Zoom F8 MultiTrack Field Recorder!

[joeyluck]

What do you think?

As an H5 user and former H4n user, I am very excited about this. This looks great! Zoom makes great quality products and the H series has been a staple in the film and sound design industries while coming in at an unbeatable price for what the offer.

This is a big step in professional field recording for Zoom. I appreciate the time they take finessing their product line and not just throwing things at the industry where they feel there is an opportunity. All of their products are outstanding with great attention to design, quality, features, and all the details. Nothing ever feels or looks rushed. I have very great hopes for this device to be a contender on more professional sets.

They took home the NAMM TEC award for best recording device with the H5 in 2014
And they took home the same award the previous year for the H6.
I am pretty sure they will take home the award this year for the F8 (if it's released by then).
Can't wait!



 

https://www.zoom-na.com/products/field- ... d-recorder

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocfWiHoMk1Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1NlpI_onLc


And look H5, H6, and Q8 owners...there's a connection for your capsules! Genius.

 

[joeyluck]

I've used Sound Devices brand recorders on set (not my own). I'm hoping this is an excellent contender.

[joeyluck]

Looks like the price will be $999

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/F8

That's a great, competitive price for what it offers and what it's up against.

[decibel]

have always wanted good field recording gear, guess i better start saving now then huh lol

[bpmorton]

One of the guys in my band uses one of those little Zoom multitrack/mixer things to record our practices. Great stuff! They always make amazing small gizmos that do cool stuff.

[JoshuaPhilgarlic]

Ok, it's no Zoom and certainly not the same price range, but this week I got this guy (after some beers I was in the mood to buy hardware ):



I never tried it before, but the ratings at Amazon looked pretty good. And for 95€ you can't be sooo wrong .

I'll use it for field recording (what a surprise ) and perhaps to record some IRs. S/N ratio and sound quality are ok. I'm sure I'll have a lot of fun with it!

[Gaja]

I'm actually seriusly considering the f8. Seems to be an amazing piece of gear for anyone who is into field recording.

[selig]

Zoom products don't have a the best reputation for field recording, mainly for it's inability to deal with low level ambiences well. Folks like Richard Devine swear by a Sony PCM D100 these days if you want to know what the pros use.

Here are a few good resources for choosing a field recorder:
http://www.asoundeffect.com/best-handheld-recorder/
http://www.sonicsense.com/resourcecente ... oland-r-26

And here's another multitrack field recorder to consider if that's important to your work:
http://www.sounddevices.com/products/mi ... orders/688

[joeyluck]

Zoom products don't have a the best reputation for field recording, mainly for it's inability to deal with low level ambiences well.

I've actually never heard this before. In my experience, the Zoom H series tends to have the lowest noise floor of field recorders at that price point and better onboard mics and preamps IMO. Most all the pros I know use them and swear by them. When they aren't using their Sound Devices recorders, they are using their Zoom recorders. And the new Zoom H5 mics can record louder and closer sounds better than other field recorders: 140dB SPL. And the interchangeable capsules on the H5/H6 are brilliant. There's plenty of reasons why Zoom took home the NAMM TEC award for recording device the past two years.

The Sound Devices recorders are great, but the 688 nears $6,000. The Zoom F8 is $999, which is somewhat groundbreaking just for the time code itself. Time code at 0.2 ppm accuracy — less than 1 frame discrepancy in 24 hours of recording. I look forward to checking it out. I've used Sound Devices recorders on set and have considered buying one for myself. But if the F8 holds up to it's low noise floor of −127 dBu EIN, I'll be plenty happy with that paired with the time code and other innovative features

[selig]

Zoom products don't have a the best reputation for field recording, mainly for it's inability to deal with low level ambiences well.

I've actually never heard this before. In my experience, the Zoom H series tends to have the lowest noise floor of field recorders at that price point and better onboard mics and preamps IMO. Most all the pros I know use them and swear by them. When they aren't using their Sound Devices recorders, they are using their Zoom recorders. And the new Zoom H5 mics can record louder and closer sounds better than other field recorders: 140dB SPL. And the interchangeable capsules on the H5/H6 are brilliant. There's plenty of reasons why Zoom took home the NAMM TEC award for recording device the past two years.

The Sound Devices recorders are great, but the 688 nears $6,000. The Zoom F8 is $999, which is somewhat groundbreaking just for the time code itself. Time code at 0.2 ppm accuracy — less than 1 frame discrepancy in 24 hours of recording. I look forward to checking it out. I've used Sound Devices recorders on set and have considered buying one for myself. But if the F8 holds up to it's low noise floor of −127 dBu EIN, I'll be plenty happy with that paired with the time code and other innovative features

Good points, but not what I was talking about! I simply posted links and mentioned other respected field recordists experience.