Review of the Sony FDR-AX700

I have a lot goals for 2019, but one of those goals is to increase my creative content output online.  Not just to increase the number of reviews and articles that I produce mind you…but to also increase my creative capability.  To that end, I’ve been picking up some new tools to help with online content creation – particularly for creating video content.

In case you weren’t aware, ThruMyLens has a YouTube channel (John ThruMyLens).  In the 7+ years I’ve had the channel, I’ve been able to add approximately 1500 subscribers – largely just based on the content I’ve published.  Admitedly, I’ve not made a huge push to “click, like, and subscribe” in the past  In truth, I created the channel simply to be able to host video reviews which supplement the written photo reviews I do here on ThruMyLens.org.  I wanted to satsify those patrons and content consumers who prefer video, and I wanted the videos to drive traffic to this site.

Like most YouTubers, I have for the past seven years relied on my DSLR to record my videos.  A “hybrid” DSLR/video camera is great because a single device can produce both my photographic and video content, but bad because a DSLR is a compromised solution to producing video.  It actually surprises me that more YouTubers don’t use a dedicated camcorder like the Sony FDR-AX700 (which I’ll refer to as the AX700 for the sake of brevity).

WHY A CAMCORDER?

Before I answer this question, let me tell you about the indecision loop I’ve been trapped in for…ohhhh…about five years.  It goes something like this:  I haven’t bought a new camera since 2012 when I bought the Canon 5D Mark III.  The 5DMIII still does everything I need a camera to do photographically, but I’d like to record video in 4K, which the 5DMIII does not.  So I need a full-frame DSLR camera that can record 4k video well…as well as it takes still photos.  Most new Canon DSLRs don’t do both photography and video well.  Some Sony mirorless cameras do both pretty darn well, but I have a crap ton on money in Canon lenses.  So I continue to look for a Canon camera full-frame camera that does both photo and video well…determine that Canon still doesn’t make a full-frame camera that does both photo and video well…<repeat…repeat…repeat>.  The conclusion I ultimately have came to is this:  I don’t need a new camera.  I LOVE my Canon DSLR for the studio work I do for print publication in the freelance writing and photography I do.  My iPhone Xs also does AMAZINGLY well for a portable point-and-shoot.  So I don’t really need a hybrid camera that records video.  Again, hybrid photo/video cameras have compromises…in many cases the biggest is the autofocus.  While the HD 1080P video my Canon 5DMIII records is still (after 5 years) as good or better than other devices that have come since, I have no autofocus while recording video.  I have to set up my shot, get my focus, and really limit my movement in frame.  The ability to plug in an external microphone is often another compromise.  For years I’ve looked at consumer grade point-and-shoot cameras that have an integrated lens which shoot in 4K and will autofocus…but with most of these you can’t plug in an external mic.  Deal breaker. So after years of indecision and not finding what I wanted, I determined that I didn’t want a compromised solution – I already have the photography bases covered.  What I needed was a dedicated video camera…a camcorder.

In terms of what I wanted to be able to do with a camcorder, I honestly wasn’t very certain beyond the table top review videos I normally post to YouTube.  I attend “trade shows” once or twice a year, like SHOT Show, the NRA Annual Meeting, and Blade Show – a camcorder would be nice for this type of event coverage and potentially interviews.  It’s possible I might want to use one for recording competitive shooting events…thought it would likely be larger than I would want relative to other options.  Really, I wanted a camcorder that would open options for me and grow as I found other uses for it.  My main technical requirements for a camcorder were:

-Must shoot high-quality 4k video
-Must have external mic plug in capability.

That “high-quality” was a key requirement.  I am (or was at the time of purchase) fairly video dumb.  But I knew enough to know that I wanted something that would allow me to record in a relatively flat color profile which I could color grade in post-production or use a LUT (look up table).  In terms of budget, I was hoping to be around $1000.00.

In recent years, the market for consumer camcorders has all but died.  Thanks to hybrid devices (phones, cameras, etc.) as well as relatively cheap “action cameras” (think GoPro), few people are buying camcorders.  So there were surprisingly few options to consider. In doing my research, I looked at several different models – most of which were from Sony as they seem to be a real leader in this product segment.   In particular, Sony has 3 cameras which are in a fairly niche “prosumer” category that bridges innexpensive consumer models with extremely high-end professional models.  In this group, I first and very strongly considered the Sony FDR-AX53 – it met all my requirements and was quite inexpensive at under $1000.00.  Additionally it featured features Sony’s Balance Optical SteadyShot image stabilization technology which was attractive for capturing competitive shooting matches and other “action” sorts of video.  Ultimately, I decided the image stabilization it offered was a feature I could replicate in other video capture devices (like the recently aquired DJI Osmo Pocket) so I decided to get something a bit higher-end.  I then looked at the Sony FDR AX-100.     It was over budget at about $1350.00, but met all my requirements.  I’ve also got a friend that moved over to this camcorder for his YouTube channel a couple of years ago, and he’s been super happy with it.  The final model I considered was the $1800.00 Sony FDR AX-700.  This one was nearly 2x over budget, which put it close to several attractive Canon offerings that all ran North of $2000.00.  But what made this model attactive over the AX-700 was the upgraded Fast Hybrid AutoFocus which stays focused on even fast-moving subjects.  It also performs better in low-light, and has better dynamic range.  The price was more than I wanted to spend, so I was almost resolved to get the AX-100 when I found a vendor who sold the AX-700 for just $1500.00.  That made the cost of the AX-700 only $150.00 more than the AX-100 – more than I wanted to spend, but still a lot less than buying a new DSLR that did 4K video (any choice I would consider would be North of $3000.00).

THE LENS

OK, here’s the really why you buy a camcorder like the AX700 – the lens.  Many devices have a sensor that can capture and record in 4k.  The big difference…the HUGE difference though is in the image quality of the glass that brings the light carying the image to the sensor.  The AX700 has a custom Zeiss 29mm wide-angle lens which has a 12x optical zoom.  The image quality that this camcorder can capture is truly stunning throughout the entire range of the optical zoom.  Combined with the 273 phase detection points in the incredible autofocus system, this camcorder can produce broadcast quality video.

WHAT I LIKE

Obviously the image quality that the AX-700 produces is first on the list of what I like.  But let me say that the niftiest feature on this camcorder has to be how quickly and easily it turns on.  Just pull open the flip-out screen and it the camera automatically powers up.  It’s almost instantaneous too – BOOM!  You’re ready to go.

I’m very pleased with the size and weight of the AX-700.  Both of which really are pretty minimal, so you won’t mind taking it in a variety of situations.  You also won’t get tired of holding the AX-700 when doing extended recording.

I do like that the AX-700 gives you a tremendous amount of manual control over the video capture – it’s very DSLR-like in this regard.  I’m “not there yet” in terms of being able to leverage the capability, but I like having it available.

I’m also absolutely loving the super-fast autofocus.  I used to have to be so concerned with keeping objects in focus when I used my DSLR for doing tabletop reviews, but not I have a great deal more freedom of movement, which makes for a more dynamic video.

WHAT I DON’T LIKE

One of my main requirements was that this camcorder should record “high quality 4k video.”  To be clear, the AX-700 does…just in a more limited fashion than I’d prefer.  Specifically, the frame rate in 4k is limited to 4k/24 FPS or 4k/30FPS.  You can do up to 120FPS in “HD” mode (1080p).  But the camera on my iPhone will literally do twice as fast – 60FPS in 4k, and 240 FPS in 1080P HD.  It’s also incredibly painful to get the camera into super slow-mo mode (more on that later).  The only reason I’m OK with this shortcoming in the AX-700  is that I don’t have a huge need for super slow-motion footage (it’s a once in a while need), and I do have other devices that can cover this need.

Perhaps the biggest issue I have when using the AX-700 is the unbridled frustration I receive whenever I tried to change a setting…any setting.  The menu system in this thing is a nightmare of overly complex and not intuitive options, and many of the controls just flat-out don’t make sense.  You would, for example, think that once in “photo mode” to take still pictures, you’d just hit the red “record” button to snap a photo.  But no…there’s a small button toward the front of the camera (I actually had to find it via the manual) specifically for snapping photos.  Other functions like activating the “Super Slow Motion” mode, or even simple things like formatting memory cards, or finding and setting frame rates is not at all simple.  Navigating within the “menu” system is positively maddening at times.  In some cases, you can navigate the menu options simply by moving about with the little joystick next to the record button.  In other cases, to move out of a specific area, you have to hit the “menu” button, taking you out of menu mode altogether, then hit “menu” again to start over.

Falling into the category of “nitpick” is that it irks me that Sony didn’t include an off-camera battery charger with the AX-700.  Unless I want to buy one separately (with an extra battery which I’m sure I’ll get around to eventually) your forced to plug the AX-700 into a charging cable to charge the battery.

Overall I am pleased with the Sony FDR-AX700 and I think it was a worthwhile purchase.  In the month or so I’ve been using it, I’ve recorded about 5 videos – this one includes both tabletop review footage and outdoor footage if you’d like to see some what the footage looks like on YouTube: