Along with the optical zoom there is 192x digital zoom and 4K: 18x, HD: 24x clear image zoom. Aperture range is f/2.8-f/11 with a seven-blade diaphragm. The sensor is a 1 inch stacked Exmor RS CMOS sensor, also producing 14.2MP still images. There are face detection features and other auto modes depending on your subject type. The touch screen can be used to track your subject also extremely accurately. A Hybrid AF system with 273 phase-detection auto focus points covers 84 percent of the image. If manual focusing isn’t your thing, then there’s plenty of autofocus options. There’s a nice variety of buttons and dials for further adjusting exposure such as shutter speed, GAIN/ISO and IRIS. A lens ring for manual focusing which can be assigned to focusing or zooming. The Camcorder is also packed full of features which will give you a flavor of more pro end gear. Accompanied with the 12x optical zoom, these features alone are a big step up from the footage found on a smartphone and should entice those wanting more serious video footage. Lens gurus will immediately be attracted to the ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* lens which has been a long-term partnership with Sony. The HDR (High Dynamic Range) is also a fantastic addition, especially considering it wasn’t too long ago that this was only possible in post-processing. The 3840 x 2160 of 4K above Full HD at 1920 x 1080 clearly gives more resolution, but it’s also about the lens and image sensor quality. The 4K feature is a big selling point here, but this shouldn’t be its only draw. A familiar camcorder design with a flip out screen and weighing just over two pounds, feels like it’s a quality build. The Sony FDR-AX700 4K HDR has the label of a camcorder and also the looks. This camcorder falls into the category of ‘prosumer.’ Those who want better than average quality, but don’t want to pay for top of the range gear, the Sony FDR-AX700 4K HDR definitely fits this category. But if you want the best in video quality without paying for a pro grade video setup, a camcorder is still a great option. While it may seem that the consumer camcorder market has been taken over with the advances in smartphones and DSLRs, there’s never been a better time to dive into the advances made in video quality from this section of the market.ĤK video has been around in smartphones for a few years, which you’d probably think negates the need for a dedicated video camcorder.

Sony 4k camera