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Availability:
Only 1 left in stock, order soon!
Arrives
Friday, Jul 17
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Features
- Capture 4k/30p video that far exceeds HD resolution, High-frame-rate shooting at 120p
- 1" Exmor R CMOS sensor with Direct Pixel Read Out
- 14MP resolution video and 20MP still image capture
- Advanced BIONZ X image processing engine for higher speed and peerless quality
- Speaker : Monaural Speaker.Filter Diameter:2.44 inches
- Lens Type: Fixed-Zoom
Description
Capture your vision in breathtaking 4K Ultra HD with the camcorder that fits in the palm of your hand. Sporting resolution that"s four times clearer than HD, this changes everything. Footage is captured with true cinematic depth thanks to the 1" image sensor and video is recorded with total versatility in mind: XAVCS, AVCHD and MP4. Put one in your hand and tell your story in 4K. NFC: Yes (NFC forum Type 3 Tag compatible)
Brand: Sony
Photo Sensor Technology: CMOS
Video Capture Resolution: 4K
Maximum Focal Length: 9.3 Millimeters
Maximum Aperture: 4 Millimeters
Flash Memory Type: Memory Stick
Video Capture Format: avchd;xavc_s
Supported Audio Format: MP3, WAV, AAC, FLAC
Screen Size: 3.5 Inches
Connectivity Technology: NFC
Sensor Type: CMOS
Connectivity Technology: NFC
Color: Black
Features: image-stabilization
Photo Sensor Size: 1-inch
Water Resistance Level: Not Water Resistant
Has Image Stabilization: Yes
Image stabilization: Image Stabilization
Form Factor: Handheld
Item Weight: 790 Grams
Wireless Compability: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Style Name: Base
Number of Batteries: 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. (included)
Operating System: Proprietary (Sony)
Maximum Focal Length: 9.3 Millimeters
Maximum Aperture: 4 Millimeters
Minimum Focal Length: 9.3 Millimeters
Lens Type: Zoom
Minimum Aperture: 4 Millimeters
Focus Type: Auto Focus
Screen Size: 3.5 Inches
Display Resolution Maximum: UHD
Flash Memory Type: Memory Stick
Flash Memory Speed Class: C10 or higher
Flash Memory UHS Speed Class: U3
Flash Memory Video Speed Class: 48MB/s
Flash Memory Bus Interface Type: UHS-I
Optical Zoom: 12
Digital Zoom: 160 x
Zoom: Optical
Brand: Sony
Model Number: FDRAX100/B
Camcorder Type: Video Camera
Model Name: FDR-AX100/B
Built-In Media: 90-Days Labor), Cr2025 Battery For Remote Commander, Lens Cap, Lens Hood, Limited Warranty (1-Year Parts, Micro Hdmi Cable, Power Cord, Rmt-835 Remote Commander, Sony Fdr-Ax100 4K Ultra Hd Camcorder, Usb Connection Support Cable, User Manual
Antenna Location: filmmaking, professional videography, high-resolution video recording for events, nature/wildlife documentation
Are Batteries Included: Yes
Manufacturer: Sony
UPC: 027242877542 617689595279
Global Trade Identification Number: 42
Warranty Description: 1 year coverage for labor, 1 year coverage for parts
Unit Count: 1.0 Count
Video Resolution: 4K
Video Capture Format: avchd;xavc_s
Effective Still Resolution: 20 MP
Image Capture Speed: 120 fps
Shooting Modes: Slow Motion
Image Aspect Ratio: 169
Supported Image Format: JPEG
White Balance Settings: Auto
File Format: MP4
Exposure Control Type: Manual
Log Gamma Curve: S-Log
Supported Audio Format: MP3, WAV, AAC, FLAC
Number of Speakers: 1
Compatible Devices: NFC-enabled devices
Frequently asked questions
If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is:
Friday, Jul 17
Yes, absolutely! You may return this product for a full refund within 30 days of receiving it.
To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.
View our full returns policy here.
To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.
View our full returns policy here.
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Top Amazon Reviews
Just a few notes on: As a refurbished, came in a sony box with little padding, but with all accessories They stated warranty for 90 days Everything looks new A separate cable purchase is needed to use video out through minijack to Rca There is an hdmi short cable to connect to hdtv While in 4k the camera stops displaying through hdmi on an hdtv when it records but it does so in standby Has WiFi to transfer photos and mp4 videos to enabled phone , works with galaxy s3 so far and play memories app also works as remote on phone Recorded nonstop about 2 hours in 4k in a 53 gigs file on sony sdxc card purchased separately, watch for card speed for 4k as it needs 60megs per second or better write speeds The wide angle feels plenty enough (28mm equivalent on 35mm scale?) but that's the only time it gives f 2.8, as zooming in it changes automatically up to a minimum f4 and beyond depending on settings Was able to set manually and separately (separate buttons on the camera and not covered by the lcd) exposure, shutter speed, gain (in db rather than an iso numbering) audio levels for 2 channels - it has meters for 5 but didn't try that mode yet (the meters can show on screen but tiny) Installed play memories software on pc, only works with vista or newer, not working with xp and older, xp would not recognize camera or sdxc card, not even with proper usb2 card reader that otherwise works fine with windows 8.1 - (the footage can also be accesed without play memories installed but not in xp) The software once camera is connected through usb launches and finds camera and new photos, videos, and can either import them automatically or manually BUT BE CAREFUL AS I THOUGHT I DID IMPORT AND REFORMATTED THE CARD ONLY TO DISCOVER THE VIDEOS WERE MISSING FROM THE DRIVE SO CHECK AND BACKUP! The touch screen sometimes needs more than one tap to execute With all functions displayed it's somewhat hard to see what's being recorded but a push (or two) of a button makes all but the video frame being recorded go hide. HOWEVER THE BLACK BUTTON IS ALMOST IDENTICAL AND VERY CLOSE TO THE BLACK POWER BUTTON AND SUCH YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF SHUTTING THE CAMERA OFF The camera turns on automatically when the flip out LCD screen is opened or when the viewfinder is pulled out. The power button is covered by the lcd when closed and so is the card compartment THERE IS NO WAY TO PULL THE CARD OUT WITHOUT TURNING ON THE CAMERA (Opening the lcd) UNLESS YOU REMOVE THE BATTERY There is also a license for Sony Vegas Platinum 13 included in the box and the program can be downloaded and installed and activated (on windows 8 32bit or better, check for system requirements on line) in order to edit videos shot with the camera. I was able to shoot in low light using just a 60 watts regular bulb in a room with little gain added The DOF is all right but not as spectacular as on my Canon T2i with the nifty fifty 50mm lens at f1.8 There are zebras for overexposure and they can be setup manually in 5 step increments such as 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100 The manual ND filters are great when trying to shoot at a set f stop or when there is way to much light There is a button to switch between manual and auto focus, black and flat, so while the lcd is open it takes a bit to find it as the lcd blocks it from view THE FLAT BLACK ROUND BUTTONS ON THE BLACK BODY LOOK COOL BUT THEY SHOULD REALLY BE BUBBLY AND OF DIFFERENT COLORS AS TO STAND OUT EITHER VISUALLY OR BY TOUCH AND BE EASIER TO FIND AND ACCESS. The zoom 2 button toggle on the body has a fixed and rather fast speed so smooth and slow zooms have to be dialed manually by turning the ring around the lens, ring that can be assigned either to zooming or to focusing manually. The lens feels parfocal, an expensive and rare feature in dslr lenses, as it seems to keep the subject in focus through the zooming in and out even with manual focus on - the way to test is by zooming all the way in than focusing, then locking focus, then zooming out... the subject should remain in focus - however, f4 or more should be chosen otherwise if lower it will change with the zooming in For those with pro audio demands: my Sennheiser 416 combined with the good ol' Beachtech XLR to stereo minijack adapter and with camera audio on manual gain provided clean and loud enough levels in my tests The multipurpose shoe mount on top of the camera has a lid that feels weak when open and it needs an adapter (under 10 bucks on ebay) to give the user the good ol' shoe mount folks have been used to for years and years on still and video cameras, yes the one that all accessories used to be made for... The viewfinder has adjustment for diopters and also can swing up on an angle, once open, for proper viewing - great when there's to much light to watch the lcd or if the shooter doesn't want to disturb people around HOWEVER IN ORDER TO TOGGLE THE CAMERA FUNCTIONS DISPLAYS ON AND OFF THE SCREEN THE LCD NEEDS TO BE OPEN AS THE BUTTON FOR THAT IS COVERED BY THE LCD DOOR. It may be a way around as there is an assignable button available but that is yet to be explored.(checked but only exposure or white balance features can be assigned) So far so good...
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Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2015 by RV
We recently purchased this camcorder from Amazon. It exceeded my expectations. It does have very good resolution and the lens supports this just fine. The codec for 4K writes about 50-60 mb/s which doesn't seem like a like for UHD resolution. But it works for me. We use it to shoot opening wide shots on a tall tripod. Slow movements if any. And we can zoom in on a 1080 timeline without noticeable decay in quality. Very cool. I haven't seen noticeable artifacts for this use. I haven't tried it on codec-breaking shots so I cannot comment on fast motion and similar uses. My friend has another UHD camcorder that is quite difficult to use and not have some shots that aren't quite what he expected once back at the studio. This camcorder can be point and shoot in auto mode with really nice results. And the media costs are tiny compared to his media costs. So I am very happy with my purchase. Negatives: Well, its cinetone setting isn't as filmic as our FS700, but this camcorder is much cheaper. It also only can record UHD resolution at 30P, but to be fair to do more is uncommon right now and the current hdmi to 4k TV spec is only 30P right now. It still looks great especially for my use. The native 4k file cannot be played with Windows Media Player right now. I suppose some third party media players could but I have messed with that. The Sony software that is provided can play it of course. And these files import, play and edit just fine in Adobe Premiere CC. I should also mention it can do 1080 60P video at 50 mb/s, which looks great for shots requiring very smooth motion. I have a Sony DSC-RX10 camera too which I think uses this sensor. It is an awesome sensor and this camera makes really good 1080 video as well as great stills. You can get excellent resolution and bokeh if you want it or not, pretty easily. I recommend the FDR-AX100 camcorder.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2014 by DWR
So, lemme preface this by saying: this is MY rating on a very very well made camera, but I have a videography business (mostly filming live music events), and I bought this camera to serve a specific purpose...to work alongside my Canon Vixia G30 (which only goes up to 1080p @ 60fps in terms of image quality), so my comparison will be in light of how it fairs with that other comparable camera. These are not pros/cons necessarily, but very important notes on the differences between the 2, and whether or not your type of camera usage allows the Sony to fit the bill: - 4K Quality @ 30fps - This is the biggest bonus on this camera, and the 4K quality is indeed stunning in most settings. However, I film in low-light settings a lot, and once you get into that territory, the 4K quality degrades to basically 1080p @ 30fps. Also, the file size for 4K is 6-8 times greater than any 1080p-level video. So it becomes almost impractical to use, especially if you record a 30-40 minute show - Simplicity of Use - The touch screen does require a firmer touch than I'm used to (note: concerned about the longevity of the touchscreen), but the menu setup is fairly simple and straight-forward. The manual controls are WAY more intuitive than they are on the Canon Vixia G30, so that's a big bonus for me, because I typically use this camera on a tripod to give me a full-stage/broader video shot. - Customization of Camera Settings Somewhat Limited - So, I just said the simplicity of use is great, right? Well, the upshot of that is: if you want to micro-customize your audio/video settings, then this Sony camera won't let you do that. You easily have a myriad of audio recording settings on the Canon G30 (consequently, it's the BEST camera to record live music audio!). Not so with the Sony camera. Granted, the audio quality IS still very good, the camera is intuitive in that regard...but if you like to micro-manage your settings like I do, that freedom doesn't exist on this Sony camera. - Slow/Overactive Focus - The camera is constantly seeking to find a focus point in auto mode, so you have to get used to that. This happens often in low-light music performances, or when fog machines kick in, or lights move a lot. That's really my one biggest complaint keeping this from being a 5 star review, but I seldom have that problem with the Canon G30...faster focusing processor really makes a difference in how this camera gets used. What that means when you are, say, filming an airshow, that's hard to say...haven't tried that yet. - Better Camera for Long-Shoot Video - My Canon G30 tends to do a digital "break" in video at about 15 mins...its fairly seemless, but I can lose a few milliseconds of audio in that process. But that's not an issue with this camera, it easily filmed a full 40 min band set as one digital file, and I think went almost an hour for another show I did before doing a video break. Big plus for the Sony camera! - Low-light Quality is Pretty Good, But Not Spectacular - I would say this camera is marginally lower in terms of picture quality than my Canon G30 is, in low-light (note: only tested in 4K setting, have not tried 1080)...which is surprising, because the lense on the Sony is gigantic. Again, in brighter/mid-level lighting, the Sony camera surpasses my Canon, though - Rolling Shutter Issues Are Noticeable - If you move around a lot in low-lighting, then the rolling shutter issues in 4K mode that you see other reviews talk about are noticeable. But in 1080p @ 30fps or 60fps, it's practically non-existent...no different than my Canon G30. - Steadycam Quality is Very Good - There's always a compromise between image quality and steadiness when you use a camera's steadycam mode. But the Sony camera was comparable to the Canon G30 in this department...until you do a long or fast pan shot, whereby the rolling shutter issues can come into play. I guess what I'm saying though is that the steadycam mode is effective and doesn't make the rolling shutter any worse, at least. - Sturdy Build/Weight - Some folks complain about the build quality, but in comparison to the Canon G30, it feels a lot more durable. It is slightly heavier, so that may come into play if you use the camera handheld, for long periods of time. But I get arm cramps with the Canon G30 just the same as with the Sony...it's not the weight, just the unnatural holding position, so the weight is not really an issue for me. - Lense Design - The Sony lense is gigantic! Getting a UV filter big enough to cover this lense took a little more time. But just like the Canon G30, this camera comes with a wind/glare guard that attaches to the front...the Canon G30 windguard has a flap you can lower, so it's easy to leave that windguard on and just open or close the flap when you go from shots. The Sony camera doesn't have that...you have to hold on to your lense cap then put that in place (or tether the lense cap to you camera). I can see the possibility of losing the lense cap is higher with the Sony because of this, but it's a very minor difference. So overall, if I were to do this over again...I might have just bought another Canon G30 (or G40 now), but that doesn't mean this camera is not useful for you, because it DOES have a lot of positives going for it. But while you're shopping around, keep these points in mind. ***UPDATE: After using this camera for stormchasing, I've discovered that it has a very intuitive sensor in mid-to-low level light after all, and it can see things BETTER than my naked eyes can see sometimes when looking at cloud formations. So this camera does have that going for it now!!***
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Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2017 by David L
This is one of the best video products that Sony has come out with. I strongly believe that Sony could have charged double, but brought this camera to market for the purpose of putting more 4K content within the reach of consumers, with the ultimate goal of selling an even greater amount of 4K LED televisions. Because of this, the video quality is excellent. This Sony camera far outperforms the Panasonic AG-HMC150 3CCD that I had been using. The larger pickup in the Sony makes for great low-light performance. While I have been shooting in 4K, for fast motion scenes I use the 1080P (50mb/s) setting of the camera, because the 4K frame rate is too low for action. To help insure the highest resolution and video quality, you MUST use a high-quality CLEAR lens protector (not a UV filter), such as the "HOYA PRO1 Digital 62mm MC PROTECTOR." Hoya 62mm DMC PRO1 Glass Protector. I can trick this camera into using the cheaper HD cards by simply reformatting them as HDXC cards in my Windows 7 MSI laptop workstation. PowerDirector 12 video editing software handles the 4K format with ease and downconverts the final output into many different formats, including burning DVD and BD. I've found that I can get BluRay quality on DVD by using the AVCHD format, which many disc players can handle. The Wasabi Power Battery (2-Pack) and Charger for Sony NP-FV100 cost me about $35, and includes 2 batteries and a charger for the extended-life batteries. The charger is important since no external battery charger is included with the camera. If you buy a spare battery by itself, you must charge it in the camera.Wasabi Power Battery (2-Pack) and Charger for Sony NP-FV100 and Sony DCR-SR15, SR21, SR68, SR88, SX15, SX21, SX44, SX45, SX63, SX65, SX83, SX85, FDR-AX100, HDR-CX105, CX110, CX115, CX130, CX150, CX155, CX160, CX190, CX200, CX210, CX220, CX230, CX260V, C... I would strongly recommend the Sony ECM-XYST1M Stereo Microphone (fits in built-in shoe) for outboard audio for higher quality audio. The price was $129 in April 2014, but is now $99 in July:Sony ECM-XYST1M Stereo Microphone (Black) In summation, this camera appears to outperform virtually all 1080P cameras, and does a better job (in my humble opinion) than most BlackMagic devices, and gives RED production cameras a run for their money. This is a perfect camera capturing more video detail than you could ever imagine, and dollar for dollar, puts everything else to shame.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2014 by zoolane
This is an amazing camera. I loved it so much I bought another. I have had many cameras over the years and this is my new favorite. I think I will be selling my PMW200. The picture quality is jaw dropping on the AX100. The screen captures I've taken from it look like stills taken with a nice DSLR. The image has very little noise compared to smaller sensor cameras. I used 2 of them to shoot a musical at my sons High School. The 4k has made it so I can shoot with 2 cameras instead of 3. I can set one camera to cover the full width of the stage and use the other for close and medium shots. With the wide camera it is easy to crop quite a bit without loosing much quality when your final output is 1080P. The controls are also the best I've used on a prosumer camera. The controls are not as good as my PMW200 but in many ways the picture is better on the AX100. I love having the 3 dedicated buttons to control shutter, iris and gain with the smaller wheel. However I think my favorite feature is the two levels of zoom on the focus magnifier (it has it's own dedicated physical button). My PMW200 only has one level and it is often not enough. With the AX100 I can easily see it I have sharp focus. The screen and viewfinder are also both very nice. I almost forgot to mention that it has built in ND filters!!!!! On a consumer camera that is amazing. Thank you Sony, you have hit it out of the park with this camera. I had purchased the significantly more expensive FDRAX1 and returned it because of focus problems and the processor not being able to keep up when shooting in 60p (controls would lag significantly). The image quality on the AX100 is much better as well (far less noisy). Things I'd love to see in the next version. (or a Pro Version of the AX100) - These are picky and none are deal breakers. - Dual SD slots. (Cards don't fail very often but when they do it can be very very bad) - Lens protection that doesn't require a cap. - Put the focus magnification button where the photo button is or at least let me reprogram them. (The focus mag. is hard to find in the dark) - The zoom is a little slow (I don't remember seeing an option in the menu to speed it up). - 60p would be nice when processors get a bit faster. (I'd rather have only 30p than a fan or slow performance like on the FDRAX1). I actually prefer the look of 30p but 60p would be nice for slow motion or sports.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2014 by V. Wilson
Turned on the camera for the first time and see E:61:31 flashing in the upper right corner of the LCD display. Quick google search reveals the camera has detected an internal error, suggests the camera be sent back to Sony for repair. How disappointing as I put my order in back on Feb 1st.
Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2014 by Michael P.
The 2016 review of a device manufactured in 2014. Bells and whistles comes at a premium. Ultra modern style. Look at the battery it's the fv70 not fv50 (the difference is a slightly lower amperage = lower battery or higher life. Fair honest and balanced review. Full version. 25-5000k lines long. dep. the screen seen here text and photo (1). Bad and negative say comes last. First real camcorder device owned but operated a (dated) model year 2000s but did record motion picture. The first day and impressions on the features in an open and closed environment. Day One What does this device do? This device takes visual and sounds then stores data to a media device card. The device shows off "4K", (3820x2160 resolution not to confuse with 4K lines of resolution) 20 million pixel capture sensor, maximum light gathering aperture 2.8 - 4.5, (good) 5.1 channel sound limited, automatic functions, exclusive Sony, Inc. accessories, (sold separately). The device can connect to a television set from the 1980s and other non-digital sources. 62 mm diameter lense that is big. Touchscreen lcd that's new idea. The whole 1" sensor in the category (look up camera capture sensor). Auto focus 5 to 10 seconds. Boot and shut down 5 seconds. Manual (not recommended) tuning on iso, shutter, aperture. Nd filter (button control is sketchy). So it's basically it is a Sony Mark IV (eng. 4) (see other device (camera) and integrate mid-end 12x optical zoom lense. The camcorder device allows the shooter to "image stabilization" to compensate shaking. The lithium ion battery is large but a full charge lasts two hours continued until shut off. So wait a minute second thoughts? In this economy, why or would you get the idea to trade 1,699 American dollars on the device? Well that means fewer than average mass volume market and sales. Now pay explicit attention straight into the "marketing" value. The color of the main lense is purple-blue-violet. Alright so I thought the lense are exactly in that color. Reality is clear full opluque GLASS lense. No color so boring. The fingerprint smudges on the lcd some people say that is grose. I found a (relatively small) glossy shine when "manual" or the "nd filter 1 2 3 button" but nothing alarming. There is a follow up of the review and wraps up the final conclusion of all of the facts and opinions. The photos and videos when finished the final product is done processing. This review will be updated at a later date. "The settings, the angle of view, and color sensitivity." That photo is average USB
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Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2016 Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2016 by Brian Moore
ORIGINAL REVIEW (SEE UPDATE BELOW) Imports Perfectly in Final Cut Pro.... ...if you own a Mac and you use Final Cut Pro, you are golden! The 4K videos are .mp4 files that imports straight into Final Cut Pro without any transcoding / conversion. EXPECTATIONS I had low expectations for this camera based on some of the less than stellar reviews by those who purchased it before me. But once I started using it, I fell in love with in. TARGET AUDIENCE / PRICE Let's get the big picture first. This is a consumer-grade camcorder designed for the "masses" / early adopters. Those who might have been harsh in reviewing this camera may have had a Pro mentality. Yes this camera will not measure up to any Pro equipment, but that is not the target audience of this product given its price range. SIZE / WEIGHT The size of the camcorder may overwhelm you at first since most of Sony's camcorder in recent years have been very small. But once you hold it in your hand, you'll be pleasantly surprise that it's fairly light given its volume. For me, the form factor is just right. It fits my hands perfectly. And the large volume of the camera affords it a large screen and gives it that pro-sumer feel / look. Anyone who sees you holding this camera will immediately know this is not a $300 camcorder especially once they notice the nice big bold "4K" silver logo. CONTROLS It's fairly basic and kept to the barebones both the online controls and the in-camcorder settings. Sure you have some manual settings / dials / knobs, but they are easy to figure out and even the manual is very thin and can be read in 5 mins. This just makes the camcorder that much more usable. By and large I will simply just "point-and-shoot" but if certain rare occasions warrants it, I'll have an option to manually control certain aspect of the camcorder, such as focus, ISO, F-stop, etc. The camcorder even came with a remote which is nice. PICTURE QUALITY My baseline of comparison is the Sony HDR-CX150. It's a very compact camcorder that takes excellent video given its form factor. The CX150 is so good of a camcorder that we've purchased two of it over the years--and we still use both. My hope was that the AX100 would deliver picture quality on par with the CX150 and it does! At 1080p, the AX100 looks great! I don't have a 4K TV or monitor yet, but viewing the 4K footage on my Retina MacBook Pro (2K? resolution) looked great to me. SOUND The AX100 is equipped with an on-board 5.1 surround sound mic. While it is great for the most part, hearing my own voice come out of all of the surround sound speakers from our stereo, that is not what I intend to use this camera for. We bought this camcorder to document our daughter's childhood, so hearing her voice is more important than hearing my voice (talking behind the camera). While there is a nifty button you can press to cancel out the camera operator's voice, I opted to get a Sony external mic instead so I can better focus the mic recording towards my daughter. Unless you have a specific need like me, the on-board 5.1 surround sound mic will be more than adequate for most users--in fact, it's pretty good. SOFTWARE I didn't bother installing Sony's software that you can download from their web site. The primary software I use for importing and editing 4K video is Final Cut Pro which fully supports the .mp4 file that this camera generates--thankfully! HARDWARE You will need a fairly fast computer with a very fast hard drive to do 4K video editing. And yes, you can edit 4K videos even if your monitor is only 1080p. A Mac with a SSD hard drive will more than suffice for the job. OVERALL Given its price, target market, functionality and features I'd have to give this camcorder a 5-star rating. Is it perfect? Absolutely not. But is any product really? At some point , you have to figure out the price / performance ratio that works for you. Given my budget and needs this camcorder more than delivers. I would highly recommend this camcorder to any parent wanting to document their children's life in 4K. _________________ UPDATE May 18, 2014 - Changed Rating from 5 Star to 3 Star - Not for Kids After using this 4K camcorder for nearly a month capturing family videos on vacation and my daughter's life for the past 30 days, I have come to the conclusion that this camcorder is not for me and is of limited use. PANNING Because this is a 30p camcorder at 4K, panning or moving the camera from side to side, will produce choppy motions. This includes being in a playground capturing my daughter on a merry-go-round or just running around the house chasing her. This may seem tolerable when uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo since they are inherently a 30p streaming service, but this choppy motion gets magnified when burned on Blu-Ray which must now convert a 30p footage into 60p. The result is even worst. And this is using professional grade software such as Final Cut Pro X and Adobe Media Encoder CS6. COLORS / WHITE BALANCE The colors on this camera is so off that I had to do comparisons between what this camcorder captures in 4K and what my other camcorders and DSLRs capture. In summary, the colors on this camcorder is just plain wrong. You can see it on the LCD screen during the moment, and it's even worst when you watch it on the big screen television in the living room. This is with me having set everything to auto. While filming a 2 year old kid running around, you will not have time to fiddle with manual controls or you will miss the moment. Either way, the computer when set to auto mode captures colors of people's skin tones incorrectly especially when a bright light source hits the subject's face--they get washed out! This also happens when a bright light source hits portions of the scene. It produces a hint of magenta/purple-ish color that is so wrong, I have no idea how or where the camcorder is getting it from. However, things like landscapes always comes out perfectly....the mountain, the grass and the sky. I guess if you are a nature videographer always on a tripod this 4K camcorder would be perfect for you. SUMMARY In short, this consumer 4K camcorder isn't ready for primetime. At least, not ready for this consumer with a 2 year old daughter whose life he wanted to capture. I ended up not trusting the camcorder in the end and always had a backup camcorder or DSLR to capture the moments I wanted to capture. The steep price tag into the entry world of 4K, coupled with the so many compromises this camcorder makes you make, in the end, caused me to send it back (today in fact). This was a camcorder I wanted to love, and I did for a short period of time, but that love faded quickly as the camcorder let me down over and over in the course of just 30 days. I will stick to my Sony HDR-CX150. It's an old camcorder, but it's like "old faithful." You can trust it capture the moments correctly and it's so small it fits in my front jean pocket. Even my Sony a65 (and a99), captures videos more faithfully (as in, correctly) than this 4K camcorder. Sony probably just needs to give this camcorder a firmware update. The color issue on people's skin tones are now popping up everywhere. Just YouTube footage shot by folks in YouTube and pay attention to people's skin tones especially when there is a bright light source...and you will notice it's washed out. If you want to document your kid's life in the new 4K format, this camcorder is not for you--unless you can live with choppy motions due to the 30p or the incorrect/washed out skin tones.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2014 by Dad2014