Nestling snugly between its little brother H4n and big sis H6, this audio recorder is in what we like to call the sweet spot of the price-vs-performance curve. You get two combo XLR/TRS inputs at the bottom, each with their own dedicated physical gain knob. For any of you who like to "ride the levels" while recording, you know that this is a God-send. Continuing on the "I got it from the H6" inheritance path, you get the modular mic connection at the top of the unit. This allows you to swap different microphone modules, depending on your needs. You can see the options we carry in the "Related Products" section below. Included with your rental is the standard XY stereo mic setup which includes an additional 3.5mm input jack on the side. Finally, the H5 also inherits the cleaner pre-amps from the H6, making it an incredibly quiet recorder. For all intents and purposes, this is basically a smaller H6 with fewer inputs.

Like all of the handy recorders in this series, the H5 can be used in a variety of different mounting situations. With its 1/4-20 mounting thread on the back, you can put it on a mic stand, tripod, noga arm, or even a hotshoe mount. Speaking of versatility, you get a huge variety of recording formats to choose from, including MP3 and uncompressed WAV files up to 24-bit / 96 kHz resolution. All files are recorded to an SD media card for easy transfer to your computer, and you can expect roughly 90 minutes of record time per GB (recording 2 tracks at 16 bit / 44.1 kHz WAV). You can also use this unit as a 4-in/2-out audio interface for your computer instead of recording to the SD card.

One of the biggest upgrades that we are happy to see is the inclusion of dual 3.5mm output jacks. The line out can be used to feed a signal to your camera for easy syncing in post, while the headphone jack can be used simultaneously for real-time monitoring. Power is provided via 2 AA batteries, and you can expect a fresh set of alkaline batteries to last anywhere from 7 to 15 hours depending on your recording settings and how many channels you're recording. If that doesn't fit your needs, you can always power it via the USB jack. That means portable external batteries or a generic USB charging wall plug can provide power for as long as you need.

No matter the style or type of audio you're recording, the Zoom H5 is a convenient and highly functional unit to capture sound with incredible fidelity.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: This recorder can accept up to a maximum of a 32 GB SD card. 64 GB or larger cards will NOT work.

Included with your rental:

• Zoom H5 Handy Recorder
• Zoom XYH-5 X/Y stereo mic capsule
• 5' USB cable (USB A to USB mini)

Zoom H5 Audio Recorder User manual (pdf download)