I run a Zoom F8 for my multimedia business in various ways. From on-location recording of musicians to receiving output from FOH boards for multi-cam video purposes. Many times I need to figure out a way, from a physical standpoint, to make this unit work for me with whatever situation I'm in. I need adaptability. I need a way to mount timecode boxes, crab clamps, v-mount batteries, microphones, receivers, cameras, tripods, etc. directly to the F8. Enter the mother of invention through necessity.
So like most devices nowadays, some 3rd party will make a cage for it to make it more useful. I searched far and wide for a cage or frame for the F8 and F8n and turned up a whole lot of nothing. The closet thing that I found was the single 1/4 - 20 frame mount from Zoom which really is just a single point thing. So I decided to cobble together some cheese plates, M4, 1/4 - 20's and 3/8 - 16s to see what I could come up with. I wouldn't call it exactly a cage but it's close enough & it definitely achieves more robust connectivity.
DIY Zoom F8 Cage
For a minimalistic approach I could just use -
(3) CAMVATE Long Cheese Plate with 1/4"-20 Threads (6.5") - 3453
The Zoom F8's original (4) top M4 screws will line up with this cheese plate holes so it's really a piece of cake. No drilling. I do have some concerns about the strength of the receiving collar on the F8 as it appears to be plastic. Putting too much weight on might be a problem down the road. Time will tell. I haven't tried the bottom 4 screw points on the underside of the F8.
There are a million ways to skin a cat and until someone makes a full cage or frame for this thing, this will work. Overall I'm pretty satisfied that I made this little recorder even more useful to me.
