Zoom Q8n-4k Handy Video Recorder, 4k UHD Video, Stereo Microphones Plus Two XLR Inputs, Four Tracks of Audio Recording, Webcam, for Record and Streaming Music, Podcasts, and More

Product Information

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. USB mic function (with low-latency direct monitoring) when used with computers and iOS devices (Apple Camera Connection Kit or Lightning to USB Camera Adapter required for use with iOS devices) Navigating through the Q8n-4K is quite simple and we love that. On the side of the LCD screen is an arrangement of buttons assigned with specific functions depending on what mode you’re in. Nevertheless, the buttons are placed next to the function’s name displayed on the screen. So, for example, the camera’s FOV button is next to the FOV text and menu on the screen. You navigate through the menus by pressing the same button. It follows the same setup in the settings menu: the buttons align with their function on the LCD screen. You can also plug an instrument into the mic input, allowing for multi-layered recording. It can also handle the main outputs from a mixing console. All-in-all, it’s a unique feature that you would be hard-pressed to find on a camera at a competitive price point. Audio settings

For audio, the Q8n-4K handles professional audio signals via two full-size XLR inputs, providing phantom power with +12 V, +24 V, +48 V voltages on the camera itself. But it also has a special microphone module on the top that can be exchanged for a selection of different microphone modules with differing characteristics. Two mic/line inputs with XLR/TRS combo connectors, each with selectable phantom power and -20dB pad As it turns out, Zoom has a whole ‘Q’ family of video-capable products, so my outburst only betrayed my ignorance. The Zoom Q8n-4K is one such all-in-one gadget that wears enough hats to make it a content creator’s dream. It can record 4K video, four channels of audio, including two XLR inputs, or act as a webcam or USB audio device. Zoom’s slogan – ‘We’re for creators’ – couldn’t be manifested more perfectly in a product. LOOK AROUNDThe 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

The ability to visually capture a recording session while also recording top-notch audio is paramount for most of these musicians. I don’t want to say that the additional video features are just “nice-to-have”, but of course the sound is the prime focus here. image credit: Zoom Battery-powered for 1 hour and 20 minutes with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery (when shooting at 4K / 30fps) However, the camera still struggles to capture details in shadows and low-light conditions. We shot late in the afternoon during our test, so we had plenty of light and shadows to go around. In broad daylight, the camera captures a reasonable amount of detail for its price point. However, there’s only so much detail its 16-megapixel sensor can capture. To compare, its image quality is about on par with a standard smartphone, which also averages around 12 to 16 megapixels. Effects to improve recording quality (Limiter / Compressor / Leveler / DeEsser / NoiseGate) and switchable low-cut filter

Egal wie man ausleuchtet, man bekommt mit bester Ausleuchtung und ohne dunkle Bereiche höchstens ein akzeptables Video hin, sobald aber die Ausleuchtung nur ein bisschen schlechter ist geht steil bergab. 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