Zoom H5 Handy Recorder
The Zoom H5 Handy Recorder with Interchangeable Microphone system is a portable 4 track recorder with interchangeable input capsules that allow you to choose the best microphone in any recording situation. It has a XY stereo recording option that captures the sound source in the center with excellent clarity and definition making it perfect for live-stereo recording. The recorder has an in-built speaker that gives you quick playback. The USB port lets you use H5 as an audio interface to your Computer or iPad. The H5 records files in WAV format at 16 or 24 bits with a sampling rate of 44.1 48 or 96kHz. The large backlight LCD display makes it real easy to use. The recorder is mountable to a DSLR or camcorder with HS-01 hot shoe mount adapter. It operates on two standard AA Alkaline or NiMH rechargeable batteries to give you over 15 hours of recording in a single charge.
The Zoom H5 Handy Recorder with Interchangeable Microphone system is a portable 4 track recorder with interchangeable input capsules that allow you to choose the best microphone in any recording situation. It has a XY stereo recording option that captures the sound source in the center with excellent clarity and definition making it perfect for live-stereo recording. The recorder has an in-built speaker that gives you quick playback. The USB port lets you use H5 as an audio interface to your Computer or iPad. The H5 records files in WAV format at 16 or 24 bits with a sampling rate of 44.1 48 or 96kHz. The large backlight LCD display makes it real easy to use. The recorder is mountable to a DSLR or camcorder with HS-01 hot shoe mount adapter. It operates on two standard AA Alkaline or NiMH rechargeable batteries to give you over 15 hours of recording in a single charge.
The Zoom H5 Handy Recorder with Interchangeable Microphone system is a portable 4 track recorder with interchangeable input capsules that allow you to choose the best microphone in any recording situation. It has a XY stereo recording option that captures the sound source in the center with excellent clarity and definition making it perfect for live-stereo recording. The recorder has an in-built speaker that gives you quick playback. The USB port lets you use H5 as an audio interface to your Computer or iPad. The H5 records files in WAV format at 16 or 24 bits with a sampling rate of 44.1 48 or 96kHz. The large backlight LCD display makes it real easy to use. The recorder is mountable to a DSLR or camcorder with HS-01 hot shoe mount adapter. It operates on two standard AA Alkaline or NiMH rechargeable batteries to give you over 15 hours of recording in a single charge.
The Zoom H5 Handy Recorder with Interchangeable Microphone system is a portable 4 track recorder with interchangeable input capsules that allow you to choose the best microphone in any recording situation. It has a XY stereo recording option that captures the sound source in the center with excellent clarity and definition making it perfect for live-stereo recording. The recorder has an in-built speaker that gives you quick playback. The USB port lets you use H5 as an audio interface to your Computer or iPad. The H5 records files in WAV format at 16 or 24 bits with a sampling rate of 44.1 48 or 96kHz. The large backlight LCD display makes it real easy to use. The recorder is mountable to a DSLR or camcorder with HS-01 hot shoe mount adapter. It operates on two standard AA Alkaline or NiMH rechargeable batteries to give you over 15 hours of recording in a single charge.
in 35 offers
The lowest price for Zoom H5 Handy Recorder right now is $35.00 at Camera Hire, compared across 30 retailers.
The all-time low was $35.00 on 26 May 2026. That's the lowest price we've ever tracked — a great time to buy.
Prices last updated 11 June 2026.
Last updated at 11/06/2026 15:09:30
Zoom H5 Handy Recorder Hire
Digital recorder ZOOM H5
Delivery $165.89
Zoom H5 4-track Portable Digital Recorder Handheld Black 24bit 96 Khz
Delivery $17.02
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
Zoom Linear Pcm / Ic Handy Recorder H5 From Japan
Delivery $83.15
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
Zoom H5 Handy Recorder Interchangeable Mics 4-track Usb Interface
Free delivery
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
Zoom H5 Handy Recorder
Free delivery
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
Zoom H5 4-input / 4-track Portable Digital Recorder + Zoom H5
Delivery $16.92
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Zoom H5 Digital Handy Hand Held Recorder Brand With Warranty
Free delivery
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Zoom H5 Handy Recorder
Delivery $15
Zoom H5 Handy Portable Recorder
Delivery between Mon – Wed $16
originally posted on zzounds.com
Overall:This is an amazing recorder. Using the correct SD card is important though. There was a show at a local bar that was a decent size & fairly busy. If you watch your clipping settings you can record excellent live audio with the original microphones it comes with. It impressed me so much. The mic connections are fantastic and a great alternative.Me and a friend have a podcast which after this product we bought the Zoom Podcast outfit. However, in the background I captured perfect audio using this H5 for cork popping and everything else that was necessary for the podcast. I keep it recording thru out the podcast recording in general and whenever we open a new bottle we make sure to bring the bottle about 6 inches away from the mic on the H5 to record the ... MoreOverall:This is an amazing recorder. Using the correct SD card is important though. There was a show at a local bar that was a decent size & fairly busy. If you watch your clipping settings you can record excellent live audio with the original microphones it comes with. It impressed me so much. The mic connections are fantastic and a great alternative.Me and a friend have a podcast which after this product we bought the Zoom Podcast outfit. However, in the background I captured perfect audio using this H5 for cork popping and everything else that was necessary for the podcast. I keep it recording thru out the podcast recording in general and whenever we open a new bottle we make sure to bring the bottle about 6 inches away from the mic on the H5 to record the opening 'pop'. The audio from both products always comes back delightful. We haven't been so happy with equipment prior to this. Some things in the past were always a hassle and we weren't always pleased with the audio with other products.This H5 was used to record an Orange 35RT amp as well as the Mojotone pedal head with a Panama speaker. I'm just amazed by the quality of the audio. I haven't used it for drums but I'm about to set something up this weekend.Lastly, I'm a paranormal investigator and I instinctively and religiously use this for Paranormal Investigations alongside an SB11. It's excellent for capturing any and all audio within the room. I use it from beginning to end, notetaking verbally, and everything else because of how reliable it is. If I have any product issues it's everything but the H5. So, this is one of my most important pieces of equipment to every single scheduled investigation I do. Battery life is excellent compared to others.The audio files transfer perfectly to computer by pulling out the SD card and dropping the card into a laptop. Files transfer was so easy and has come back the highest in quality when I placed the files from it into Sound Forge and ProTools. It's never disappointed. Learning to use it I just watched a YouTube video instead of reading the book, there's plenty of YouTube videos but feel free to watch various ones as some people provide you alternative ways to use it. I recommend that when using the H5 you want to station it somewhere you won't be in direct contact with. As in, if you put it on a table and you use your hands a lot (as my fellow podcaster friend does) it will capture every bump and swish of the shirt against the table. So, find a stable spot within range. It's really that good, it captures everything. The reason I bought this is I owned the Zoom Camera (Q2n & Q8) and I found the audio was amazing. I wasn't crazy about video footage though. I was extremely happy with how the audio turned out. This pretty much provided me the decision to go with one of their recording devices and after further research I bought the H5. My experience using the H5 brought me to buy the Zoom Podcast package. I'm so pleased with this company's products I cannot imagine using anything else now and I have so many recording options but I prefer this H5 over all of them.I have had questions and contacted the company a few times, very friendly and helpful customer service.
originally posted on wexphotographic.com
I have been using the product to record my native american flutes outdoors in various landscapes. Also recording nature sounds which I then imported and used as backing. Easy to import into my DAW. Love the metronome for my practice sessions and for recording my hand drum/rattles/percussion. As a beginner user, this has given me confidence to explore more and more. I have used it at a very basic level to get familiar and look forward to expanding and experimenting with what this super handy little recorder can offer!
originally posted on thetedstore.com
So I've had this unit now for 3 years, I don't like to leave reviews too early because oftentimes initial impressions are good but some items don't last. I primarily use my H5 to capture audio at our local music venue and it does an excellent job. The only thing I wish it had was the capability to record a lower volume "backup track" when using an external mic, sadly that feature only works with the built in capsule which is excellent but sometimes I need to use externals to get it up above the crowd. Now for the customer service. This year when I grabbed my H5 I noticed the casing was really sticky feeling. The recorder functioned fine but something with the plastic broke down and was unpleasant to handle. I contacted Zoom directly and told them of this issue and ... MoreSo I've had this unit now for 3 years, I don't like to leave reviews too early because oftentimes initial impressions are good but some items don't last. I primarily use my H5 to capture audio at our local music venue and it does an excellent job. The only thing I wish it had was the capability to record a lower volume "backup track" when using an external mic, sadly that feature only works with the built in capsule which is excellent but sometimes I need to use externals to get it up above the crowd. Now for the customer service. This year when I grabbed my H5 I noticed the casing was really sticky feeling. The recorder functioned fine but something with the plastic broke down and was unpleasant to handle. I contacted Zoom directly and told them of this issue and they said it was covered under warranty no matter how old the recorder was! I sent them my info, they sent out an RMA and asked that I only send the recorder itself. Less than a week later I got back not my original recorder but a brand new in box recorder along with all the accessories, a new capsule, case, wind screen, etc. So nice to see a company acknowledge a problem and make it right. My next recorder will likely be an F6, I'm happy to buy from Zoom.
| Recording media | SD card: 16MB to 2GB, SDHC card: 4GB to 32GB |
| Display | Backlit LCD (128 x 64 pixels) |
| Mic type | Unidirectional |
| Built-in speaker | 400mw 8 Ω mono |
| Mass Storage Class operation | Class: USB 2.0 High Speed |
Zoom H5 Handy Recorder Hire
Digital recorder ZOOM H5
Delivery $165.89
Zoom H5 4-track Portable Digital Recorder Handheld Black 24bit 96 Khz
Delivery $17.02
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
Zoom Linear Pcm / Ic Handy Recorder H5 From Japan
Delivery $83.15
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
Zoom H5 Handy Recorder Interchangeable Mics 4-track Usb Interface
Free delivery
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
Overall:This is an amazing recorder. Using the correct SD card is important though. There was a show at a local bar that was a decent size & fairly busy. If you watch your clipping settings you can record excellent live audio with the original microphones it comes with. It impressed me so much. The mic connections are fantastic and a great alternative.Me and a friend have a podcast which after this product we bought the Zoom Podcast outfit. However, in the background I captured perfect audio using this H5 for cork popping and everything else that was necessary for the podcast. I keep it recording thru out the podcast recording in general and whenever we open a new bottle we make sure to bring the bottle about 6 inches away from the mic on the H5 to record the ... MoreOverall:This is an amazing recorder. Using the correct SD card is important though. There was a show at a local bar that was a decent size & fairly busy. If you watch your clipping settings you can record excellent live audio with the original microphones it comes with. It impressed me so much. The mic connections are fantastic and a great alternative.Me and a friend have a podcast which after this product we bought the Zoom Podcast outfit. However, in the background I captured perfect audio using this H5 for cork popping and everything else that was necessary for the podcast. I keep it recording thru out the podcast recording in general and whenever we open a new bottle we make sure to bring the bottle about 6 inches away from the mic on the H5 to record the opening 'pop'. The audio from both products always comes back delightful. We haven't been so happy with equipment prior to this. Some things in the past were always a hassle and we weren't always pleased with the audio with other products.This H5 was used to record an Orange 35RT amp as well as the Mojotone pedal head with a Panama speaker. I'm just amazed by the quality of the audio. I haven't used it for drums but I'm about to set something up this weekend.Lastly, I'm a paranormal investigator and I instinctively and religiously use this for Paranormal Investigations alongside an SB11. It's excellent for capturing any and all audio within the room. I use it from beginning to end, notetaking verbally, and everything else because of how reliable it is. If I have any product issues it's everything but the H5. So, this is one of my most important pieces of equipment to every single scheduled investigation I do. Battery life is excellent compared to others.The audio files transfer perfectly to computer by pulling out the SD card and dropping the card into a laptop. Files transfer was so easy and has come back the highest in quality when I placed the files from it into Sound Forge and ProTools. It's never disappointed. Learning to use it I just watched a YouTube video instead of reading the book, there's plenty of YouTube videos but feel free to watch various ones as some people provide you alternative ways to use it. I recommend that when using the H5 you want to station it somewhere you won't be in direct contact with. As in, if you put it on a table and you use your hands a lot (as my fellow podcaster friend does) it will capture every bump and swish of the shirt against the table. So, find a stable spot within range. It's really that good, it captures everything. The reason I bought this is I owned the Zoom Camera (Q2n & Q8) and I found the audio was amazing. I wasn't crazy about video footage though. I was extremely happy with how the audio turned out. This pretty much provided me the decision to go with one of their recording devices and after further research I bought the H5. My experience using the H5 brought me to buy the Zoom Podcast package. I'm so pleased with this company's products I cannot imagine using anything else now and I have so many recording options but I prefer this H5 over all of them.I have had questions and contacted the company a few times, very friendly and helpful customer service.
I have been using the product to record my native american flutes outdoors in various landscapes. Also recording nature sounds which I then imported and used as backing. Easy to import into my DAW. Love the metronome for my practice sessions and for recording my hand drum/rattles/percussion. As a beginner user, this has given me confidence to explore more and more. I have used it at a very basic level to get familiar and look forward to expanding and experimenting with what this super handy little recorder can offer!
So I've had this unit now for 3 years, I don't like to leave reviews too early because oftentimes initial impressions are good but some items don't last. I primarily use my H5 to capture audio at our local music venue and it does an excellent job. The only thing I wish it had was the capability to record a lower volume "backup track" when using an external mic, sadly that feature only works with the built in capsule which is excellent but sometimes I need to use externals to get it up above the crowd. Now for the customer service. This year when I grabbed my H5 I noticed the casing was really sticky feeling. The recorder functioned fine but something with the plastic broke down and was unpleasant to handle. I contacted Zoom directly and told them of this issue and ... MoreSo I've had this unit now for 3 years, I don't like to leave reviews too early because oftentimes initial impressions are good but some items don't last. I primarily use my H5 to capture audio at our local music venue and it does an excellent job. The only thing I wish it had was the capability to record a lower volume "backup track" when using an external mic, sadly that feature only works with the built in capsule which is excellent but sometimes I need to use externals to get it up above the crowd. Now for the customer service. This year when I grabbed my H5 I noticed the casing was really sticky feeling. The recorder functioned fine but something with the plastic broke down and was unpleasant to handle. I contacted Zoom directly and told them of this issue and they said it was covered under warranty no matter how old the recorder was! I sent them my info, they sent out an RMA and asked that I only send the recorder itself. Less than a week later I got back not my original recorder but a brand new in box recorder along with all the accessories, a new capsule, case, wind screen, etc. So nice to see a company acknowledge a problem and make it right. My next recorder will likely be an F6, I'm happy to buy from Zoom.
I needed a very portable second recorder to supplement my Roland R-05, for live choir performances. For such events, I don't need bulky equipment, nor do I need more than four channels--I normally use only two, the internal mics--and I do all of my audio mixing on my computer, so in-unit mixing abilities are not a decision factor for me. This unit's reviews, across several vendors, topped those of the upgraded Roland models R-07 and R-26, as well as the Zoom H6. So, I took the risk with the H5. Out of the box, it was difficult to figure out, because it was not intuitive to have to press the rocker switch in, in order to select from a menu (for example, to choose my default recordings specs). It took me several minutes of searching through the manual to get it, as ... MoreI needed a very portable second recorder to supplement my Roland R-05, for live choir performances. For such events, I don't need bulky equipment, nor do I need more than four channels--I normally use only two, the internal mics--and I do all of my audio mixing on my computer, so in-unit mixing abilities are not a decision factor for me. This unit's reviews, across several vendors, topped those of the upgraded Roland models R-07 and R-26, as well as the Zoom H6. So, I took the risk with the H5. Out of the box, it was difficult to figure out, because it was not intuitive to have to press the rocker switch in, in order to select from a menu (for example, to choose my default recordings specs). It took me several minutes of searching through the manual to get it, as even the manual doesn't bring out that fact at once. Once I could finally set it up the way I prefer, I did some initial testing. I set the unit on my bed covers, thinking that would sufficiently dampen any vibration for my testing. When I copied the test audio files onto my PC, I noticed a great deal of noise during silent parts, so I began to doubt. I then took it to a live concert situation and set it up so the unit was sitting on a folded towel, with the internal mics hanging over the edge. When I got home and checked those files, I was pleasantly surprised, as the silent parts were quiet and the music parts were crisp. I suspect that during my first tests, the internal mics were actually touching the bed covers, causing the noise. It seems that as long as the mics are hanging in open air, the shock mounts do their job extremely well. So, I give this unit a 5 for sound quality, but a 3 in intuitive initial usability. (Once you get it figured out, it is easy to use.) In addition, the batteries seem to last a shorter time than I expected (compared to the R-05), but the sound quality makes up for that.
A caution for musicians who like doing multi-track recording, e.g. a rhythm track then adding voice, lead, etc. on other tracks. The H4n Pro is superior to the H5 for that. I belief the H5 is being marketed more towards videographers who need a field recorder to support their DSLR videography. The H4n Pro is far more flexible for doing multitrack recording, although it is fairly limited compared to using Digital Audio Workstation type software on a computer. The H4n Pro allows you to direct any of three inputs (the built-in mike or two external mikes) to any of the 4 tracks so you can easily build up a multi-track recording. It can only playback 4 tracks at once, that is the main limitation. You can store a huge number of "takes" by renaming the files that ... MoreA caution for musicians who like doing multi-track recording, e.g. a rhythm track then adding voice, lead, etc. on other tracks. The H4n Pro is superior to the H5 for that. I belief the H5 is being marketed more towards videographers who need a field recorder to support their DSLR videography. The H4n Pro is far more flexible for doing multitrack recording, although it is fairly limited compared to using Digital Audio Workstation type software on a computer. The H4n Pro allows you to direct any of three inputs (the built-in mike or two external mikes) to any of the 4 tracks so you can easily build up a multi-track recording. It can only playback 4 tracks at once, that is the main limitation. You can store a huge number of "takes" by renaming the files that correspond to a track-recording. With the H5, multi-track recording is replaced by "multi-file" recording, which is more obscure to understand in the rules and you have to jump through hoops to do conventional multi-track recording. I believe the H5 directs the built-in mike to tracks 1 and 2 and the external inputs 1 and 2 are dedicated to tracks 3 and 4. The result is you effectively have a 2-track multi-track ability. If you just want to use the built-in mikes, you have to reassign the file from tracks 1 and 2 to tracks 3 and 4 in order to be able to record a second "take" on tracks 1 and 2. It is just a confusing and limited mess. The H4n Pro has one limitation in that it is clumsy how you mute one of your recorded tracks to keep it out of your headphones -- you have to use a menu and scroll the volume all the way down to "mute". A three-state track button would have been ideal. The H5 has interchangeable built-in mike modules, not of great interest to musicians who can easily plug mikes into the H4n Pro in a studio setting. The available mike capsules probably are of more interest to videographers. H5 can do "backup" recording at lower volume on secondary tracks as protection for videographers
I would call myself a beginner to intermediate level user, so keep that in mind reading my review. I'm a singer for a metal band and I use this quite regularly to archive my own vocal parts as well as get live recordings hooked up to our bands PA. I chose this recorder over my formerly trusty Tascam DR40 and I'm glad I made the switch. My tascam (as well as other brands) require menu navigation to select which source to record from. More than once have we played out an entire song with my Tascam hooked up to the PA only to find out that the input select was still set on the on-board mics. I wanted to scream. I am back and forth between recording random lyrics and vocal snippets while I drive to hooking up to the PA and recording the full band. I like being able to ... MoreI would call myself a beginner to intermediate level user, so keep that in mind reading my review. I'm a singer for a metal band and I use this quite regularly to archive my own vocal parts as well as get live recordings hooked up to our bands PA. I chose this recorder over my formerly trusty Tascam DR40 and I'm glad I made the switch. My tascam (as well as other brands) require menu navigation to select which source to record from. More than once have we played out an entire song with my Tascam hooked up to the PA only to find out that the input select was still set on the on-board mics. I wanted to scream. I am back and forth between recording random lyrics and vocal snippets while I drive to hooking up to the PA and recording the full band. I like being able to simply push the buttons and see the input selection light up. No menu, no fuss. This unit has been pretty bulletproof thus far. The only gripe I have is memory capacity. I took the 64 gig card out of my Tascam and put it into this Zoom only to see that it didn't acknowledge the card. Had to run out and buy a smaller card to work with the recorder that is an upgrade from my Tascam. Seemed weird. I'll admit it's not as comfortable and convenient to hold as my Tascam was, but the option of switching recording heads (even though i've yet to do so) make this unit's physical awkwardness well worth it. I look forward to being able to hook this up to the PA at a gig, get 2 channels from the PA and still record 2 ambient channels of "house sound" simultaneously.
Excellent recorded sound quality and easy to use. I use it to record band rehearsals and it produces great results with the push of a button, no cables or complicated menus. It’s also great for getting ideas down quickly. Having used a variety of portastudios in the past this is a breath of fresh air in both simplicity and quality. It’s capable of a lot more than I am currently using it for and look forward to exploring its full capabilities in the future.
This recorder is loaded with features especially when you consider the variety of interchangeable mic capsules. Great for capturing live instruments or audio for video. Better quality sound than any camera preamp. The only downside is the rubberized exterior that get sticky over time as others have pointed out, however there is a fix. Use isopropyl alcohol and a small cloth to wipe over the surface and the sticky residue will come off. It will leave the surface smooth but the annoying stickyness will be gone.
| Recording media | SD card: 16MB to 2GB, SDHC card: 4GB to 32GB |
| Display | Backlit LCD (128 x 64 pixels) |
| Mic type | Unidirectional |
| Built-in speaker | 400mw 8 Ω mono |
| Mass Storage Class operation | Class: USB 2.0 High Speed |
