devices so a adaptor is needed. second problem was either the cord I was using was bad or too long and was killing quality. well there you go and hope this can help someone else.

it's an impedance issue. When a low impedance signal is plugged into a high impedance signal, you get a very LOW signal. What you need is a direct box. You can pick these up pretty cheap at any music store. You can also you the line out from a mixer. If you can't get either, then you'll have to raise the volume in your sound editing program and filter out the noise that's gonna come with it. One other option (though sound quality will lack, but not as much as just turning it up) is to get a high impedance mic. You can usually find these cheapo's at radio shack or anywhere that sells computer stuff. They'll be the mic with a 1/8"plug at the end.