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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Zoom F4 with six inputs and eight tracks (is like a new low priced F8!)

D

David Peterson

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My blog post on this news: http://ironfilm.co.nz/news-leak-zoo...ight-tracks-is-like-a-new-low-priced-zoom-f8/ (some of it repeated below)

I thought the Zoom F8 when it was announced was a groundbreaking new recorder in what it brought to a new low price point for soundies.

Now the F4 is even cheaper ($650 vs $1K), and has nearly everything the F8 has! Except for most notably the lack of extra XLR inputs (8 vs 4, thus the names: F8 vs F4. The "F" = field recorder, "H" = handheld recorder such as H1/H4n/H5/H6) and the lack of an app for the F4 to mix on a tablet like you can with the F8. Oh, and in a more minor point the F4 has a monochrome screen vs the 4 color screen of the F8.

But everything else (such as pre amps, and time code) is basically exactly the same as the F8!



Here is the blurb and specs list from B&H (page is currently down, you need to use Google cache to view it):

Designed to provide big Hollywood sound on an affordable indie budget, Zoom F4 is a 6-input / 8-track professional field recorder featuring super-low-noise preamps and timecode with pinpoint accuracy. The unit provides recording and playback resolutions up to 24-bit/192 kHz with impressive audio specs including an extremely low noise floor (-127 dBu EIN) and high gain (up to +75 dB), with +4 dB line-level inputs. The on-board temperature-compensated crystal oscillator (TCXO) generates timecode at 0.2 ppm accuracy and supports all standard drop-frame and non-drop formats, as well as jam sync for external devices.

The advanced on-board limiters provide overload protection for all inputs and outputs, which lets you capture audio in a wide range of environments. Limiting can be applied simultaneously at full resolution with 10 dB of headroom and features controls for setting threshold, attack, and release.

The F4 offers four combo XLR-1/4" inputs, a 1/8" stereo input, and includes a Zoom mic-capsule input for recording six discrete tracks with an additional stereo mix, all at full 24-bit/192 kHz resolution. Additionally, inputs 5/6 can function as a camera return for audio monitoring only for confidence checks. The dual-SD card slot features simultaneous recording to both cards allowing you to make a backup or split recording with all eight tracks on one card and a stereo mix on the other.
Each of the four XLR-1/4" inputs offers a dedicated preamp with gain control, phantom power, a six-segment LED level meter, plus a Record Ready and PFL switch. In addition to the 1/4" headphone output with a dedicated volume control, the F4 provides two main balanced XLR outputs, as well as two sub outs on a single unbalanced 1/8" stereo mini-jack, enabling easy connection to a camera. All timecode I/O is provided on BNC connectors and the unit includes a variable-frequency slate-tone generator to confirm levels.

An easy-to-read 1.9" LCD display is suitable for use in all lighting environments including dark low-light sets to bright sunlight. The on-board mixer not only provides user-adjustable level, pan, and input/output delay, but also offers high-pass filtering for noise and wind reduction, phase inversion, and Mid-Side decoding. The F4 ships with a camera-mount adapter, AC power adapter, and download codes for Cubase LE and Wavelab LE.

Six-input / eight-track multitrack field recorder with integrated mixer

Six discrete inputs, including four with locking Neutrik XLR/TRS combo connectors, a stereo 3.5mm input, and Zoom mic-capsule input

Compact and lightweight metal chassis, weighing just two pounds (without batteries)

High-quality mic preamps with up to 75 dB gain, less than -127 dBu EIN, and +4 dB line inputs

Support for up to 24-bit/192 kHz recording as well as 96, 88.2, 48, and 44.1 kHz, plus 47.952 and 48.048 kHz for HD video compatibility; 16-/24-bit resolution

Accurate timecode (0.2 ppm) I/O on standard BNC connectors; dropframe/non-drop formats with Jam Sync

Two different power supply options: 8x AA batteries or external DC battery pack with 4-pin Hirose connector

Dedicated gain control knob, 6-segment LED level meter, and PFL/Solo switch for each channel

Phantom power (+48V/+24V) on every preamp

Advanced on-board limiters for input and output

High-pass filter, phase invert, and Mid-Side decoder

Input delay of up to 30ms per channel / output delay of up to 10 frames per output

Compatible with all Zoom mic capsules; optional ECM extender cable enables remote positioning

Dual XLR balanced Main Outs plus 1/8" stereo mini-jack Sub Out

Dedicated headphone output (100mW) with front-panel volume control

1.9” white, backlit monochrome LCD

Dedicated PFL display with viewable trim settings

Dual SD/SDHC/SDXC card slots, up to 512GB each

Records in BWF-compliant WAV or MP3 file formats

Support for extensive metadata (BWF and iXML); input time, date, project, scene number, etc.

Built-in tripod mount; camera-mount adapter also included

Use as a 6-in/4-out USB audio interface (@ 96 kHz)
Click to expand...
 
This looks really interesting. Timecode, dual slots and decent preamps at this price is a steal.

sorry old faithful Roland R-44 but I think you're headed to eBay.
 
OH man... wish this came out earlier on this year...bought an F8 for the audio quality but really don't need more than 4 inputs.
 
Thanks for posting this, when I read the title I swore it was a typo. I just purchased a H6 a week ago, it's being returned immediately! So with the EXH-6's additional 2 XLR inputs plus the 3.5 stereo is what's giving you 8 tracks? It's saying 6 inputs plus 8 tracks, is that really 6 actual and 2 back up tracks & not really 8 iso?
 
Jamon Lewis said:
Thanks for posting this, when I read the title I swore it was a typo. I just purchased a H6 a week ago, it's being returned immediately! So with the EXH-6's additional 2 XLR inputs plus the 3.5 stereo is what's giving you 8 tracks? It's saying 6 inputs plus 8 tracks, is that really 6 actual and 2 back up tracks & not really 8 iso?
Click to expand...


You can use either the capsule (2 extra XLRs) or the 3.5 but not both at the same time. They both route to input 5/6.

I was gonna try the the same thing :)
 
It's interesting to note how similar this is to the Sound Devices 633.

My observation is: drop them both on concrete from 3 feet, and let me know which one is still working. (My money is on SD.)

Sadly, the reality is that you get what you pay for. I have seen many, many sad examples of this in my life.
 
Marc Wielage said:
It's interesting to note how similar this is to the Sound Devices 633.

My observation is: drop them both on concrete from 3 feet, and let me know which one is still working. (My money is on SD.)

Sadly, the reality is that you get what you pay for. I have seen many, many sad examples of this in my life.
Click to expand...


Marc, don't dismiss it's value just because it's a marginally inferior product that's not up to your standards. At less than 1/5th the price, this little unit has a lot to offer. Granted it won't sound as good as any of the Sound Devices products, however it will afford smaller budget indie productions the means to obtain decent quality sound. That's a positive for all of us.

I have a SD MixPre-D which I love (although regrettably it's currently for sale on this forum) so don't get me wrong. Sound Devices is the way to go if the budget allows it. However unfortunately not all of us have the luxury of unlimited funds.
 
Marc Wielage said:
It's interesting to note how similar this is to the Sound Devices 633.

My observation is: drop them both on concrete from 3 feet, and let me know which one is still working. (My money is on SD.)

Sadly, the reality is that you get what you pay for. I have seen many, many sad examples of this in my life.
Click to expand...

Who goes around dropping their gear onto concrete from a meter??? :-o

And even if it does break (doubt it, is even more robust now than the F8), you would by then be able to go out and buy the Zoom F4 v2.0 (as by then they'll surely have released something even better... !) and still have spent less than half of what one 633 costs.
 
Nah, not a Sound Devices Mix Pre-D. Perhaps with a better 442 or 552? But I'm not personally so keen on the extra weight/bulk/power usage. Lots of people are mixing with just the F8 by itself. The F4 will be even better at that.
 
Little known fun fact: the Zoom F4 can also record to Blu-ray disks as well as SD cards! ;-)


As the new Zoom F4 is "#1 New Release in Blu-ray Recorders" on Amazon, that is a new feature we didn't hear about from Zoom​... that it can record not just to SD cards but to Blu-rays as well! ;-) ha


That isn't even the oddest thing about this Amazon listing, it indicates the RRP is $799 and won't ship until November 30th! :-o


Yet Zoom has stated pricing of $650 and shipping in October ( B&H Photo Video Pro Audio​ has expected availability of October 11th), thus I'm guessing that is two more things Amazon got wrong.


https://www.amazon.com/Zoom-F4-Input-Multitrack-Recorder/dp/B01LOR91FC/
 
David Peterson said:
Who goes around dropping their gear onto concrete from a meter???
Click to expand...
Nobody means to, but it happens. Cameras get dropped, lenses get dropped, mics get dropped, lights get dropped. My point is, a plastic-cased $600 device is not going to hold up well over time, not after the rigors of days- or weeks-long shoots done out in the real world. Even worse, in the rain, in remote locations, jostled on planes, bumped around in trucks.

None of the Zoom stuff is good enough. I would say the same thing about cheap microphones or cheap lenses or cheap monitors. Anything good costs real money. Cheap stuff is not going to be as good as actual pro gear. You get what you pay for.

You can believe me or not -- the forum is full of opinions. All you have to do is decide who to listen to. And I'm not trying to sell you anything. I would suggest that you go out and rent some actual pro gear before deciding that a $600 toy like the Zoom is its equal. To me, it's like comparing an iPhone to a Red Dragon: for many people, maybe even most average people, the iPhone is all the camera they need. Professionals need a lot more than that.
 
Marc Wielage said:
Cheap stuff is not going to be as good as actual pro gear. You get what you pay for.
Click to expand...

True.

But does that mean that nothing is ever overpriced?

And I think the point that many here are making - myself included - is that we're never going to pay $4k for a SD device, but we're pretty excited about timecode and dual slots and other features in a $650 recorder.

You're comparing the F4 to a 633... we're comparing the F4 to a Roland R44 or a Zoom H6.

It's okay to recognize that the F4 is not going to be the same as Sound Devices, but is still the right option for many of us who are not soundies, who are not offering our services professional as soundies, but still need a decent device with this sort of feature set.

If a soundie rocked up to my shoot with the F4, I wouldn't be impressed. But it's still a tool I thinkn is worthwhile for me.
 
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