[RNLD] re: Latest recommendations for video and audio

Tue Apr 29 00:53:58 UTC 2014

Thank you to Daryn, Aidan and also Christian Doehler for your suggestions. The main problem that we have had with the Q3 is that the battery life is very short when making video but it does run on AA batteries which can be easily replaced whereas the Q4 has a lithium battery - and I'm talking about sending these to rural Myanmar where replacement batteries and electricity are both issues.

The specifications say the battery lasts for 3 hours when doing movie recording on the Q4. I presume that video can be turned off, as it is with the Q3 and then the battery life is much longer, but I can't see this is the specifications I have been able to access.

Does anyone have any further details?

Stephen

Stephen Morey
Australian Research Council Future Fellow
Centre for Research on Language Diversity
La Trobe University
Website: http://www.latrobe.edu.au/humanities/about/staff/profile?uname=SMorey<http://www.latrobe.edu.au/rclt/StaffPages/morey.htm>

Language data website: http://sealang.net/assam
Dictionary websites: http://sealang.net/ahom;  http://sealang.net/singpho; http://sealang.net/phake

Linguistic data archived at::
DoBeS:  http://www.mpi.nl/DoBeS and follow a link to projects, then Tangsa, Tai and Singpho in North East India
ELAR: http://elar.soas.ac.uk
PARADISEC:  http://www.paradisec.org.au

North East Indian Linguistics Society: http://sealang.net/neils
________________________________
From: aidan.b.wilson at gmail.com [aidan.b.wilson at gmail.com] on behalf of Aidan Wilson [aidan.wilson at unimelb.edu.au]
Sent: 29 April 2014 10:45
To: Ruth Singer
Cc: Daryn McKenny; Stephen Morey; r-n-l-d at lists.unimelb.edu.au
Subject: Re: [RNLD] re: Latest recommendations for video and audio

I was just looking at that Q4, and it looks to be much the same as the Q3HD in most areas, video codec and quality, the lens is slightly better, audio sampling rates and so on, but there is one significant advantage (going by the website); the Q4 has an external mic input whereas the Q3HD only allows line-in.

For audio-only, I haven't come across anything that checks as many boxes as the H4n. The best and clearest recordings I've made were with a very high quality external mic (like the Røde NT4) which was itself mounted on a shock-mount (like the Røde SM-4), and then sitting on something other than a table that the interviewee could touch.

Obviously your setup will depend on the context, but if recording audio and video together, you probably couldn't do much better for the price, than a Q4 with an external mic or two, strategically placed. Perhaps one condenser close to the participants, and a shotgun mic placed a little further back. Don't necessarily know if the Q4 supports two separate mics, but a workaround would be to get a cable that allows you to plug two mono XLR cables into one end, and goes to a single 3.5mm stereo jack at the other. Such as this one:

http://www.showmecables.com/product/CYX-402F.aspx

-Aidan

--
Aidan Wilson

School of Languages and Linguistics
aidan.wilson at unimelb.edu.au<mailto:aidan.wilson at unimelb.edu.au>
0428 458 969

On Tue, Apr 29, 2014 at 10:24 AM, Ruth Singer <ruth.singer at gmail.com<mailto:ruth.singer at gmail.com>> wrote:

Hi Daryn
That q4 zoom looks ideal for the kind of work I'm doing with local researchers in Arnhem land. Has anyone on the list used them
yet?
Cheers Ruth

On Apr 29, 2014 10:11 AM, "Daryn McKenny" <daryn at acra.org.au<mailto:daryn at acra.org.au>> wrote:
Hi Stephen,

We use quite extensively the Zoom products you mentioned so may add some thoughts to your upcoming trip. You have a mix of audio only (H1, H4n) and audio/video (Q3HD).

There is always something better, but that also means more $.

The Q3HD has basically been replaced by the newer Q4 ($389approx.) http://www.zoom.co.jp/products/q4

The main difference between the Q3 and Q2 is that the Q3 has a 3.5mm mic input where the Q2 can only use its built in mid side stereo recording mic.

We actually support the use of using the Q2 in community use situations as it is pretty user friendly once setup initially and inexpensive to obtain. It is mainly used in sound mode not video mode.

The H4n will be replaced by the H5 later this year and will have similar features to the H6 (interchangeable mics etc).

Of course not knowing who and how they are going to be used it is hard to say which ones to give to community. With the Q2 we always suggest getting the extra kit as it includes a mini tripod and wind sock etc. Except for the H4n and H6 you will always get handling noise whilst recording with unit in the hand so you want to minimise that as best as possible by using the tripod and on a desk etc.

So if in tripod mode I would suggest using H1 and Q2 as they are cheaper to buy.
The H4n is a ripper in all situations and can be used in the hand much better.
The H6 is if you have got money to burn, I will note but that the H6 has great battery life and blows the H4 out of the water battery wise.

I don’t have the Q4 yet but do expect it will be heaps better than the Q’s if video is especially wanted.

Hopefully that may help some, glad to answer more if any specifics come out of above.

Regards

Daryn

Arwarbukarl Cultural Resource Association Inc. Trading as:
Miromaa Aboriginal Language and Technology Centre

P | 02 4927 8222<tel:02%204927%208222>    F | 02 4925 2185<tel:02%204925%202185>    E |daryn at acra.org.au  W | www.miromaa.org.au<http://www.miromaa.org.au>
SKYPE | darynmck

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From: Andrea Berez <andrea.berez at gmail.com<mailto:andrea.berez at gmail.com>>
Date: Tuesday, 29 April 2014 8:41 am
To: Stephen Morey <S.Morey at latrobe.edu.au<mailto:S.Morey at latrobe.edu.au>>
Cc: "r-n-l-d at lists.unimelb.edu.au<mailto:r-n-l-d at lists.unimelb.edu.au>" <r-n-l-d at lists.unimelb.edu.au<mailto:r-n-l-d at lists.unimelb.edu.au>>
Subject: Re: [RNLD] re: Latest recommendations for video and audio

Hi Stephen,

I do believe the H4n is still solidly ranked for its price range. Some newer Zooms have more whistles and bells, but I suspect you'll be fine if you don't want to buy something new.

Best,
Andrea

--
Andrea L. Berez
Assistant Professor, Department of Linguistics
University of Hawai'i at M?noa
Director, Kaipuleohone UH Digital Ethnographic Archive
Technology editor, Language Documentation & Conservation
http://www2.hawaii.edu/~aberez

On Sun, Apr 27, 2014 at 5:57 PM, Stephen Morey <S.Morey at latrobe.edu.au<mailto:S.Morey at latrobe.edu.au>> wrote:
Dear RNLD List,

I am heading off on another fieldtrip at the end of May and want to take some recorders to give to community members in Myanmar.

In the past I have used

Zoom H1
Zoom H4n
Zoom Q3HD

Are these still recommended recorders for their price range? Or is there now something better than the Zoom Q3HD.

Also, can someone tell me the difference between the Q3HD and Q2HD?

Stephen

Stephen Morey
Australian Research Council Future Fellow
Centre for Research on Language Diversity
La Trobe University
Website: http://www.latrobe.edu.au/humanities/about/staff/profile?uname=SMorey<http://www.latrobe.edu.au/rclt/StaffPages/morey.htm>

Language data website: http://sealang.net/assam
Dictionary websites: http://sealang.net/ahom;  http://sealang.net/singpho; http://sealang.net/phake

Linguistic data archived at::
DoBeS:  http://www.mpi.nl/DoBeS and follow a link to projects, then Tangsa, Tai and Singpho in North East India
ELAR: http://elar.soas.ac.uk
PARADISEC:  http://www.paradisec.org.au

North East Indian Linguistics Society: http://sealang.net/neils

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