Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder (Metal Blue)

by Zoom

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 3.2 x 3.9 x 6.7 inches ; 12 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B002J95GVI
• Item model number: Q3
• Batteries: 2 AA batteries required. (included)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (51 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #338 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
  • #47 in Camera & Photo > Camcorders
• Date first available at Amazon.com: July 30, 2004

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Sound makes the movie.
Anyone who's ever experienced a film with great audio knows how vital sound is to the movie. The Q3 Handy Video Recorder brings our renowned audio technology to the camcorder, making it the best sounding video camcorder you've ever heard.

Brilliant Stereo Recording...Now on your videos.
The Q3 uses the same microphone capsules as our industry-leading H4n Handy Recorder and is perfect for recording anything where great audio and video are a must. From live musical performances and rehearsals, interviews, conferences to video podcasts, journalism, education, recitals, weddings or sports, the Q3's pristine audio quality takes your videos to another level.

Designed with everything you need to make your movies right out of the box, the Q3 includes HandyShare software for editing, and a 2GB SD card for up to 1 hour of video recording time. And the Q3 will also accept up to 32GB SDHC cards for a staggering 16 hours of moviemaking!


Cutting room and distribution included...
When your shoot is complete, the Q3's cleverly designed USB cable lets you upload your movies to your computer. Then use HandyShare to edit and share them on your favorite websites including YouTube, Facebook and MySpace. Or, plug in the included TV cable and watch your videos on television.

With its high-quality, MPEG-4 SP video format at 30 frames per second, the Q3 renders crystal-clear video at 640 x 480 resolution. And the Q3's large, 2.4-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 320 x 240 makes viewing easy on the go. Its display also includes audio meters so you can quickly set and monitor your levels as you shoot.


True Stereo Sound
The Q3 has two condenser mics on-board, engineered in the same X/Y pattern that gives recording pros the best stereo recording possible. Arranged with the right and left mics on the same axis, this design ensures that the mics are always an equal distance from the sound source for perfect localization without phase shifting. The result is a great sounding recording with natural depth and highly accurate stereo imaging every time... all at the touch of a button.

Get Closer to the Action
The Q3's X/Y microphones are directional, so you can "focus" the mics on your sound source like an "audio zoom" function. Use the onboard audio meters to set the gain to Low, High or Auto so you can record in very loud or very soft environments. Or use the Q3's Auto Record Level function to automatically set the appropriate recording levels for the situation! Shoot your video with the confidence that the Q3 is capturing great audio at the absolute best level possible.


Sound Matters on YouTube
With the Q3, all your videos will sound like they were recorded in a professional studio. Ideal for shooting any kind of musical performance from jazz to classical to metal, solo to orchestral, the Q3 will make it fun and easy to shoot your music videos anywhere, anytime.

The Q3 also makes it easy to share your videos with your friends on YouTube. Simply plug the Q3 into your computer, launch the onboard HandyShare software and select the videos you want to put on the web. And if your vision needs a few edits, you can use HandyShare to cut your movie before you share it with the world.


Reduce the Learning Curve
To play music better, seeing your performance can be almost as important as hearing yourself. With the Q3, you get both capabilities. Music educators and students alike will find a plethora of applications for the Q3 from the classroom to the practice room. Ideal for recording auditions or making video lessons available to students, the Q3's amazing stereo recording will capture every nuance while the video rolls.

Dress Up Your Videography
The Q3 makes an excellent accessory for anyone who does videography as a full-time occupation or as a hobby. Imagine being able to use the Q3 for individualized video shoots of the bride and groom before a wedding. Or give a Q3 to everyone in the wedding party for personalized video clips. Capture the wedding music with ease. The possibilities are truly endless. And with pristine, focused audio, you'll never miss a moment, even in a noisy environment.


Make Your Own Sports Center
Have great seats? Every crack of the bat, swing of the club or bone-crunching tackle can be captured with amazing clarity... especially when you're close to the action. Capture the sights and sounds of the game from the little leagues to the big leagues.

Go Blogging Heads
It's never been more important for journalists and bloggers to be versatile in the field. Shoot "on the scene" video, edit and upload with ease, all with broadcast-ready audio. And because the Q3 has a standard tripod mount, you can put it just about anywhere for the perfect shot in any environment.

The Q3 puts a little bit of video and a whole lot of audio together in one quick and easy to use camcorder that lets you produce great movies on the go!

What's in the Box:

• Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder
• Windscreen
• Carry Pouch
• 2GB SD Card
• AV cable
• Two AA Batteries.

Features:

• Built-in stereo condenser microphones with X/Y configuration for true stereo imaging
• Get up to 1 hour of video with bundled 2GB SD card
• Accepts up to a 32GB SDHC card for 16 hours of recording time
• Large 2.4-inch LCD display with a resolution of 320 x 240
• Video resolution of 640 x 480 at 30 frames/sec
• Video Format: MPEG-4 SP
• NTSC / PAL TV output
• Optics Lens Type: Fixed Focus (0.8m to infinity) with 2x digital zoom
  
• Audio formats with video include 44.1/48kHz 16/24-bit Linear PCM WAV or MP3 up to 320kbps
• Audio only formats include 96kHz 16/24-bit Linear PCM WAV
• Auto Record Level automatically adjusts audio levels during recordings
• Uses two standard AA batteries or NiMH rechargeable batteries
• USB 2.0 with built-in cable
• Windows and Mac OS compatible
• Built-in speaker and tripod mount
• Includes on-board editing software, YouTube uploader software, Apple Quicktime, TV cable, softcase, windscreen, 2GB SD card, two AA Batteries

Product Description

The Q3 Handy Video Recorder brings Zoom's renowned audio technology to the camcorder, making it the best sounding video camcorder you've ever heard. The Q3 uses the same microphone capsules as our industry-leading H4n Handy Recorder and is perfect for recording anything where great audio and video are a must. From live musical performances and rehearsals, interviews, conferences to video podcasts, journalism, education, recitals, weddings or sports, the Q3's pristine audio quality takes your videos to another level.Designed with everything you need to make your movies right out of the box, the Q3 includes HandyShare software for editing, and a 2GB SD card for up to 1 hour of video recording time. And the Q3 will also accept up to 32GB SDHC cards for a staggering 16 hours of moviemaking!The Q3 puts a little bit of video and a whole lot of audio together in one quick and easy to use camcorder that lets you produce great movies on the go.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

103 of 105 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good utility recorder, if you're realistic about what you're buying, October 22, 2009

By 

Shawn McBride "bassman951" (Riverside, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder (Metal Blue) (Electronics)

I think the past reviews are pretty slanted towards video enthusiasts and not audio enthusiasts, so I think the low ratings reflect that. That being said, yea, it's 640X480, but there's also nobody on the block offering a hi-fi audio recorder with video. If you know the parent company (Samson), then you know it's an audio company, not a video camera company, and their target audience is musicians who can see the usefulness of recording gigs and rehearsals. I know from experience in many groups that some of the best riffs and song ideas come from impromptu jam sessions that happen between tunes. By having this recorder running through the whole practice, I can now isolate those jams and play back the clip at home to transpose the parts, or I can simply throw the clip on YouTube if I like it as-is. The software it comes with is meant to be user-friendly and isn't trying to replace an expensive big-box video editor, it's there to make the editing process easy and quick. As a 19 year musician, I really find myself caring very little about video quality when I want to check out a new artist's clips on YouTube... and until this point, I've just put up with bad sound from standard handheld video recorders. Now I have a good solution to making the audio as hi-fi as possible in a convienient all-in-one solution. Will Zoom come out with an HD version of this? That seems pretty inevitable! But until then, I am very happy with this device and what it's meant for... high quality audio with decent video quality in a unit under $250.

PS- Does anyone really expect to get their high quality music video shot with a $250 handheld device ANYWAYS? Let's be realistic! Rent at least 4 or so $2k HD cams and run it through a real mixing board if you want your best bet! In the meantime, I feel this device will work great in getting all of those 'lo-budget/good audio' video clips up on YouTube!

65 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Does what it says - no more, no less, November 6, 2009

By 

Joe A. Tunon "Jedi Joe" (Miami, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder (Metal Blue) (Electronics)

I wish I could shoot some of the people reviewing here, and I don't mean with a camera. Everyone is ragging on the video aspect of this device, comparing it to other non-stereo-recording devices. IF the Q3 was advertised as a high end camcorder, that's one thing. But look at the product page right on Zoom's website. It says "A little bit of video, and a lot of audio". Folks, it don't get no more honest than that.

And true enough, the video leaves much to be desired. That being said, it does do more than an ample job at creating videos for MySpace and YouTube, which this device is totally aimed at. Still, I would be sugarcoating it if I didn't admit the video was less than desirable in dark lighting (which unfortunately, many of my recording situations are). Nevertheless, IF you have half decent lighting, the video is MORE than ample. In fact, seen in YouTube and on the device itself, I laugh at people who suggest the video isn't super sharp and clear. It looks absolutely fantastic. It's not HD, but it doesn't purport to be, either!

Now for the REALLY good news. You plug in a set of headphones, or crank up your PC speakers, and it's all over. Videos have NEVER sounded so good! If you have good lighting, you will not believe your eyes and ears. Having such good audio actually makes the video more pleasant. An HD video with poor sound is not as pleasurable to watch as a standard (but well lit) video with crystal clear stereo sound. Make no mistake about this: this device is geared toward musicians, not video enthusiasts. For this very reason, the logo that comes up when you turn it on or off is a sillhouette of band instruments.

Finally, this review would not be complete if I did not mention how insanely easy this thing is to use. I've had a camcorder for months that I don't use because I'm too lazy to go through a few menus and clicks, and even though it's handheld, it's not as pocketable as the Q3. The Q3, on the other hand, I took out of the box and was shooting awesome stereo videos in less than 5 minutes. The interface is so slimmed down to its basic functionality that it makes you just want to use it. THAT to me is the sign of a well designed product.

And for those who are into looks, it's a sweet looking device.

So there you have it. This is not a high end video device, nor is it advertised as such. And those who rated it low are absolutely not being fair. It's like criticizing a hybrid car for not being as fast as a sports car. Read the print! "A little bit of video and a lot of audio". Just like it says.

HIGHLY recommended.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply awesome little tool for quick recordings, November 23, 2009

By 

Jeff (Springfield, Mo.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder (Metal Blue) (Electronics)

As others have pointed out, rating this low because of poor video is just plain ol' ignorance. It's not HD but the sound is what makes most all videos on youtube.. not the perfect lighting! For the price, you can't find better quality audio in a simpler device. If you want better lighting, add some lights! Record some bands with this and then the flip... Not even comparable. You can't even watch the flip bands. They're all distorted. This baby is perfect. No distortion! I even held it up to our PA speakers (with the low setting on) and tried to distort it and couldn't! I would rate low if this product was competing against an HD recorder (obviously), but it isn't.. It's meant to compete against the low end video/audio units like the flip.. and it simply blows those units away. Too much is made of the video aspect as well. My neighbor and I both shot us performing a song on our acoustic (indoors) and went back and looked at the result. You couldn't tell a difference in video. As for the audio? His Q3 is on order.
Great product!