Marinos Koutsomichalis wrote:
> what about the olympus ls5 ??
>
The LS-5 is a model Olympus sells in the UK and other parts of the EU. It'=
s a less expensive version of the LS-11 recorder. The LS-5 has 2 GB of int=
ernal flash memory instead of 8 GB in the LS-11. The LS-5 ships without a =
carrying case or remote control.
According to John Willett, proprietor of Circle Sound Services in Oxfordshi=
re, UK, and current chairman of the British Sound Recording Association, th=
e LS-5 has the same electronics and mics (hence the same performance) as th=
e LS-11. It's just packaged so the recorder can meet a lower price point.
The LS-5 is not sold on this side of the pond. The LS-5 costs about $235 U=
SD delivered to USA from a European source. The LS-11 also costs $235 from=
a USA dealer, so there's little incentive to buy the LS-5 in USA.
As a lower cost model in USA, Olympus offers the LS-7. It's completely dif=
ferent from the LS-11. The LS-7 uses AAA cells (vs AA in the LS-5), micro =
SD cards (vs standard SD), three built-in mics (vs 2), 90 g (vs 165 g). Th=
e LS-7 is smaller in each dimension than the LS-11, and lacks the LS-11's p=
rotruding mics. So it's a better fit in a shirt pocket.
The LS-7 has an input for an external mic, but no line-in port. It has no =
external dial for gain adjustment, requiring a trip to the menus to manuall=
y set the gain.
The LS-7 was recently introduced in USA. Street price is about $200USD. T=
hat's not much cheaper than the LS-11 and Sony PCM-M10. However, the LS-7 =
is considerably smaller and lighter than either, and has the three mic arra=
y to improve low frequency response (according to Olympus).
Reviews of the LS-7 I've seen so far have been little more than re-writes o=
f the Olympus promotional literature. We'll have to wait for experienced f=
ield recordists to give the LS-7 a try before drawing any conclusions about=
the LS-7's performance. I'd also like to see the price descend to around =
$150USD.
--oryoki
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