Zoom F8n Audio Recorder: Initial Impressions
At the National Association of Broadcasters meeting earlier this year, Zoom announced their update to the F8 audio field recorder - the F8n. The focus of this update was to address many of the things that users complained about on the original - hybrid limiters that were ok, but not perfect, line inputs only on 1/4”, mediocre headphone amp, and consumer line level output among others. I had a chance to work with the F8n for a few hours. Let’s see how they did addressing these items. From my point of view, it looks like the F8n is a very nice step up from the original F8.
Links to gear discussed and used to shoot this episode:
Zoom F8n Audio Field Recorder
Zoom F4 Audio Field Recorder (similar but with 4 microphone inputs, monochrome screen, no app control)
Zoom F-Control surface with linear faders - my favorite way to mix when working from a table or cart.
Juicebox V-Mount Cine Battery - good way to power the F8n, F4, F8 all day long
D-tap to 4 pin Hirose Cable - to feed power from cine battery to F8n, F8, F4
Remote Audio BDS V4 Battery Distribution System
Remote Audio Hi-Q Battery (98 watt-hours) - this is a battery that is better suited for use in a sound bag, smaller than most cine batteries but still lots of capacity
Sennheiser MKH8050 Boom Microphone - this is the microphone I used
Schoeps CMC641 - this is the microphone my daughter used
Aputure COB 120t - This is the light I used as a key in the talking head clips
Aputure Light Dome Soft Box - Used to soften the key light
Lupo DayLED Fresnel Light with Barn Doors - Used for the “rim/hair” light
Blackmagic design Ursa Mini Pro Cinema Camera - used for the talking head clips and some of the product shots
Sigma ART 24-70mm f/2.8 OS Lens (Canon EF Mount)
Panasonic GH5 - Used for some of the product shots, the crispier shots
Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 OIS Lens - incredibly versatile lens that is on the GH5 most of the time
Copyright 2018 by Curtis Judd
Music - MzA by Cary Judd, used with permission