Deciding on whether to buy a product like SONY FDR-AX700 4K Ultra HD Camcorder or perhaps PANASONIC HC-W580EB-K Traditional Camcorder? You’re in the right place as we’ll take you through all of the specs, features and look at the quality, pricing and reviews of both to help you make the decision on which one to go for.

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SONY FDR-AX700 4K Ultra HD Camcorder vs PANASONIC HC-W580EB-K Traditional Camcorder

SONY FDR-AX700 4K Ultra HD Camcorder specs

SONY FDR-AX700 4K Ultra HD Camcorder
 PANASONIC HC-W580EB-K Traditional Camcorder specs

PANASONIC HC-W580EB-K Traditional Camcorder
Type: Digital camcorder

Type: Digital camcorder

Processor: BIONZ X

VIDEO
VIDEO

Maximum resolution: Full HD 1920 x 1080p (50 fps)

Maximum resolution: 4K Ultra HD 3840 x 2160 (30 fps)

Other resolutions: HD 1280 x 720p (25 fps)

Other resolutions: – Full HD 1920 x 1080p (60 fps)
– HD 1280 x 720p (60 fps)

Sensor: CMOS

Sensor: CMOS

Image stabilisation: Optical

Image stabilisation: Optical

Sensitivity: 4 lux

Shutter speed: 1/60th – 1/10000th secs

Shutter speed: 1/50 – 1/8000th

White balance: Auto, Onepush A, Onepush B, Outdoor, Indoor, WB Temp

White balance: Auto, White Set, Sunny, Cloudy, Indoor 1, Indoor 2

LENS

LENS

Focal length: 29 – 348 mm

Focal length: 2.06 – 103 mm

Maximum aperture: f/2.8 – f/4.5

35 mm equivalent: 28 – 1740 mm

Minimum focusing distance: 1 cm

Maximum aperture: f/1.8 – f/4.2

Focusing: Manual & autofocus

Minimum focusing distance: 3 cm

SCREEN & VIEWFINDER

Focusing: Manual & autofocus

ZOOM
Screen: 3.5″ / 88 mm LCD touchscreen

Screen features: Resolution: 1,555,000 dots

Optical zoom: 50 x

Viewfinder: Yes

Digital zoom: 150 x

Viewfinder features: – 1 cm electric viewfinder
– 100% field of view

SCREEN & VIEWFINDER
FUNCTIONS

Screen: 75 mm LCD tiltable touchscreen

Time-lapse function: Yes

Screen features: Resolution: 460,800 dots

Slow motion: Yes

FUNCTIONS
Scene modes: Night scene, Sunrise & sunset, Fireworks, Landscape, Portrait, Spotlight, Beach

SHOOTING

Time-lapse function: Yes

Slow motion: Yes

Photo mode: Yes

Scene modes: Miniature Effect, Silent Movie, 8 mm Movie, Time Lapse Recording

Image resolution: 5024 x 2824p

SHOOTING
Sound: Dolby Digital 2ch

Video file formats: – AVCHD format ver. 2.0 compatible
– MPEG4-AVC/H.264
– XAVC S format: MPEG4-AVC/H264
– XAVC S Proxy
– MPEG-4 AVC/H.264

Photo mode: Yes

Audio file formats: – Linear PCM 2ch(48kHz/16bit)
– Dolby Digital 2ch Stereo
– Dolby Digital Stereo Creator
– MPEG-4 AAC-LC 2ch(Proxy Recording)

Image resolution: 4224 x 2376p

ZOOM

Sound: Dolby Digital 2ch

Video file formats: – AVCHD
– iFrame
– MP4

Optical zoom: 12 x

Audio file formats: – Dolby Digital
– AAC

Digital zoom: 192 x

MEMORY
MEMORY

Memory card: – SD
– SDHC
– SDXC

Price: £1590

Price: £249

Number of Reviews:

Number of Reviews:

Review Score: 9.3 / 10

Review Score: 8.3 / 10


When deciding on whether to buy SONY FDR-AX700 4K Ultra HD Camcorder or PANASONIC HC-W580EB-K Traditional Camcorder, a very important consideration is the price. So we’re going to spend a bit of time looking at the price of both.

To start with, we looked at the price of the 850 products in the same category as SONY FDR-AX700 4K Ultra HD Camcorder, which is the Digital Camcorders category. Of these 850 products the average price was £196.11, the most expensive was £3049 and the cheapest was just £0.05. We then looked at the price of the 850 in the same as the PANASONIC HC-W580EB-K Traditional Camcorder, which of course the average was £196.11, top price was £3049 and cheapest £0.05.

We then looked specifically at the average price of products from Sony and Panasonic, the average was £414.71 for Sony, £378.99 for Panasonic. The max for each was £13999/£4299 and minimum was £7.49/£19.99

Price analysis of SONY FDR-AX700 4K Ultra HD Camcorder

Price analysis of PANASONIC HC-W580EB-K Traditional Camcorder

  • SONY FDR-AX700 4K Ultra HD Camcorder
  • 4K Ultra HD HDR video (30 fps)
  • Optical zoom: 12 x
  • 3.5″ LCD touchscreen
  • Built-in WiFi / NFC
  • Image stabilisation
  • Top features: – Capture professional-quality images in 4K – Focus on moving subjects without touching a button – Take advantage of the intuitive controls for easy shooting – Make your movies look cinema-ready with the editing features Capture professional-quality imagesJust because you don’t have a production studio, doesn’t mean that your movies have to look amateur. Shoot festival-ready films with the Sony FDR-AX700 4K Ultra HD Camcorder. Get crisp, beautifully detailed images in 4K that pop off the screen.Don’t let poor recording quality provide you with shooting limitations. Get a fuller range of colour and brightness thanks to Hybrid Log Gamma HDR technology, so that your creativity isn’t stifled and you catch the image you want in whatever setting.The wide angle lens means scenic landscapes can be captured for grand opening scenes. The optical zoom allows you to get a clear close-up to capture your subject’s subtle facial expressions.Focus on moving subjectsCapture fast moving images easily thanks to the enhanced BIONZ X image processing engine. The FDRAX700 is optimised for faster processing and focusing speeds so that you can shoot your exciting chase scene in stunning 4K. Take advantage of the wide auto focus range to film a large bustling setting, like a dance competition. Switch between focus points seamlessly with reliable subject tracking, so that you can focus on multiple couples at once. Want to focus on one couple? No problem. Just point the camera, and focus on a single subject.Don’t let shaky hands ruin your shot. The Optical SteadyShot lets you shoot your movies still and stable, even when your hands are not. This feature is perfect if you need to move alongside your subject for a scene.Take advantage of the intuitive controlsControl your camcorder easily thanks to the manual dial and buttons, which allows you to swiftly adjust your shot’s aperture, ISO, and shutter speed, so that you have better shots to work with when you get to editing.Don’t want to wait until editing to see how the shot will look? No problem. With an intuitive professional menu operation, you can easily see your video on the extra fine LCD touch panel in 4K quality. While shooting, this screen allows you to focus accurately on the subjects in the shooting frame.If it’s too bright outside and you can’t see the screen then don’t worry. The High-precision OLED Viewfinder reproduces images with extraordinary precision and accurate colour, so that you can confidently and easily monitor composition.Need to shoot a driving scene from inside the car? You can’t get a cameraman for that. Just secure the camera to the dash by attaching a general-purpose accessory to the MI Shoe. Then use the built-in LANC port to connect to a LANC-compatible accessory to control the camcorder remotely. No cameraman. No problem.Make your movies look cinema-readyMaking a professional quality movie doesn’t end once you’re done shooting. Editing and post-production take up a massive part of creating a stunning film. Luckily, the FDR AX700 makes editing simple and easy.S-Gamut and S-Log shooting gives you flexibility to make brighter movies with colour grading in post.Upload your videos to iMovie, or Final Cut Pro X and make your finished project look ready for the cinemas.Get the most out of your camcorder We recommend using a UHS Speed Class 3 memory card as it offers the speed you need for capturing 4K Ultra HD footage. Keep your new gear protected with a travel-friendly case or bag which will also hold your daily essentials.
  • Product codes: 5013493355538
  • PANASONIC HC-W580EB-K Traditional Camcorder
  • Full HD video (50 fps)
  • Optical zoom: 50 x
  • 3″ tiltable LCD touchscreen
  • Built-in WiFi
  • Image stabilisation
  • Top features:- Capture everything with exceptional zoom and wide angle function- Multiple cameras so you can shoot from two angles at once- Clear images thanks to Level Shot functionExperience high quality recording and film with two cameras simultaneously using the Panasonic HC-W580EB-K Traditional Camcorder.Capture everythingWith a 90 x Intelligent Zoom option, you can easily capture objects that are too far away to shoot with conventional zoom functions. The HC-W580EB-K also boasts a 50 x Optical Zoom to add more emotion and dynamics to your memorable footage thanks to the stunning quality of the image.You can fit more people and more of the background into the frame thanks to the 28 mm Wide-Angle function. This is ideal when you need to take a group shot in a small room as it fits objects in even when you shoot from up close, allowing you to pick up even small sounds with the camcorder’s built-in microphone.Multiple camerasThe W580E features a rotatable sub camera that lets you take shots from two angles at once. This opens up a vast amount of new possibilities for your filming, allowing you to record picture in picture while you experiment with the options presented by this useful feature.Using Wi-Fi you can link to as many as three smartphones and simultaneously record up to two of them as sub-windows. This lets you shoot from a variety of angles and viewpoints to capture a higher level of emotional impact and focus in on every little detail.Clear imagesTo allow you to film carefree, the HCW580EBK features a Level Shot function which automatically detects and corrects the tilting of images. It can be adjusted to suit the shooting conditions, allowing you total freedom when it comes to capturing the action.Whether you are shooting from a wide angle or at high zoom, HYBRID O.I.S.+ uses five-axis correction to thoroughly suppress blurring caused by unwanted shaking while recording. This lets you capture crisp, clear images in virtually any conditions to ensure that your recording remains smooth and enjoyable.Plus with the HDR Movie Function you can easily capture natural videos with excellent gradation even in difficult filming situations such as backlighting.Get the most out of your camcorderWe recommend using a UHS Speed Class 3 memory card as it offers the speed you need for capturing Full HD footage. Keep your new gear protected with a travel-friendly case or bag which will also hold your daily essentials.
  • Product codes: 5025232836901

What’s better SONY FDR-AX700 4K Ultra HD Camcorder or PANASONIC HC-W580EB-K Traditional Camcorder?

There are obviously a number of differences between SONY FDR-AX700 4K Ultra HD Camcorder and PANASONIC HC-W580EB-K Traditional Camcorder, but there are several things that you can use when comparing the two. The first of these, which we’ve already covered, is price. Make sure you spend a bit of time deciding how much you are willing and able to spend on your product to really get a good idea if the £1590 cost of SONY FDR-AX700 4K Ultra HD Camcorder is closer to the expectation you had than the £249 pricep point of PANASONIC HC-W580EB-K Traditional Camcorder.

Once you’ve nailed down everything there is to know on the price of both, the next step is to really study the reviews. Taking the time to read reviews of both will really help you to decide which is a better product between SONY FDR-AX700 4K Ultra HD Camcorder and PANASONIC HC-W580EB-K Traditional Camcorder. We looked at the reviews over at Currys PC World for both products and found that SONY FDR-AX700 4K Ultra HD Camcorder scores out of 10 from reviews. Whereas PANASONIC HC-W580EB-K Traditional Camcorder scores out of 10 from reviews.

It’s also really worthwhile spending the time to look at the key differences between the two products. For that you can use our comparison table about which looks at the main features of both products to give you a clear idea of where one product perhaps benefits over another. When comparing the two it’s a really good idea to have an idea in your mind of the key features that you need from your Digital Camcorders as this will help you to narrow down the products that do or don’t meet your criteria.



SONY FDR-AX700 4K Ultra HD Camcorder



Rating:
8.90 out of
10