Zoom Q8n-4k Handy Video Recorder

Product Information

Powered by rechargeable lithium-ion battery (Zoom BT-03) or mains adapter (Zoom AD-17, not included) The camera on the Q8n-4K uses a 1/2.3″ 16MP CMOS Sensor and a F2.8 / wide-angle 150° lens. There is 5 types of scene settings (Auto / Indoor / Outdoor / Night / Concert Light) that you can choose from and 3 levels of brightness adjustment. The Zoom Q8n-4K features a f/2.8, 150-degree wide-angle lens. Compared to the Q8’s f/2.0, 160-degree lens, the Q8n-4 K’s lens has a higher F-stop and a lower field of view. Overall, the image looks slightly darker than the Q8, which is great in our opinion. When shooting in outdoor settings, the Q8n-4K captures enough light to create a pleasing-looking balance of light with fewer blowouts. As you can see, the video specs are a bit underwhelming here, but that’s OK (depending on your scenario, of course), we’re dealing with a device from Zoom, so let’s talk audio! Audio specs For remote filming, the Q8n-4K offers flexible powering options, either via the integrated rechargeable battery or via an external AC adapter. Using the rechargeable battery, you can enjoy filming for up to 1.5 hours even at the highest audio and visual settings! What's Included

I routinely use this camera to capture secondary audio, and I use the video footage for reference when synchronizing footage from multiple cameras in post production. This is what most professionals I have worked with use this camera for. Please note that this extended warranty is currently only available on products sold within the UK, EU or EEA, and is subject to the terms and conditions as detailed on the extended warranty certificate provided.The unit can run off the included BT-03b Li-ion battery or accept power through USB-C. The battery charges when plugged into a computer. Use the tripod thread underneath to sit the unit atop a full-size tripod or one of those googly-legged desktop tripods – it’s definitely light enough. When it's time to capture audio, you can use the included microphone capsule or the two mic/line inputs with XLR/TRS combo connectors to use your mic of choice. The inputs feature -20dB pads for recording hot signals or in loud environments and optional phantom power. Gain levels are easily controlled with the independent wheel knobs for each channel and there’s a handy low-cut filter that can help define voice recordings. The built-in limiter and compressor are on hand to enhance and polish your audio signals. Adapt To Any Context

Let’s start with the built-in mic. Included with the Q8n-4K is the XYQ-8n Mic Capsule with two fixed opposing cardioid mics to deliver a wide and accurate stereo image in front of the camera. In use, the mics perform beautifully. They capture plenty of detail and extend surprisingly low in the frequency range. They may be a little light on mids to my ears but are flattering enough to produce a satisfactory sound on a few guitar and vocal recordings I made. The manual gain pot is something I appreciate too.

Helping you navigate the Q8n-4K are 11 small rubber buttons surrounding the LCD screen. Most of these buttons toggle through a selection of options (e.g. Mode cycles through four video and/or audio recording options, Res cycles through 4K/1080p/720p, FOV steps through five angles from Wide to Telephoto) and this makes the unit instantly user friendly. Changing a setting is no more complicated than pressing the right button a couple of times until you’re on the setting you want. Of course, this also means if you want to change settings in a fine grain fashion, you can’t. For example, image exposure is set using the Scene and Bright buttons: the first offers five pre-programmed ‘looks’ (Auto, Indoor, Outdoor, Concert Light, Night) and the latter is the equivalent of exposure compensation on a camera (High, Normal, Low). No shutter speed, ISO or white balance settings in sight – which some will hate, and others will love. SOUND ADVICE Five scene settings and three brightness settings allow you to customise your video for the source and conditions

When it comes to in-camera image adjustments and presets on the Q8n-4K, there are a few. The camera features just a few brightness adjustments: bright, normal and dark. These lighting presents are accessible through the camera’s BRIGHT button placed on the right side of the LCD screen. Essentially, these modes digitally brighten or darken the image. You can’t customize these modes, so they’re only useful in specific situations. Sometimes, they will work, and sometimes they won’t — you can’t customize the boost in brightness levels to your particular shooting situation. habe diese "Kamera" nun seit einigen Tagen viel getestet. Als Fazit kann ich nur sagen, wer viel Wert auf Sound legt, und fast keinen Wert auf das Bild ist hier perfekt bedient. Der Sound ist ohne externe Mikros schon sehr gut und durch die direkten XLR Anschlüsse wirklich praktisch, da man Bild und Sound direkt synchron hat und nicht lange im Nachgang bearbeiten muss.

Tech Specs

Battery-powered for 1 hour and 20 minutes with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery (when shooting at 4K / 30fps) Get the right look in any setting using Scene presets for Indoor, Outdoor, Nighttime and Concert Lighting. Alternatively, the Auto setting will optimize lighting based on your environment. In the Box Though the Q8n-4K boasts a notable boost in image quality over the Q8, its performance in low light situations still struggles. There was noticeable grain when we tested the Q8n-4K in low light, even in its night mode. It’s a huge qualm, considering it’s marketed as a camera intended for capturing live concerts. For indoor concerts or night concerts, there will be noticeable grain, especially considering there’s no ISO control. While the camera does feature two lighting modes for low light and in-door settings, they do little to reduce the grain. Stabilization Four discrete channels of audio in a camera is a luxury to people who, like me, usually shoot on cameras with only a single mini TRS input. When you combine that with Zoom’s modular options to switch up the built-in mic, plus the fact that a Q8n-4K can also act as a webcam or USB mic, there’s actually a lot of flexibility here. The Zoom Q8n-4K can also serve as an upgrade for your laptop’s integrated front camera when you attend zoom(!) calls, for example. To do so, you have to connect the camera to your computer via USB (Type C). However, the Q8n-4K is then limited to 1080p video und 48 kHz/16-Bit audio. Image credit: Zoom More specs