Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder

Comments about Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder:

We bought this so I could record my boyfriend (he's a tenor sax player) during his gigs and for him to use while he practices. The audio is fantastic. Listening to the playback on the device itself is like a little am/fm radio, but when you plug in the headphones, that's when you can hear how great the sound quality is. He was so impressed! Also, I was able to easily get the videos saved onto the computer and quickly create very simple dvds from the songs we recorded using Nero. No problems!! It's true that the video isn't fantastic (if you want better, get HD one), but it is certainly good enough - great color saturation and pretty clear even though the light was very dark at the club! Thanks B&H - You Rock!!

Comments about Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder:

I use the Zoom HQ3 to record classical musical performances. The sound quality is high enough that I feel comfortable posting on YouTube. I would prefer to be able to zoom in the picture more, because the sound quality will reflect the performance better if the microphone is at least 16 feet away from the performers. As it is, the video quality is not that clear for a high definition camera; however, you can see the event OK and my main concern is audio quality.

Comments about Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder:

Having tried field recordings with cassete decks, marantz recorders, mini-discs and digital cameras, finally, this is the easy-to-use recording tool I had always been looking for. Easy to use, simple interface, and very, very good recording quality. Easy to get files into computer via USB or SDHC card. Yes, the video is clunky, but for audio, it's excellent. If I cared about audio, I'd get the HD version.

Comments about Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder:

This has everything you need to create movies quickly with great sound recording capabilities. Perfect for personal use, musicians, marketing products. The only better choice would be the successor Q3HD which films in high definition.

Comments about Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder:

I'm in a band and I wanted a vehicle to preview our music to potential employers. This little A/V recorder gives you a good quality demo to put on YouTube. The sound quality is excellent and the video is decent. Now I can go to a niteclub or restaurant manager and give him a business card with our YouTube address on it and he can hear and see the band play. The Zoom Q3 gets this done without shelling out a lot of cash.

Comments about Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder:

I have to admitt after reading many reviews of the Q3 and watching videos of the recorder on You Tube, I was expecting a lot from this product. After a quick look at the well written manual I easily set up the recorder and did my first video/audio test. I played it back listening through a pair of headphones. Ths sound quality was amazing. It did not have that boxy or overly reverbant sound I've heard through other recorders. The sound was real and present the same way I heard it in the room as I was making the recording. The video was clear and easy to see using only the lights in the room. I was expecting a good recording considering the quality mics that the recorder is equiped with but this sound was spectacular. I had to listen to it again to be sure it sounded that good. It did. I've also listened to the recording through a nice set of computer monitor speakers with the same experience. It souds great. I look foreword to using the Q3 for many applications from capturing a quick song writting idea to doing a full blown You Tube video. A well done product from ZOOM.

Comments about Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder:

I bought this for more advanced musical practice. Works great in good lighting but it gets a little grainy. The sound is great!

Comments about Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder:

If you are looking for somehting fast and practical, this is it. Just bought it and loving it! Just remember it uses batteries.

Comments about Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder:

how I use it;
recording interviews, tv audio
things that are great:
so easy to use
easy to download
rugged design

not so great:
cannot think of anthing

Comments about Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder:

It did clip a show by itself twice so far but it hasn't been too much trouble. It sounds excellent but the video is subpar the FLIP is better but you can not beat the sound.

Comments about Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder:

I have two careers- I am a lighting designer for dance and I write musical theatre. This device is great for both purposes- shooting dance pieces so I can design the works at home with an accurate picture to work from (also handy that it's a 0.8 lens for shooting in small rooms) as well as recording rehearsals of my shows being sung or performed for archival or notes, or just a good-quality field recording. The sound is really good. I had another hand-held video recorder and I hated the distortion that would get recorded in. Not with this device! Clear, crisp. The video is a little limited in how it can white balance, so this is a product firmly targeted towards audio people who also need video.

Comments about Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder:

I purchased this product to video education seminars for staff to review at their leisure. Works great under controlled environment. Downloading and sharing is very easy. Out of the box and up and running in about 15 minutes.

Comments about Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder:

I purchased the Q3 for myself. So far, I've only used my Q3 to record myself playing live music.

The user interface is simple, so intuitive I didn't even have to read the instructions. And the Q3 has more than adequate menu options to achieve the results you're after.

The sound quality is excellent, everything you'd expect from a field recorder with the same recording specs as the Zoom H2. Video quality, while not equal to the sound is, for my purposes, quite adequate. So you get the famous Zoom sound with adequate video too!

Battery life is good in sound only mode but when you start recording in video mode the Q3 eats up batteries in no time flat. So be sure to buy the AD-14 AC Adapter and rechargable batteries. You'll be glad you did.

SDHC card capacity is excellent -- up to 32GB! Controls are well placed on the side but be careful to double check you're video/audio settings before pressing the record button or you might find yourself in the wrong mode.

The Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder is everything I expected it to be and I'm very pleased with the build quality and performance. It feels very solid. The LCD screen is large enough to monitor you're recording and the built-in speaker provides sufficient sound quality to monitor recorded sound.

The free Handy Share Software included is equally easy to use and fine for trimming and effects. Be sure to upgrade the Q3 and Handy Share software to the latest versions (very easy to download firmware and software updates at Zoom's site and easy to install both too.)

A wind screen, batteries, AV cable to hook it up to your TV, a 2GB SD card, a soft carry pouch, and full instructions are all included. The Q3 also has a built-in USB cable, a very nice touch, so you can connect the unit directly to your computer via USB or pop out the SD card and insert it in your computer's SD card slot or a USB card reader.

The Q3 also has TV out, headphone input, and a low/high/auto mic gain setting switch. You can also set video and sound parameters, plus a ton more options with the menu button in the on-screen menu, including low cut for noise reduction. So you can see the Q3 has more than enough options for your recording needs, indoors or outdoors.

The Q3 is a complete package except for the AC adapter mentioned earlier, which must be purchased separately.

I researched the Zoom Q3 before making my purchase and I am completely satisfied with it. It is everything I expected and the sound quality is actually better than I expected. If you absolutely must have HD video you can purchase the Zoom Q3HD. But if sound is your main focus and standard video is sufficient, the Zoom Q3 is all you'll need, and it's an incredible value.

Comments about Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder:

for its money its actually PERFECT ..Great Sound ..normal skills of the video but for its money you can enjoy a very nice soundcorder with a normal camera..Easy to use also..Very nice for documentaries,home movies,Short films,Music films,Travel and every kind of events

Comments about Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder:

The first thing I did after the Q3 arrived was to take my grandkids to a children's museum. The lighting was varied and there were tons of kids there to add difficulty to sound recording. I shot about 21 various clips under a variety of conditions. I was pleased with the results even in low lighting. Perhaps others define low light as candle lighting or club lighting. This was all indoor daylight without any lighting assist from me. As for the sound......it was fabulous. Even with all the other kid noise my grandkids voices were loud on playback. Must be the directional mics. And I was really pleased with the image stabilization. All in all......great purchase. I will be using the Q3 for indoor and outdoor recordings and loading them to YouTube.

Comments about Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder:

Zoom famous for effects units and high quality portable audio recorders has now very effectively,released a small handycam with excellent stereo recording and good video - providing you have plenty of light.
The unit comes with a swag of optional extras and is such great value for money - no musician or actor should be without one. It is ridiculously easy to use - I was using it straight out of the box, without even reading the instructions - as the command system is basically the same as a mobile phone - and once you have found the best settings and are familiar with it, you can achieve great results.
One negative is if you are recording yourself there is no forward screen to monitor the 'action'
Not really a big deal if you take the time to set your positioning up.Designed to easily download to the net for youtube etc...comes complete with the nessesary attachments.
A pocket dynamo recorder at a basement bargain price - I'm very glad I bought it.

Comments about Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder:

I use the Zoom for all my important recordings. It has great sound and video. I love it because it's easy to use and I can easily transfer the recording to my computer. A great buy!

Comments about Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder:

I am a musician and had planned to use this to share some of our performances with friends & family in other parts of the country. Sound quality is OK but that's about it. Battery life, indoor use ( dark ) & video quality poor ( almost unacceptable ) Overall a stupid decision on my part to purchase this thing. Don't know if I'll even use it again. Maybe I got a lemon or something, they can't all be that bad.

Comments about Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder:

For any recording from casual to very important event, this Audio Recorder (Video included) will do it. Yes, it is also a Video Recorder, but the primary beauty of this little wonder is the stereo mics in the top. They are engineered the same way that other very high-end microphones are in more expensive recorders. The Video function is not bad, and is on par with the normal resolution Flip, yet also better than a normal phone recorder. The USB dongle is attached to the bottom of it and is very easy to hook up on a desktop to access the files, PC or Mac.

About the audio: the unit is DIRECTIONAL, meaning that the sound will actually sound like the direction that you're pointing it, so as you move, it sounds like you're moving. Highly sensitive and realistic. Also, there is an auto level buffer that does not allow the unit to "peak" or get fuzzy audio. There is a tripod mount hole in the bottom, and also little rubber feet on the bottom for setting on a table to avoid vibration noise.

Have had this at music and concert events. NICE. In fact, a friend just sat down and recorded a song in my office one day, and his record manager liked it so much that he said he should use that as his demo - no editing! It was that clean.

Comments about Zoom Q3 Handy Video Recorder:

My son has taken an interest in film and wants to produce small films for YouTube and Faceboook. After making Honor Roll we decided he should be rewarded with the Zoom Q3. Our decision was made by reviews I read and how well the unit would fit his desire for filming. The audio recording blew us away, and is perfect for our young producer in training. It is extremely easy to use and allowed him to post his videos to the web in a flash. The only thing to improve the product would be to offer a wider panoramic view.