Received my camera today. It was described as "Open Box", "Condition Excellent", and I agree. There is no damage or even sign of use on the camera or accessories and everything was included and nicely packed into the original box. I had read some reviews saying this was a larger HandyCam, so I got out my older HandyCams to compare. The largest is a Video8 unit from 1995. I used it 7 years and documented both of my sons' first years and many important family events. The 2002 HandyCam DVD was a nice upgrade in picture quality and convenience. It was much smaller and featured Super SteadyShot, so the video was much smoother. The AX53 is longer than the HCDVD, but not as tall. I expected to use the bag from the DVD HandyCam, but the AX53 is about 1 inch too long and doesn't fit. Well, it does fit with the battery removed but there is nowhere in the case to put the battery. Of the three cameras, the AX53 is much smaller than the Video8 HandyCam, and smaller than the DVD HandyCam in all dimensions but length. In the hand, the start/stop button, picture button, and zoom rocker are right where I expect them to be, so it feels very familiar. One point notes is that the first two came with remotes for recording and for playback, so you can wire the camera to a TV and control it across the room. The AX53 did not include a remote but can use a smartphone to control it. I've used the Sony HandyCams and a long zoom Cybershot for 25 years now, and have never had a failure. The old ones are hopelessly outdated but still work. Expecting this AX53 to continue the family tradition!

Super smooth zoom in and out,great battery life,super great picture quality

Video/photo quality is great. Menues are understandable but UI is mediocre. It’s kind of a pain to switch between different photo/vid settings. Would love to see more actual buttons instead of having to go to the menu for everything. Camera is a decent size and weight. But don’t expect to be able to take great action footage. Overall this is a good prosumer model that can handle a wide variety of needs. A jack of all trades and master of none.

Excellent Cam Corder for content creators. Also a high end option for personal users looking to capture family memories. Highly recommend anyone looking for a quality camera that can do it all very well are a competitive price.

The best camera for filming a zoomed in moving target.