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REAL REVIEWS Long-term reviews of budget photo & video gear. KIT PLAN RECOMMENDATION: ADVANCED KIT Zoom H2n This image is 100% REAL, and no A.I. (or Photoshop compositing) were used to make it, and I know because I took it myself. Quality? LIGHT USE OK Yes MEDIUM USE OK ? HEAVY USE OK ? Portable? POCKET No CAMERA BAG Yes BACKPACK Yes Affordable? AVERAGE NEW PRICE $ 114.95 *Indicates SALE price. Amazon AFFILIATE LINK AVERAGE USED PRICE $ 59.99** **Indicates BUY NOW price. Ebay AFFILIATE LINK Common? ON AMAZON Yes ON EBAY No Easy To Use? SKILL LEVEL DIFFICULT OVERVIEW: This is a 4-channel (surround sound) audio recorder that also can record in mid side or just X/Y stereo. My primary use of this recorder is for capturing ambient audio using the built-in XY and MS (Mid-Side) mics. So far, I prefer to only use the 4-channel (XY + MS) recording mode because I think it provides a more "REAL" sound, and more channels to work with in post. MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? It's mostly portable, but to work well it really needs some kind of shock mount, or a stand with some rubber dampening as the shock mount. PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? This is version 2, and version 3 has 32-bit float recording is taking over the market, so the price of this one is getting pretty good. PART 3: IS IT COMMON? This version 2 is pretty common (the H2n) on both the new and used markets. PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? It's a little bit difficult to get a recording with a high enough level to use AS-IS (without post-processing it) and I haven't worked with the files much (gave it to a family member). PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? There is some learning you need to do, if we're talking about using it for more than just an X/Y stereo recorder, but if you're just recording 2 channels (stereo) it's similar to the Zoom H1n. If you go beyond 2 audio channels, there are a lot of really good features available, such as 4-channel surround and mid side recording (fun stuff!) PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? Yes, it needs a shock mount, and there are a couple of options from Movo, but keep in mind that the one I recommended for the Zoom H1 won't work. PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? I've seen used ones on almost every buying platform (Craigslist, OfferUp, eBay, and Amazon) and there are still new ones on Amazon right now, too. RECOMMENDATION: 4-channel recording can be fun and difficult, especially when you're not using 32-bit float and need to set audio levels for all of the channels while you're recording! Therefore, just get the new 32-bit float version, and it will be a lot easier to know you're getting good audio on all of the channels...and then you can "fix it in post". These reviews are just my opinion and are focused on my Q.P.A.C.E. packing method, so they're not comprehensive. I wrote these mostly to help me remember what items worked for my KIT PLANS (and which didn't). If I said anything negative I apologize, as these products still may work well for you in your situation, but they were not Q.P.A.C.E (Quality, Portable, Affordable, Common, Easy-to-Use) enough for my budget filmmaking KIT PLANS .

REAL REVIEWS Long-term reviews of budget photo & video gear. KIT PLAN RECOMMENDATION: BASIC KIT COMICA VM20 Shotgun Microphone This image is 100% REAL, and no A.I. (or Photoshop compositing) were used to make it, and I know because I took it myself. Quality? LIGHT USE OK Yes MEDIUM USE OK Yes HEAVY USE OK ? Portable? POCKET No CAMERA BAG No BACKPACK Yes Affordable? AVERAGE NEW PRICE $ 99 *Indicates SALE price. Amazon AFFILIATE LINK AVERAGE USED PRICE N/A **Indicates BUY NOW price. Ebay AFFILIATE LINK Common? ON AMAZON Yes ON EBAY No Easy To Use? SKILL LEVEL MEDIUM OVERVIEW: This is a very good mini (short interference tube) shotgun mic, that doesn't have 32-bit internal recording or wireless options, but it's still better than a lot of other microphones out there. MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? Yes, it's portable (small and lightweight). PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? Yes, it's very affordable (compared to other shotgun microphones in this category). PART 3: IS IT COMMON? It's pretty common on Amazon, and I actually found one on the used market too (and bought it, just because it was close by). PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? I use the Zoom F2-BT with this mic, and it can do so many tricks it's amazing. What I do is set the gain on the CVM-VM20 mic to 1 at a 1 foot distance, 2 at 2 feet, 3 at 3 feet and 4 at 4 feet. This creates a really good file. Yes, it does matter where you set the gain on the mic...even though the Zoom F2 is a 32-bit float recorder. For more information, check out my custom settings for the Zoom F2 + Comica CVM-VM20 (in the AUDIO database on my website). PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? Yes, if you use my custom settings (with the method described above). PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? Yes, it does need a better shock mount, and I use the Movo SMM2. PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? I bought this on Amazon. RECOMMENDATION: If the price of the newer VM40 was lower, I would just recommend that one...but this one is still available on Amazon for about half the price, so even though it doesn't have 32-bit internal recording (or a wireless capabilities) it's a good microphone for the price (but I use it with a Zoom F2-BT, which adds a lot to the price, so you might just buy the VM40, in that case). These reviews are just my opinion and are focused on my Q.P.A.C.E. packing method, so they're not comprehensive. I wrote these mostly to help me remember what items worked for my KIT PLANS (and which didn't). If I said anything negative I apologize, as these products still may work well for you in your situation, but they were not Q.P.A.C.E (Quality, Portable, Affordable, Common, Easy-to-Use) enough for my budget filmmaking KIT PLANS .

REAL REVIEWS Long-term reviews of budget photo & video gear. KIT PLAN RECOMMENDATION: [NOT IN KIT] 7RYMS iRAY DW30 This image is 100% REAL, and no A.I. (or Photoshop compositing) were used to make it, and I know because I took it myself. Quality? LIGHT USE OK ? MEDIUM USE OK ? HEAVY USE OK ? Portable? POCKET No CAMERA BAG Yes BACKPACK Yes Affordable? AVERAGE NEW PRICE NA *Indicates SALE price. Amazon AFFILIATE LINK AVERAGE USED PRICE $ 54.00** **Indicates BUY NOW price. Ebay AFFILIATE LINK Common? ON AMAZON No ON EBAY No Easy To Use? SKILL LEVEL MEDIUM OVERVIEW: This is the 7RYMS iRAY DW30, a dual-wireless system that, similar to the Rode and DJI, is capable of on-board recording (on the transmitter). At the time it was introduced, it was one of the few competitors to the previously mentioned Rode and DJI offerings, but now I've noticed a few others being added to the list of wireless systems capable of on-board recording. As you might already know, this system is more than just a wireless audio system; each transmitter also has onboard recording. This is the feature I'm focusing on here, and so there are a number of quirks to be aware of when it comes to using this system as an audio recorder. The first is that I don't see a way to change the REC. LEVEL on the transmitter/recorder. There is a way to change the OUTPUT LEVEL on the receiver (RX) if you are using wireless transmission, but no way to change the REC. LEVEL. of the on-board recording. What this might mean is that, if this thing isn't a 32-bit float recorder (and I'll talk about why I say IF in a second) it would seem like it's kind of limited in terms of being able to make sure the audio doesn't ""clip"". However, as I started testing, I realized a couple of things: 1. The record level is pretty low (so it has lots of headroom) and 2. The level indicator on the display of each transmitter says the level is higher than it really is (based on looking at the file in an audio editor). This is good, because I'm less concerned that the recording (on the transmitter) will clip, even though it doesn't seem to be adjustable. The last thing I'll say is that when I amplify the level using an audio editor such as Audacity, I'm super surprised at how clean the audio sounds...it's almost like working with a 32-bit float file on my Zoom F2 (but I haven't pushed it very far in testing yet, so I'll update this after more testing). MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? The two transmitters and the receiver are really small and light and can easily fit in a pocket. The storage/charging case that comes with it is a little bit more difficult to find a place to store though. This is why I say it's too big for a pocket, but if you don't think you need to protect these little guys when you pack, you could say it's pocketable. PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? When introduced, it was the least-expensive option of this kind (of wireless systems that have on-board recording) but now there are a few others that are less expensive, but the price war may still be on, so we'll have to wait and see where things settle down to. So far, these are priced near the middle of the range. PART 3: IS IT COMMON? These were available new on Amazon and on Ebay, but they were only available new at the time I tested it. PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? There were a few times during my tests where you can hear a strange, liquid-ish RF interference sound (the sound of squishing something with a small amount of liquid in it). It's not noticeable when you're talking but shows up when there's a quiet spot in the recording. I think it has something to do with the fact that it's a wireless TRANSMITTER, and it constantly looks for the RECEIVER while it's on. The second thing that is really interesting about this device, is that when you open the file that's created with this microphone/audio recorder combination (in an audio editing application) the level starts out really, REALLY low. However, it's kind of amazing how much you can boost the level in post and not introduce a lot of self-noise (I talk more about this in the general description of this transmitter/audio recorder below). I was baffled regarding how clean the audio sounds after boosting it in post-production...and then I remembered I had read it is applying some kind of noise reduction WHILE RECORDING! I looked up the specifications, and they call it ""intelligent denoise"". So, while there is no way to change the REC. LEVEL while using the on-board recording (to the internal memory of the transmitter) I am really liking how the audio sounds after amplifying the audio it records (which starts out really low). PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? If you just use this as a LAV mic (with the included plug-in LAV or with the built-in mic) and with internal recording, it’s pretty easy to use (just turn it on, press record). Using it as a wireless mic is a little more difficult, because you need to set both the CAMERA audio level AND the wireless receiver level, to get things to work. I know this is normal for using wireless devices, but in this new world of 32-bit float, it’s not as easy (comparatively). As a side note, this device isn’t really clean in terms of RFI, so if you’re wanting to use it with a SHOTGUN mic, I haven’t found any of those that aren’t (negativity) affected by the RFI (see the individual, mic-specific tests for more info). PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? There are no add-ons I can think of. PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? I bought this one on Amazon. RECOMMENDATION: I now only recommend wireless systems that offer on-board recording (like this one) because of the unreliable nature of some frequencies. This is one of the few wireless systems that does this, and yet it may be one of the least talked about (but it's becoming popular). I'm still testing, but so far it's working pretty well (and it's a lot less expensive than the DJI and Rode options.) These reviews are just my opinion and are focused on my Q.P.A.C.E. packing method, so they're not comprehensive. I wrote these mostly to help me remember what items worked for my KIT PLANS (and which didn't). If I said anything negative I apologize, as these products still may work well for you in your situation, but they were not Q.P.A.C.E (Quality, Portable, Affordable, Common, Easy-to-Use) enough for my budget filmmaking KIT PLANS .

REAL REVIEWS Long-term reviews of budget photo & video gear. KIT PLAN RECOMMENDATION: [NOT IN KIT] Aiworth E-36 This image is 100% REAL, and no A.I. (or Photoshop compositing) were used to make it, and I know because I took it myself. Quality? LIGHT USE OK Yes MEDIUM USE OK Yes HEAVY USE OK ? Portable? POCKET Yes CAMERA BAG Yes BACKPACK Yes Affordable? AVERAGE NEW PRICE $ 49.99 *Indicates SALE price. Amazon AFFILIATE LINK AVERAGE USED PRICE $ 26.95** **Indicates BUY NOW price. Ebay AFFILIATE LINK Common? ON AMAZON Yes ON EBAY No Easy To Use? SKILL LEVEL MEDIUM OVERVIEW: ... MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? Yes, it's very portable and is smaller than most of the audio recorders I've tested. PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? Yes, it's affordable, but the price seems to change frequently. PART 3: IS IT COMMON? It is common when purchased new, on Amazon, but I haven't seen it anywhere else. PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? I have to admit, this little generic audio recorder works REALLY well when used with the Shure VP-83 Lenshopper shotgun mic at the "CLOSE" proximity of 3.5 in. / 8.89 cm (but you must use the recorder in "line-in" mode and set the MIC. BOOST to +20. PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? No, this recorder has a couple of major quirks, so it's not easy to use, but when you use my workarounds it can produce a good quality audio recording. The first quirk is the "microphone" mode DOES NOT MUTE the built-in mics when an external mic is plugged in. This means you get handling noise while recording, because you’re still using the built-in mics in addition to the one plugged in! This means you won't get the isolation you were looking for (by using an external mic). There is a workaround, and it is kind of odd, but it’s to use the LINE-IN mode. This attenuates the built-in mics enough to remove the handling noise (and still doesn’t mute them) but results in a very good recording, as long as you can boost the level enough. Strangely enough, this problem exists on every one of these inexpensive 1536 kbps audio recorders I've tested, but the quality at 1536 kbps is so good it’s totally worth the workaround! PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? Yes, if you're using this professionally, it needs some way to mount the recorder. I use 3M Dual Lock fastening tape. PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? I bought this on Amazon. RECOMMENDATION: I don't recommend this audio recorder in most scenarios...the only thing I use it for is as a non-live podcast audio recorder (with a Shure VP83, at +20 db). These reviews are just my opinion and are focused on my Q.P.A.C.E. packing method, so they're not comprehensive. I wrote these mostly to help me remember what items worked for my KIT PLANS (and which didn't). If I said anything negative I apologize, as these products still may work well for you in your situation, but they were not Q.P.A.C.E (Quality, Portable, Affordable, Common, Easy-to-Use) enough for my budget filmmaking KIT PLANS .

REAL REVIEWS Long-term reviews of budget photo & video gear. KIT PLAN RECOMMENDATION: MINIMAL KIT IEM Case (for Zoom F2) This image is 100% REAL, and no A.I. (or Photoshop compositing) were used to make it, and I know because I took it myself. Quality? LIGHT USE OK Yes MEDIUM USE OK ? HEAVY USE OK ? Portable? POCKET No CAMERA BAG Yes BACKPACK Yes Affordable? AVERAGE NEW PRICE $ 11.99 *Indicates SALE price. Amazon AFFILIATE LINK AVERAGE USED PRICE <$500 **Indicates BUY NOW price. Ebay AFFILIATE LINK Common? ON AMAZON Yes ON EBAY Yes Easy To Use? SKILL LEVEL EASY OVERVIEW: This is a case for IEMs (In-Ear Monitors) but it just happens to almost perfectly fit the Zoom F2 (and the included LAV mic, and extra batteries) and it’s super affordable! This is made of fabric (not of plastic) so not super heavy-duty, but I think it protects the Zoom F2 well since the Zoom is so small, light. MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? RECOMMENDATION: These reviews are just my opinion and are focused on my Q.P.A.C.E. packing method, so they're not comprehensive. I wrote these mostly to help me remember what items worked for my KIT PLANS (and which didn't). If I said anything negative I apologize, as these products still may work well for you in your situation, but they were not Q.P.A.C.E (Quality, Portable, Affordable, Common, Easy-to-Use) enough for my budget filmmaking KIT PLANS .

REAL REVIEWS Long-term reviews of budget photo & video gear. KIT PLAN RECOMMENDATION: [NOT IN KIT] THE PERFECT PART This image is 100% REAL, and no A.I. (or Photoshop compositing) were used to make it, and I know because I took it myself. Quality? LIGHT USE OK Yes MEDIUM USE OK Yes HEAVY USE OK ? Portable? POCKET Yes CAMERA BAG Yes BACKPACK Yes Affordable? AVERAGE NEW PRICE NA *Indicates SALE price. Amazon AFFILIATE LINK AVERAGE USED PRICE ? **Indicates BUY NOW price. Ebay AFFILIATE LINK Common? ON AMAZON Yes ON EBAY Yes Easy To Use? SKILL LEVEL MEDIUM OVERVIEW: This recorder is probably one of my favorite budget audio TOYS out there, but I don't recommend it for professional use. MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? Yes, it's a pretty small audio recorder, but it's also pretty heavy (I think it has a good-sized battery). PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? Yes, it's a very low-cost audio recorder. PART 3: IS IT COMMON? It's quite popular on Ebay (and can even be found on Amazon, without Prime shipping, in my region at least). PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? The interesting thing is it can record at 1536Kbps (using the ATJ2129 pen chip) and I've been able able to get surprisingly good quality out of it. PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? It is really small compared to most Zoom recorders. It's the biggest of these generic ones I’ve tested, though. It does have a bigger screen though, but I find the screen a little bit difficult to see (viewing angle issues). It has the standard audio level indicator with a -12 designation, so that's good. PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? Yes, it needs a way to mount the recorder somehow (I use a clamp-style cell phone holder). PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? It used to be available on Amazon, but now it is only on eBay. RECOMMENDATION: This audio recorder can produce really good quality, but it has a lot of quirky things about it, so it's not something you can rely on (until you can master those). I will say the battery does last for a long time. These reviews are just my opinion and are focused on my Q.P.A.C.E. packing method, so they're not comprehensive. I wrote these mostly to help me remember what items worked for my KIT PLANS (and which didn't). If I said anything negative I apologize, as these products still may work well for you in your situation, but they were not Q.P.A.C.E (Quality, Portable, Affordable, Common, Easy-to-Use) enough for my budget filmmaking KIT PLANS .

REAL REVIEWS Long-term reviews of budget photo & video gear. KIT PLAN RECOMMENDATION: [NOT IN KIT] Saramonic Blink500 B1W This image is 100% REAL, and no A.I. (or Photoshop compositing) were used to make it, and I know because I took it myself. Quality? LIGHT USE OK Yes MEDIUM USE OK ? HEAVY USE OK ? Portable? POCKET No CAMERA BAG Yes BACKPACK Yes Affordable? AVERAGE NEW PRICE NA *Indicates SALE price. Amazon AFFILIATE LINK AVERAGE USED PRICE ? **Indicates BUY NOW price. Ebay AFFILIATE LINK Common? ON AMAZON Yes ON EBAY Yes Easy To Use? SKILL LEVEL MEDIUM OVERVIEW: This camera is the first camera I would buy, because it has good IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization) a decent sensor, weather sealing, a flip-around screen (good for vlogging) and a mic input. MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? RECOMMENDATION: These reviews are just my opinion and are focused on my Q.P.A.C.E. packing method, so they're not comprehensive. I wrote these mostly to help me remember what items worked for my KIT PLANS (and which didn't). If I said anything negative I apologize, as these products still may work well for you in your situation, but they were not Q.P.A.C.E (Quality, Portable, Affordable, Common, Easy-to-Use) enough for my budget filmmaking KIT PLANS .

REAL REVIEWS Long-term reviews of budget photo & video gear. KIT PLAN RECOMMENDATION: BASIC KIT Movo SMM2 Microphone Shock Mount This image is 100% REAL, and no A.I. (or Photoshop compositing) were used to make it, and I know because I took it myself. Quality? LIGHT USE OK Yes MEDIUM USE OK ? HEAVY USE OK ? Portable? POCKET No CAMERA BAG No BACKPACK Yes Affordable? AVERAGE NEW PRICE $ 12.95 *Indicates SALE price. Amazon AFFILIATE LINK AVERAGE USED PRICE N/A **Indicates BUY NOW price. Ebay AFFILIATE LINK Common? ON AMAZON Yes ON EBAY No Easy To Use? SKILL LEVEL EASY OVERVIEW: This is a rubber band style shock mount that not only fits a shotgun microphone but also fits a small audio recorder like the Zoom H1. MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? Yes, it's small and light, and so it works well to leave it attached to the small Ulanzi MT-44, in the side pouch of a backpack (ready to quickly set up the mini shotgun mic). PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? It might be a little more expensive than other inexpensive rubber bands style shock mounts, but this is the only one I've found that also fits a Zoom H1 audio recorder, so maybe that's why the price is a little higher. PART 3: IS IT COMMON? No, it's not common, because it's only available on Amazon, and I've seen it go out of stock several times (somebody else needs to make one of these, that not only fits a shotgun microphone, but also the Zoom H1). PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? The quality is okay, and it should last as long as the rubber bands do...and you could try to figure out how to replace those if they're broken. PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? Yes, all you have to do is push the microphone or audio recorder between the rubber bands (be careful) and do the opposite to remove. The only problem would occur if you broke the rubber bands. PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? No, this is an add-on. PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? Got it on Amazon (haven't found it any where else, yet). RECOMMENDATION: This shock mount works well with either a small shotgun microphone or a small audio recorder like the Zoom H1, H1n, H1e, etc. It's an essential part of our kit plan. These reviews are just my opinion and are focused on my Q.P.A.C.E. packing method, so they're not comprehensive. I wrote these mostly to help me remember what items worked for my KIT PLANS (and which didn't). If I said anything negative I apologize, as these products still may work well for you in your situation, but they were not Q.P.A.C.E (Quality, Portable, Affordable, Common, Easy-to-Use) enough for my budget filmmaking KIT PLANS .

REAL REVIEWS Long-term reviews of budget photo & video gear. KIT PLAN RECOMMENDATION: [NOT IN KIT] Zoom F1 This image is 100% REAL, and no A.I. (or Photoshop compositing) were used to make it, and I know because I took it myself. Quality? LIGHT USE OK Yes MEDIUM USE OK ? HEAVY USE OK ? Portable? POCKET Yes CAMERA BAG Yes BACKPACK Yes Affordable? AVERAGE NEW PRICE $ 169.97 *Indicates SALE price. Amazon AFFILIATE LINK AVERAGE USED PRICE $ 87.50** **Indicates BUY NOW price. Ebay AFFILIATE LINK Common? ON AMAZON Yes ON EBAY Yes Easy To Use? SKILL LEVEL DIFFICULT OVERVIEW: This recorder has the perfect form factor for mounting to the top of a camera cage, so I can use my #1 tip for audio recording: "Always back up your audio (using a passthrough)." I would prefer more numerical gain steps (0-100) vs. the LOW, MID, HIGH increments. It doesn't include built-in stereo mics (like the H1, H1n) but Zoom does offer a variety of add-on mics. P.S. The battery door is a pain, and I actually had to replace it (with the newer metal version Zoom sent me for free). MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? Yes, and even though it’s not a 32-bit float recorder, this is the reason I decided to try it out in the first place. Adding the 3.5mm headphone amplifier adds some size (and weight) but it’s still pretty compact overall. PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? Yes, but for me adding a portable 3.5mm headphone amplifier is an essential add-on, so that will add $20-40 to the total price (with the 3.5mm AUX cable, etc.) PART 3: IS IT COMMON? It’s easy to find NEW but not super common USED yet. PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? This part depends on getting the gain settings are right, and it’s not easy. The reason is, you have to use PRESETS (LOW, MID, HIGH, etc.) to set the level (instead granular gain control options, like most other Zoom recorders of this vintage have). The way I solve this is to add a mini headphone amplifier (with a short AUX cable). This really helps improve the quality in that it not only adds a BOOST (adds amplification) but it also adds a GAIN DIAL to the whole system which makes it a lot easier to use. PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? After adding a mini headphone amplifier to it (which has a GAIN KNOB/DIAL, and a LOW/HIGH boost) I think so, but it’s not easy-to-use right out of the box. The reason is the gain control system. It has a number of PRESETS (LOW, MID, HIGH, etc.) that only offer about 10 options…so it’s like being able to set the gain at 10, 20, 30, percent, etc. which hasn’t been enough for me to get a clean signal (because the preset levels that are clean are often too low, and the next step higher reveals too much pre-amp noise). That workaround to add a mini (3.5mm) headphone amplifier (using 3M Dual-Lock fastening tape) to add a gain DIAL (and a LOW/HIGH boost switch) really helps. The additional amplification, and the ability to use a DIAL instead of the stock PRESETS, makes the Zoom F1 a really good tool! All you have to do is set the preset to “MID” or “MID+” (the cleanest part of the preamp) and use that gain dial (on the headphone amplifier) to fine tune the level. PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? Yes. It works a lot better when you add a portable 3.5mm headphone amplifier (to achieve a stepless audio level/gain control). Shopping List: 1. Neotek NTK059 (Portable 3.5mm headphone amplifier) 2. Right angle 3.5mm AUX Cable (short) 3. 1 inch 3M Dual Lock (Fastener Tape) PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? For most AUDIO items I recommend buying from Sweetwater, but absolutely for this one. I wrote an article (on my BLOG page) about the BATTERY DOOR breaking and how Sweetwater contacted Zoom, and they sent me the new METAL version of the battery door. Sweetwater contacted Zoom and got a response within a day, and they shipped the part to me within the week. It was not easy to install, and you want to ask Zoom to do it…but that BLOG post shows the steps I had to go through… RECOMMENDATION: I think it can be a good recorder IF you add that mini headphone amplifier…without that it isn’t easy to get a good signal with the PRESET again controls. So, wouldn’t recommend it, stock. Plus, if you have trouble with the battery door (if you got an older version without the metal door) it’s no fun to fix it (I wrote a blog post with the instructions though, if you want to take on that challenge!) These reviews are just my opinion and are focused on my Q.P.A.C.E. packing method, so they're not comprehensive. I wrote these mostly to help me remember what items worked for my KIT PLANS (and which didn't). If I said anything negative I apologize, as these products still may work well for you in your situation, but they were not Q.P.A.C.E (Quality, Portable, Affordable, Common, Easy-to-Use) enough for my budget filmmaking KIT PLANS .

REAL REVIEWS Long-term reviews of budget photo & video gear. KIT PLAN RECOMMENDATION: ADVANCED KIT Zoom H1essential This image is 100% REAL, and no A.I. (or Photoshop compositing) were used to make it, and I know because I took it myself. Quality? LIGHT USE OK Yes MEDIUM USE OK Yes HEAVY USE OK ? Portable? POCKET No CAMERA BAG Yes BACKPACK Yes Affordable? AVERAGE NEW PRICE $ 99 *Indicates SALE price. Amazon AFFILIATE LINK AVERAGE USED PRICE N/A **Indicates BUY NOW price. Ebay AFFILIATE LINK Common? ON AMAZON Yes ON EBAY No Easy To Use? SKILL LEVEL EASY OVERVIEW: This is a 32-bit float, stereo audio recorder, with built-in X/Y microphones... that's less than $100 US. I'll spare the suspense, and just say I do recommend it, but there are more details below. MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? I always ask this question when I buy and/or recommend something, and the answer for this one is definitely, yes. It's both small and lightweight, but the build quality is the best the Zoom H1 has ever been (the original H1 was ok, but always seemed to have the plastic mic protector bar break and version 2, the H1n was good, but the H1e is better). PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? For what it is, I think it's super affordable. PART 3: IS IT COMMON? It's common on the new markets, and it seems to be selling well, so it might become common on the used market too...unless people realize how good it is, and not get rid of it (unless they upgrade, of course). PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? So, I'm still working on a longer-term review, but so far the audio quality has been good, though a bit thin, but that's not always bad, as long as the files are easy to work with in post. PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? It's really easy to use because it's a 32-bit float recorder where you don't need to set the REC. LEVEL. Aside from that, I think it has just enough complexity to make one feel like it has some features, but not so many it slows you down...and you can use it without learning the advanced features, so that's always good. PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? Yes, it does need a FURRY windscreen (for OUTDOOR use) and a shock mount, to make sure the recordings are not affected by vibrations. PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? I bought it on Amazon. RECOMMENDATION: The Zoom H1essential is now my #1 budget recommendation for a stereo audio recorder. I used to recommend the original H1 (even when the H1n became available) but the 32-bit float feature of the H1e made it an easy decision. One underrated thing I like about the H1essential is the NUMERICAL headphone out level (perfect for a passthrough!) These reviews are just my opinion and are focused on my Q.P.A.C.E. packing method, so they're not comprehensive. I wrote these mostly to help me remember what items worked for my KIT PLANS (and which didn't). If I said anything negative I apologize, as these products still may work well for you in your situation, but they were not Q.P.A.C.E (Quality, Portable, Affordable, Common, Easy-to-Use) enough for my budget filmmaking KIT PLANS .

REAL REVIEWS Long-term reviews of budget photo & video gear. KIT PLAN RECOMMENDATION: [NOT IN KIT] Deity V-Mic D3 Pro This image is 100% REAL, and no A.I. (or Photoshop compositing) were used to make it, and I know because I took it myself. Quality? LIGHT USE OK Yes MEDIUM USE OK ? HEAVY USE OK ? Portable? POCKET No CAMERA BAG Yes BACKPACK Yes Affordable? AVERAGE NEW PRICE NA *Indicates SALE price. Amazon AFFILIATE LINK AVERAGE USED PRICE $55.95** **Indicates BUY NOW price. Ebay AFFILIATE LINK Common? ON AMAZON Yes ON EBAY Yes Easy To Use? SKILL LEVEL MEDIUM OVERVIEW: This review is about the Deity Microphones V-Mic D3 Pro, a mini (3.5mm) shotgun microphone that became very popular with YouTubers, especially when the Rode VideoMic Pro was considered the only other option (although the Shure VP83 has been available, but more on that later). I’ve been testing several mini shotgun mics (for budget filmmaking scenarios) and the reason I don’t want to keep this one is because I prefer to test mini (3.5mm) shotgun mics both plugged into wireless devices and/or portable headphone amplifiers (to take the burden off the audio recorder’s preamp) but I can't do either with this one due to bad RFI...plus the fact it doesn’t power on when plugged into certain amps and/or audio recorders (it likes to be connected to a camera body, then it automatically powers on). MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? Yes. It's actually smaller than version 2 of the popular Rode VideoMic Pro, and certainly more compact than the version 3 (the "+" version). It's closer to the size of the newer Rode VideoMic NTG, but a little smaller. It's important to note that this kind of mic (with a 3.5mm cable) is also going to be a LOT more portable and compact than any XLR system, simply because the cabling is smaller (though I often use these small mics in conjunction with a tiny audio recorder, such as the Zoom F2) instead of running a long cable. PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? Yes. It's actually one of the least expensive name brands out there (for this type of mic). See the Amazon, Ebay or OfferUp links for current pricing, but note that this version INCLUDES A DEADCAT (furry windscreen) which is approximately $40 extra for either the Rode or the Shure mics of this kind. PART 3: IS IT COMMON? It's not as common as the Rode on the used market (of course) but these don't seem to go out of stock when new on Amazon, and I've started seeing used ones on Ebay too. PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? First of all, the D3 does have an issue with RF interference, and it may or may not have this issue in the region you're working in (based on the amount of RFI pollution) but things are getting worse in that category, so I can't imagine the problem improving. I'm not keeping my copy, even though it's a good-sounding mic and had become very popular amongst YouTubers. I don't like to compare (but rather to figure out the custom settings to make each mic work its best) but I think it's more accurate and consistent than the Rode Video Mic Pro, especially at my CLOSE and VLOG proximities (see my article about "proximities" on my BLOG pages). PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? I think the Comica VM-20 is easier to use (and it works better at various recording distances) but this one isn't too difficult to use (though it can become worthless when you have an RFI issue). PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? It comes with a furry windscreen, so it doesn't need any add-ons. PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? I bought the one I had on Amazon (and sold it on Sweetwater's Gear Exchange, the used gear part of their website). RECOMMENDATION: I no longer recommend this mic (due to RFI problems a lot of people have reported) and because the Comica VM-20 is better, easier to use, less expensive (see review) and doesn't have the RFI issue. These reviews are just my opinion and are focused on my Q.P.A.C.E. packing method, so they're not comprehensive. I wrote these mostly to help me remember what items worked for my KIT PLANS (and which didn't). If I said anything negative I apologize, as these products still may work well for you in your situation, but they were not Q.P.A.C.E (Quality, Portable, Affordable, Common, Easy-to-Use) enough for my budget filmmaking KIT PLANS .

REAL REVIEWS Long-term reviews of budget photo & video gear. KIT PLAN RECOMMENDATION: [NOT IN KIT] Zoom H1n This image is 100% REAL, and no A.I. (or Photoshop compositing) were used to make it, and I know because I took it myself. Quality? LIGHT USE OK Yes MEDIUM USE OK ? HEAVY USE OK ? Portable? POCKET Yes CAMERA BAG Yes BACKPACK Yes Affordable? AVERAGE NEW PRICE $ 89.99 *Indicates SALE price. Amazon AFFILIATE LINK AVERAGE USED PRICE $ 49.99** **Indicates BUY NOW price. Ebay AFFILIATE LINK Common? ON AMAZON Yes ON EBAY Yes Easy To Use? SKILL LEVEL DIFFICULT OVERVIEW: This is the 2nd version of the super popular Zoom H1, and first I'll say I liked the old one better (more notes below). This is a stereo recorder with built-in mics in the X/Y configuration. It has a gain dial, instead of the up and down button pushes of version 1. I has a 3.5 mm input, but no way to lock the gain level or keep it from getting bumped...so using with a lavaliere mic is not going to work well (and this is not 32-bit float, so accidentally bumping the gain dial can be a disaster). MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? RECOMMENDATION: I actually like the older Zoom H1 model more than this version (because of the numerical gain and the "lock" switch) but this recorder is small and lightweight and can be a good tool as well. Most of the time I use this as a "passthrough" to back up audio coming from an external microphone (on the way to the camera) but its stereo mics can be good for capturing "ambient" nat. sound (just make sure to use a furry windscreen). Again, this version doesn't have a "LOCK" feature (as version 1 does) so you can't really use it with a LAV and leave the recorder in someone's pocket, because the REC. LEVEL dial could get bumped. These reviews are just my opinion and are focused on my Q.P.A.C.E. packing method, so they're not comprehensive. I wrote these mostly to help me remember what items worked for my KIT PLANS (and which didn't). If I said anything negative I apologize, as these products still may work well for you in your situation, but they were not Q.P.A.C.E (Quality, Portable, Affordable, Common, Easy-to-Use) enough for my budget filmmaking KIT PLANS .