Don't WASTE MONEY on a Microphone | Zoom F2 Long-Term Review

This video is NOT sponsored. I just love the F2 that much.
Link to the Zoom F2 - a.co/d/0NO2rq8
Gear used in this video
- Sony a7iv
~ Sony 35mm f1.8 FE
- Zoom F2
- AKG Perception 120
- Shure SM58
- Deity D4 Duo
- Destroyer of Worlds
~ Malcolm The Pug

[@just_inhawaii]

I hope everyone watching this appreciates the perfect balance of info and comedy that we are witnessing.

[@careywest]

Thanks Justin. I try to let my brain damage through, but only a little.

[@Divewith.G.M_Official_Channel]

Yeah there is a balance of Comedy and info

[@lemonberries]

As someone who has ears, I greatly appreciate the over all message of this video. Well done, sir!

[@ChrisMitchells_FlyingCameras]

Cool video, thank you. I enjoyed the humor as much as the mic conversation. Good work!

[@themartinandersson]

hahaha "I'm taking a piss right now". I laughed so hard. This guy rocks!! He's just brutally honest and unfiltered. Wonderful!

[@lukelikeslakes]

Absolutely love these packs! Been using a set of them as a tiny set-and-forget lav recorder on weddings, corporate talking heads, outdoor doc shoots, and student films since last spring. The only time I've managed to clip the 32-bit track was for a brief moment as a 6'7" firefighter yelled at the top of his lungs to get the attention of a man across a large field. I dig it. My only gripe is the build quality. The sd card door and battery tray door are real flimsy. I try to baby them and am honestly surprised that I've only broken one battery cover tab so far. The build quality almost makes these feel like a prototype from Zoom. I'm hoping they come out with a slightly more robust V2 and are able to keep them at such a fantastic price for us small fries. P.s. I opted for the Bluetooth version and have hardly utilized that capability. I've just found it inconvenient to use the phone app. You've got to dosconnect and reconnect to check each pack. You cant view all of your packs at the same time, which would be no issue if I was only using one at a time. If I end up picking up a couple more, they'll be the non-bluetooth variation for sure.

[@careywest]

Totally agree. I've been just plugging it in with USB c to get the files off, so that helps a little, but I still have to pull off that flimsy door when I change batteries. Definitely still worth it. And yeah, you pretty much have to TRY to clip the files

[@DamDominiciMusic]

Why is this the best review ever? Dude you cracked me up and also convinced me on the Zoom f2!

[@walkwithyan]

looove this video. i was checking out zoom f2 reviews (will buy one for sure) but i found something more. great humor. you just won a new subscriber here. 😂

[@allballbaby]

I couldn't stop watching, listening, laughing, watching....laughing, learning, laughing. 👏👏👏

[@911skull]

Educational and entertaining video, thanks a lot.

[@myrelaxationjourney1]

LOOOOL 😂👌🏻 Loved this, you good sir just earned both a like and a subscriber (+ this comment apparently 😏) Fantastic review! 😘

[@litehour]

the commentary im dying

[@arkadiybolachkov]

Dude, that's an awesome review! Many thanks!

[@hamradioop5777]

The Zoom F2-BT frustrates me with is its horrendously low volume 32 bit recordings, which always need correcting in post before they are usable. The more recent DJI Mic2 which can be purchased standalone for less than the Zoom, has decent audio to start with and in addition it can be paired with recent smartphones without needing a separate receiver.

[@BaroudeurAventure]

I need a F2 with two inputs, I often use a wireless lav or a shotgun combined with an omni and make the balance in post

[@Emertat_Studio]

Bro this video is pretty decent in every fuckin aspects

[@johnsy59]

hahaha great review, a breath of fresh air compared to most of the garbage out there now. Well done!

[@abigailpauley]

Now I'm thinking about taking the clothes out of my closet turning it into a sound booth lol Or hanging curtains from my ceiling and gluing acoustic panels to it? My condenser mic setup is in the middle of my living room lol 🙈🙉

[@careywest]

Yeah or just record in the closet. But you definitely want some level of treatment for a condenser mic.

[@JeffBourke]

100% a LOT of people bitch about syncing in post. It's extremely easy.

[@robwasnj]

Now owning an F2 I have to agree the versatility of the device is just great for freedom making videos. I also have a few nice high end mics and even a broadcast one hooked to my computer but when I want to film myself with a different backdrop, guess what I'm using? Something you mentioned and I noticed too is the lav that came with it is terrible, I have a cheap "purple panda" one I used to use with my phone that sounds better but it's a cheap device, it has a TRRS to TRS adapter and no locking nut. Is the Rode really the best alternative for something that isn't crazy expensive? I also have an old Sony stereo lav that sounds ok but the F2 is mono so not sure how that'd work out. Anyways, great video.

[@TacBlades]

This is an awesome vid loved it dry humour is the best. I am a wild camper so wind noise and outdoor stuff, size weight and quality is important. I have been using a zoom h2n for years with a wired remote RC2 and a nice lav works amazing but big and heavy so seeing this i think the f2 is perfect just need to work out if the wired remote control will work.

[@careywest]

Thanks my friend! If you need to trigger it remotely, I'd get the f2 Bluetooth version. The app is actually pretty good.

[@vedranagrbic4345]

Devin Townsend! Heck yea! (sorry off topic)

[@Chonkybeatz]

Perfect video 👊🏻 nice one for the knowledge and entertainment

[@kennethakennetha]

I love your attitude

[@manfromhoreb]

With brain damage just below clipping levels, appreciate your sense of reason.

[@robdido]

I got one too. Shamefully only used it twice. My problem is I record video in short segments and sync a nightmare. But considering my audio has been so crap.. I should use it more.. and I need to stop looking at myself too.. but I'm so pretty it's hard. 🍌

[@careywest]

Yeah it can be a pain, I do short segments too. But if you get in the habit of clapping everytime you hit record, syncing is easy. Audio and video tracks should be in the same order

[@robdido]

@@careywest yeah. that thing is great. I hit record and it goes for hours. Trying to learn and apply audio compression, noise floor, gate... fuck knows what Im doing.... My big worry is people have to adjust their volume while watching.

[@careywest]

@@robdido Well for me, I just make sure to normalize/auto-match audio levels for every clip (premiere defaults to -23 LUFS, but I increase the volume a little more to around -18 or -16 Db), then just a light EQ, and compression with a ratio of 2:1 and it sounds fine. I honestly wouldn't worry about noise gating it. Lav mics are already decent at rejection, and noise gates/noise suppresion often just introduces weird shitty sounding artifacts that aren't worth the benefit in my opinion

[@robdido]

@@careywest cool.. I use Vegas and it has a lot of good tools.

[@arjuntao]

You’re hilarious 😂😂😂 thanks for the vid. Will look into this system. Just got the rode wireless pro but the non replaceable battery is giving me a few doubts.

[@ponderinghiker]

YES… audio is by far the number one reason I stop watching a creators channel.

[@Thundr4x]

This is a good review with humor hahaha

[@ayedayed]

I like this video. Sounds good

[@ProjectileGrommet]

Never knew the R stood for Rhombus. I feel older and wiser

[@raisantander]

Great video, and loved your humor Would you recomend using two F2's for a two person podcast conversation? Thanks!

[@careywest]

Thanks my friend! The f2 would work great for that if you want to buy 2 of them. There is only 1 input on the f2. Zoom also has the f3 though, and that has dual inputs, but obviously you'd need a different mic solution unless you want both participants to be tethered in the center.

[@raisantander]

@@careywest thanks! You are so kind! Do you think that the lavalier included with the F2 it's better than a regular Shure sm57 or 58?

[@careywest]

@@raisantander Sound quality-wise? Definitely not.. The lav that comes with the f2 is pretty bad. an SM58 or 57 would sound miles better, but lavs have the size benefit. So it just kinda depends on whether or not you want to hide the mic

[@raisantander]

@@careywest I actually bought a couple of F2, works great. Now it's evident I should buy new lav's... any recomendation on the 100 USD range? Thanks!

[@JeffBourke]

2:24 Looks more like a SM57. You wouldn't be able to fit a 58 inside that piece of foam. Heck even getting a 57 inside is tight enough!

[@careywest]

It's an sm58. I unscrewed the grill and put the foam over it. It was definitely still tight. I could've just got an sm57 but I wanted the option to use the grill in the future if I wanted

[@scottwaddell298]

good vid.... looking at the F2... dont mind syncing in post.... whats your opinion on the DJI mic used as a stand alone... then has the other option as wireless IF needed.... ... another question ... does the F2 frecord a stero file? ...that way i could go into the F2 with a mono mic splitter with 2 lavs .... tks man...

[@careywest]

I haven't used the DJI mics so I'm not entirely sure, but I've definitely heard good things, and I see alot of people using them. As for the F2, no, it does not record stereo. It can take a TRS plug obviously but it will only record a mono signal.

[@rezabehroozi2595]

love the comedy

[@ShaneKeizer]

I dont want to clip a lavelier mic to someone, but at a short distance. You have any tips

[@TheSkrylar]

Maybe the M3?

[@JeffBourke]

on camera microphones always suck because on camera is pretty much the worst place to put a microphone.

[@onnie1968]

I picked up a Sony mic that powers up from the hot shoe on marketplace for $50, works well best of all no cords 🤘🏽 hahahahahaha @ mums room

[@floatingrabbit3556]

As funny as it was informative.

[@Jason_MotoPhotoAdventures]

I said this same thing about "good audio" to someone recently. VHS and good audio beats IMAX with echo and static. #subd #motophotoadventures

[@Divewith.G.M_Official_Channel]

Excuse me what did you just say the hairy and delicious stuff😅 what does that even mean?!

[@ddelacruz]

🤣👍🏼

[@fredabery3816]

Bahahaha! Most excellent. Cheers for my Sunday YT GAS binge a whole lot more fun.