AV News 175 - February 2009
One combination should be about right for recording most "normal" subjects.
Only if loudness changes during a recording might you find that you've run
out of adjustment.
There's a parallel with photography here. Under good lighting conditions,
photographing "easy" subjects and viewing the results on 6 x 4 inch prints, it
may be difficult to see the difference between a picture taken on an entry
level pocket compact camera and a good quality SLR. The more extreme the
lighting, the more "tricky" the subject and the larger the print, the more easy
it becomes to see which is which. The better lens quality, the better sensor
quality and the wider range of settings available on the SLR will become
important.
The Zoom H4 seems to be the audio equivalent of one of the better pocket
compacts. It ought to make good recordings of average subjects. From time
to time you will come across subjects, which a professional set up would
handle with ease, but which are "too loud", "too quiet" or "too something else"
for the H4 to record well. If you've never used a professional machine, you
are unlikely to perceive this as a problem.
To summarise - from what I've seen and heard, the Zoom H4 is one of the
better consumer portable recorders. If you want to have a go at making your
own recordings, I don't think you'll be disappointed with it.
Having had the distinct advantage of being able to read Peter's article before
publication, I decided to go ahead and purchase one. Looking around I found
a good deal on Amazon where I received the unit, an extra 4gb SD memory
card in addition to the 512mb one supplied, plus a small table tripod.
My first 'try out in anger' was in recording my comments on 100 images in
one of the Lancashire & Cheshire Photographic Union's Slide Portfolios. I
found it so easy to use - the unit can be mounted into the supplied cradle
which allows it to be attached to the tripod. Like most people I am not happy
with the sound of my own voice but by plugging a pair of headphones in,
being able to hear my own voice in 'real time' made me speak with a greater
clarity......and of course I could easily hear when I made the odd - well alright
- the many cockups!! At the Internationals at Cirencester, just by leaving it on
a chair, I was able to record the Chairman of the Jury's comments - this can
be heard 'as recorded' on the www. avnews.org.uk website.
The machine can either be powered by two AA batteries or from the
supplied power pack. Downloading from the machine to the computer is easy
- you just plug in the supplied USB cable and the unit is both powered and
controlled from your computer. The two 'onboard' condenser microphones
can be made to simulate the recording characteristics of four, well known,
high quality microphones and the input levels adjusted to suit whatever you
are recording. My most recent recording was of the choir that I sing in
performing their Christmas concert - along with a childrens choir...despite
having no one to look after it...the recording was excellent....and the choir!!!
I am not sure that you need the four track H4 machine as I haven't as yet
used this facility - so if you want to save your pennies then why not go for the
H2 - if so, can you let our readers know how you get on?
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