Best Rated 4K Ultra HD Camcorders (2018-2019) * Comparison & Reviews

Best Rated 4K Ultra HD Camcorders 2018-2019 – This is a roundup of the latest 4K camcorders. A 4K camcorder has four times the resolution of Full HD. Even if you only need 1080p full HD, you can take the 4K footage and convert it to full HD, and it will look much better than if you had shot it in HD. You also can crop 4K video and still maintain Full HD. Each frame of video is an 8 megapixel picture which you can print or use as a still image.

The footage from these 4K camcorders looks stunning when played on a 4K Ultra HD TV. The latest 2018-2019 4K TVs now have HDMI 2.0 which will support the high frame rate footage from 4K video cameras. With 4K you will be shooting at approximately the same resolution as is shown in movie theaters, with 8 million pixels of resolution. Most movie theaters nationwide today are equipped with 4K Projectors, which have the same resolution as these camcorders. By shooting in 4K today, you will future proof your videos, as the world is transitioning to 4K. See all of the 4K camcorder models below and compare by price, reviews, imager size, and features.

Best Rated 4K Ultra HD Camcorders (2018-2019) – Comparison & Reviews
(The latest 4K Ultra HD Camcorder Models)




Best Rated 4K Ultra HD Camcorders (2018-2019) – Comparison & Reviews
(The latest 4K Ultra HD Camcorder Models)

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Smart-Review | Top 5 Best Rated 4K Ultra HD Camcorders

1. Sony Pro HXR-NX80 4K Camcorder (4.7 Stars)
2. Sony Handycam FDR-AX700 4K Camcorder (4.7 Stars)
3. Sony Handycam FDR-AX53 4K Camcorder (4.5 Stars)
4. Panasonic HC-WXF991K 4K Camcorder (4.5 Stars)
5. Canon Vixia HF G50 4K Camcorder (4.5 Stars)

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Related Article: 4K Mirrorless & DSLR Cameras – Comparison & Reviews

Related Article: Smart-Review | 2018-2019 Camcorder Buying Guide (HD & 4K)

Glossary of Terms

Why shoot video in 4K? = 4K is the next generation of resolution for camcorders. Just as HD replaced SD, you will be future proofing your videos. Almost all large screen TVs are 4K. The advantage of 4K is that you will get 4x the resolution of Full HD, which makes the picture much sharper, and can be viewed on 4K TVs. Even if you shoot in 4K and downscale to Full HD 1080p, the resulting HD retains much of the sharpness from the original 4K master. You also have more cropping possibilities when editing 4K. 4K Ultra HD & Cinema 4K = 4K is a new video standard which will be quickly replacing HD in the HDTV and Camcorder market. 4K has roughly four times the resolution of Full HD. 4K is 8 megapixels versus 2 megapixels for Full HD. The resolution of 4K is 3840 x 2160 pixels. This is the same resolution as 4K TVs have. There is another 4K standard that is used in movie theaters with slightly more resolution. This is Cinematic 4K which has a resolution of 4096 x 2160 (slightly wider). Some 4K cameras and camcorders have both types of 4K. Movie theaters now have 4K projectors, so the latest camcorders that record at Cinema 4K will have the same resolution as the movie theater. Dual XQD Slots = Sony has produced a new type of high speed memory card, called XQD that will allow extremely high recording bitrates required for high quality 4K Ultra HD video recording. This is found on Sony’s pro line of 4K Camcorders such as the Sony PXW-Z100 XDCAM 4K camcorder (above) that can record at an amazing 600mbps to the XQD memory card. Sony 273 point AF The newest models from Sony, have added a brand new autofocus system with 278 Autofocus points, covering 80% of the imager, with phase detection. This will give you a vastly improved autofocus system for video. This was inherited from Sony’s Mirrorless camera AF technology. Available on the Sony FDR-AX700 and the Sony Pro HXR-NX80 4K Ultra HD Camcorders. Dual Pixel CMOS AF The new for 2017-18 Canon Vixia GX10 4K Camcorder is the first consumer camcorder to inherit the excellent Dual Pixel CMOS Autofocus technology from Canon’s DSLR line of cameras. The new Pro model Canon XF400 also has this focus feature. Dual Pixel CMOS was inherited from Canon’s DSLR line of cameras. Optical Zoom = This is the maximum zoom using the lens of the camcorder. A 10x zoom brings the action in about 10 times closer at its maximum. Flash Memory = This refers to the way the camcorder records video. Flash memory camcorders normally record to memory cards (SDHC). There are some that have no card, and just have a fixed amount of internal memory such as the Flip Camcorders. Dual Flash = This type of camcorder has both internal memory and can also record to memory cards. 4K Imager Size = This refers to the Imager of the camcorder, where the light hits from the lens. This is like the retina of the eye. The larger the imager, the better the quality of the video and better low light performance. High end camcorders generally have a larger imager. Larger is better. A 1/3-inch imager is larger than a 1/4.5-inch imager. The latest Sony FDR-AX700 4K Camcorder has the largest size imager among consumer 4K camcorders at 1-inch in size. This is 6 times larger than a normal camcorder and great for low light. Low Light Lenses = Larger and faster lenses allow more light in for greater low light sensitivity. Lenses with low f stop specifications are considered fast lenses. Many of the camcorders on this page have fast low light lenses with an f stop of f1.8 or lower (lower is better). Megapixels = This refers to the camera function in the camcorder. This is the amount of megapixels available to take a snapshot picture while using the camcorder. 1080p 720p 60i 24p 60p video = camcorders can record regular HD video at various resolutions. Many can record at several different rates. 1080p is the old standard (blu-ray quality). 720p has about half the resolution of 1080p. Also keep in mind the frame rate of the video. Normal video is shot at 30fps (frames per second). 1080@60i is 60 interlaced frames, which is roughly equivalent to 1080p@30fps. Movie film is shot at 24fps (24p). Some camcorders can shoot at 60fps (60p) which will make the movie silky smooth and can be used for slow motion as well. The latest standard is 4K Ultra HD, which is 4 times the resolution of full HD. Infrared NightShot/Night Vision = Some Sony and Canon camcorders allow shooting at night. They shoot in infrared. Some have a built-in IR illuminator to light up the area with invisible to the eye infrared light. You see these type of cameras being used in reality shows, such as ghost hunters. External Mic Jack = This means that this camcorder is equipped with an external microphone jack or terminal to input an external microphone. There are a wide range of external microphones to choose from including wireless, surround sound, and others. An external microphone will improve the sound recording of your video. It bypasses the built in microphones. XLR Audio = This is the professional audio inputs expected for Pro Camcorders. They usually come in pairs. An XLR microphone can be plugged into these connections. Wide Angle Lens = The wider the lens, the better. A wider angle lens will allow you to get more of the scene in your videos than one that is not wide angle. This is important for indoor shots, when you want to get a whole group in the shot, or outdoors to get a panorama view of the landscape. So, for example, a 30mm lens is much wider than a 40mm lens. EVF Viewfinder = Most camcorders today do not have a viewfinder, but use their LCD screen to compose video. However, some high end camcorders do have an Electronic Viewfinder (EVF). The advantage of having an EVF is to use the viewfinder in bright sun, where the LCD may be hard to see. Built-in WIFI = Camcorders with WiFi and NFC (near field communications) allow you to control your camcorder remotely or share contents. You will have the ability to stream video from your camcorder to a smart device such as an smartphone, tablet, or laptop and to the internet. You also can control these camcorders directly from your tablet, smartphone, or laptop. Balanced Optical Steadyshot® = This is Sony’s best image stabilization, and the best in the business. Only two 4K camcorders have this Balanced Optical SteadyShot technology, the Sony FDR-AX53 4K Camcorder , and the Sony FDR-AX33 4K Camcorder.




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