Sony AX100E 4K camera is three-quarters smaller than the company’s original, but it still manages to incorporate popular features such as wireless connectivity and slow motion recording.
Sony claims the AX100E 75 per cent smaller and 66 per cent lighter than the AX1E that came before it, and while true, the older camera retains its title as Sony’s flagship camcorder.
The AX100E supports the upcoming UHD standard by recording videos in 3840x2160 resolution. It features a large 1in Exmor R CMOS sensor, a BIONZ X image processing engine and a Zeiss Vario Sonnar T 29mm wide angle lens capable of 12x optical zoom.
Sony claims the AX100E is “equipped with a much larger sensor than what is included in normal consumer camcorders”.
Slow motion video can be recorded in HD resolution at 120 frames per second, and the camcorder can capture still photos at “approximately 20 megapixels”, Sony claims.
The camcorder has a lens ring, a side-mounted and programmable control dial, and a 3.5in, 921k dot LCD display.
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Squeezing more from 4K with clever software
Clever software makes it possible to do more with the Sony camcorder. Tap the camcorder’s display and that part of the video will zoom in by 'trimming' it to Full HD resolution.
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Televisions supportive of UHD are a minority. Watching your 4K videos on an ordinary television is possible because the AX100E downgrades the quality to Full HD levels.
The camcorder can record UHD and MP4 videos simultaneously. This makes it possible to capture moments in rich UHD resolution, but also have a MP4 copy that won’t exhaust the storage of your smartphone or tablet.
Sharing videos with mobile devices has been eased by the development of Sony’s PlayMemories app and by kitting the AX100E with connectivity technologies. Compatible NFC smartphones simply connect to the camcorder with a tap, while the inclusion of Wi-Fi will complete the transfer of content quickly.
Sony’s AX100E is available now for a recommended retail price of $2499. A spec breakdown follows:
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