SonyFDR-AX53 Ultra HD 4K Compact Camcorder with 64 GB SF-E Series UHS-II U3 V60 SDHC Digital Memory Card Bundle

FDR-AX53 failed with major data error after normal use over a 33 month period. According to Amazon this is ‘beyond the expected life of the product’. Amazon fail to recognise UK consumer rights law and fob me off with advice to contact Sony about the faulty product. If 33 months is ‘beyond the expected life’ for a £750 consumer camcorder then it is an absolute waste of money and not fit for purpose. You decide whether to waste your money or not!

The only negative about this camera is it's only really got semi auto control (priority shooting) so you cant set all the components of exposure manually. This is locked in software to obviously make you spend an extra £1,000 on the AX100 or the new AX700. This is a little annoying but as I'm not using the camera for professional shooting or paid work i can deal with this. The auto settings do a good job and I tend to use the camera on the move so manual exposure tweaking often isn't practical.Other than that the picture quality is clear, noise is low even at higher gain settings and the stabiliser is second to none. You also get 3.5mm mic input (which I use for a rode videomicro), headphone jack and evf. I love the ability to setup manual focus using the front focus ring. I use manaul focus with the focus peaking turned on more than I thought I would. Not because the auto focus is bad but because the ring is so easy and lets you fix a focus point quickly. Used to it's full potential this camera can create great quality video.

OMG... I am a video editor and a fairly decent camera operative and this camera treats me like a total idiot which zero idea of where I like to stop a pan to. Meaning- the 5 axis balance is insane! I am sure its great where you are jogging to keep up with your subject but when you have a steady hand as I do, deliberately stop somewhere on a hand-held pan and the confounded thing keeps rocking as though your decisions are not good enough?! No- I wasn't going too fast. Yes- it went back. Saved myself nearly £160 and got an equivalent Panasonic.Otherwise- nicely weighted in the hand (I am used to the Panasonic HVX200 but also had an old, much smaller, Sony camcorder for discreet work) for my liking.Build quality was OK with enough metal to make me think it wasn't just a toy. Inconvenient that it doesn't come with a mains lead and a battery charger. Battery life is never going to be adequate for me and I like the ability to plug into the mains if a shoot runs over or, at VERY least, charge the (second) battery.Writing of metal... The other thing which got to me is that when I received it the lens cover was open and the outer ring's edge is very sharp metal and had "shaved" the stupid non-woven packaging. And, with the lens exposed, that allowed the lens to be covered in shavings. I'd have had to have cleaned the lens before I could have used it, if I had kept it.

I have been using the ax53 for sometme now, I find it simple to use and with the best quality video I have seen, it is well made and has the feel of a professional camera, I strongly advise using nd filters with the camera for perfect video, the steady shot is fantastic and the zoom gives good quality even at full zoom, you can set your own settings and use this in full manual with Manual focus or exposure, but in full auto mode the results are pretty much faultless, I use manual shutter speed with nd filter or polariser, pop it into sunny on w/b and that’s about it, the results are amazing, the microphone is very good but you can always use a shotgun mic or other with the mic input on the camcorder, it’s an all round perfect camcorder that can be used by anyone, also by the professional.

This is a very full featured camera considering the size - which doesn't sit much above your average "family vacation camcorder" size (providing you're not a time traveller from the 90s).The features and operation are immediately apparent to anyone who has operated a handicam, and most people will be able to get up and filming in no time. However, it's where you start to dive into the features of the camera that you find yourself pleasantly surprised. The wheel at the front can be used to tweak any number of things - such as focal range (magnifier included) AE balance and contrast. This, combined with a quality zoom, really helps give you control over the look of your shots. The steadicam gyroscope is also extremely handy when trying to capture a moving shot without rigid dolly or tripod stiffness.The only thing I would recommend is a large memory card (there isn't one included). The video files easily creep into the GB range!

This camcorder is a great build. it really feels like quality. The LED is bright and vibrant and the res is enough to do its job. I wasn't sure I like the 'wobble' inside due to the stabilizer but this is something I've gotten used to. I was very impressed by the quality of the 4K videos which I took on the beach. Previous to that, I had only taken videos indoors to good effect.It brightens up dark videos quite nicely, however when it comes to still photographs, even with full direct studio lighting with LED's, the result is a dull image! I can't seem to figure this out so appreciate any advice. I can't see any option to fix this in the menu. I always have to edit the photo on the computer.Otherwise, recommended!