First, I am not an expert videographer, but I have had good advanced amateur video cameras as an amateur for the past 25 years. Bottom line, I like this camera very much and would buy it again in a heartbeat. I chose this camera because it has a one inch sensor, much larger than the sensors in most consumer video cameras. So the physical size of each pixel is larger and it will be better in low light. This camera is at the very top of the prosumer range and takes images of terrific quality. It is a little bigger, feels very well built, and a little heavier than the cameras I am used to. One thing I really like is that it is a second generation design. That means Sony had a couple of years of experience with the design before they made this one, so the design of this one benefits from that experience. Even with good image stabilization, for longer clips, like a grandchild performance for three minutes, it's also really helpful to get a good tripod. IMHO the video cameras today from Sony, Canon, and Panasonic are all excellent...a lot better than me... They all have more features than I would ever use. Whatever the camera you choose, learning how to get the most out of that camera is much more important than the selection you make. Keep in mind that each of the features has been put there by videographers more experienced than me who thought they added important versatility to the camera. So whatever camera you choose, if you want to get better as a videographer, a good way to start is to take your camera out and try each feature and learn to use it (on non important video). As you learn to use the features you also learn the creative opportunities that each feature opens to you. Don't buy a video camera to take fine quality still pictures. The still cameras have much more nuanced color processing and better pictures. Also video cameras generally have a narrower field of vision than the widest vision available on still cameras, and for stills, that's very important.

Well worth every penny. Got it to video my 8 month old daughter growing up. Also, for vacation trips. I'm a paranormal investigator and using this AX700 paired with the Sony HVL-LEIR1 battery video IR light you will make some crazy good night videos and pics! Don't forget the LCS-U30 case!

A few years ago I purchased a Sony FDR-AX100 and I've been very happy with it. Now I've purchased a Sony FDR-AX700, which has many upgrades not present in my early-model AX-100. Pros - my top favorites - The autofocus seems faster and more accurate. - Time lapse ability. - Slow motion ability. - Improvements to the hot shoe make mounting some non-Sony devices (like microphones) possible or easier. - Slots for two SD cards, with a variety of options. - Shares the same model batteries as the AX-100. - Most buttons and controls in the same place as on the AX-100, so moving from the AX-100 to the AX-700 is pretty smooth. - Nice eye cup makes using the EVF outdoors in the sun a great option. Cons The AX-100 had a button you could press to put the internal microphones in a mode where camera operator speech or sounds were greatly reduced - I used that feature a lot. It does not appear to be present in the AX-700. The AX-700 has some controls moved to new locations, and some informational displays changed a bit, so when switching between the two camcorders there are some things to get used to. The ability to re-purpose some of the buttons is handy, depending upon how you are using the camcorder. Some may find this a killer feature, while others may never use it. Personally, I like and use it. There are some differences in the size and shape when going from the AX-100 to the AX-700. The AX-700 is a little larger, and in particular, a little wider. If you have a camcorder bag that your AX-100 fits nicely, you may find that the AX-700 does not fit it. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as in my case it meant that I have two different size camcorder bags so a quick look at the bag tells me which camcorder is in the bag. The AX-100 and AX-700 share the same batteries, so the batteries you have for the AX-100 will work great with the AX-700. Similarly, both camcorders use SD cards, and depending upon the codec you are using for recording, your existing SD cards will probably work well with the AX-700, but in some cases you may need to go to a higher-speed SD card to use some bitrates supported by the AX-700. The second slot is also very handy! Instruction Manual Pet Peeve One change to make note of if you are a user of the AX-100 is that to get to the menu on the AX-700 you MUST press the "MENU" button which on the AX-100 is the "MANUAL" exposure button. Similarly, on the AX-700 if you want to go to manual exposure you need to move a slide switch on the back of the camcorder below and to the left of the eyepiece. The location of the "MENU" button IS in the manual, but you don't run across it until page 46 of the manual I have, or page 59 in the "Parts and controls" section at the end of the manual, UNLESS you are interested in taking photos, in which case you will find a reference on page 25. Personally, I think pages 57 through 63 should be near the FRONT of the manual so if you are reading the manual front-to-back you will see the diagrams before you need to use the buttons, not at the end, right before the "Index". Also, there are index entries for a lot of switches and buttons, but there is NO ENTRY FOR THE MENU BUTTON, one of the most important buttons. Just as with the AX-100, with the AX-700 you will probably want a battery with a larger capacity, and there is one - the Sony NP-FV100A. I'm not sure how long the NP-FV100A lasts with the AX-700, but with the AX-100 I have typically gotten from about 4 hours 10 minutes to 4 hours 35 minutes of continuous 4K recording with the flip out LCD display in use. I'm very happy with my AX-700, and it makes great 4K recordings.

This camcorder has a lot of features which I have still been exploring but a few key things that stand out. The full size HDMI is a real plus as I am using this camera primarily for live streaming. The dual SD cards are great as well. The touch screen is responsive although is not as clear as those of dslrs or mirrorless cameras. I also use an R5 and it’s touchscreen, while smaller, has razor sharp image quality. This of course has no affect on the recorded images. The only downside to the Sony camcorder has been the archaic file/menu system leaving much to be desired. The menus are long and not the most intuitive. The files on the sd cards require 4 or so folders deep until you actually access your videos. This doesn’t make me want to give a lower rating to the camcorder but should be noted as an annoyance especially if you are in settings where you may need to access the menus more of be accessing the files more often.

Best Video Camera I've ever had. Pros: - The video is so vivid and clear - Incredibly easy to use. Intimidating at 1st but pretty straight forward and so easy to use - 2 SD Card inputs serving as back-up - Haven't had it that long but the battery maintains and battery charge is long I'd recommend - Sony still best in class for me for video equipment