Anyone tried one of these. Aimed at musicians. Cheap ($139.95). Got one coming tomorrow. I have a couple of prosumer videocameras plus a GoPro 5 Black, but this unit sounds great for a quick-and-dirty rehearsal (or gig) video. The (mic) audio is supposed to be pretty good and for this type of use, the video doesn't have to be THAT good. Donny will provide a video of it shortly (I'm to lazy).

chas

Bought one for the guitar club I sponsored in Louisville. They did a Christmas album with it. Sounded pretty "iffy", but that had nothing to do with the quality of the Zoom (LOL).

Good, cheap unit.

R.

Thanks Russ, good to know. AND thank YOU Donny, knew I could count on you . I'll take a few frames with it and let you know if I think it might be of use to some of you self-admiring, narcissistic, week-end warriors......oh wait, you've already retired haven't you Gary . Just kiddin' bro.....sorta.



chas

Good luck Chas I looking forward to your posting using the new Q2n

Dave uses one. Posted 3 months ago.





Jerryghr

Wow, thanks Jerry. If that audio is just the Q2n, then it's a great unit for that price.

chas

The audio is stellar. That's why I bought it!

Yeah, I retired, but those 7 day long weekends were a real bitch! Looking forward to viewing vids from an old, fat, self-admiring, narcissistic, weekend warrior from Georgia.

Good luck from the frozen, icy north,

Gary

I just looked in the mirror (we narcissist's do that a lot ) and you're right. Still, it's nice to know I've got plenty of company here .

chas

Wow Dave, didn't think this thing would be so small. It's like a GoPro with a mic sitting on top. Until you learn what all the controls do, it's going to be tough on anyone with poor eyesight. Supposedly, it doesn't like overhead lighting (creates a 'rainbow' effect) but if interested in getting one, check Sweetwater; they have a hood/lens cap kit for $10 which saves you from having to get the $50 kit from Zoom. Okay, going to take it down to my 'organ room' and test it out. Then I'll see how it gets along with PowerDirector 16. BTW Dave, are you shooting at 24 fps (movie) or 30 (normal)? Thanks.

chas

Great Chas cant wait till you post a demo with your new camera.....good luck.

Chas,
I honestly don't remember the settings! YIKES. I think I use the normal setting, and I did buy the lens hood. Found it on amazon as a single piece.

I picked up one this week to try it out. I had a Zoom H4N before, this is much easier to set a clear level of sound. Chas is right about the overhead lighting and the rainbow effect. The lens hood is not readily available over here, and I won't pay the ridiculous price for the full accessory kit. From a youtube hint, I will be taping a piece of card over the top of the mic to work as a makeshift lens hood. It is more important to me to get a small padded camera bag to keep it safe for transport. The H4N came with a plastic case, this needs a case more to protect the lens. The flimsy bag that comes with the Q2N left a pattern mark on the lens, I will be keeping a lens cleaner with it at all times in the new case. I will also be leaving the picture at the widest setting, it feels like the other settings are a digital zoom, to me I end up with a blockier output. But really for long term after sorting these minor issues, I feel like I will get fairly good video and sound more often than not.

Cool. I saw the Youtube vid with the makeshift hood (it works), but then I ran across the $10 lens cap + lens hood kit on Sweetwater. If that's (Sweetwater) available to you, I recommend that. I've only shot a couple of clips to make sure it was not defective, but from that, I'd say - video C+, Audio A. Perfect for my rehearsal needs. Good luck with yours.

chas

PS: Uncle Dave seems happy with his (and he's had it for awhile).

Hey, Chas, if you can spring for a Q8 (after all, your new name is CASH), it is truly amazing. The video is very good and direct ins are fantastic, but if elected to do, you can swap out mics. All of my videos are done on this, direct in and I don't even mess with trying to improve the video (poor lighting, etc).

Yeah but that's short for CASHED OUT . Actually, being the compulsive buyer that I am, I have about 5 working camcorders, including 1 professional model, 1 prosumer model, 2 3D models (I was going through a 3D phase), 1 '360' model (for my VR setup). I never saw a gadget I didn't like (which is why I have three arrangers ). The Q2n is 'mission oriented' (rehearsals) and I wanted something mainly with good AUDIO that was dead simple to set up; the video was only a minor consideration. Maybe if the Q8 shows up on SDOTD I'll go temporarily insane and get one. We'll see.

chas

with all these new videos cameras will we ever see some demos of anyone playing? after all thats why you bought them right?....just sayin..

I hope to have a live video recorded some time over the next week, and if I can find the time a very basic recording at home of my own keyboard. As I mentioned the rainbow effect was very prominent on the clip from yesterday, that would not be much use to anyone to share.

Gman that would be so kool.....

Do you have videocam / recorder Donny?

only on my cell phone...not very efficient quality...



Don masons Shreveport jam 2009

Joe Lee RIP,...Joe Ayala RIP...

Don Mason, Joe Lee (RIP)

No, that's NOT why I bought them. It's why I bought THIS one. The others were to record memories of and for me and my family. You seem to always be pushing people to post videos; why? Is it because you want to see what they look like? Everyone isn't an exhibitionist and some people value their privacy and don't want their picture splashed all over the internet. If I choose to post a video of one of our rehearsals and the other guys agree to it, I may post one, but that will be MY choice, not because of unwanted urging. You may not be consciously aware of it but you also seem to try to gently nudge people into buying new arrangers as well. For some people, that is very uncomfortable. I'm not 'ragging' on you, and most people probably don't mind, so I'm only speaking for myself. No hard feelings.

chas

Chas... Really?.... I like to watch people play as All my musical life I watched and absorbed people and learned everything I know that way.... BTW I'm used to your ragging which doesn't bother me at all.... Enjoy your new toy..

Hey, I jumped into that water!!!!! Having a blast and hope to put more videos up. Never know what keyboard might show up

My brain's on overload (easy to do), so good luck with your video and send us a few sessions with your jazz friends!

I remember those and other similiar videos well, and also the reports about what a great time you guys had.
I did enjoy to see and listen, and still does.
If this is done by use of phone cam at that time, the result are quite good.
Btw,
got inspiration to sit down and play 'Satin Sheets'....
One of my old time favourites that I've never played it before.

Time flies by, thanks for sharing. Almost 10 years ago already.

Yes 2009 !!!! it seems like yesterday...
life is short grab it and enjoy it every day!

I'm pretty sure that video was made with Joe Lee's top-end video camera. The sound was a direct feed from my mixer. At least most of the stuff was done that way.

your right Don it was Joe lee's vid cam, ...I never said it was taken with my cell phone? for a while I had a small Kodak Z1 cam but it didn't have audio inputs, maybe I'll look into getting some kind of vidcam again,.......that said, let's do it again sometime I had a ball....

My Z1 has audio inputs. Works great. Maybe it's a later model.

Uncle Dave, G-man, HELP! Just got around to trying this thing and the audio is just as Dave described; STELLAR. However, I'm getting a (mild) 'fisheye' effect (which I can probably correct in my editing program - Power Director 16 Ultimate). If you've already figured out which setting minimizes or eliminates this, would you please share it with me (to save me hours of experimenting).

Thanks,

chas

my mistake it was a Kodak Zx1

https://www.amazon.com/Kodak-Pocket-Camera-Discontinued-Manufacturer/dp/B001OC5L0C

There is a smaller 3.5mm line input on this as well. If it is positioned out in front of speakers I would be happy with the mic sound. If you need it on stage beside you, the stage volumes may not be as evenly matched as a mix out front.

Thanks G-man. I think what i did was shoot on 'wide'. I'll try it again. Nice to know it can be fixed in 'post' though.

chas

Same problem as the Go Pro. Go Pro has an ultra-wide-angle lens which means there is good news and bad news. It' always in focus, at any distance. But you have to put up with fisheye. You can correct some of this with software, but if the camera has a zoom feature, which I'm not sure it does, then all you need to do is zoom in a bit and the fisheye will go away.

Good luck,

Gary

Yeah. As I said before, I have a GoPro Hero5 Black (and a 4k Chinese knockoff from AEE - not too bad, actually) which I picked up to replace my old GoPro which was fine except for needing the PITA case to make it waterproof. The video on the GoPro is far superior to the little Q2N but the audio on the Q2n is much better than the GoPro. When I think Videocams, I usually don't think of the 'Action Cam' type as I have only used them when riding motorcycles or as a dashcam/trip recorder in my motorhome. Since I don't have either anymore, I don't really have any use for an action cam. I may just give it to my grandson who is a serious cart racer.

I forgot about the fish-eye effect on 'action cameras' as using wide-angle on regular good-quality videocameras does not create this effect.

chas

I used to have a Sony HDR-MV1 concert video recorder as a successor to my former Zoom Q3HD. It had pristine audio quality and also a much better video quality than the Q3HD. Just operation was a bit awkward with very few multifunctional buttons.
I had to sell a lot of equipment due to expensive privately financed medical procedures, so I sold it for a good price, and now I have a used Zoom Q3HD again (with a black spot in the upper corner of the videos...).
Unfortunately Sony stopped offering this type of camera in their portfolio.
I‘m planning to buy a Zoom Q2n some time. I should have kept the Sony...

does the Q2n have audio inputs or you have to use the onboard mics?

and that "FISHEYE" effect is concerning too?..

thoughts

Yes, it definitely has line-in, otherwise I wouldn't consider it. The former Q2 didn't have inputs.

Great to know yes audio input are a must for recording demos or what have you...Q2n has very good reviews and its cheap..just put it on a stand...plug in two stereo line audio inputs and record..


Now what about the Q2n fisheye effect?.. which I really dont like ....https://recording.org/threads/zoom-q2n-its-cheap-but-is-it-worth-it.59831/
I always see that on the go pro, etc.. I see that you cen edit it on a pc with "Curvature" edit?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8H6iWOkTR_0

I checked the output of the video from this week, I still set it darker than it should have been. I used the dance club preset, having used the concert lo-lit preset the week before. I had tried either rehearsal studio or garage preset a few days earlier at another venue, only for them to turn extra stage lights on as soon as I was behind the keyboard on stage. I will need a bit more trial and error to settle on presets to match stage brightness, I may check a video editor as it should be close enough to adjust the level afterwards.

I taped a card above the Zoom, and that fixed the shine effect on the lens. And I used a powerbank instead of AA batteries, no issues with either.
I brightened up and cropped some pictures from the guest act, just to focus more on the sound from placing the Zoom just in front of the stage.

Thanx for sharing very nice audio and video, she has an amazing voice......kool pics too......love the Jamesons Whiskey sign too ....
hope to see more in the future Live perhaps too..

take care

Forgot all about camera, mic., etc. What a lovely voice and tasteful guitar.

Donny, the Go Pro editing program has a fish eye removal tool, but it does not eliminate 100 percent of it, only about 90 percent, but no one would notice that 10 percent, especially when I video the young gals on sailboats wearing string bikinis.

Gary

Now more than ever, you had better get their permission first !!!

The girls are often on my boat, Tony, and while some are just friends, my newest, Korean inlaws wouldn't climb aboard the boat unless they were wearing those skimpy bikinis. Sure makes an old man smile a lot more.

Tony, the law in Maryland about this is: "When in outdoor public spaces where you are legally present, you have the right to capture any image that is in plain view. That includes pictures and videos of federal buildings, transportation facilities (including airports), and police officers."

All the best,

Gary

Gary thought you were selling the boat?

The boat is for sale, but thus far, only two young couples were interested, but neither one of them had any money. No money = No Boat!

If the boat doesn't sell before I die, which the way things are going, is not far off, I will leave it to my son to dispose of it in any manner he wishes. At that point, it will not make any difference to me.

I have my portable oxygen system rigged so I can carry it on the boat with me, and I'm adding a new Honda Generator to power the AC system on those hot nights, so I intend to sail the boat when the weather warms up a bit, or until I can no longer physically handle it. I'm also making other modifications that will allow me to raise the main sail from the cockpit and not have to climb on the cabin top to do this job - just to on the safe side. I already have a roller furling system for the jib sail which allows me to deploy and retrieve that sail from the cockpit.

The boat has everything else anyone could ever with for. Here's a link to one of the online advertisements I posted: Morgan 33 Out Island For Sale, Maryland

When I make that first long cruise this spring, I will post some Go Pro vids of the trip.

All the best,

Gary

Gary good luck selling your boat and if not use it to the fullest.....
enjoy your next voyage south and of course take pics & videos...all the best!