PROS: Plenty of applications, good quality, easy to use
CONS: Accessory kit isn’t included
PRICE: $199
Back in the day, video cameras were the size of an anti-aircraft weapons. Today, Zoom combines HD video and audio all in one compact package, at an incredibly affordable price.
It’s about the same size as an iPhone and features HDMI, USB, and 1/8” headphone jack connections. Headphones are a good option for monitoring and private playback, but there’s also a built-in speaker, and two AA batteries power the entire unit. he interface is very easy to maneuver; all the settings are located in common sense places, and are easy to get to. With full hi-def video at 1080p and a 4x digital zoom, video quality is excellent. Although it does not have a flash, the lighting settings work well even in very low light. Video editing can also be done without any extra software. It takes very little practice, and the results were great. This would be a very cool tool to capture band rehearsals and even live gigs for your YouTube channel.
Audio-wise, it records at 24 bit, and with a low cut filter cutting out background noise, gives clarity of what you want to hear. The mic gain is located on the side, and can be adjusted on the fly. The microphone’s field of range can also be adjusted depending upon what’s being recorded, and where, as acoustic environments greatly differ and finding the right settings is key for optimum performance.
The Q2 has plenty of applications, not just recording live performances. Connect it to a computer, and now it’s a webcam. With HDMI connectivity, hooking it up to an HDTV for playback is super easy. It records to SD cards, so transferring files isn’t an issue, either. We also received an accessory pack (typically not included) from Zoom that contained a mini tripod, wrist strap, foam windscreen, HDMI, and USB cables, and a padded case. With the accessories pack, it’s quite a powerful setup. Bands, fans, podcasters, video bloggers and media hounds can all use this tiny rig for even the largest applications.
FEATURES
Number of Audio Tracks: 2
Audio Connections: Headphones/Line Out
Microphone: Stereo
Zoom: 4x Digital
Recording Time: 2 hours (video), 4 hours (audio)
Memory Type: SD/SDHC/SDXC card (up to 64GB)
File Formats: MPEG-4 AVC / H.264 (MOV) / PCM and AAC (AUDIO)
Weight: 85.4g