This so nearly makes it as an industry standard for sound and sound-for-film recorders. Four channels, with individually configurable inputs; 32 bit float, well set up export functions and the kind of sound you'd dream of getting. And at an astonshing price; mostly around the £150 mark, depending where you source it. When I bought mine, there were still early models around which were affected by rf interference and I sent an email to Zoom with the serial number to check whethe rminde was affected. I had a response in under 24 hours saying it wasn't. which was impressive. In use, the XLR socket pre-amps are whisper quiet - the Zoom F-series enjoy a good reputation and the inclusion of them here is a welcome surprise, making it ideal for voice-over work. I've used it for sporting events - the built in quality stereo mics supllmented by two Coles lip mics give a really top notch out, especially for indoor sports and when this can be tweaked in post is amazingly flexible. On a mic stand and with the cables secure, it's amazing.Field recording is, though, another matter. Handling noise, as others have commented, largely renders this all-but-unusable for any hand-held requirement and although the usable part of the results are approaching industry class, the uncertainty about whether you'd actually get to use them renders it too risky to use without additional kit. It's also particularly susceptible to wind noise. The plastic construction is a real weakness - and after about six months… read more of use all of the legend indicating which socket is which has gone and you have to grope your way through its function to get what you want out of it. Not good under pressure. For what it is, it's of limited value despite the amazing feature set. For what it might have been; a few tweaks and a housing rebuild could still place this as one of the greats ... That said, I still take it everywhere ...

read less