The makers of the ZOOM H4n now has the ZOOM Q4 and audio recorder that does 1080 HD according to the specs.

Zoom Q4 Handy Video Recorder ZQ4 B&H Photo Video


Image from B&H
http://static.bhphoto.com/images/multiple_images/images500x500/IMG_364543.jpg



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It's probably worth the price of admission for the "Don King" hairy windscreen!

The influence of Jim Henson is certainly apparent in the design.

It's probably worth the price of admission for the "Don King" hairy windscreen!

That is the FIRST thing I thought too!

Interested in this little guy. I get a lot of people that ask me about a audio/video recorder around this price that they could set and forget to record choir/orchestra/band rehearsals and concerts for post-review. Doesn't need to be fancy, but along with the 2014 camera sensor tech, I expect the more robust built-in microphone is a plus.

I laughed out loud.

And THEN I came and read this thread! :)

Yeah, curious design to say the least. Good thing it's a video recorder and not a camera or I'd have to make fun of it too.

Reminds me of this little fella

Jeff

That's where my shaving brush went!

Okay... before anyone else says it...

- why doesn't it do 24P
- why doesn't it do 3D?
- why doesn't it do 4k?
- why doesn't it do my dishes?
- why is it so expensive?
- why doesn't it have a global shutter?
- why doesn't it do RAW?
- why doesn't it do 60P?
- why doesn't it do 240P?

Is that all of them?

- why doesn't it do 25/50P

You forgot this one Shaun!

no interchangeable lens?

It looks like Beaker the Muppet... MEEP!

I was impressed that the Zoom product developers figured out how to stay alive in the pocket camera market by upgrading the audio on a plastic lens cell phone shooter. As a devotee of "look at me play guitar" video I shot a lot of stuff with the Q3HD. The biggest thing it lacked for my purposes was an articulated screen since I'm talent and camera op at the same time. And the "line" input without mic pre was slightly inconvenient at times.

So even though I've graduated to a collection of Lumix G cams, this is pretty tempting.

Fran

You would need to change your hair style if you were going to use a Q4, Fran :-)

I have a Q2HD and earlier a Q3HD. Very useful for documentation and all kind of little video recordings. I just wish that Zoom world use metal tripod mount - and that the recorders would to be able to do 25/50fps recordings. It is a pain they we 50 Hz-ers gets ignored.

Of course it is possible to convert the video, but 25/50 fps are likely an option in encoder chip, so everybody would be more happy if Zoom just enabled the option. .

It's probably worth the price of admission for the "Don King" hairy windscreen!

The resemblance is uncanny.

First time I saw it, I thought the Q4 was a lame practical joke, and that there would be a punch line somewhere in the text. Not. So, in the search for practical advice, the sound will probably be good, but has anybody seen any video from the camera?

I surrendered to the urge to buy the Q4 just before we left for an extended stay in Hawai`i. After we got here I shot some comparo type clips.

First Look at the Zoom Q4 | Homebrewed Music (http://www.homebrewedmusic.com/2014/02/08/first-look-at-the-zoom-q4/)

Zoom Q4 vs Lumix GH3 | Homebrewed Music (http://www.homebrewedmusic.com/2014/02/14/zoom-q4-vs-lumix-gh3/)

I got a lot of use shooting "look at me (or my friends) play guitar" videos with my Q3HD. I'll probably put my Q4 on Ebay when I get home and round up all the packaging and accessories.

I guess the GH3 has pretty much spoiled me for image quality. I'm pretty comfortable syncing audio in post but I've even gotten pretty decent audio out of the Lumix by feeding the mic input from the right sources.

http://www.homebrewedmusic.com/2014/01/23/lumix-gh3-audio-vs-zoom-h6/

You would need to change your hair style if you were going to use a Q4, Fran :-)

Well, back in the day I had a 'fro that was pretty close to Jimi Hendrix but I never went for the upswept look. The wind sock actually does a pretty nice job, though.

Fran