While you can use any smartphone or dedicated camera to shoot footage of a musical performance, chances are, they won’t quite capture the kind of high-res audio that you’d like when recording music in a live environment. For those situations, you’ll likely be better served by a camera that’s rigged precisely for high-quality audio capture. That’s exactly what the Zoom Q8 does.
Capable of recording both 1080p video and high-resolution 24-bit/96kHz audio, it allows you to record jamming sessions, concerts, and other musical performances with the kind of quality that should make them as enjoyable to listen to as they are to watch. No more getting concert footage with great pictures and barely-discernible sounds, allowing you to make memorable videos that will let you relive the experience many times over.
The Zoom Q8 can record in standard HD at 30 fps, 3M HD (2,304 x 1,296 resolution) at 30 fps, and 720p at 60 fps, with a wide angle 160-degree lens that ensures you capture as much of the action as you can and three presets for accommodating different lighting conditions. For audio recording, it comes with a detachable X/Y mic system with a low-cut filter and foam windscreen, although you can swap them out for any of Zoom’s existing microphone setups. Features include four-track audio recording, a 2.7-inch rotating touchscreen display, an integrated speaker for playback, an SD card slot, and a 1,700 mAh battery rated at two hours of operation.
Available now, the Zoom Q8 is priced at $399.99.