Sony FDR-AX53 Ultra HD 4K Compact Camcorder (HD 5-Axis
Sony FDR-AX53 Ultra HD 4K Compact Camcorder (HD 5-Axis Balanced Optical SteadyShot, 20x Optical Zoom, Wi-Fi and NFC), Black
High-quality sound recording
Its structural design enables the microphone to gather, from five directions, clear sound with approximately 40 per cent 15 less noise and twice as effective15 2 ch stereo (for XAVC S shooting) and three times as effective15 5.1 ch surround (for AVCHD shooting) sound performance. This makes it possible to faithfully reproduce audio with clearly defined separation.
4 K Time-lapse capture
You can capture 4 K size still images continuously over an extensive duration of time at a selected constant interval from each shot to the next, edit the entire sequence of still images in post-production and enjoy playback of that series of images as a time-lapse movie.
More professional-style functions
Time Code and User Bit can be added to movies as data elements. Time Code function records hours/minutes/ seconds/frames on image data for precise video editing. User Bit function records information such as date/time/scene number, etc in eight-digit arbitrary numbers and is useful for editing movies using two or more cameras.
 |  |  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality | High Definition | High Definition | High Definition | 4 K Ultra HD | 4 K Ultra HD |
| Imager | 1/5.8 inch | 1/5.8 inch | 1/5.8 inch | 1/2.3 inch | 1/2.5 inch |
| Wide lens size | 26.8 mm | 26.8 mm | 26.8 mm | 29 mm | 29 mm |
| Screen size | 2.7 inch | 2.7 inch | 3 inch | 3.0 inch | 3.0 inch |
| Dots | w/230,400 | w/230,400 | w/460,800 | w/921,600 | w/921,600 |
| Optical zoom | 30x | 30x | 30x | 10x | 20x |
| Viewfinder | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Image stabilisation | Optical Steadyshot | Optical Steadyshot | Balanced Optical SteadyShot | Balanced Optical Steadyshot | Balanced Optical Steadyshot |
| Wi-Fi and NFC | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Weight: | 0.64 Kilograms |
| Dimensions: | 16.6 x 7.3 x 8 centimetres |
| Brand: | Sony |
| Model: | FDRAX53B.CEH |
| Part: | FDRAX53B.CEH |
| Colour: | Black |
| Batteries Included: | 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. (included) |
| Dimensions: | 16.6 x 7.3 x 8 centimetres |
Der Lamellenverschluss, ausgelst ber das aufklappbare Display, funktionierte nicht und verursachte teils erheblich eingeschrnkte Aufnahmen (die Ecken waren teils durch die Lamellen verdeckt).
Erst ein Austauschgert konnte das Problem lse
This is the first camcorder that I’ve ever owned, so I can’t write a thousand words delving into the minutiae of its spec or comparing it with a Panasonic. What I can say is that this camcorder virgin found it a superb piece of kit that not only met my expectations but exceeded them by miles, delivering extraordinary picture and sound quality even in the hands of an absolute beginner. It really couldn’t be easier to use, and the results that you get are comparable with what you see on BBC news bulletins.
To store your photos and videos, you’ll need to buy a memory card: I chose a 64GB one from SanDisk. You might also want to order a Sony VCT-R640 tripod (beautifully engineered) and a Sony ECM-XYST1M stereo microphone (which slots into a shoe on the top of the camera, and gives slightly better audio than the camcorder’s built-in mics).
In sum, warmly recommended.
Great overall camera with excellent image stability. Let down by a viewing monitor which is hard to see in bright sunlight.
Excellent, all round quality as you would expect from Sony.
Purchased to record a holiday of a lifetime, holiday was cancelled due to the pandemic !
Amazing camera. Great clear picture. Easy to use. Just make sure you have a computer with the right spec to work your videos. I have had to buy a new one. But I needed an update anyway
We use this camera as part of our live streaming setup and it’s fantastic! We have 2 others of the same model and they are great! The quality is excellent, the usability is great and if you want great quality at an affordable cost this is definitely worth considering
Good but not a great camcorder. Easy to use point a shoot video camera. Only real downside so far was that SONY UK refused to honour my CASH BACK Claim because I bought from Amazon. And, it was the same price everywhere in the UK at the time of purchase.
The only real niggle I have with this camcorder is that it only shoots 4K at 24fps. 1080 at 60fps is much easier on the eye.
The camera is mainly used to record everyday life in a small village community. As it is small it is not intrusive and people forget its there. It can be put into a bag and carried safely. The image quality is very good, but does sometimes take a while to focus when in automatic and in zoom.
I have just used this camera to record my 170 mile journey on a canal boat. I just used the basic functions as a point and shoot. The camera was amazing. The steady shot function worked perfectly and the zoom very impressive when I needed to get in close on wildlife.
The camera was so easy to hold and able to get some great camera angles.
The touch screen is easy to navigate when you get to know where most of the functions are. It was simple to review a shot and return to camera mode quickly.
There are cheaper camera’s that could have done the job but this is a well made and sturdy unit that gives you the options to achieve much more. Highly recommended.
It brightens up dark videos quite nicely, however when it comes to still photographs, even with full direct studio lighting with LED’s, the result is a dull image! I can’t seem to figure this out so appreciate any advice. I can’t see any option to fix this in the menu. I always have to edit the photo on the computer.
Otherwise, recommended!
The BOSS stabilisation system works brilliantly even when I run!
The 4K output is PIN sharp.
The 100fps in HD is superb.
This is a high end unit at a mid range prosumer pricing bracket.
Superb once you get it set up correctly with the correct codecs etc.
10/10!
Fantastic camera. Zoom is fantastic for a 700 camera. Lots of features and i found it easy to use. Battery life is around 2 hours i bought another bigger battery and that lasts 4 hou
Been using it for 6 Months now. Absolutely stunishing clear picture, very easy to setup and use. Replaced my 7-8 years old Full HD Sony camera. You can not compare the two. This one has much better stabilizer control and picture. Great product from Sony.
My first experience with 4k resolution, the camera produces clear, precise images, its anti-shake mechanism is an enormous advance in technology, allowing for steady movement, even under zoom. Took it for a 4 week safari trip around South Africa, me and the camera got on well, I’m delighted with the results. It is straightforward to use, especially in auto mode, and easy to navigate around the on-screen menus. The Sony camera feels good in the hand, is well built, highly recommended.
Other than that the picture quality is clear, noise is low even at higher gain settings and the stabiliser is second to none. You also get 3.5mm mic input (which I use for a rode videomicro), headphone jack and evf. I love the ability to setup manual focus using the front focus ring. I use manaul focus with the focus peaking turned on more than I thought I would. Not because the auto focus is bad but because the ring is so easy and lets you fix a focus point quickly. Used to it’s full potential this camera can create great quality video.
Great device beutiful images but the control buttons very fiddley, I found it was to easy to accidentally switch from auto to manual mode apart from that fab
The features and operation are immediately apparent to anyone who has operated a handicam, and most people will be able to get up and filming in no time. However, it’s where you start to dive into the features of the camera that you find yourself pleasantly surprised. The wheel at the front can be used to tweak any number of things – such as focal range (magnifier included) AE balance and contrast. This, combined with a quality zoom, really helps give you control over the look of your shots. The steadicam gyroscope is also extremely handy when trying to capture a moving shot without rigid dolly or tripod stiffness.
The only thing I would recommend is a large memory card (there isn’t one included). The video files easily creep into the GB range!
The Good;
1. The HD XAVC-S is really good. Although its standard HD resolution (1020 x 1080), their XAVCS gives incredibly sharp and detailed pictures compared to the usual AVCHD recordings. XAVC-S is a consumer codec based on their professional XAVC system, and captures much more detail than AVCHD.
2. Since it captures data at 50mbps, rather than the 28mbps for AVCHD, it will use about twice the space on the SD card.
That said, it does still enable recordings of 1hr 20min on a 64Gb SD card, (prices of suitable cards are around 30 now), plus the camera does have the option to switch to AVCHD if needed.
3. It’s also capable of shooting 100fps in superb quality – not only is it great for smooth slow motion effects, but I can also pull single frames from videos to make really nice still pictures.
4. Their SteadyShot Intelligent Active ‘5-way’ stability control works with this setting (not in 4K- that uses B.O.S.S.) and gives excellent stability to hand held shots.
I originally bought it as my first foray into the world of 4k.
I found that slower moving camera / images were just perfect, but was somewhat disappointed at the quality when panning.
After using XAVC-S at 100fps, 25fps just seems too slow (although it is still the standard in the UK)
Plus whilst the BOSS Stability control was good, it is not as good as ‘5-way Intelligent Active’ under XAVC-S.
I’m not sure, but I think the better stabilization also has something to do with the camera utilizing the extra unused pixels from the 4K sensor.
Finally, editing 4k is very, very heavy on PC resources, something I’d not fully prepared for.
So, now I shoot everything in HD (XAVC-S) at 100fps, and that way I get stunning video, the best stabilization, and are easier to edit with my software. Not what I set out to do, but I’m very pleased with the cameras ability in this area, and so many people have commented on the sharpness and clarity of video.
However, the camera is not without its flaws.
Aside from the usual niggles that all technology seems to have, there are some more serious ones below, none of which Sony seem particularly interested in fixing;
The Bad;
1. Despite their claim about fast auto focus, I find my camera (VER 1.02) can at times be both slow and confused when using auto focus, and the manual option is all but impossible to use effectively.
2. The camera doesn’t remember the last setting for recording, so each time I power up, I need to open MENU, select SHOOTING MODE, and then select HIGH SPEED REC. That’s stupid beyond belief.
3. The stability control sometimes becomes too smart for its own good, and starts to ‘tremor’. It seems to be that if the camera is held very steady, the stability seems to overcompensate and the only fix is to move the camera to ‘reset’ it. I mostly use the camera as a hand held, but I’ve read reports that the same issue can occur when on a tripod. Whenever I’ve put it on a mount, I’ve turned off the stability control.
4. The camera doesn’t remember the SD card after formatting, so if you reformat your card, and then record footage, it will restart at C0001 again.
Plus, this same bug means that if you have more than one card (as I do) it will result in duplicated numbers, with each card starting at C0001.
Sony’s response to this (as it appears to be for other owners issues) is to simply send links to their (frankly shoddy) manual.
I reported this format/duplicating numbers from multiple cards bug to Sony back in May 2016, and other than tell me to set the FILE NUMBER to SERIES (which it is), they were of no use. 15 months later, and there is not even an acknowledgement of the fault, which is so easy to replicate.
That’s disappointing, since Sony appear to have little interest in their product after selling it, and even less interest in their customers either.
However, despite the above, I’m still giving the camera 4 stars.
Superb. Zooming in on planes flying overhead and seeing exactly the make of plane from the tail markings was easy. Plenty of video and photo demonstrations on Youtube so check them out. It’s well worth the money!
Stunning camcorder , nothing in this price range even comes close!
It arrived safe and sound haven’t used it yet charging battery
quite happy with this item – only thing I hate is that sometimes autofocus is a little bit slow. Otherwise there are also things which are positive and did not expect. . . .
Fantastic little lightweight camera, easy to use and the stabiliser is brilliant. Touch screen is very responsive and for a video camera it takes fantastic photos.
Download the app and you can even control it from your smart phone.
quality is amazing, stability is mind blowing, zoom is just perfect, audio is perfect and all the other options are excellent.
If you film aviation then this camcorder is perfect!
needs a little cut out of fluff for the mic to act as a windshield in windy weather but that’s about all it needs.
for examples checkout my youtube channel ArcturanMegadonkey
The onboard software has improved over the past couple of years too, and the flip-out LCD screen gives you a lot of control over the precise settings you want to make use of – the manual control options are fantastic. You can rely on the auto to work in almost all situations but if you want to change your focus, iso, shutter speed or balance you can do all of that. I would have liked to have had that more easily handled via the shell of the recorder itself, but at least you’ve got the option. If you need to do regular, ongoing changing of these settings you’ll definitely find it annoying.
I also love the fact you can hook it up to a network and control it remotely with nothing more than a phone app – that opens up a world of flexibility that really adds a cherry on top of the cake.
I say it’s affordable – it’s still not exactly *cheap*, but as a mid-level ultra high definition camcorder you get an awful lot for your money.
After a long time reviewing different camcorders I opted to get this little beauty and am really happy with it. I bought a separate stereo Rode microphone to go with it and the two work perfectly together. Highly recommended!
The camera itself comes complete with cables to uplink to a PC or laptop or tablet, there is also a cable for charging the unit from the mains and the battery is detactable but charges when the camera is linked to the mains, included is a very, very useful inlay card/booklet which has a good contents page, index, is well illustrated, makes great use of titles, subtitles etc. etc. to provide an accessible guide to complete novice or more informed user alike.
4K is an improvement on HD, I dont know if 4K will be wave of the future or remain primarily a concern of film and photography devotees for some time to come, the size of the memory card you will want to use will differ depending on how much 4K filming or photos you plan to take.
The lens stabilisation is brilliant, it compensates for any shake in the hand of the average user, adjust well for movement on the part of the user but I have not extensively tested the camera to know about claims that it will stabilise if you are running or moving, I have no experience with other sorts of cameras like Go Pros which people would use to record sking or anything like that to compare it with.
The lens on the very front of the camera can be adjusted for focus and zoom, I thought this was a little like having a photography or single shot feature on a camcorder camera. You can film using either the flip out and adjustable view finder window or the extendable eye piece at the back of the camcorder. The view finder is touch screen and easy to set up and operate, intuitive pretty much but the inlay booklet is a good guide.
Besides the hardware uplinks, via capable, the device can be paired to wifi allowing you to transfer images to laptop, desktop, tablet or smart/android phones, you will need to download an app but this allows you to create calenders with pictures or film for every day of the week if you like or special occasions or both. I think this feature would be of particular interest to anyone who is a video diarist, life logger or chronicler.
There is a small hatch/cover which slides back on the top to reveal a clip to which you can fasten peripherals like a flash, light, mic etc. depending upon whatever sort of filming you plan to engage in. The mic technology on this camera alone is pretty good, featuring noise cancellation qualities and other features to attend to and master. It is a little larger than the other camera but I actually thought that this was a little bit more aesthetically pleasing, that’s just me personally (I also have to say that I love seeing the lens move in the cradle as part of the stabilising feature).
As I say I dont own a lot of different makes of camera, they are all in this same range, so I can not do much in the way of a compare and contrast to other makes and models. I personally think this is a story of all strengths and no weaknesses but that is how I find it, even the battery life in use is satisfactory. Sony make excellent compact camcorder tech.
Having convinced us that we should ditch our VGA / HD ready and now HD equipment, the electronics giants are now convincing us that we need 4k, though it is beyond the resolution of many output devices that we might use. Many movies are now shot 4K. However, this is the future and if you can justify north of 700 for a new video camera, there is no need to not buy 4k. You can dual record in 4K and smaller file format (e.g. MPEG4) for file sharing (etc) anyway.
The little Sony is light and though quite substantial in size (about the size and volume of a large tin of baked beans!) and ideal for travel. It really palm-sized and simplicity itself to use. There are very few hard controls, most of the set up and management is software driven via the menu on the flip-out LCD screen. Opening the screen turns on the camera, which immediately gives you a Live View and then there is as just a zoom toggle switch, a still frame capture button and a record stop / start button in terms of finger controls. In that sense the camera can be used straight from the box (aside from inserting a SD memory card — not supplied, of course) though when you start for the very first time, you need to go through the typical language and region and date / time set up screens. There is an HDMI connector port and microphone socket lead next to the grip which can be plugged into your computer to transfer across files and also as a back-up charger (the battery is charged on-camera — see below). Other than that, there is just a connector slot for the battery charger. Underneath the screen there is a separate socket for a mini HDMI connector. The lens iris shutter (to protect the lens) auto opens — no small lens cap to lose, thankfully. The lens is Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar and optical quality seems to be as you would expect of this quality marque. Build quality is very good — good enough for everyday use – though I wouldn’t go mountaineering or white water rafting with it! The multi function ring around the lens can be programmed to suit a variety of functions. I allocated mine to be an extra zoom control rather than the fiddly toggle on the top.
In terms of features and functionality the camera is pretty much idiot-proof but for the intended market it offers excellent bangs-for-bucks and must be very good value in the grand scheme of things. There is a 50x extended digital zoom (I shut this off and relied on the built in optical zoom and stabilisation), an excellent stereo microphone that works well enough and doesn’t pic up any system sound — the camcorder is completely silent in operation, a standard ” female tripod bush on the base and the usual wrap-around leatherette palm grip. File (quality) selection gives the option of AVC HD FX file format and full 4K with MPEG4 format (HD) can also be used for recording with dual recording. There are a good range of features buried in the menu, like HT TV set up for playback (e.g. 4:3 or 16:9, etc), editing and highlight functions. Manual override is available for things like exposure, low lux, white balance, etc but I left these alone, as I am sure most users will.
Using the camera is a breeze. The menu system is very similar to other Sony camcorders I have used. There is face recognition functionality that focusses on faces automatically and generally the optical and autofocus system is very good. The optical stabilisation works very well and resulting playback quality is excellent, viewed either on the built in LCD screen or when connected to a full-sized TV. My friend who works in media says the files are broadcast quality — though I am sure the functionality of the camera would be laughable for a professional, it certainly provides good-enough quality for me. Low light images are commendable noise-free and there is a night time mode. Image quality is quite superb with ultra-silent zoom operation. Videos on our (Sony) 48″ LED HD TV looked superb.
The Sony battery supplied is a chunky 1960mAh one, giving barely an hour’s recording on 4K, so my first task was to buy a spare battery. A genuine Sony was expensive, so I bought a good 1700mAh aftermarket one that had good reviews. So a good investment. There are also several others available with even higher capacity but the penalty is a more bulbous lump sticking out of the back of the camera, I guess. Batteries are charged on-camera using the dedicated supplied Sony charger (2 hour charge time). I find charging on-camera a faff, so my second purchase was an after-market travel charger that allows the spare battery to be charged off-camera. My third purchase was the bespoke Sony camcorder case (LCS U21B).
You’ll need to buy an SD card for recording images — or poach one from one of your other devices. There are three main things to consider. Firstly, the brand. I would advise keeping to SanDisk, Lexar or similar. Mainstream manufacturers make the best quality cards that are least likely to get corrupted. There are also a lot of forgeries online, so beware. Buy direct from Amazon or one of the reputable Marketplace retailers (etc). Secondly, you need to consider the card capacity. Most SD cards these days are of the SD HC (high capacity type) and given their relative cheapness, buy at least 16GB — this size gives about 1 hours of recording at highest quality on the Sony. Lastly, you need to consider the write-speed. Don’t look at confusing terms like 144x (etc) — look for absolute write speed, like ’30mbs’ of ’45 mbs’ (mega-bytes per second). 45mbs is better given the Sony’s 4K file size output but I’d go for 95mbs as they are so cheap. Avoid cheap card bargains or slower versions of the mainstream manufacturers’ cards, as they often have a slow write speed and are not suitable for video recording. There’ll be a bottleneck in recording and you may get drop-outs as the camera cannot write to the card quick enough. I didn’t have this problem with a SanDisk 95mbs card Extreme 3 version, which can be bought for a very good price online. Finally, remember that the cards should be used for temporary storage only — back up every day — don’t leave the SD card as the sole repository for your work or you’ll regret it. I used an external card reader rather than connecting the camera to the computer.
The instruction manual is fair. The written English is fine but there is very little in the way of in-depth information — it doesn’t tell you much that can’t be worked out from the onscreen menu. I would have preferred some more technical discussion of file types and pros and cons but I guess Sony don’t think this is important for the intended user.
Software. There is no CD supplied with the device, you need to go online and download Sony Play Memories software. I also got a PDF version of the instruction manual. The software is really for the ‘home user’ and I found it frustratingly simplistic. I used Adobe Photoshop Elements and found this much more useful and I was able to splice together and edit videos easily and output in many file formats.
In conclusion, the Sony is a fine piece of engineering and I would recommend it strongly for non-professional use or for a first foray into 4K videography.
I largely agree with the jgw89 review, and it is a good review so I don’t need to repeat any of it. The microphone I am not yet sure about. I am used to AVCHD recording mode and 5.1ch surround sound setting, this is certainly available on this model but not so if you select 4K or HD XAVC S mode. In these modes only 2ch stereo is available which is a shame for those who own home theatre systems. I used to find my voice quite loud from behind the camera but now I struggle to hear myself during playback in 2ch stereo. There is a ‘my voice cancelling’ feature on this camera but I have not activated it, I have activated the built in zoom microphone function though which may have something to do with it ?
I recorded in 4K 60Mbps mode at 25fps and plugged the camera straight into my 4K television using the supplied HDMI cable, WOW again ! The first actual raw 4K I have seen on my television set and not one pixel showed anything but sharp, clear definition and I had my nose pressed to the screen. Brilliant.
I was impressed with the BOSS system also, I had mine set to ‘Active’ which is the greatest stabilisation mode available when in XAVC S format, it was weird whilst recording as the lens position appears to have a mind of it’s own when compensating for any untoward movement by the user. Initially one would think the camera was broken inside as the lens can move when you shake the camera around – gently !
It is still early days for recording and storing 4K for the consumer, I use the Sony PlayMemories Home software which is great in my opinion. This comes available free with the camera via a download from the Sony UK website. It is extensive enough unless you are a pro editor. It can store 4K and HD XAVC S and allow some editing. I have bought a 4TB external hard drive to store 4K, 2hrs worth can eat 64GB memory ! I do not know when it will be possible to burn 4K to disc to watch on the recently available Ultra HD Blu-ray players so we are left waiting for now. The HD XAVC S mode will allow up to 50Mbps at 1080p which is great definition and can be burned to Blu-ray disc using PlayMemories Home, I will try this out as my old camera could only achieve 15Mbps at 1080i.
I recorded in my living room in fairly low light and the result was better than my old camera which would have needed a light fitted in the same conditions. Speaking of which I bought the Sony ADPMAC Shoe Adapter which fits directly to the multi interface shoe and adapts to the Active interface shoe to allow the fitting of older Sony accessories. However, my light was “device not supported” on this camera – shame.
Intelligent Auto appears to be a good feature which can easily be selected from the LCD monitor screen by touching the icon. This can switch several functions on automatically if required such as face detection, scene detection, camera shake detection and sound detection (for auto wind NR). The touch screen works well, my old one was the (push) resistive type whereas this one is capacitive, it is like a mobile phone screen which is certainly easier to clean. The menu systems are intuitive and become very user friendly.
I also like the fact that the camera is on and ready upon opening the LCD monitor or pulling out the view finder, great for those quick shot moments.
A great camera, thoroughly recommended until the next model is released………..
This is brilliant. My only tiny criticism is that the zoom sharply accelerates at the wide end, which is a minor issue if you like a progressive zoom in or out.
This camcorder looks brilliant. Quite heavy but it does look and feel higher end than the HD version which was excellent but it looks very average compared to this ax53 model which is outstanding in almost every area and I think this is definitely a worthy upgrade on any HD camcorder and worth considering if you had last years ax33 but I wouldn’t say it’s an essential upgrade on that model. This one has now introduced a native 16×9 aspect ratio along with the Carl Zeiss lens which provides wonderful detailed images – the detail is incredible vs HD.
For those like me who have an HD tv and thinking if the extra money on a 4k camcorder is worthwhile at this time my advice is it absolutely is. All those years ago when HD came out – ask yourself, would you have gone for HD or SD? The same applies here. HD or 4K. Think ahead. We’ll be watching 4k in under 10 years as a normal day to day standard.
With this camcorder you get both 4K and HD – both modes are genuinely impressive and the HD is better on this than on the dedicated CX625. 2 levels of image stabilization are on offer with HD and 1 with 4K. In both modes Stabilization is unbeatable when compared to my previous Panasonic. While this model isn’t 100% stable wheb fully zoomed it is smooth and watchable, rather than all over the place. The extra Stabilization in HD mode is really only meant for extreme movement such as jogging and isn’t a blow for 4k as boss is good enough for most situations, I found it was stable including when walking and panning.
4K filming gives you either 25 or 24 fps with either 60 (allows pics) or 100mbps (no pics). HD adds 50fps. I find 25fps is pleasing enough but yes a 50fps in 4K would be welcome but not essential. I film in 100mbps. Details are very good, nice colours and a pleasing look overall but it’s not as perfect as video I’ve seen on the AX100 but that camcorder isn’t in the same league in fairness.
Low light is good enough for a small(ish) sensor, some noise. Nothing bad though. There’s also nightshot which reminds us of those awful ghost hunting shows. Useful perhaps but not a feature I will use that often.
The microphone has good noise cancelation and helps lower the wind noise well enough in a slightly breezy day. The audio quality is good with clear stereo quality in 4K and 5.1 in HD. There’s also a built-in headphone jack as well.
In summary, this technology feels like a major step forward compared to any HD consumer camcorder. From to performance and features in this price range, money will struggle to buy you better. I highly recommend it.