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Zoom Q2n Handy Video Recorder 1080p Camcorder with XY Microphone Reviews

Compact HD Video Camera with 160-degree Lens, 5 Field-of-view Settings, XY Stereo Microphones, LCD Screen, and Simple Controls

You hardly exist today without a strong video presence on social media, but in the music world, so-so audio just won't do. Lucky for you, Zoom has continued their line of amazing Handy Recorders with the Q2n Handy Video Recorder. The Q2n is the size of a typical mini action camera, and while it provides excellent pro-quality HD video recording, an XY stereo pair of mics also delivers the exceptional audio quality that's made Zoom recorders extremely popular. An ultra-wide-angle (160 degrees) lens can cover the whole band, and you'll be amazed by the Q2n's exceptional low-light handling.

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Highest Rated Reviews

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Great camera for a band.

By Sweetwater Customer on August 1, 2018

Really awesome audio. Just have to be careful with batteries running down sooner than expected.

Perfect Review Stage Performance Camera

By Pete Simms from Florida on July 9, 2018

I just used for the first time at my gig (3 Piece, Jazz, Outside Restaurant). Great deal for the $ !

Excellent Value

By Jerry R. from Fort Wayne, IN on June 30, 2018 Music Background: TopShelf

I was awed by the quality of the audio and video, for the price I paid. Plus I got it during Gearfest...

Amazing camera for the price

By Kurt Pfeiffer from Breckenridge Hills, MO on March 12, 2018 Music Background: Weekend warrior drummer

The video on this little camera is amazing and the audio is, too! Very easy to set up, it just does its thing. A 64GB video card will record 5 1/2 continuous hours of video. Enough to record a whole show! The wide angle makes it easy to get the whole band. I liked mine so much two band mates got one for themselves. So, now we can easily record our entire show and create multi-angle videos of ourselves (great for promotional videos!).

I highly recommend this camera if you want to be able to video your band. Don't forget a microSD card!

Very Pleased

By Ralph McGlenn from St. Clair, Missouri on February 25, 2018

After years of trying various things to get a decent video AND audio recording, I succeeded at our last gig. It took the sound levels like a champ and the video is fantastic. One thing to know though; it will go through batteries quickly, so I suggest getting the AD17 power adaptor for recording more than just a few songs.

Zoom Q2N

By Steve on February 24, 2018

Great recording device for bands! Works great in any light and audio and video video are excellent. Had an earlier model of a zoom which worked good, but this one works great.

Zoom q2n

By Scott rocks from NEW JERSEY on December 12, 2017

Awesome piece of equipment very pleased with it.

Quick, Easy, Good

By JP Drums from Philadelphia on November 17, 2017 Music Background: Experienced drummer

I used this last night on an informal first-time band rehearsal and was really happy with the results. The process was quick, easy and effective. This is a very intuitive little unit to use. After recording one song, we ran the 1/8" output into the mixing board and listened through the PA. Everyone in the room was surprised by how good the recording sounded. If you're looking for a very quick and easy recording solution that is simple to use, this is excellent. I haven't used any other audio/video devices in this product category/price range, but I don't feel the need to after using this. I am looking forward to using often to help give me objective perspective about my playing. Thanks, Sweetwater, for a wonderful experience!

ZOOM Q2N

By Sweetwater Customer on October 9, 2017

very impressed for such a small/compact audio/video recorder

Exlente Camara

By momox from minneapolis on September 22, 2017 Music Background: VideoVlogger

La neta esta camara merece 4 estrellas pero le doy 5 por que va por el camino correcto y la debes de comprar...........

Por que la debes de comprar?
Por buen video y exelente audio..........

Lo unico malo?
Que usa pilas desechables......
Esto puede ser malo o bueno depende tus preferencias...

No lo dudes por el precio esta chulada es una maravilla!!!

Zoom Q2n

By Mel on July 8, 2017

Easy to set up and use. Great picture and sound quality!

Zoom Q2n

By Larry Lauer from Connecticut on July 2, 2017 Music Background: PLaying since the 70's. Last 10 years as a solo act and the last year as a duo with a drum machine.

I couldn't ask for a easier or more user friendly device to capture the sound of our duo then this unit. I did buy the accessories kit, which was over priced. But it did make things easier. So I forgive them. I've used it for at least 5 gigs now. I did buy a couple of memory cards, the biggest being 128GB. But once you get used to downloading your stuff onto Handyshare you really only need one good one. I bought the battery adapter which eliminates using two to four batteries per full length gig (4 hours). The sound is awesome especially with head phones on unless you have great speakers hooked up to your computer system. I couldn't be happier! Hope you are too!

Great Little Camera

By Jamie from Vancouver on May 29, 2017

This camera is amazing for the price, and the audio quality is unmatched by its competitors such as the go pro

Zoom Q2n

By Andrew from Woodhaven NY on May 25, 2017 Music Background: Bass player

Great video camera. Does audio and video really well. Great for live or rehearsals. If every band member would have one then great montages of the band can be made without hiring a film guy. It's that good and totally worth it. Thanks Sweetwater and Dave M.

Pretty nice little camera for the $

By Sweetwater Customer on March 23, 2017

Watching my first shots play back on the screen, I thought the sound was not that great. But, when I brought the file over to my PC-WOW! The on-board speakers leave something to be desired. Just note that my Windows 10, I-7 laptop (new) would not open the MOV files natively and I had to go searching for a codec pack (k-light) like it was still 2005. The only drawback is that, with no front facing screen, framing your videos can take a few tries.

Amazing!!

By Dan Beyl on March 21, 2017

I have been using my I phone to record videos. I'm a bass player who plays some guitar. I have been spending time trying to improve my guitar chops. This does a great job, the video is great and the audio blows me away! Nice job Zoom!!

Zoom review for Q2n

By Victor Cortes from Phoenix, AZ on March 21, 2017 Music Background: Studio Guitarist

The sound quality is more then expected. I highly recommend this

Zoom Q2n Video Recorder

By Don from California on March 19, 2017 Music Background: Drummer

What a great camera at a very good price! I first saw it while watching a video from one of the great drummers, Peter Erskine, on Facebook. I thought, "I gotta have this camera"! I went out and got a 64gb micro-card for $20 and I can now record 5 hours of great video/audio at 1080p! So far, I've recorded live performances of my 2 bands indoors/outdoors and am so impressed with both video and audio. I do find however, that the battery life is not as long as I had hoped so I've been using a micro usb 10' cord with an iPhone AC charger and it works perfectly. Looking forward to many recordings in the future! Lastly, LOVE Sweetwater! I've been a customer for years and they are the best!!

They finally got it right.

By Jake Kulik from Northern New Jersey on March 18, 2017 Music Background: Keys and Bass

I was a beta tester for Zoom when I bought my first Q3 - I wasn't really, but I felt like one after realizing that their idea of low light video and what happens in the real world are not the same. After a firmware upgrade, it still wasn't right, but then they came out with the Q3HD. That was decent and I still have it. I heard raves about this Q2n and liked the idea of a tele-wide angle variable lens (5 positions), so I took the plunge and I'm glad to say this one's a winner. Great video, great sound, and great price have put me back in the fold again. I do have some quibbles, but after watching some other YouTubes, the issues are all easily fixable. Battery life is horrible, but a hookup to a 4000mah power bank fixes that, and my son's 3 D printer turned out a few lens hoods for way less than the $50.00 USD accessory pack, so lens flare is non-existant. Having the Micro SD card under the bottom plate is a pain, but at least it's secured and can't pop out.

One other issue is the maximum file length appears to be around 3.5 gigs, and then it starts another file without losing any frames. You can chain them together in post editing, but it's something to be aware of (to be fair, my other Zooms did this as well).

Those are the only cons that I have come across. The various scene setting names are nebulous, but some experimentation helps to get the correct setting, and I would rather have them than be without any. The recording process is flawless: press "record" and just make sure your audio doesn't hit the red and you're fine.

Well worth the money, and if it wasn't for Zoom products I wouldn't have any You Tubes at all, so the Q2n deserves it's place as the new successor to the Zoom video lineup.

Excellent video cam

By Guitarjunkie37 from Ohio on March 2, 2017 Music Background: Been playing for awhile and consider myself A fairly good player.

This camera is a excellent unit to video your gigs or to make videos for YouTube. Highly recommended

Zoom Q2n video recorder

By Victor Cortes from Phoenix, AZ on February 26, 2017 Music Background: Retired Session Guitarist

I wanted to try it but am tired of returning products at G.C. so went with Sweetwater.
I ordered it and installed smart card. It was simple to set up and I highly recommend it.
Scott was my Sweetwater contact and he is a Guitarist also. Very pleasant to work with.

Amazing.....

By Dean from California on February 24, 2017 Music Background: Drummer

This is definitely a must have for any musician who wants to create amazing video/audio recordings. I also purchase the accessories pack, 64GB card and power adaptor. The Mic stand adaptor mounts easily to the unit and fits any standard mic holder. Very easy to use and definitely worth the price.

Quick recordings

By John Bixer from Ohio on February 23, 2017 Music Background: Keyboard

This camera is so nice. I have recorded music and non-musical events and it works so well with both. It picks up the most subtle sounds (especially low end/bass) without making the whole thing sound like it is in a cave. The volume control for input and a separate one for output is a great feature. Also the lighting scenes for the video recording gives me so many options for what kind of room I am in. I haven't used them all yet, but the ones I stumbled on to have nailed what I wanted to see on the video. It is quick to set up and quick to see what you are doing using the HDMI plug going into a TV.

Awesome

By Jason from Oklahoma on February 16, 2017

Awesome product the video and sound quality is great but it does drain the batteries quick hopefully they will make a power plug for it!

Great Video camera

By Jim Tavegia from Just west of Atlanta on February 12, 2017 Music Background: Singer/Pianist

What can one get for $ today in a video camera? Quite a bit, actually with the Zoom Q2N.

This was my first venture into video and wanted to try my hand at shooting some simple music videos and see how it went. With redbook to 2496 audio available I new the audio would be great as I use my pair of Tascam DR-40's, my older Tascam DR-2d, and my Tascam DR-680mk2 6 rack recorders all the time at 2496 and the sound is all one could hope for.

I found out what a great teaching tool the Q2N is when I started shooting teaching videos for my middle school math class and started posting them on YouTube for my kids to view to help them rewatch classroom teaching on math problems they were having. It has worked out great as the kids have just started watching the videos I've posted on various topics to help them prepare for our end of year MileStone Tests for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade math. I am doing nothing more than shooting them off my classroom whiteboard using the room lighting and a tripod and the kids like what I've done. Now they can rewatch math work they are struggling with anytime they want off my youtube page. THIS HAS BECOME AN INVALUABLE TEACHING TOOL FOR ME. Every teacher should be doing this and really help their kids and the kids can watch them over and over until they get it, or they can ask me to post something new or re-explain something they still don't quite get. I'm glad to do it.

Thanks Zoom for a great little camera. The only issue is a slight amount of fish-eye that shows up as curves at the top of my white board, but if I would place my camera higher much of that would go away for sure. There is nothing to complain about. Everyone should have one of these.

This is 10 stars out of 5, even though that is not mathematically possible. lol

Simply Amazing

By Eric H from Allentown, PA on January 20, 2017 Music Background: Just jam for fun!

This is probably the coolest piece of music equipment I have. Mind you, I own three great guitars, a nice bass, a great amp with modifications, a very expensive analogue pedal board, PA system, etc... When it comes down to it, this thing is on the cheaper side of all of that and it shoots crystal-clear video and crisp audio. It also seems to be relatively durable. I don't know what's not to love. Five stars all the way!

Game Changer

By H2OK9 from Jackson, MI. on December 8, 2016 Music Background: Overall gear monkey and bar band warrior still banging around just I'm too dumb to quit and too stupid to do anything else.

Ok, you gear Monkeys....straight up: This is just the first of it's kind. Yeah, it doesn't have Bluetooth, which would be nice to be able to stop/start record from the stage, monitor with Bluetooth headphones. Doesn't have wifi to transfer files, but........what it does have is the best ability to record your sessions or whatever with the amazing sound and video. I call this a game changer cause it's going to be able to let you document your performances better and easier than ever. I gave it 5stars because it is the first of it's kind, but knowing Zoom, they will improve it as the reviews come in. I'm going to use this in my business doing work demonstrations. This thing is ten times better than any video camera I've ever had. Now, I was a little disappointed they couldn't have thrown in a modest microSD card just to get you started. I went out and bought a 64gig card at Walmart for 30 bucks. It took me 3 days to figure out why using Windows Media I wasn't getting any sound. After contacting Zoom on Facebook, they followed up the next morning and told me that Windows Media only can handle 16bit setting on the camera. Problem solved. Once you figure out the settings and buttons which doesn't take long and is very intuitive, you're on your way. I mount this on my regular camera tripod, set it up and let it rip. The sound and video is awesome. I'm still trying to figure out how to be able to run the camera and use my Ipad as a video monitor. But, for now, I'm digging this thing. Also, a nice little padded case would have been nice. Meanwhile, as usual Sweetwater did their thing with class. The only way I could be happier is if they would put 3 packs of LaffyTaffy in the shipping box instead of 2!!!!

Great recorder

By Phil T from Orchard Park, NY on February 28, 2018

Great recorder, especially for the price. The display screen is a bit small, but easily adjusted to. The controls and settings were very easy to learn. The different video scenes, and audio and video resolutions, are very easy to switch between. Easy to switch to card reader mode for PC viewing, and webcam mode as well. 1080p video resolution, great quality! And we were blown away as well by the quality of the sound.

I recommend a 128GB SD card, and perhaps the small tripod. But right out of the box, this thing delivers.

Kid tested & survived

By Jorge Cervantes from San Bernardino on September 2, 2017 Music Background: Semi professional

I bought it for my daughter who has a YouTube channel. She's a young teen & has younger siblings. This camera has been thrown around, tossed down stairs and at one point used outside to record the rain.....it still works. I like all the features and settings: the audio controls to prevent peak, the visual controls to adjust to lighting but mostly the ease of use. The files are compatible with most movie editing software and it's a real bargain for te price. My only draw is that it guns on 2AA batteries and get used up quick.

Q2N

By Chris from Florida on May 25, 2017 Music Background: Professional musician

Just received this yesterday, I did some audio and video tests with it. I recorded myself playing drums then guitar cranked up on 1080p 24 fps. Very good quality for both audio and video. It holds up on my 55" tv quite well. Make sure you get the Micro SD card for 4k ultra recording, It will be worth it. The power adapter on the zoom website is 5v 1amp. I am sure we all have phone chargers laying around so save yourself some money there and just use a good phone charger. The audio so far is close to my H4N so to me this is a win win. I have not tried it out with the band yet but I am not foreseeing any issues with it. This is def worth the price they are asking. I will update as I record more., I am looking forward to seeing what this does in a live setting. The colors do seem to be brilliant and hd quality.

Great camera/Great value!

By Randy Lewis from Southport, NC on May 10, 2017

Excellent camera, awesome audio! A couple of downsides, batteries done in about 45 minutes and it's awkward/inconvenient to change batteries or memory card in the middle of a performance as the access to both are on the bottom of the camera which is normally mounted on a stand. I resolved this by using a 64g card and using a (20) charge cell phone charger. Much better than go pro in my opinion.

Good camera, great audio

By Merril from Bloomington, IL on March 29, 2017 Music Background: Professional sound and light tech, drummer, vocalist

This an excellent piece of equipment for the money. The camera takes a nice wide angle, so you can keep it close to the stage and still puck up the whole band or out in front and get the whole dance floor. You can narrow the angle of the picture, but the lense does not actually zoom. Because the lense sticks out of the body of the camera, you may get some strange light artifacts in the video. You can buy a lense hood or put a piece of tape over the top of the lense to prevent that from happening. The stereo audio is excellent. I recorded a practice session and a gig from behind the drums, and while the drums are a little louder than other instuments, you can hear everything and it is nicely compressed - even the vocals sound decent, and this was behind the speakers!

Happy choice

By Frank Barbalace from Illinois on March 10, 2017 Music Background: 8476877048

impressed with the quality and lens angle which captures a good deal of the action.

Zoom Qn2

By Jerry France from California on February 21, 2017 Music Background: 7144254445

Easy to use, good quality audio, and easy to carry around.

Zoom's Best,In Terms Of Video

By Elwood from Toms River,N.J. on February 10, 2017

My first experience with Zoom's video products,was the original Q3(great audio,but terrible video.)So that said,I was very sketchy about the Q2,with it being cheaper than the old Q3.
I was also on the fence,with Zoom's more expensive models in the Q-series,as the larger models seem to only have marginal and arbitrary differences...so I chose the Q2,due to it's great reviews,as well as for it's compact design,simplicity and of course,the incredibly low price!

Upon first perusal when I received it,I was disappointed that there was no internal memory,no card,no power cord & no micro USB cable...however,at this price point...there are going to be compromises.
This is not necessarily a bad thing,because as it turns out,Zoom's production budget was focused on quality were it really counts(i.e.,high quality microphones and high quality camera lens!)
In that respect,Zoom did a tremendous job,in offering a portable video device that out performs any video camera under $500,in my opinion.
Certainly...you'd be hard pressed to find this level of microphone quality in any camcorder under $600 and perhaps,anything this good,under $1,000....as there simply is no video recorder on the market,quite like this one!
The depth,width & clarity of the audio has to be heard,to be believed and an SPL of 120dB's is insane,for this price point,as well as video recorders costing 5 times as much!
Due to how ultra compact this device is,the LCD screen is too small to be of much use,in terms of accurately monitoring video while recording(unless perhaps,you connect to a tablet via an HDMI cable?)

As for the memory card issue,I was fortunate enough to find a high speed,16GB PNY brand microSD for $8.55 and a 6' micro USB cable at Five Below for $5 and as for batteries,the Q2 came with 2 AA Maxell batteries,which are already dead now,so I will be looking into getting some Nickel Metal Hydride batteries,at some point.
As for the audio issue with 1080p recording at 24 bit in MOV format,I was easily able to resolve this issue by using my Wondershare Video Converter to convert to WMV.
as for the video end of things,well....the compact design is a bit limiting,but the video quality is better than any camcorder costing twice as much and in fact,the Q2's video quality puts my old Sanyo Xacti camcorder to shame!
I really needed a video recorder that works well in low lighting conditions(without spending a small fortune) and in this respect,Zoom delivered admirably!
The Zoom Q2,is also a spectacular alternative to android and apple phone users,who want a significant upgrade in video and audio,without sacrificing the portability factor!

I gave this product 4.5 stars,instead of 5,only because Zoom only offers 2 AA batteries in the package,so without any included memory,you can't get started right out of the box.
Zoom offers an accessory package,but it's $50 and you are better of shopping around for each accessory separately,as you'll pay about half that cost.
Zoom's hairy windscreen accessory is absurd,as it makes your Q2n,look like a stuffed animal...but all things considered,the option of buying all of your needed accessories separately,is the way to go,if you really want to be thrifty.

Great for home drum recording

By Shackman from Albuquerque, New Mexico on January 20, 2017 Music Background: Intermediate drummer

Works great as a single instrument for drum recording. Supposedly you can integrate it into a mixer (others have with Zoom), but I haven't tried it yet.

Great sound and easy to use. Don’t expect mind-blowing video

By Mule from Behind the Cheddar Curtain on August 21, 2018 Music Background: Jam Master

So the cons:

-It"s a battery hog, especially when shooting video. The solution of course is to use an external battery; I use an Anker pack and it will go for days.

-The video quality is decent in bright light conditions, but deteriorates rapidly as the lumens are reduced. In other words, the environment that this little camera is marketed for is really unsuitable. Don"t expect good video in low light conditions (which is where live performances usually exist).

Otherwise, I love this little recorder. The sound quality is surprisingly good, and the ease of use and portability are really amazing (my buddies all want one haha).

If you"re looking for something simple, and your focus is on sound quality and portability over video quality, then you will be very happy with this little machine.

Great Camera for the money

By Mike from Central Ohio on April 13, 2018

Camera is very easy to operate, sound is excellent video is good. Just wish it had a self timer, but can't complain for the money. Sweetwater is the greatest..Yuval is very helpful.

Handy is right!

By Amber Connor from Venice, CA on March 4, 2018

Really great little video cameral overall! Audio is better than expected, video is a little less clear than I'd hoped but it's still pretty great at this price point! It's smaller than you would imagine- very portable. Lots of different options for lighting, sound, framing, etc. Perfect for what it's intended for. It is solid- but not overly high qualityI You will not be shooting your future music video for MTV, but you will have a pretty great little clip to post to your site or youtube or instagram, etc. I have only one major gripe and one troubleshooting tip.

-This camera will eat batteries like a monster. Buy rechargeable batteries or a battery pack, and one backup as well.

-If you are experiencing strange feedback buzzing in your footage, remove or turn off anything with a strong wifi signal in the same room. It is not a malfunction, like I was initially worried about, this little guy is pretty reliable in quality.

Great little camera

By Bob from Michigan on August 31, 2017

Zoom continues to produce quality,affordable products as with this video camera. It has many features and the video and audio captured is very good.
The only criticism to offer is the small size of the screen.

Zoom Q2n Camcorder

By Douglas Duck from IN on August 6, 2017 Music Background: Bass and guitar player.

The only thing I could say bad about this unit is, It needs to weigh more. When I set this up on top of a table, It moves from the vibrations in the room.

SWEET little video cam

By Christopher Bianco from Hamilton, MT on July 28, 2017

Love this thing! Takes really crisp videos an all 5 field of view options, high-def, clean. Pretty darn good audio too, surprising, but really clean and full. Gotta remember that if you're going to playback on windows you need to have the Audio quakity set at 44.1k 16bit (otherwise no audio on windows), but it's easy and stil sounds fine just fine. Skip the stupid accessory kit though, hairy wind sock is way too big (use a foam mic wind screen trimmed to lear the lens and screen - works great). Finaly a camara/mic set-up that fits the working musicians requirement for easy high-quality music videos (but bring lots of back-up batterys, 2-hours on two AAs is all you get babe). Love this thing!

Good but......!

By Deltason from Mississippi on June 10, 2017 Music Background: Professional

Video is clear and good. Sound, I'm still working to get right. My guitar comes out louder then the music and I know the music is plenty loud. Video format like others complained about sucks. My computer won't play QuickTime sound on windows music player. I tried several players. Most show choppy video and no sound. Realplayer and of course Quicktime works. My tv won't play it and I have to edit the video to MP1 for it to play on USB on tv. Wish they had a couple formats to chose from (reason for 4 stars). Will be good when I get recording bugs worked out. Just takes longer for me to review my video, except cameras small screen.

Decent gig/practice recorder

By Ross on March 27, 2017

Brief summary after using the Q2n for a couple weeks:
Things I like:
-Cheap price, decent build
-Easy menu system and having color VU meters is great
-Good sound and OK stereo separation
-AA batteries are universally available
-Will run on external power too
-Built in 1/8 mic and headphone jacks

Things I don’t like
-Horrible battery life – less than 1 hour by my experience. You lose power you lose your clip – like all Zooms except the newer F4 or F8.
-Case is very sensitive to noise from any touch or vibration
-Lens is decent, but flares easily
-Accessory kit is another $ - ridiculous

Works quite well

By Sweetwater Customer on March 21, 2017

This wont replace a pro level video camera or pro level audio recorders but I was surprised how well it works, especially in low light. I bought two to get different angles and am considering getting a third. Easy to set up. Best used for static video.

Zoom Handy Video

By Sweetwater Customer on March 15, 2017

Works great has excellent sound & picture,use it Saturday mornings recording Blue grass pickin & grinin sessions at Comer's General Store LLC visit us on Facebook

Versatile Recorder with Room for Improvement

By Bob from Chicago on February 24, 2017 Music Background: 18 years experience as a performing multi-instrumentalist / composer

The features and price point of the Q2n made it a no-brainer to try out. I was looking for a video recorder with awesome sound quality, web cam / live streaming (for FaceBook Live), wide field of view, good battery life, and an easy interface.

The Q2n delivers all of that (well, almost).

The pros:

Solid feeling 'tiny' design, very flexible audio options, gain knob, auto-gain profiles, lighting scene modes, high SPL ability, clipping light, micro SD card media, AA batteries or mini USB powered, 5 field of view (digital zoom) settings, tripod mount, bright F2.0 aperture, hdmi out, external mic in, etc.

The cons:

- Doesn't come with a micro SD
- Very easy to get rainbow lens flares ( you'll have to get the additional accessories pack for the mini lens hood to avoid it, which should have been included for free. Check out YouTube demos and you'll see it.
- The auto color scene mode is too blue, making it hard to get a natural white balance. Other scenes are rather extreme,
- The preview window on the back is amazingly poor resolution, and is only usable to roughly frame up a shot.
- Battery life of included AA generic batteries is really poor, use a quality brand for better lifespan.
- Digital zoom (anything above the native widest angle approaching telephoto) reduces quality with graininess. Using the widest setting and cropping in post has better results, but with the expected fish-eye distortion.


Other Notes:

The web Cam will drop out after 5 minutes of use if the device is plugged into a USB hub. I was almost ready to return it because of this, ( and because I'm still not able to get FaceBook live working with it yet). Tech support emailed me back in under 5 minutes, and offered for me to send it to them for testing, which I have yet to do.

Over all, for $ ( including a nice SD card), this is still a great option with considering. Regardless of the areas which can be improved on, is still a solid micro-sized Swiss-Army-Knife of a camera worth recommending.

Nice for the price

By Dave Javu from NC on February 21, 2017 Music Background: Drummer, sound man

This is a nice little (and I mean little) camera for the price. Simple to use and the sound is excellent. I am disappointed that you must pay extra for the AC adaptor.

Zoom q2n

By Robert on January 23, 2017 Music Background: Guitarist for 50 years

Received my q2n about a month ago, was up and running in 5 minutes. Video and audio quality are excellent! Very user friendly. Here are a few things that could help make this better....they should move the video card slot from the bottom to the side, after recording, you have to remove the q2n from the tripod to access the card which is a pain. They recently came out with an accessory pack for this and it is missing the two most important items that are included for their other recording devices. A power adapter and a wired remote control. They say the batteries will last two hours, in my experience they last from 1 to 1 1/2 hours and you can go through a lot of batteries when recording. Don't let my negative notes keep you from purchasing this thing, I would but it again in a minute and by the way, the Sweetwater support is off the charts! You guys are the best I have ever seen!

Handy Little Recorder

By Manomaine from Maine Woods on January 2, 2017 Music Background: Old Rocker

Easy to set up and the navigation screen is intuitive. I have used it to record mostly at open mic venues where the sound mix is not at optimum and the lighting situation can be challenging. I had a bit of a learning curve regarding getting the Zoom positioned in the sweet spot but once figured those things out I was getting some great recordings. I have a small Joby Gorilla Tripod that allows me to set it up on various surfaces or attach to to a stand. I also picked up a the little holder that is shaped like a mic shaft and I find that to be handy as well.
I use Movie Maker for editing and it works well.
The ultra wide angle is great for working close in to the stage but you have to be mindful of light sources to reduce lens flare. I see others have posted regarding battery life and I agree that it can go thru two AA Lithiums in a short time. I invested in a set of 4 Ni-Cads and that is no longer an issue. (Highly recommended)
Overall, I am very satisfied with the Zoom Q2n for live recordings...get one... have fun....rock on!

Groovy little thing!!!

By Willy B. from Pittsburgh, PA on December 19, 2016

It's small, light, EATS batteries, but records very well!! Eats batteries?? I think you'll get about an hour with a new set of alkaline's... The camera is small and light enough to mount on a guitar. I'm thinking of getting a couple more for multiple angles... The wide angle is great! Was able to record a 4-piece band from ~3 feet away from the lead singer with the stage area being about 15 feet wide...

Why only 4 stars?? No power adapter, no USB cable, no dust cover... It does have a little paper feeling cloth pouch that it comes in, but it's not going to last very long. I'll need to buy a little case for it.

Great audio and video quality, lousy battery life

By Sweetwater Customer on August 18, 2018

Camera performs well for the price. Compact, lightweight, good clarity, great audio. No lens cap or protection for the lens. Battery life is awful: 20 minutes for the on board batteries. I bought an external battery pack, but it still crapped out after an hour. Ended up rigging up a cell phone charger so I could plug in directly.

No Remote Trigger and/or Bluetooth

By StevieD on June 20, 2018

My issue with this camera is that there is no way to trigger it remotely, either via cabled footswitch or Bluetooth.

If you"re playing solo, you have to walk over to the camera, hit record, and walk back to where you are playing. Granted, you can edit that part out in post, but why not offer a remote trigger so no edits are needed?

good video, difficult file transfer

By Steve from Albuquerque, New Mexico on January 15, 2017

The video quality is great. Transferring files works easily, but I still do not have audio either through Windows Media or Quicktime. Fine audio played back on the Q2n. Should have been easier. Still trying.

Flaw or Defect?

By Bob Dale from Ulysses, KS on May 1, 2018 Music Background: Broadcast

Bought this for a webcam and it works OK, however running the camera power from a USB is an issue. It seems that the connector does not slip fully into the USB slot on the camera and anytime the camera or cord is bumped it loses power. I have had to use duct tape to hold the power cord in the only position in which it will work. I do 3 hour recordings and the batteries won't last that long so I need to use a power cord and it is EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING to have the power go off mid way through and have to start over again.

Zoom - is this a flaw in this product or do I have a defective one?

Zoom Qn2

By Sweetwater Customer on March 29, 2017

The scan disc 128 gig at 80mbs will not allow the camera to record at 1018. Camera says card is too slow. It appears only one 128 gig card will work. I had to buy a 64 gig mini to record at 1018. Wish it would zoom better. Also my iMac will not recognize the zoom camera. I had to use a windows machine to download.

Zoom Q2n video recorder

By Andy Alberto from Long Island NY on March 22, 2017 Music Background: Bass player, audio guy

I read a bunch of great reviews but was very disappointed in the low light capabilities of this recorder. I used the best setting according to the instructions but got a very dark recording.

Can't record at 1080.

By Sweetwater Customer on March 20, 2017

I bought a scan disc 128 gb 80mgb/ sec card. When I tried to record at 1080/30 the camera said the card was not high speed. I though 80mgb/ sec was fast? So I'm not sure how well the camera works since it will not record at higher rates. Guess I'll have to buy a smaller card and try that?

Zoom Q2n

By David Skorupski from Tennessee on March 16, 2017 Music Background: 6157396342

Used my camera for the first time the other day. The picture quality was great. But there was no sound. I gave the SD card to a friend, who took it home and tried it on his Mac computer. Sound and picture were both working. So I am not happy with my Video recorder at this moment.

Better as an audio recorder than a video camera

By Glen on May 14, 2018

The good part is the audio, once you get the settings worked out. For me the audio presets didn't work out as well as simply setting it manually. It was nice they actually used a rotary potentiometer instead of up and down buttons. The big disappointment for me is the video. While I understand that there will be limits given the price, I did expect better. Especially after seeing various demo videos for this camera, most of which looked pretty nice. However I've spent time working with all of the various light settings, and none have yielded the same sort of results. I used the highest resolution setting (1080 at 30fps), in which images tended to be on the fuzzy side. I eventually discovered that using the 24fps setting made the image look better than at 30, which I thought was a bit odd. Bottom line here is while the product is a good idea, It definitely needs some more work.

Terrible

By Sweetwater Customer on October 23, 2017

Purchased new three months ago mainly to make some demos for club gigs. I have tried every video option on it and they all suck. Terrible so called "HD" recording. i have been in touch with Zoom support and sent various recordings and was told they looked "normal" for their "HD" setting.Looks like cheap analog. Would NOT recommend this to anyone for the video recording part. Audio was ok.

JUNK

By Al on December 2, 2018 Music Background: Professional

I wish there was 0 stars available. Do NOT purchase this to do live recordings. Battery life is AWFUL even with Lithiums. Gain structure is non existent either is so low that you get zero bass or its so high that everything is distorted. Auto gain does not help this either. Video is decent but without audio what good is it? I called sweetwater to address my concerns, should have returned it as I was told too bad its out of the return period, take it up with Zoom.

Almost...

By Pete from New Jersey on March 31, 2017

The device is amazing. Sound and video quality are totally pro! My problems occurred when attempting to download vids. Their ineffective software rendered the q2n totally useless! The tech at Zoom was extremely helpful, trying everything in his power to correct my technical woes. Alas, all items (I purchased accessory kit too) had to be returned. My advice, purchase another product if you want to "share" your performances (because isn't that why we all purchase these items anyway.

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