Panasonic - HC-VX870K 4K Ultra HD Flash Memory Camcorder - Black
User rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars with 247 reviews.
4.5(247 Reviews)- 122 Answered Questions
If received today, the last day to return this item would be Jul 16. Learn more ˃
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Features
20x optical/60x digital zoom
Plus up to 25x Intelligent Zoom for 4K Ultra HD resolution and up to 40x Intelligent Zoom for Full HD resolution brings distant objects and subjects into clear view.
4K Ultra HD recording
With a 30p frame rate offers lifelike detail and breathtaking images.
3" LCD touch screen
With 460,800 dots resolution enables simple navigation of features and provides crisp visuals.
1/2.3" BSI MOS sensor
With 18.91 total megapixels and 8.29 effective megapixels captures stunning videos in up to 4K Ultra HD (3840 x 2160) and 1080p high-definition (1920 x 1080) resolutions.
4.08-81.6mm Leica Dicomar lens
Enables you to capture high-quality videos and images.
Hybrid O.I.S. (optical image stabilization)
With active mode, O.I.S. lock and level shot function minimizes the effects of camera shake and vibration to produce crisp, smooth footage.
Low-light and night-vision recording
Delivers sharp picture quality in dim lighting. Full high-definition slow-motion recording, allows you to capture smooth video with a brilliant picture.
Digital still photo mode
Captures stunning 4K images with up to 6784 x 3816 pixels resolution. HDR capability enables you to shoot gorgeous photos with breathtaking contrast and definition.
Stereo microphone
Records clear 2.0- or 5.1-channel Dolby Digital surround sound and features zoom and focus options to accommodate your needs. Dynamic speaker produces quality audio.
Memory card slot
Lets you store videos and photos on an SD, SDHC or SDXC card (not included).
Rechargeable battery pack
Provides up to 55 minutes of recording time on a full charge.
USB 2.0 interface
For easy image transfer. Micro HDMI output lets you view movie clips and photos on a compatible HDTV.
Wireless twin camera
Allows flexible shooting options.
What's Included
- 3.6V battery (1940 mAh)
- AC adapter, DC cable, micro HDMI cable, USB cable
- HC-VX870K 4K Ultra HD Flash Memory Camcorder
- HD Writer AE 5.2 software download
- Owner's manual
- Shoe adapter, lens hood
Key Specs
- Image Sensor TypeCMOS
- Maximum Focal Length81.6 millimeters
- Minimum Focal Length4.08 millimeters
- Effective Pixels8.29 megapixels
- Maximum Video Frame RateUp to 60 fps
- Video Resolution (Recording)4K (2160p)
- WaterproofNo
General
- Product NameHC-VX870K 4K Ultra HD Flash Memory Camcorder
- BrandPanasonic
- Model NumberHC-VX870K
- ColorBlack
- Color CategoryBlack
Included
- Batteries IncludedYes
- AC Adapter IncludedYes
- Memory Card IncludedNo
- Internal Memory IncludedNo
- Remote Control IncludedNo
Compatibility
- Tripod/Monopod MountableYes
- Memory Card CompatibilitySecure Digital, Secure Digital Extended Capacity (SDXC), Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC)
Imaging
- Digital Zoom60x
- Image File Format(s)AVCHD, MPEG-4, H.264, Other
- Low Light/High SensitivityYes
- Image Sensor TypeCMOS
- Optical Zoom20x
- 3D CaptureNo
- Image StabilizationHybrid
- 360 Degree CaptureNo
Exposure Control
- White Balance ModesAuto, white set, sunny, cloudy, indoor 1, indoor 2
- Focus ModesAutomatic/manual
- Auto/Manual FocusAutomatic/manual
- Maximum Focal Length81.6 millimeters
- Maximum Aperturef/1.8
- Minimum Aperturef/1.8
- Minimum Focal Length4.08 millimeters
- Effective Pixels8.29 megapixels
Video
- HDR ModeYes
- Slow Motion RecordingYes
- Maximum Video Frame RateUp to 60 fps
- Video Encoding FormatsAVCHD, MP4, MPEG-4
- Video Resolution (Recording)4K (2160p)
Features
- Face DetectionYes
- Integrated Speaker(s)Yes
- Action CameraNo
- Special EffectsMiniature, silent movie, 8mm movie, time lapse recording
- Night RecordingYes
- Wind Noise ReductionNo
Ports
- Charging Interface(s)Other
Storage
- Number Of Memory Card Slots1
Power
- Battery Life0.9 hours
- Battery SizeBattery pack
- AC Adapter CompatibleYes
- Battery ModelVW-PWPK
- Removable BatteryYes
- Rechargeable BatteryYes
Connectivity
- Output(s)3.5mm audio, HDMI, USB 2.0
- Microphone InputYes
- Microphone TypeStereo mini
- Number Of USB Port(s)1
- Headphone JackYes
Display
- Display TypeLCD
- Aspect Ratio16:9
- Touch ScreenYes
- Screen Size3 inches
Dimension
- Product Width2.559 inches
- Product Height2.874 inches
- Product Depth5.472 inches
- Product Weight0.83 pounds
- Filter Diameter49 millimeters
Performance
- Water ResistantNo
- Shock ResistantNo
- WaterproofNo
Warranty
- Manufacturer's Warranty - Parts1 year
- Manufacturer's Warranty - Labor90 days
Other
- UPC885170229464
Customer reviews
Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars with 247 reviews
(247 customer reviews)Rating by feature
- Value4.4
Rating 4.4 out of 5 stars
- Quality4.6
Rating 4.6 out of 5 stars
- Ease of Use4.4
Rating 4.4 out of 5 stars
- Pros mentioned:4k, Picture quality, Video quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Definite best value in a budget 4K camcorder
||Posted .I am a photographer and videographer with a lot of cameras in my collection. I have a Panasonic G7 (larger sensor, 4K capable, but not a camcorder) which I can directly compare this to. Despite the video produced by the G7 being objectively better, this camcorder has become my go-to video device for some purposes. A video-capable DSLR is generally better in a controlled environment because it has a bigger sensor and a higher video bitrate, but a DSLR will never be a camcorder. When you walk out your front door and want to record something spontaneously, your DSLR's automatic performance will be worse and the way you hold it for video and use the zoom capability will be quite uncomfortable. If you're choosing between a 4K DSLR and this camcorder for video production, you can't go wrong with this camcorder. There are benefits to a smaller sensor and this capitalizes on those, particularly the longer zoom ranges. I have shot "close" videos of helicopters flying over me that I could never do with the best DSLR and telephoto lens (480mm @ 35mm equivalent) I own. Auto-focus is very fast. There is no visible purple fringing even at maximum zoom. The manual mode requires that you choose shutter speed before you choose iris and gain, however this is in stark contrast to even the double-price Sony FDR-AX100 I was desperate to buy a few months ago, a camcorder which has a bigger sensor yet only allows ONE THING to be manual at a time; if you set Sony 4K camcorders to manual shutter and then set a manual ANYTHING ELSE, they'll kick the iris back to automatic! Contrast this to the Panasonic which allows full manual settings and the Sony camcorders look crippled by comparison. Image quality in daylight is equal to my G7; in darker settings the limitations of a 1/2.3" BSI sensor become apparent and noise reduction smoothing kicks in hard, but it is still reasonable. With adequate lighting most of the NR smoothing goes away and the image looks great. Highlight roll-off is superior to Sony camcorders which have banding problems. 120fps slow-motion support is GREAT to have around. Overall, this camcorder is a great purchase. Despite having Canon and Panasonic DSLRs with nice lenses that cost a lot more, this camcorder is competitive with them and sometimes makes me wonder why I blew all that money on the other systems. I know that my other cameras have better low-light performance due to larger sensors and huge-aperture prime lenses, but when you need any sort of image automation they start to look sub-par in comparison to any camcorder...especially this one. If you are going to do a lot of video with automatic settings (not in a fully controlled environment) and you have little interest in still photography, I'd recommend this over the G7 w/14-42mm kit lens. If you're looking for maximum image quality and good low-light performance and vastly superior fully manual controls, the G7 is a clear winner. Each has its purpose and this fills its purpose well. The only con I can think of is that the "photo" button is poorly located and when I go for the zoom control I sometimes hit the photo button. One final note: the photos attached are still frames from 4K videos taken with this camera. The "photo" mode is pretty terrible though; don't expect that the photo button will produce anything good at all. This is not a photo camera.
I would recommend this to a friendBrand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .Thank you for the review..
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
GREAT quality!! 4K
||Posted .Pros: *Great 4K quality *Great in low light conditions *Ext mic input *Light Build in *Acceptable 4K photo quality Cons: *Nothing
I would recommend this to a friendBrand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .Thank you for the review..
- Pros mentioned:4k, Ease of use
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great for 4K TV
||Posted .I hadn't used a camcorder for several years as I've been using my iPhone. However, I missed having a decent zoom lens and wanted better quality to capture vacations and family events. I recently bought a 4K TV and decided it was time to buy a suitable camcorder. I looked online for awhile at different makes but kept coming back to this model from Panasonic. I bought it and have been using it for about two weeks and so far I really like it. The playback on the 4K TV looks awesome! Super sharp and great colors. There are lots of features with the unit for 1080 video but many of these are not available when 4K recoding is selected. This doesn't bother me as I really wanted a simple camcorder that my wife could use too. Keeping the unit in standby is great since as soon as you open the viewing screen the camera is ready to use. The zoom lens is very good and with the automatic stability feature you don't get a shaky image when at 25x optical magnification. I also like that playback is organized by the scene so you can quickly review what you just taped or completely delete a scene later (something you couldn't do with older tape units). It is also convenient that my TV's remote control will operate the camera in playback since a separate remote is not included. It has the ability to use your cellphone as a secondary camera and superimpose that video in the corner of the main video image (i.e., focus on someone's facial expressions while capturing the event they are watching). A shoulder strap is not included so I plan on getting one as I don't want to lug around a big camera bag or hold the unit in my hand all the time. The unit is very light, so I could carry it, and it fits well in my hand but again I'll buy a simple strap. I have a 64 GB card in it now and will eventually transfer the video to my external hard drive but haven't tried that yet. One minor item to note is the paper manual it comes with is truncated and only gives the basic information so you have to go online to get the full manual. Again, not a big issue for me as I downloaded it to my cellphone and can now refer to it anytime. So far the battery life is good (90 min on 4K) even when using the zoom lens. The camera does take still pictures at different resolutions with one at over 25 MB per image but I haven't done much with that yet. To date, I am very satisfied with the unit and look forward to exploring and using some of the other features it offers.
I would recommend this to a friendBrand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .Thank you for the review..
Features
Value5 out of 5Quality5 out of 5Ease of Use5 out of 5Cons mentioned:Errors, Use in low lightRated 5 out of 5 stars
Miles better than any Sony or Canon camcorder!
||Posted .This camcorder has been a fantastic purchase for me. I do professional video and I sometimes use this camcorder on pro shoots. Its smaller sensor relative to stills-style cameras does result in worse low-light performance, but that's about the only complaint I have. When I need a long zoom or a relatively wide shot, it handles both nicely, and getting an extra angle has saved several of my paid shoots from unpredictable errors like the performers on stage moving out of view of the wide A-camera. It has been invaluable for live streaming where I couldn't get close to the subject(s) and I needed a long zoom but would never be able to afford the crazy cannon-sized lenses needed for larger cameras to reach long distances. This camcorder is worth every cent. Warning: it doesn't shoot at 24 fps, so die-hard filmmakers that can't accept shooting in 30/60 fps and decimating to 24 fps in post will not be happy. I'll gladly take more frames per second any day, so this camcorder is a great fit for me.
Features
Value5 out of 5Quality5 out of 5Ease of Use5 out of 5I would recommend this to a friendBrand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .Thank you for the wonderful review and for taking the time to share your feedback with us. Our priority is customer service and we are ecstatic that we met that mark!
Features
Value5 out of 5Quality5 out of 5Ease of Use5 out of 5Pros mentioned:Ease of use, Video qualityRated 5 out of 5 stars
Panasonic 4k with wi-fi
||Posted .Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.This camcorder is easy to use. It has sharp crisp colors, with some unique features that stands out. Like NFC for easy phone connections, Wi-Fi screen in screen and more. Absolutely love it and recommend it.
Features
Value5 out of 5Quality5 out of 5Ease of Use5 out of 5I would recommend this to a friendBrand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .Thank you for your 5-star rating! We are happy to hear you are pleased with the product.
Features
Value5 out of 5Quality4 out of 5Ease of Use3 out of 5Pros mentioned:4k, Picture quality, PriceCons mentioned:BatteryRated 4 out of 5 stars
Good quality camcorder
||Posted .I got this back in camcorder to replace a sony that couldn't keep a clear picture. I have two kids that play lots of soccer. This is my workhorse i use to record all their games with. It's great because i can stream a video feed to a phone or tablet using image app. So i have this on a pole and stream it to a samsung tablet that i use to ensure I have the action in view. It has worked great for the almost 3 years i have had it. It works well. It has its quirks, though. It's almost impossible to find any firmware updates if there are any. Ustream through the Lumix club has not worked since IBM bought them years ago. So if your wanting to stream, expect to purchase an elgato capture card. As of right now though, the image quality is still exceptional after probably recording somewhere around 125 games and every christmas and it functions well still. One thing i did have to do was to purchase an oversized battery for it on amazon. The stock battery will not record an entire hour and 10 minute game. This is a great 4k camera though. It has way outlasted my last sony. I paid $699 in Nov 2017 and I feel like I have gotten my money's worth easily out of this camera. I can atest though, if your using this to record sports, this camera is great. I have never had it lose focus during filming. Good value, great picture. It has gotten lots of highlights.
Features
Value5 out of 5Quality4 out of 5Ease of Use3 out of 5I would recommend this to a friendBrand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .Thank you for sharing your experience and kind words with Panasonic. Enjoy!
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Very good camcorder
||Posted .I wanted to use a camcorder with remote control app so that I can control the exposure and the Panasonic HC-VX870 does the job. I previously tried the Sony AX53 and it defaults to full auto while in remote mode and messes up the video including the white balance switching to auto. The VX870 retains all my settings. Very useful. I had ignored Panasonic since a few bad experiences decades ago and has been a Sony user ever since. Now I am discovering Panny again :)
I would recommend this to a friendBrand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .Thank you for the review..
Features
Value4 out of 5Quality5 out of 5Ease of Use5 out of 5Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Awesome camcoder
||Posted .Owned for 5 months when reviewed.I've had this camcordrt since last sept and have been using it a lot. Ive been using the camcorder for my sons football games and my daughter kajukenbo events. Its been pretty awesome so far and I have no complaints. I don't have mivh experience with camcorderd but this has been pretty easy for me to use.
Features
Value4 out of 5Quality5 out of 5Ease of Use5 out of 5I would recommend this to a friendBrand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and feedback with us! -M
Q: Questionwill it stream to the internet
Asked by wantToKnow.
- A:Answer Yes... great for streaming... amazing video quality
Answered by Christopher
Q: QuestionI was hoping to get a directional mic, does this camera have a mic jack?
Asked by AsparaGus.
- A:Answer Yes, it has a 3.5mm microphone jack. You should get a microphone that has its own power, i.e. one that takes batteries. The audio preamps on consumer camcorders like this one can get noisy with unpowered mics.
Answered by nctritech
Q: QuestionHow do I connect the HC-VX870K to my Windows laptop (HP Envy x360) to be used as a webcam? What cables do I need? Which inputs/outputs do I use? Do I need special software? Also, same questions for using it as webcam with an older MacBook Pro (2013/2014).
Asked by BobB.
- A:Answer You will need an adapter of some sort, basically a video switcher. You could use the Aja Utap or something similar. We’re getting an ATEM Mini. Be aware that adapters of this sort are extremely hard to come by right now, as multiple industries are trying to purchase them. The ATEM I ordered is on backorder for a month.
Answered by Dave
Q: QuestionDoes this camcorder include a built-in tripod socket?
Asked by Anonymous.
- A:Answer This camcorder has a Tripod receptacle. Please note that attaching a tripod with a screw length of 5.5 mm (0.22 q) or more may damage the unit.
Answered by Panasonic Team
Q: QuestionCan I use this camera as a high quality webCam on my MacBook ?
Asked by Tosh.
- A:Answer Thank you for your question. Yes you can.
Answered by Panasonic Team
Q: QuestionWill my standard HD be enhanced?
Asked by Anonymous.
- A:Answer If you shoot and edit in 4K and output to 1080p, your 1080p will look a lot better than if you shoot 1080p in-camera. This camera outputs good 1080p video; if you're looking to shoot 1080p and get better video, try the HDR video mode which increases the amount of detail recorded in shadows and highlights by combining pixels shot at two different levels of gain. Most sub-$1000 camcorders do not have this feature and it makes a big difference
Answered by nctritech
Q: Questiondoes it record at 60 frames per second and how long of video can be stored on 128 gig card at highest pic quality settings?
Asked by me.
- A:Answer Yes it does for about 1.5-2hrs
Answered by Baby
Q: QuestionDoes it have a clean HDMI output signal?
Asked by jwebb21.
- A:Answer Yes, this model can output a clean HDMI signal when you're not recording in the camera. Hitting the record button cuts off the external HDMI port, so you can't use an external monitor while recording.
Answered by WaltZ
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