Zoom F3 2-Input / 2-Track Portable Field Recorder

Zoom F3 2-Input / 2-Track Portable Field Recorder

Forget about clipping, forget about gain, and forget about hassle; just power on the Zoom F3 portable 2-track field recorder and press record to capture clear, distortion-free sound from your external XLR mics in an instant for your next video shoot, interview, or sound design excursion. With two premium mic preamps and 32-bit float technology, the F3 handles the softest and loudest sounds you can throw at it while avoiding distortion, maintaining low-noise performance, and freeing you from the responsibility of adjusting gain. Recordings ruined by clipped converters and poorly set preamps are things of the past.

From the real-time waveform display and one-touch controls to the flexible powering options and precision timecode functionality, the F3 is properly equipped to please novices and demanding veterans alike. Whether you need long-duration stereo recording for an interview, redundant capture of dual-mic setups for a video shoot, or failure-proof recording on location, the F3 has the modes, resolutions, and media support to handle your crucial audio tasks. Plus, its operational versatility ensures that the F3 will always enhance your workflow, be it simple, complex, or always changing. You can feel confident using it as your main recorder, a USB audio interface for your dedicated computer rig, or a backup unit for added safety.

The F3 utilises dual A/D converters and 32-bit float recording technology to capture intensely loud signals without clipping the converters and bring in extremely quiet sounds without overwhelming noise, all without requiring any gain adjustment from you. Record with confidence, knowing that you can just connect your microphones and start recording to attain crisp, clear audio.

Two balanced mic/line inputs with locking XLR jacks and switchable +48V phantom power make the F3 an ideal match for professional microphones such as handheld dynamics and shotgun condensers as well as line-level feeds from a dedicated field mixer.

The F3 supports high-quality sample rates between 44.1 and 192 kHz, in mono or stereo uncompressed BWF (Broadcast Wave File) format. No data compression means that no quality is lost in the creation of the audio files.

Maximise portability by recording directly to a microSDHC/microSDXC card (available separately) for up to 1TB of storage space.

While the line output enables straightforward routing to your camera, DSLR or secondary recorder, a 3.5mm stereo headphone jack with dedicated volume control offers convenient audio monitoring.

To keep up with the pace of on-location production, the F3 can be powered via two AA alkaline, Lithium, or NiMH rechargeable batteries (alkaline included), a Zoom AD-17 power adapter (available separately), or a USB Type-C battery pack (available separately). With up to eight hours of run time on AA batteries, all-day shoots are no problem for the F3.

Since the F3 has a USB Type-C port, simply connect it to your computer via a USB cable (available separately) to transfer files to your computer or use the F3 as a 2x2 USB audio interface capable of 24-bit / 96 kHz resolution. USB audio interface functionality will be supported by a firmware update scheduled to be released in March 2022.

Add the separately available Zoom BTA-1 Bluetooth adapter and UltraSync Blue (from Timecode Systems or Atomos) to take advantage of high-precision timecode that realizes accurate synchronization with video.

For convenient wireless remote control from an iOS/Android mobile device, connect a Zoom BTA-1 Bluetooth adapter (available separately), then use the free F3 Control app (planned for March 2022) via Bluetooth.

Intuitive one-touch buttons—record, play, stop, and volume up/down—provide fast, hassle-free operations with no menus to wade through. The onboard screen shows real-time waveforms and a clear indication of battery status, recording time, and more. Per-channel buttons let you quickly zoom in or out for a better view.

Flip the Record switch down to the Hold position to engage the Hold function, which prevents interruptions to the recording caused by accidental button presses.

With its minimalist profile, the lightweight F3 attaches to boompoles via a hook-and-loop fastener (available separately) or slips into a pocket to be hidden from sight.