Zoom Intros Video Camera For Musicians

US The Zoom Q3 Offers Prosumer Audio On A Budget Camcorder 21/07/09

Buying Choices

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Zoom has introduced a new video recorder that promises to be "the best sounding video camcorder you've ever heard."

Cheap budget camcorders are typically plagued with budget sound, which makes videos captured with the devices seem amateurish. Zoom hopes to change that with the Zoom Q3.

The Q3 uses the same microphone capsules as Zoom's H4n Handy Recorder and is designed for recording anything where great audio and video are a must.

The Q3 has two condenser mics on-board, engineered in an X/Y pattern. Arranged with the right and left mics on the same axis, this design ensures that the mics are an equal distance from the sound source for accurate localization without phase shifting.

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" 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)
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