Customer Ratings & Reviews

I needed a 4K Video camera and was able to find this camera.

it has the best quality for the price. it zooms so clear you

Love this camcorder. If is the best. I recommend it to everyone. Young or old.

Good product. With accessories and fast delivery to my door. Highly recommended a+

I got this for my husband for Christmas as an upgrade from an old JVC camcorder. He LOVES it!

There are many kinds of devices that record 4K video now: cell phones, action cams, hybrid mirrorless cameras, and, of course, the venerable camcorder and video camera. Each has a rightful use case and plenty of pro and cons too. There is no perfect device, only one that is most perfect for the purchasing user’s needs. This review for the Sony Handycam FDR-AX43A focuses only on performance and features of this model, a camcorder. It’s written for those who know this is the form factor they want. Those unsure what the best video device is for their needs and desires would benefit from starting their research there before looking at individual products. The universe of entry-level true 4K camcorders these days is sparsely populated. Because of this reality, the Sony Handycam FDR-AX43A is not only worth consideration, but the best 4K option in its price segment. It’s compact, intuitive to use, can record at a high bit rate, and footage taken in auto mode is evenly exposed and detailed as one would expect from a 4K sensor. It also boasts an internal “gimbal” to suppress and correct light camera shake, though it acts more like a traditional camera stability system than an external gimbal. For studio or “on set,” use, it supports multi-cam and streaming. But even with all this packed inside, the FDR-AX43A is clearly targeted for a narrow audience including those who want a quality, dedicated, general-use video camera but are on a tight budget and also those needing a multicam companion to another Sony (video) cameras. The marketing “star” of the FDR-AX43A is its internal gimbal, coupled with Sony’s Steady Shot technology. This combination is touted to yield steadier-than-handheld looking footage, even while moving around. In practice, my footage, shot with Steady-Shot Active on, was smooth when I held still or took patient pans or zooms, but it still retained an unmistakably handheld look to it. And, as is true with any camera, shake was more noticeable in tight zooms. All of this is to be expected and additional post-processing does help siphon off the remaining shake. Unfortunately, though, the FDR-AX43A’s internal one does nothing, at least in my use, to keep the horizonal plane even like an external gimbal would. (One sidenote about the internal gimbal: when you take the FDR-AX43A out of the box you will feel something bouncing around inside the camera. It’s not broken, do not panic – that is the gimbal powered down.) The FDR-AX43A does not have Night-Shot but its low light capability is admirable and footage is useable shot in a dim, but not dark locations. Another key feature is its amazing optical zoom range. The FDR-AX43A sports a 35mm camera lens equivalent to 26mm, which captures a wide area. Multiply that 26mm by the FDR-AX43A ’s 20x optical range and the result is a zoom range of 26mm to 530mm. 530mm is considered a super-telephoto for close, tight shots from far away. For a visualization, imagine standing at the top step of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. and pointed your camera at the U.S. Capitol, 2.25 miles away. With the lens at 26mm you could record the entire Washington Mall. Now zoom in all the way to 530mm and only dome of the Capitol Building fits in your LCD screen. That’s an outstanding and super useful range. Two other great features worth mentioning. First is the FDR-AX43A ’s built-in multicam functionality. This is a huge benefit to content creators, allowing them to remotely control the FDR-AX43 as Camera 2 or 3. And even if the FDR-AX43A is your first and only camera it means, when ready, you can upgrade and keep the FDR-AX43A for Camera 2 to introduce multiple angles to your content. In conjunction with the Sony Imagine Edge app it’s easy to control the camera (or cameras) with your smartphone and the FDR-AX43A’s onboard Wi-Fi. This lets you to place your camera in a remote location (but within Wi-Fi range of your phone) to record. I played with this feature for a bit and the connection was rock-solid the entire time. The last important function, really the most important one, is the sticky focus, even during long zooms. Once I obtained focus the camera never lost track. Now obtaining initial focus can be slow-ish (a few seconds) depending on lighting conditions and the subject – the camera does best when lighting is even. It also focuses faster with humans thanks to the face detect AF. So, if you are at the zoo or shooting your dog, keep in mind it could take longer to find focus. The FDR-AX43A, being an entry-level 4K offering, does lack some advanced features that most casual and beginning videographers won’t miss. This includes things like 100% manual exposure, manual focus, interchangeable lenses, and an electronic viewfinder. The auto program does a good job though and you can manually override one control option at a time, i.e., shutter speed, IRIS, etc. You just can’t double up. For that you must bump up to a more advanced model. The lens is threaded to accept filters. As mentioned earlier the FDR-AX43A has intuitive user-control and menu system. It’s so simple there is only a zoom rocker and five physical buttons on the camera. In easy reach of the user is power/start/stop, & photo, and under the touch screen is a secondary power button plus playback and highlight maker buttons. Highlight Maker is AI software that auto-edits a clip to make a movie based on what it perceives are the highlights. I did not test this feature out since I prefer to edit my own clips. The camera’s menu is accessible through the LCD touchscreen. Most of the choices are “set it and forget it.” Among the settings is the option to shoot in 4K 24p or 30p and 60 or 100Mbps. If you want to shoot in super slo-mo that’s available but only in 1080p and only for a few seconds. 4K is shot in XAVC S and it compatible on Macs with both iMovie and Final Cut Pro. An option to shoot photos (JPEG) while recording is available up to 8mp and 16mp with video off. This is a nice feature in pinch, especially with the zoom ability. However, I would not use the FDR-AX43A as a still camera or even a video-centric hybrid. If you need video and photo in a single device then you should be looking at hybrid mirrorless cameras. Sony makes some nice ones. The zoom toggle, after some practice and building muscle memory is responsive to the user’s desires for the speed of the zoom, ensuring the user is in control the camera rather than the other way around. You want a slow zoom in, done. Fast zoom out. Let your fingers do the talking, the toggle will listen. There is a built-in microphone, but unless you will be dubbing background music later to your clips you will probably want a directional mic to only capture your intended subject. A hot-shoe mount is on the top of the camera for an external microphone and other prosumer/pro level accessories, making the FDR-AX43A a flexible camera. I was wondering what the “A” was in FDR-AX43A, and how it related to the previous 43 model. After comparing the two camera’s spec sheets it looks like the difference is the screen. Both were the same 3”, but the older model only had an approximately 460K pixel screen where the FDR-AX43A has nearly 1m pixels. Huge difference in clarity there. I like the FDR-AX43A ’s screen if it is set to “bright.” On “normal” illumination I have a hard time making anything out, especially outdoors. The LCD is rotatable 270 degrees so it’s perfect has a vlogging camera if you get the optional grip. Battery life is excellent, even with the LCD on “bright.” After 3 hours of use and a lot of short video clips the battery indicator shows the battery is still half full. With battery attached the FDR-AX43A is approximately 7 inches long by 3 inches wide and tall. Its rounded body is clearly built for right-handed people. The body feels “OK” in hand rather than “like a glove.” The body contours to the hand but the hard plastic becomes uncomfortable after a while. It’s not heavy, only about a couple pounds with the battery attached. However, due to the way camcorders are held it does build weight as the day goes on. That’s not a criticism, just an FYI. Other ports of interest are micro-HDMI to connect with a monitor or TV, and mic and headphone jacks. Supplied accessories include a 1900mAh battery, AC adapter and power cord, micro-HDMI cable, and micro-USB cable. No USB-C here, which I find amazing since the FDR-AX43A is a new-ish model, not to mention inconvenient. Nobody likes micro-USB. Why Sony, why? Also oddly missing in this model is Bluetooth even though it has Wi-Fi. This means wire headphones or earbuds must be used as well as not being able to use Sony’s Bluetooth grip. FDR-AX43A users are stuck using the old-fashioned micro-USB grip. The battery charges on the camera itself, no travel charger is supplied. You can use the FDR-AX43A while the battery is charging. On the storage end, the camera uses either SD card (or Sony Memory Stick). Any SD card rated at U3/V30 or higher can capture 4K 30p. Sony say’s the FDR-AXFDR-AX43A has been tested to work with cards sizes up to 256GB. A 256GB will store about 5.5 hours of 4K 30p at 100Mbps. Overall, the FDR-AX43A is a great 4K camcorder for those in need of an “inexpensive” dedicated video camera for vlogging, family, or studio use. The 20x optical zoom is worth it alone. The built-in gimbal in my use didn’t live up to Sony’s marketing, but it did product better than average handheld footage. The exposure and 4K detail are usually right on target, and that must be priority #1 when considering camcorders. Pair that up with its excellent battery life and this will be a useful camera for years to come.

Beautiful and nice product I recommend it for anyone

Good video camera. Really like the 30 mm zoom, great closeup videos.

This review is not about the camera, but the horrible delivery dates. I initially purchased this camera because it had a next day delivery and the next day delivery was faster then Amazon. As soon as the order went through, the delivery date change from next day to 2 weeks expected due date. it is now 7 days since purchased and it got delayed again for another 4 days. This is a joke and I will probably return the camera unopened because I have been adjusting my schedule so I could be at home for the delivery. As soon as I saw the change in the delivery date, I wanted to change it to ship to store so I wouldn't have to worry about porch pirates. Of course that is not an option once the order has been placed. This is reminder on why Amazon is killing these retail stores....lessons learned....

My experience with the Sony AX43A has been very hit and miss. It can excel in one area and then feel frustrating or outdated the next. Overall I would say the camera is nice, but if you’re looking for a dedicated 4K camcorder, I don’t know if this would be the one I’d recommend. Out of the box, the lens cover was open, and dust and debris was all over the lens. Not a good first impression. I was thinking to myself, where is the lens cover? If it’s an external cap, where is it. If it’s an integrated cover, why is it not closed. It does have an integrated cover that closes when the camera powers off, but for some reason it was not engaged. So I had to clean off the lens straight away. And then I realized, there isn’t a manual way to close the lens cover either. Having it close when powered down and open when powered on is great, and that works really well, but what if I want to power the camera on, and not immediately record video, and want to keep the lens cover closed until I’m ready to shoot? Maybe I’m playing around in the settings menu for a bit. You can’t, at least that I can find. The camera powers on immediately when you pop the viewscreen open, and with that opens the lens cover. No way to close it manually, which is a bummer. The build quality is very good. Nice and solid with a premium feel, and very compact and lightweight so it feels great in the hand. Might be tricky for those with large hands, and the Velcro hand strap just barely fits around mine. The battery attaches to the back of the camera and the contrast of the shape of the camera vs the battery creates this awkward camera bump. Not terrible, but something I think Sony could easily improve with a design change here. It has a nice large microphone above the lens, and the top has a removable cover for a hot shoe to attach an external mic if you wanted. All the ports and connections are laid out pretty well. I do wish the buttons were laid out a little better. The record button is on the back where your thumb can easily reach it, but if you wanted to take still pictures, either by themselves or part of the video recording, the still picture button is on top of the camera, behind the zoom slider. This can create awkward movement trying to reach that button. If only taking stills, not much issue, but if you’re also taking video at the same time, it can’t help but introduce a little camera shake as you try to get to that stills image button and take some shots. I wish the stills button was closer to the video record button on the back, so both can be reached by the thumb with little to no movement. Navigating the settings menu on the AX43A is very frustrating. The menu system feels like it’s from the 1990’s. Very outdated and clunky. With the quality of Sony’s DSLR camera lineup, I wish they would take queues from those camera menu systems for their camcorders. Maybe others have something similar, but not the AX43A. I can say that when you do start recording, the video quality is very nice. The 4K resolution is super crisp and clear with great colors. You have a handful of different recording options to choose from in terms of resolution, frame rate, bitrate, etc. and they all perform very well. The absolute highlight of the camera is the built in gimbal system. I’ve used Sony camcorders in the past with their ‘Steady Shot’ image stabilization, and I’ve used DSLR cameras with different levels of IBIS to steady the shot, but the new balanced gimbal based Steady Shot system is amazing. Video is smooth and jitter free. No bumps or vibrations viewable at all, even when zooming in. You can walk, move around, and the built in gimbal system keeps your videos shake free, it really is amazing. Videos taken in ideal lighting conditions are just superb. Even low light situations come through remarkably well and little to no noise. The onboard microphone is also stellar! In the higher resolution/bitrate settings it seems to only record 2 ch stereo, but it sounds great. In some lower resolutions you can even set it to record 5.1 ch surround. When at its best, the video and audio is great! When not at its best, the video recording can be frustrating. - The LCD viewscreen is nice and large and offers great clarity and color, but I found it to be too dim most of the time in normal to bright lighting conditions. I wish you could brighten the screen or dim the screen based on your shooting conditions. - Auto focus and face detection was a mess. When shooting normal scenes with no specific focal point, not bad at all, it’s very fast and accurate. But when you want to lock on a person or face or object or pet, it really disappointed me. AF would lock on or track for a little while, then jump around the frame trying to lock on to anything else except what I told it to track. So when viewing the footage back, you can see the focus go in and out as the camera hunts. Again, Sony DSLR cameras have best in class Face and Eye Detect AF systems, so to have it fail so bad on the AX43A was such a bummer for me. - Where I really noticed the AF issues was when trying to use the built in scene selections. The camera offers you a variety of scenes to allow the camera to get the best shots based on the scenario, like Portrait mode, Landscape, night shooting, etc. I was super excited about Portrait mode, and it failed me as well. The whole point of portrait mode is to lock on and track a person, while blurring the background of the image. This is where the AF issues really popped out to me, but also the Portrait mode itself didn’t do anything. In fact, I think the background blur was better/nicer using regular standard or auto mode, I have no idea why. And even when tracking a person or face in Portrait mode, if the subject was more than a few feet from the camera, the AF would begin to hunt and lock on to something in the background or foreground, leaving my subject out of focus. I don’t know what the Portrait mode is supposed to be for, if this is what they intended. And that can be said for most of the scene selections, they really didn’t do anything. Auto mode outperformed them all. - The white balance struggles in sunny conditions. Whether it was my white/tan Labrador in the backyard, or the gray picking up in my beard shooting vlog style, the subject either washed out or gave a flickering display. - Still pictures can be “useable” at best, but they look very overprocessed and if you try to zoom or crop even just a tiny bit, you see lots of digital noise and grain. - The camera can also work with your smartphone to act as your viewfinder and some other cool tricks via a dedicated Sony app, but I could not my phone to connect with Wifi or NFC. Setup was supposed to be super simple, you can use a QR code to pair (failed), you can use the camera SSID and PW to pair (failed) you can use NFC to pair (failed) so I just gave up. Maybe it’s great, I won’t know. I was using an iPhone 14 Pro Max with the latest OS. Right now I’m struggling to see when I would opt to use the AX43A. It can record stellar 4K video and audio, but there’s just too much frustration around using it in order to hope for getting that great picture.

This is an excellent video camera that I can highly recommend. Here are the pros and cons. Pros: 1. Excellent video quality and impeccable sound quality. 4K videos really make a difference. 2. Excellent build quality. Feels like a very high-end camera. All the port covers are spring loaded and help that high end feel. 3. Image stabilization works really well, even when zoomed in all the way. It will get rid of most of the jitter which make the videos look much better but there will still be a slight amount of movement when holding the camera. 4. Filming at night works well. Even in the dark or outside at night, the colors and contrast look great with no apparent image noise. 5. The touch screen is easy to use, very responsive, and well laid out. Touching the screen brings up the most important buttons that you will need. The menus and settings lower down are well thought out, easy to understand, and easy to use. Viewing the thumbnails of the available videos and photos to preview is very user friendly. 6. Video previews using the touch screen look like they are very resolution. The sound while a little tinny, is easy to understand and clear, especially given that the speaker in the camera is probably very small. 7. Previewing videos by connecting the camera directly to a 4K TV looks good. 8. The optical zoom is very, very smooth and you can really get in close with the 20x. 9. The camera feels nice in your hand with all buttons easy to access. Cons: 1. Still photos taken do not look very good, mostly because they are very noisy and the colors are washed out, even in bright light. If you plan on taking still photos in addition to videos, you will need to also have a still camera with you. This is quite disappointing that I can’t use this for still images as well when traveling or just out for the day. 2. There are separate buttons for starting and stopping recording, and for taking still photos yet you have to select if you are taking videos or photos from one of the buttons on the touch screen. It is very easy to switch but is confusing why you need to select what you are doing if there are different buttons for each action. 3. The camera is slightly bigger than other similar cameras so you will need a bigger case. The smallest cases for video cameras will not fit. 4. I was not able to get the camera on my home Wi-Fi network. The manual explains how to do this, but the settings it describes were not on the camera, at least not that I could find. I’m sure there is a way to do it, but I will need to research it as it is not obvious. 5. The zoom lever is very sensitive. Zooming in slowly requires that you barely touch the zoom control. Moving it slightly more starts zooming very quickly. While it is smooth and feels good, it is a little too sensitive and the zoom feels like there is very slow and very fast with no middle ground. While there are a few cons, there are no showstoppers and nothing that would prevent me from loving this camera. I do wish the still photos were better and that I didn’t have to also carry another camera around with me.

It’s good it has a lot of good quality’s because it’s so good and stuff

Just what was needed as gift for someone that likes to capture everything!

Horrible I purchased this camera because my kids play soccer. Used it once and it stopped working. I passed the 15 day exchange policy and had to go through the Sony warranty. I just sent it via mail to a place in Connecticut. Horrible