One standout feature of the H6 is that it can also be used as an audio interface over USB. Also nice is the menu system with a full-color screen and live view of the signal that is clear and easy to read. Users report great satisfaction with the wide gain range and the quality of the audio even in the quietest situations. The top microphones are interchangeable, and you can get omnidirectional and shotgun attachments for it if you wish. When doing an interview when you can get the unit only a few feet from the talker, you can get good fidelity and save yourself having to bring along a separate microphone and XLR cable. When shooting, you usually need the microphone further away from the subject and are beyond the optimum working range for the module. These will mostly be useful for research or podcast interviews. Like most handheld recorders it has built-in X-Y microphones at the top for direct recording. It can record in 16- or 24-bit at up to 96kHz, though most motion picture users are likely to stick with 48kHz when recording dialogue on set. It even has a handy tilted view screen at the bottom to make it easier to read when mounted on top of a camera.

It has four full-sized XLR/1/4' combo inputs for connecting microphones or accepting signals from a mixer (all six of its inputs switch between mic and line level), 20dB switchable pad per channel, records locally to an SD card, and can send a signal out to the camera. Handheld recorders have better preamps, creating better audio.ДЇor the vast majority of filmmakers, we believe the right combination of features, performance, and price can be found in the Zoom H6. Since camera makers are focused on high-quality images, the sound is often an afterthought feature, and some cameras that create beautiful images have terrible audio quality. The signal put out from a microphone is relatively weak, so recorders have a pre-amp that takes that signal and amplifies it before recording. Technically yes, but on-camera audio generally isn't the greatest. Many of you might be wondering, can't I just record audio with my camera? Most can even interface right into your computer for direct recording.

If you decide to work on a podcast, you've got the recorder all ready.

When researching your screenplay you can use it for audio interviews, which are easier to capture and less stressful for your subjects than video interviews. The most obvious one is to record audio on set on smaller shoots where you're working with a smaller crew. More affordable than a camera, which you can always rent, a handheld audio recorder is useful in a whole host of different situations. If there's one single tool that every filmmaker should own, it's a handheld audio recorder. In search of a compact audio recorder for your next project? Check out the ones below.

Best audio recorder 2 inputs