Zoom Q3HD Video Recorder

Drumsense

Junior Member
I've recently been told about the Zoom Q3HD video recorder and have heard that it's very good for sound quality, including recording drums. Could anyone who owns a Zoom Q3HD please tell me what it's like and if it's worth buying? Thanks
 
I like mine a lot. The sound quality is excellent. I use it to record my bands performances and practices. I've been a little disappointed with the video but I'm not sure I've found the best setting for shooting in low light situations. At practice it does a great job. I'd highly recommend it. At my last gig, I set it next to my kit and ran a line from my IEM mixer and got really good audio(wanted to hear how my drum mics sounded) .

With a 32gb SD card you can almost 7hrs of hd video. The video below was shotbwith my Q3HD. It's one of the two bands I play in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWqcZxhjGIA
 
I like mine a lot. The sound quality is excellent. I use it to record my bands performances and practices. I've been a little disappointed with the video but I'm not sure I've found the best setting for shooting in low light situations. At practice it does a great job. I'd highly recommend it. At my last gig, I set it next to my kit and ran a line from my IEM mixer and got really good audio(wanted to hear how my drum mics sounded) .

With a 32gb SD card you can almost 7hrs of hd video. The video below was shotbwith my Q3HD. It's one of the two bands I play in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWqcZxhjGIA
For that light level, I find the auto scene setting is probably best. That said, I think the answer truthfully, is better lights :) Throw a few good quality wash Par64's (LED is easiest) in there, & the difference is huge. BTW, totally worth it, because I love your band vibe + great stuff :)
 
For that light level, I find the auto scene setting is probably best. That said, I think the answer truthfully, is better lights :) Throw a few good quality wash Par64's (LED is easiest) in there, & the difference is huge. BTW, totally worth it, because I love your band vibe + great stuff :)

Thanks for the feedback, we'll give that a shot. Thanks for the compliment also. :)

My guitarist has one and we have been taking it along to gigs recently. The sound picked up from it is really good, but the video is so-so. Especially with the lighting issues others have pointed it.

Heres a little vid from our gig last weekend (excuse the sloppy playing)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rmss1S0vRbo

Good video. I like the raw quality of it, sound was great. Your playing was right on too!
 
I recommend the Zoom Q3HD. It's by far the best recorder I've had.

Here are some videos I recorded with the Zoom.

Drum solo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOK8-q_1NpY

Bluesband drum-cam
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14jHEzk6rkY

My only gripes with the device, is that it has a hard time picking up lower frequencies(like bass and such), that you need a lot of light to record and that the device itself is a bit plastic'y. Other than that, it's top notch and the price is good too.
 
I recommend the Zoom Q3HD. It's by far the best recorder I've had.

Bluesband drum-cam
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14jHEzk6rkY

My only gripes with the device, is that it has a hard time picking up lower frequencies(like bass and such), that you need a lot of light to record and that the device itself is a bit plastic'y. Other than that, it's top notch and the price is good too.
Wow Thaardy man, just wow. I haven't seen this video before, & it's by far my favourite playing video from you. Great pace, great style, great feeeeeeel = loved it a lot + a bit more!

Agreed on the camera negatives. The rolloff below 60hz can be a bit of a vibe sucker, but other than that, it's a class audio device for the money.

My guitarist has one and we have been taking it along to gigs recently. The sound picked up from it is really good, but the video is so-so. Especially with the lighting issues others have pointed it.

Heres a little vid from our gig last weekend (excuse the sloppy playing)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rmss1S0vRbo
Whoohooo! Another great video. I love Q3 clips, they give it to me just how it is, that's why I rate them for drum audio comparisons. Nice playing all round man:)


Use good cans to appreciate the differences in the following examples:
I've only just got my HD, but I've had the original Q3 version for a couple of years now, so I'm used to their strengths & weaknesses. Here's a LD gig clip from the old unit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaUPYlIf7bY As this is the old unit, I'm expecting better gig video capture in future from the new HD version. band lighting & settings are critical to a good result with such a tiny lens.

& a gig drumcam clip from the old unit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joBWAS3kFQM

& a band practice one from the new HD unit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDEyQX36_9s

& me bashing in my practice room the other day http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apJLRFCKnGo Now, this last clip is interesting, because I've applied a bit of reverb & used the mid range "mastering" setting, both features in the "Handishare" section of the Q3HD.
 
Hey Andy, I thought you'd seen it. There was a discussion about my rock'ish way of playing blues ;)

Anyway, I would also recommend buying/using a regular camera tripod, instead of the one you can buy with the Q3HD. On the bluesgig, my camera was moving all over the place, because of my kick-drum.
 
I like mine a lot. The sound quality is excellent. I use it to record my bands performances and practices. I've been a little disappointed with the video but I'm not sure I've found the best setting for shooting in low light situations. At practice it does a great job. I'd highly recommend it. At my last gig, I set it next to my kit and ran a line from my IEM mixer and got really good audio(wanted to hear how my drum mics sounded) .

With a 32gb SD card you can almost 7hrs of hd video. The video below was shotbwith my Q3HD. It's one of the two bands I play in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWqcZxhjGIA

Pretty good recording.

Off topic- are you playing open-handed, right-hand hats and hats on your right? Seems that way.
 
There was a discussion about my rock'ish way of playing blues ;)
Damn those blues police, lol! I thought your playing was absolutely superb. Ok, I know, I'm a rock guy, so I don't mind a bit of backbeat dominance, but even so, if I was at the bar, I'd be bopping away like a madman = job done :):):)

Anyhow, sorry, back to Q3HD, & my clip examples below :)
 
Pretty good recording.

Off topic- are you playing open-handed, right-hand hats and hats on your right? Seems that way.

No. That camera angle isn't reversed. I'm a left handed drummer with a fully left handed setup. Take the normal right handed kit and completely reverse everything and that's how I play.
 
I've been doing videos for a couple of years with the Zoom video recorders. I had a regular Q3 at first, then upgraded to the HD version when it came out.

The best advantage that the HD version has over the other is the line in. You can record directly from a mixing board, electronic drumset, etc... The regular Q3 doesn't have a line in.

For audio, they are KILLER! Video, not-so-much.

My YouTube channel is www.youtube.com/sgtthump if you want to check out videos with the Q3.
 
Back
Top