Zoom F8 Multi Track Field Recorder for Filmmaking and Sound Design

Zoom F8

Zoom

Zoom F8 Video #1

Adorama

Audio

Audio for Video

Audio Recorders

Digital Field Recorders

Zoom Digital Field Recorders

Zoom F8 

44% Off: Zoom F8 Multi Track Field Recorder for Filmmaking and Sound Design Buy now & save $550. Type: Linear PCM Recorder, Multi-Track Recorder, Solid State Recorder

Great for travel

I love the zoom f8. I love the menu system. I love the size. I love the sturdiness. Only thing that would make it better would be backlit buttons for MENU, STOP, PLAY and RECORD. I don't know why they never added them. They didn't do it for the f8n either. It's a practical problem when in dark sets. I could also ask for analog limiters, but then I don't think it would be so cheap =) Headphone is not bad. I believe some exaggerate. The tascams dr60d is trash compared to the f8. Great audio recorder.

Love this little thing

I purchased this recorder to use in a professional documentary filmmaking and corporate video production environment. I made my purchase from BH in mid June 2017.

Unfortunately I did not discover the absolutely massive flaw in this unit until about two months later, when BH would no longer take  a return and Zoom customer support (the specific gentlemans name I was working with is John Molfetas, who is labeled Zoom Customer support) would jerk me around for several months after, claiming the problems with the unit are my fault.

Flaw 1: The Zoom F8 has two SD card slots, making it's user think you have a back up card, in case the first card errors out. The problem is if Card 1 has a writing error, it will cause Card 2 to also have a writing error, causing you to lose everything. I believe this is because the unit is seeing both cards as one, instead of two individual cards (probably to save on licensing). The Zoom Support staff tried to claim that it was user error because I did not perform a full test of my card (which takes two hours for a 128gb Sandisk Extreme Pro).

Almost all of my professional gear has two card slots, which the primary point is to have a full quality back up in case a card has a write error, it is totally insane that if one card in you Zoom F8 fails, it will destroy both cards audio files. 

TLDR: The Zoom F8 is twice as likely to have a writing error, destroying all of your files as a unit with only one card will have. 

Flaw 2: On more than one occasion I have booted the unit up and have had multiple channels not function at all, even after reassigning the PFL settings and disabling the channels. When this happens, the unit has to reboot, which takes a while. This is a very concerning flaw, as there seems to be deep seeded issues with this audio recorders firmware.

Final Thoughts: I very very much wanted to love this unit, when I initially purchased it, I assumed it would be the last audio recorder I ever had to buy. My company lost a large amount of money due to lost files on a job and when I took my concerns to Zoom, hoping they would be excited to hear about a unknown bug, they simply insulted me by totally ignoring my concerns.

Zoom has proven it self to not be a professionals company, producing nothing but prosumer gear for amateurs. The quality control clearly is not high enough to depend on their equipment.

A huge liability.

Great field recorder for independent film.  Is it a Sound Devices?  No, but the value is well worth it. 

Amazing recorder

This is the prefect recorder for indy filmmakers who want Sound Devices quality without the high ('though justifiable cost).  This is a no-brainer, unless of course you only need the 4-channel version.  Do yourself a favor and just get it.

Zoom F8 Multi Track Field Recorder for Filmmaking and Sound Design

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