Customer Reviews

Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder (Metal Blue)

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

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!

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.

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!

This video/audio camera is all about sound. The video is good enough, not great, and I have no complaint about that... the marketing I saw emphasized that this unit focuses on sound quality, with adequate video for YouTube, etc, and so far I find that to be true.

I am a performing musician and my purpose in getting this was to be able to record performances: live shows, rehearsals, and demos. Typically to get a video with GOOD sound (essential for musicians) you need to find a camera with a mic input (I couldn't find one for less than $600) and then you need a decent mic to go with it. The Q3 cost $[...], ready to go. I was able to record myself right after getting it, and while I still have much to learn, I was happy enough with the results to post on YouTube. A couple of nights ago I recorded my band at rehearsal. They found it very helpful to see themselves in action (better than practicing with a mirror!) and all commented on how impressive the sound quality was.

Let me mention that most of the negative reviews here are by people who have NEVER used or owned this product! Give me a break!

Regarding the "huge" .mov files that another reviewer commented on: I don't find that to be an issue at all. I have emailed my "huge" files and they have sent out very quickly.

I agree that the low light performance could be better. And a bunch of other added features could be good, too. But then, it wouldn't be a $[...] camera anymore, and I probably couldn't have afforded it just yet! But it is very simple to use, provides good enough quality for YouTube or musician press kit demos, and has excellent, let me repeat--excellent--sound.

Here's a link to a video of me, on YouTube, that I shot the first time I had ever used the Q3. You can judge for yourself.

[...]

I recently bought a new Q3 and sold my trusty old H2. I have made a numnber of recordings with the Q3 in the same room where I made many recordings with my H2. I record a lot of blues bands. Well, the audio quality of the Q3 is worse, in my opinion, than the H2. There is a pronounced lack of bass with the Q3. The Q3 seems kind of excessively brite too.

So, I love the video capabilities, don't get me wrong, but I am disappointed with the sound quality.

***EDIT:
I would definitely look at the newer version of this (HD or something) since it has a line-in jack, which is extremely useful for recording from your computer or from CD's at your library.

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This is a decent quality, stereo pocket recorder with a video option.

That's what it is. That's what it's marketed as. That's what it does, for me, so far. It is an excellent value, as far as I'm concerned.

It allows you to pull something out of your coat pocket or backpack, record decent quality audio with video, upload it to YouTube or save it to you HDD, without doing a single thing to it:

No set up required.
No attaching external mics.
No playing with external mic cables.
No syncing audio and video in post, and then watching them drift apart.
No editing the files on your computer.
Convenience w/ decent quality media.
Just GO and then you're just DONE.

PERRRRRRRRRRRRRRFECT for classical musicians: practicing, run-throughs, taping lessons, making an audition tape on the super-cheap, sending ideas to composers or collaborators.

Be warned, files are big: 1 minute of video with 44.1 16bit sound is approx 40 MB.

The video is basically a fixed frame w/ no zoom (2x). It's fine; get's the point across.


If you're criticizing the video quality in context of the price of the unit and the sound quality - well, you're a retard. Sorry. It's fine. (no, it's not great, duuhhhhhhhhh $250? Duhhhhhhhhhhhhh)

If you're suggesting it would be better value to buy a better audio recorder and a better camcorder, and then syncing the results afterwards - you're a retard. Sorry. Don't you get it? The point is to pull it out, press record, and go. (why not buy a sound devices 722, some schoeps mk4's, and an hmc150... oh, whoops, you need to sync audio and video? Throw in a wordclock converter. Yep, all for $250....)


Nothing like this was remotely possible 5 years ago at this price point.

I am an audio engineer, classical musician, and amateur videographer. Quality is one part of the VALUE equation. Money is the other. (And the other 50% is convenience, as Yogi would say) Spare me your slings and arrows, I don't care what you think abou this review. The product is dope.

I wanted to see some video samples before I bought my Q3, so I searched for Zoom Q3 on YouTube and found all kinds of stuff. Lots of music videos. These were pretty good with all the color effects the Q3 picked up (not washed out). The low lighting stuff doesnąt look as good, but its totally fine for what I want to use it for. I wanted it primarliy for sound quality, and I thought the sound was great.

For recording bands and shows, the sound quality has to be good. And the sound on the Q3 is perfect. I canąt even listen to the shows recorded on a Flip. I had a friend record a friends bandąs last show with a Q3 and when we played it back I was amazed with how good it came out.

I own a Flip (not HD), and I tried to use it at concerts. The video is usually pretty good, but sometimes it comes out kind of washed out with bright concert lighting. But the Flip just canąt handle the audio. My friends band isnąt that heavy or loud and neither is most of the music I listen to, but you couldnąt even really hear what were playing on the Flip.

So, if you thinking about getting one, I would look at the videos on YouTube and judge for yourself.

Zoom products are audio recorders. The H2 and H4 predated this device and they had no camera. They were designed simply to record audio, and they excelled at it. Enter the Zoom Q3, a device with a phenomenal microphone and so-so video. I feel privileged to have known this going in...I didn't buy this device as a camera but as a supplement to my HD camera, which has terrible sound quality. For this purpose, this device is the best you can buy in this price range. I have since tried using this to record live music and have been equally amazed. So if you are looking for a camcorder that will have jaw-dropping video, this probably isn't the device for you. But if sound is as important or more so for your purposes, you're not going to find much better than the Zoom Q3.

Sure, it's great to be recording within seconds of getting it out of its little leather bag, no hassle with power cords, mike cables, or having to mount a recorder unit as far from the mike as possible. And it's great to have 24 bit sound, so I can get a really clean 16-bit rendering to CD.
But I can't set the sound sensitivity, it's only auto, no manual setting. We play with wide dynamic range, so some time in our gig we crescendo and the Zoom is going to reduce the recording level to prevent the signal going off scale and cutting. To get a sound track that sounds smooth from start to finish, I'm going to have to manually edit down the pre-crescendo signal level in my computer -- but I don't know exactly when, how fast or how much!
I've tried doing a whole lot of experiments with crescendo recordings but come to the conclusion that the Q3 doesn't seem to auto-down in a particularly consistent, predicable way.
OK, so we need to sound-check our crescendo before we let the public into the gig. Sure, but the Q3 doesn't have a pause button, so I can't pause the recording and keep the setting. I can stop the recording and lose the setting, or I can leave it running and lose half an hour of battery and memory card time while everyone's finding their seats.
So I would love this thing a whole lot more if a meny could give me access to a manual level setting (like on Zoom's non-video mikes) OR if it recorded numerical cues on the sound track telling me WHEN it reduced the level, HOW FAST and HOW MUCH. (Zoom has mikes that record manual cues in the WAV.)
It would be neat if the mike capsule could be turned relative to the casing and video lens - it's not always relevant to have the middle of the sound field and the middle of the video field in exactly the same place.
And it would be nice if it could cope with low club light levels!

This a great idea; for the price it gives a musician the ability to combine a video of him/her/they playing with top quality sound. Its the latter you are really interested in. If you want them both tops then feel free to spend in the thousands for a top video camera with a separate audio input, mics, mixer, plural stands etc. I've done it