Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I just got mine recently, so I can't speak to it's long term reliability, but here are my impressions so far.
First impressions out of the box:
The Q3HD can run on standard alkaline batteries and includes a set of them as well as a small (2gb) SD card in the box. If you're like me and always want to play with new gadgets the moment you get them, you'll appreciate that. There's no waiting for an internal battery to charge or running out for forgotten accessories. Part of me likes that the USB cable is built in because you'll never be at a friends house having forgotten the cable you need to hook it up, but you have to have the whole unit right next to your computer because the reach is VERY short. My opinions are mixed on the plastic case of the unit. Without batteries in it doesn't have a lot of heft to it, but it doesn't feel cheap per se. While I wouldn't beat it around I feel like with a modicum of care it should hold up for a while. The screen is a decent size compared to the unit, the tripod mount is very useful, and the assortment of inputs and outputs for audio and video are great.
Using it:
I feel the video quality is rather lacking. Yes the unit is recording in the advertised HD formats, but don't expect it to shoot pro quality video because that's just not going to happen. The menus are easy to navigate, and operation of the unit is very intuitive. If you own a cell phone you will not have any trouble figuring this bad boy out. The Audio quality is where it really shines. I've compared it to recordings done by friends with Flips and iPhones, and the sound from this blows them away. Battery life is very limited using alkaline batteries, but I've gotten much longer run times from Ni-MH rechargeables, or you could always buy the power adapter separately and hope for an outlet handy when you use it. Another note is that while the tripod attachment is there, the flat bottom of the unit has little nubs that stick out the same depth as the tripod mount which allow you to set the unit up right on any flat surface (I've already used a couple bar tables as impromptu tripods in a pinch).
The auto level function is something I can't imagine using. It is slow to react, and painfully obvious in the resulting video where the adjustment was made because as far as I can tell the auto level only switches between the preset low and high gain, so the difference when it turns down or back up is pretty drastic. I few steps of gain in between would be nice, but if you just adjust it to your situation on your own it works great. The high gain setting seems pretty flat and works well with acoustic instruments (not brass though... think strings, woodwinds, etc. Was really nice in the room with a singer/songwriter strumming guitar and belting about six feet away) and speaking volumes. The Low gain seems more appropriate for concert volumes, and the lack of gain in louder settings also helps to filter out some of the lower volume background sounds so the tool behind you trying to pick up some girl doesn't wind up in your recordings... I also like that the play back is with the unit held sideways. It lets you use all of that screen real estate to view your recordings and lets you see it a lot closer to the final aspect ratio. The built in speaker sounds like garbage which kind of defeats the purpose of the high end audio, but a pair of headphones in the side jack is all you need to fix that.
HandyShare:
I can honestly say the handyshare software is all but a waste of disk space. Simple beginning and ending edits were slow to process (much slower than the same edits run in a freeware video editing program I downloaded on the same computer which leads me to believe this is a software limitation), the upload to Youtube took twice as long as uploading the same video directly through youtube's interface, and of the four videos I uploaded via the handyshare software only two of them actually made it to my youtube account, so it's hardly a reliable sharing mechanism. The audio effects are pretty generic, but they work and I can see them being fun to play with for certain applications.
Overall:
Know what you're getting before you buy this product. This is a wonderful tool for music students recording lessons and teaching examples. You can also use it to record recitals and practice sessions which will give you a solid audio reference to critique your own playing (unlike some video recorders, the audio accuracy will allow you to also examine your tone and dynamic expression as easily as plain technical issues). It's nice for recording concerts and performances in clubs and bars as long as the sound is more important to you than the video. If you want a crystal clear, crisp representation of your favorite local artist, look elsewhere. If you want to remember their performance in all of it's stunning energy for the way it SOUNDED, this is what you want.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Zoom Q3HD Handy Video Recorder with Accessory Pack and 2GB Memory Card
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