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View Full Version : Zoom Q2n new toy



Ron McMillan
Jan-24-2017, 7:17am
I lashed out and bought a mini stereo video camera/recorder.

Full information, including clips, on the Zoom Q2n is at the Zoom website here (https://www.zoom-na.com/products/field-video-recording/video-recording/zoom-q2n-handy-video-recorder).

It's a tiny thing with a fixed wide angle lens (that can be 'zoomed in' just a little, sort of manually, probably not during filming). Even at its 'longest' setting, it would be a slight wide angle, something like a 35mm lens on an SLR.

The photo here is only to provide a sense of scale. I'll take it to my local blues bar on Friday to put it through a test in a crowded, noisy, ill-lit bar.

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darrylicshon
Jan-24-2017, 9:01am
I've had one for a few months now and love mine

Ron McMillan
Jan-24-2017, 9:25am
I've had one for a few months now and love mine

Hi Darryl,

Do you have any tips on getting the most out of it? I plan to use it mostly to shoot videos of live blues music in indoor venues, most of which are badly lit.

ron

BradKlein
Jan-24-2017, 9:48am
I'll be interested to see what you get. I've resisted using any of the sports cameras or for that matter, anything with a sensor smaller than the APS-C sensor common in Canon DSLRs for typical low light, indoor, bars and clubs. Even with the big sensor, I typically have to shoot with an much higher ISO than I'd like, and the results are grainier than I wish them to be. There's a playlist of my videos in my signature, (I think!)

darrylicshon
Jan-24-2017, 1:20pm
I haven't tried it in low light yet was going to take it to work and record a band but i haven't yet

Astro
Jan-28-2017, 8:15am
I've been thinking hard about getting one. I was waiting for the accessories to come out. I heard they chomp through batteries and it would be nice to have an ac adapter. I see they have just come out the wind screen and tripod adapter. And now I see you can order a separate ac adapter.

I was also wondering how useful it would be as a "usb mic". I cant get my Apogee Duet to work on my new power mac so my recording is dead in the water.

Don Grieser
Jan-29-2017, 7:11pm
I'd love to see and hear some examples of recordings with this. Looks like a great tool if they got it right.

Ron McMillan
Feb-02-2017, 4:41am
I noticed while playing around with it that the new Q2nt does seem heavy on AA batteries. I checked the specs of the AC adapter and found a smartphone accessory battery pack with the same output that uses the same mini-USB plug to send back-up power to smartphones (or cameras). The camera appears to recognise the battery pack as a power source, so we'll see if that works out OK.

rm

James Rankine
Feb-02-2017, 4:02pm
I'd love to see and hear some examples of recordings with this. Looks like a great tool if they got it right.

Just done a test with my Eastman 815. I love it - couldn't be easier to use.

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Astro
Feb-03-2017, 5:42pm
2 questions

-do you have to download into computer to put on utube or can you run it straight from the zoom connected to computer into utube w/o downloading on your computer?

-Do you think the sound quality is that much better than the newer smart phones with enhanced microphones like the new LG lines?

Ron McMillan
Feb-08-2017, 9:20am
I have been remiss about sharing the results of the one night I managed to get the new Zoom out to some live music.

This little venue allowed me to get so close to the band that the extreme wide angle came in very handy.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzH28LRv7rQ

And another clip, even closer to the instruments (shared on another thread about video recording):


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C69G5DjMDrg

The YouTube compression softens the video quality noticeably. The original video files, at about twice the size of the processed files uploaded to YouTube, are considerably sharper. Stereo sound is surprisingly good, and easier to appreciate through headphones.

mcgroup53
Feb-08-2017, 9:32am
Can't believe it doesn't come with a flip out screen you can use to see yourself and ensure you're in the frame

Ron McMillan
Feb-08-2017, 10:50am
Can't believe it doesn't come with a flip out screen you can use to see yourself and ensure you're in the frame

A flip-out screen might cost more than the camera costs, and double its weight. As it is, with a 160-degree field of view, if you're anywhere other than behind it, you have a pretty solid chance of being in frame :)

9lbShellhamer
Feb-10-2017, 8:50pm
As a side note, I ready enjoyed those Django Kitties videos! Great stuff, solid!