New Zoom F8

[Phil Goetz]

Where's the beef? Looks beefy.

[Ty Ford]

Originally Posted by Steven Digges

I just found this:

It looks like Zoom is going to a higher level of pro gear. If it is pro quality? This is ENG styled instead of DSLR style and has some features I wish were on my H6. But for three times the price I'm not sure I would have chosen it if it was available two months ago when I got the H6.

With the higher price I wonder if they improved the quality of the pre amps? That is what really matters.

If some one buys one I hope they will post about it when they ship.

Steve

Having had my hands on it, I'd have to say the controls are too small to do any real mixing. It's sort of like the mini-me version of a SD or Zax box. If that doesn't matter to you, fine.

Regards,

Ty Ford

[Rick Reineke]

With the current firmware, the F8's front knobs are gain/trim for channel/tracks. It does have a software mixer for the outputs, but it's not very good for mixing on the fly... ok for a static mix though. I haven't tried the phone/pad wireless interface. And I suspect the zipper artifact would be audible on sustained material.

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Originally Posted by Rick Reineke

There was a scheduling change (and a delay of new product.. my LI USA Zoom contact stated 'it's not built in the same place, or by the same entity/folks that build the other Zoom products' (crap), so I only had the one for a few days and never actually used it on set. I was impressed by the solid build/feel of it, multiple/mixable outputs, ect. The file naming architecture could cause problems for a PSM. It seems a bit complicated and overkill for a OMB shooter. The preamps are of 'questionable' quality.

If the preamps are of questionable quality then solid build or not doesn't matter.

[Colin McDonald]

Pardon me for resurrecting this thread from 2015 and quoting myself:

Originally Posted by Colin McDonald

The H6 works well enough for many requirements and is much quieter than the H4n, but is clearly not what would normally be regarded as pro audio gear. If the F8 is as good as or better than that, then all to the better, but that is not the only issue.

Before any piece of gear could be regarded as "pro quality" it needs to have "pro quality" service and support. That's what enabled Røde to establish their reputation as much as their actual products, in the early years at least. It's also what put me off Tascam products many years ago - I had some really bad experiences with noisy pots that were never resolved.

I'm not aware of there being any service and support for Zoom products in the UK. Perhaps there is, but if that is my impression as a fairly long term user then it doesn't say much for their advertising. Fortunately I have found the products reliable if not particularly robust, and the one issue I had with an original H2 went away after partial dismantling to inspect for obvious faults and subsequent reassembly. DIY or disposal seem to be the usual courses of action for malfunctioning Zoom products here at the moment, apart from replacement under statutory warranty.

I look forward to being corrected on this.

So now I am happy to correct myself :-)

In short, I took up a clearance offer on a Zoom F8 having followed the comments elsewhere on DVinfo about the v5 firmware update. The unit that came was new and unopened but had a screen defect. As this was the last F8 that the supplier (Pinknoise) had in stock, that might have been a problem, but they arranged with Zoom UK to have it replaced by express courier. Uplifting the problem unit/delivering the replacement happened the next morning.

Now Pinknoise have excellent customer service, but in this case Zoom UK must have moved pretty fas as well.

For the record, I am now aware of support in the UK for Zoom products and am happy to correct the above post.