If you’d rather not spend your cash on a dedicated recording device, consider turning your smartphone into a voice recorder! and won't use more than two inputs, go for the Zoom H5. The most effective way to reduce wind noise is something called a windshield. The answer is pretty simple here. This is fine if you’re an on-screen reporter, but not so great if you’re looking to record a film where microphones typically aren’t in the scene. You can read all about them in our Zoom Capsule Buying Guide. Plus, most voice recording apps already support external microphones, so compatibility is basically a non-issue. So how do you record outside without wind getting in the way? Cost. For example, in the post-chorus of Billie Eilish’s hit song Bad Guy, you can hear the percussive sound of a crosswalk horn in Australia. There's something inherently unpredictable about field recording, which makes it unnervingly easy to miss critical takes. You'll learn more about Zoom H6 vs H6 in this review, and find the best winner. If you’re capturing decent audio, you can turn almost any weird sound into a fun sound effect to add to your final project. Editor’s note: this article was updated on August 18, 2020, to add information regarding blimps and smartphone-compatible lavalier microphones. Well, you can, but it won’t sound good. And when it comes to monitoring, the Zoom H5 offers you both a line and a headphone output plus a built-in speaker. Not only does it make it look like the tail of a very fluffy cat, but it also helps reduce wind noise. Related: How to solve common recording problems. Compression, Limiting, Low-cut filter, Metronome, Tuner, Playback Looping, Pitch Change, Variable Playback Speed, Yes (Mountable to DSLR or camcorder with optional HS-01 Hot Shoe Mount adapter), Two onboard combo jacks provide mic- and line-level input via XLR or 1/4" TRS/TS, Independent volume controls and switchable -20dB pads provide easy level control, Extra inputs available via swappable capsules (See, Headphone and line-level outputs provide stereo sound for monitoring and playback, Review your recordings without external gear via the onboard monophonic speaker, Pre-record function keeps you from missing once-in-a-lifetime recordings, Continuous 2-second buffer lets you capture precious moments before you hit record, Backup-record prevents unexpected audio spikes from ruining your takes, Simultaneously records a second -12dB stereo track to provide a backup, Auto-record function starts recording when the input crosses a volume threshold, Onboard compression lets you smooth out levels for more polished recordings, Built-in limiter helps to prevent sudden level spikes from overloading your input, Highpass (low-cut) filter lets you tame wind and handling noise at the source, Includes a metronome and a chromatic tuner with handy guitar and bass settings, Independent pitch and playback speed plus looping are invaluable practice tools, Records for up to 15 hours on just two alkaline or rechargeable NiMH AA batteries, USB bus power provides alternative power options with or without a computer, Captures audio directly to SD/SDHC card media up to 32GB for extended sessions, Track professional Broadcast Wave Format (BWF) audio at up to 24-bit/96kHz, Record high-quality MP3s at up to 320kbps for extremely long recording applications, Offers full 4-in/2-out USB recording to your Mac, Windows PC, or iPad, Onboard compression, limiting, and filtering available when connected, Direct monitoring provides zero-latency recording capabilities, Loop Back mode lets you record USB and external inputs together, Includes a copy of Steinberg's Wavelab LE recording software, A versatile 4-in/2-out mobile recording system, 2 XLR/TRS combination inputs with microphone preamps and phantom power (+12/+24/+48V) accommodate most analog connections, Modular input connection lets you attach onboard microphones and additional input jacks, Gain knobs for each input make setting levels fast and easy, Shockmounted XYH-5 XY stereo microphone module included, Captures audio at up to 24-bit/96kHz professional-grade resolution, Doubles as a handy USB recording interface with your Mac, Windows PC, or iPad (via Apple Camera Connection Kit), Large LCD display makes navigation and setup extremely easy, Built-in processing includes highpass filtering, compression, limiting, and M-S stereo width decoding, Loop playback, variable playback speed (from 50% to 150%), and variable pitch per track make this an excellent practice tool, Chromatic tuner and metronome built in for added convenience, Records onto SD and SDHC storage media with up to 32GB capacity, Record for up to 15 hours on just 2 AA batteries, Includes operation manual, 2 AA batteries, USB cable, foam windscreen, Wavelab LE software, and carrying case, Optional shotgun mic, input expansion module, and hot shoe mount accessory also available. By purchasing the Zoom H6 you can be sure that you're not making a mistake. Finally, there's Auto-record, which starts recording when the volume passes a certain threshold. Even the bulky H5 can squeeze into a jacket pocket if you really need it to. But the Zoom H6 has a better one, and is a winner when it comes to picture. It comes standard with an XYH-5 XY microphone capsule, which you can swap out for other microphones and input modules to fit any recording situation.