The Zoom F1 mini field recorder is a curious beast, sometimes reassuringly my best option, sometimes frustratingly difficult to use.
The recorder is in the “Field” range, not the “Handy” range. This means it is designed with clarity first, which may explain some of it’s handling short-falls.
What I have come to love.
Sound quality is at least as good as the much dearer and bulkier H8 when using the many mountable capsules (maybe equal to the H8’s XLR inputs, which are better in performance than the capsule interface).
The SSH-6 Mid/side shotgun, not the one that can come packaged with the unit, the decent SGH-6*, is strong, sensitive and clear thanks in part to the mid-side mic option (it is basically three mics), which means it can include more or less sound from the periphery. This is something most shotgun mics lack and is handy in two ways.
Most obviously as the name suggests it is not just a highly directional shotgun mic. It can be used for focussed, less focussed or broad coverage (which can also be balanced in post from RAW audio) meaning in real terms, you can expect to use it for interviews etc, then switch to environment coverage for events, blend the two for more open environmentally inclusive or group interviews. My most often use-case is small groups or pairs set to about 30% for guaranteed wider coverage.
Secondly, it can avoid some of the usual issues of shotgun mics in echo-prone spaces. Shotgun mics have long, thin rejection tubes used to reduce side sound from muddying the primary source.
In a real world situation, by using this mic combo, I tend to avoid having to deal with very poor echoey, or “cave-like” sound, only realising the fact when I use a different mic in the same situation. No matter the situation, I can usually get something decent out of it.
On sound generally, it is warm, deep and quite natural. There is limited sibilance and usable reach is good, at least equal to the MKE-600.
These tubes do tend to increase echo as the sound enters the front in layers of second hand bounced sound. The mid-side mics seem to overpower that to some extent, by simply recording the sound properly.
A mic I would love to compare it to is the MKE-440 dual shotgun from Sennheisser, a great area mic with 3D sound, but one I suspect, would offer little more than the SSH-6.
I can mount it on the left or right of this rig and it sits slightly higher than the MKE-600, which is better for matt box use.
The F1 is the smallest and most versatile way of employing this or most of the other Zoom capsules. I had the H5 Handy recorder, but the sheer bulk of that unit meant using the SSH-6 as an on camera mic is not feasible, even after large rigs emerged. The F1 is much smaller and has an excellent shock mount option.
Optionally, you can attach another mic capsule like the X/Y’s or the twin XLR adapter etc. The smaller X/Y from the H5 is a very compact fit and ideal for event or area recording.
Not a common use case as I find the SSH-6 more versatile, but it is compact, sensitive and way better than any camera mic.
The accessories are excellent, which is why many people persevere with Zoom devices.
Compared to my other mic options, the MKE-400 and 600’s, it has several benefits, but only after a few issues were sorted.
First, it records a backup internally.
The MKE-400 is very neat on my various rigs, undoubtedly a cleaner set-up than any other option and on lighter run-n-gun rigs or for stuffing into a small pocket just in case, it is often the only option. It is short, self contained, has three sound levels, turns itself on and off with the camera and the sound is excellent.
Compared to the F1/SSH-6, it is limited in sound level choices and is less easy to set, it relies on long life AAA batteries, but as I found out the other day, they can go at the worst times and if using the wind sock, the warning light is hard to see.
The supplied wind rejection sock and shock mount, both using a clever combination of internal and external applications are good, but neither are perfect.
The MKE-600 is longer, needs to be turned on and off (something I regularly fail to do and it is the only mic I have with no automatic off option), it has no sound level control on the mic, meaning you need to access it on camera or via an interface, neither are straight forward or always convenient, but sound is excellent and very focussed.
On camera it is sleek and low profile, but the shock mount and provided pop foamy are the least effective of the three. I fixed the wind issue with a Rode fluffy, but the shock mount thing is real.
Height or length is one way of choosing, but there is more to it than that. Notice the huge difference in controls. The F1 is a full microphone interface with tactile volume control, multiple effects, low pass filters and limiters, the 600 only has a low pass on-off option. The F1 can also be used as a body worn LAV or remote placement mic. The Zoom also has an effective shock mount.
The F1/SSH-6 is not ideal for boom or XLR wireless use, something I do use the MKE-600 for, so each to their own.
Things I do not love?
The F1 has a fragile battery door. It broke surprisingly easily one day after a very short drop to a bench top. I researched it and yes, it is a known thing, so common in fact, it makes you wonder about a unit on the market for years.
First I used a cable tie to hold the door shut, which was fine, except Zoom devices need fresh batteries often for peace of mind (the battery meter can be simplistic and misleading), which was beyond frustrating. I remember one of my regular subjects asking “oh, do you need to do that battery thing again and if so, will it take long?”. Not cool.
I can slide the tie forward, replace the batts and slide it back, usually.
The second fix was a small power bank, magnetically attached to the side of the unit via the USB port and is very long lasting, but it can be knocked off easily.
This works well, as long as you are careful.
The last and by far the best option, is attaching it to my V-mount battery on the RigidPro rig or the NP battery adapter on my other rig. The extra cable is a small price to pay for a mic that runs any time the camera does.
Secondly.
It does seem fragile when the capsule is on the interface. It probably is not, but I feel it has a point of weakness. To be clear here, none of my Zoom devices have broken here, in fact apart from the door above, nothing on any of them has ever broken, but I tend to avoid excessive mounting-dismounting of capsules, which means carrying it is sometimes problematic (I tend to put the H5 and F1 in a hard case with capsules n).
Last, but not least.
That F%$#ing washer. What were they thinking? The F1’s shock mount has (had) a small plastic washer between the foot and locking screw. It makes quick mounting the unit nearly impossible. You have to hold it up when mounting the shock mount, often a two hand job, annoying and sometimes it gets stuck.
I fixed it……….
Grrrrrr.
To put all this in context.
It is my best and most easily used on-camera mic option with the best controls, power option (now), backups and features. It now inspires confidence in contrast to my frustrations with it over the years and is quite simply my most versatile and reliable problem solver.
It does not do everything better than other choices, so I have others at hand.
The MKE-400 is smaller and lighter if needed, often in my day bag as a seriously good handy option.
The MKE-600 is potentially better than either, but due to other issues is reserved for boom or static use.
The other Zoom interfaces (H1n, H5, H8, AMS-24) are employed when they make more sense, which usually involves XLR’s and multiple microphones or as backups.
*The F1 comes in a LAV or shotgun kit. I would suggest buying the LAV version, which is cheaper, then looking at other capsule options.