From its 4K video capabilities and 4-track audio recording to its flip-out color LCD for selfie-style movies and optional app-based remote control, the Zoom Q8n-4K Handy Video Recorder is a powerful capture tool for content creators, indie filmmakers, and musicians who need to keep their production setup small and portable. As the successor to the Q8, it provides multiple upgrades in both form and function while maintaining the compactness and convenience of the original Q8.
A wide-angle 150° lens with five field of view settings combines with adjustable brightness and selectable lighting presets to enable striking visual impact, whether run-and-gun shooting outside on a sunny day or filming a band's performance in a mood-lit venue. On the audio side, the Q8n-4K features dual XLR mic/line inputs with phantom power—great for accommodating professional external mics or the main outs from a mixing console—and an X/Y stereo condenser mic capsule that can be swapped for a number of separately available Zoom mic capsules.
Improving on the Q8, the Q8n-4K model provides multiple upgrades in form and function.
- UHD 4K video resolution at 30 fps (2K on the Q8)
- f/2.8 / 150° wide-angle lens (f/2.0 / 160° on the Q8)
- Rear screen flips out for selfie-style recording
- Redesigned operability for ease of use
- Support for microSDXC cards up to 512GB (128GB maximum on the Q8)
- App-based remote control from an iOS/Android mobile device (separately available Zoom BTA-1 Bluetooth adapter required)
4K is a high-demand feature that many shooters will appreciate. However, the Q8n-4K does give you the option to record at lower-resolution formats when your priority is on small file sizes. Thanks to support for microSDXC cards up to 512GB, that should be far less of a concern now than it was with the Q8.
The 150° lens yields plenty of space for wide-angle action like bands bouncing around a stage or the calming grandeur of breathtaking outdoor scenery. With five field of view (FOV) settings, the Q8n-4K can also provide tighter framing when you need it.
Brightness adjustment and lighting presets (a.k.a. Scenes) are just a button-push away, which increases the Q8n-4K's video versatility. Whereas the Q8 had three scene presets, the Q8n-4K offers five—Indoor, Outdoor, Nighttime, Concert, and Auto—to help you get the right lighting for your environment.
If you want to check your video on a monitor, simply connect the recorder's micro-HDMI output to your preferred display (appropriate cables are available separately).
The Q8n-4K gives you the same high-quality audio formats as Zoom's dedicated audio recorders. You can record in WAV format up to 24-bit, 96 kHz resolution. In addition to the tactile controls for gain and signal padding, the menu system offers access to panning, volume, low-cut filtering, and dynamics processors such as a compressor, limiter, leveler, de-esser, and noise gate. Audio can be recorded along with video or separately, enabling the Q8n-4K to function as a standalone four-channel audio recorder.
The XYQ-8n capsule features two matched unidirectional condenser elements in a 120° X/Y configuration, delivering a true stereo image without requiring separate mics and cables. It's a great built-in solution, but it can be swapped for other Zoom mic capsules (available separately) such as the VRH-8 Ambisonic mic capsule made for immersive 360° audio.
If you wish to bring in external signals, the Q8n-4K is happy to help. Dual XLR mic/line inputs with phantom power and a switchable -20 dB pad allow the recorder to handle professional mics (dynamic or condenser) or even the main outputs from a mixing console.
Monitoring the audio is easy; just plug your headphones into the Q8n-4K's side-panel 3.5mm headphone jack and listen to make sure the sound is clean and free of distortion.
Not only does the Q8n-4K record to microSD cards, it can alternatively function as a USB device. So, whether you need a cool webcam or a capable audio interface, the Q8n-4K is there for you.
Powering this recorder won't be a problem. Considering you can use the included rechargeable Li-ion battery, power it via USB, or run it from an optional AC adapter, the Q8n-4K is ideal for anything from back-to-back shoots to long-format concerts.
The 1/4"-20 thread on the bottom of the body allows the recorder to be mounted on a tripod or gimbal if handheld shooting isn't your style.
