Sony as one of the biggest manufacturer of cameras are having a wide array of both still-picture centered and video recording camera with a long experience in the market to develop an even better products. Sony FDR AX53 vs FDR AX33 are two of their camcorders that are coming from the same line and related to each other but also different in some of their parts. If you are currently looking for a dependable video camera, go check our article below.
In this article, we are going to give you information about:
– What are Sony FDR AX53 and FDR AX33
– What Sony FDR AX53 and FDR AX33 Look Like
– What Sony FDR AX53 and FDR AX33 can offer to you
– Sony FDR AX53 vs FDR AX33
About Sony FDR AX53
Camcorder is not a brand new thing because these cameras has been around for quite some time now. It is probably not that trendy anymore to talk and be enthusiast about a video reorder since the advanced in technology has put so much capabilities in our smartphones. This affect the popularity of camcorder but it doesn’t mean it is not relevant anymore for a good unit like Sony FDR AX53 is exist to offer better capability in term of taking videos.
Sony FDR AX53 Design
Looking at this camcorder from the outside, we are sure you will notice how small it is because this one is probably just as big as your cola can or a bit bigger. It is also extremely lightweight but you don’t have to worry about the material quality because it is nowhere near “cheap”. Just like many other Sony’s product, this camcorder is robust and firm enough to be handled comfortably. There are several buttons on the body to operate the camera and the LCD screen itself is also touch sensitive for more convenience.
Sony FDR AX53 Features
As the upgrade of its former model, the AX33 that we are going to talk later, of course you can find some improvement here and there in this camera. The prominent upgrade they put in Sony FDR AX53 is the new lens because now it has the new ZEISS Vario Sonnar T lens which will allow you to capture video with a wide 26.8mm angle and what make it even better is the improvement it brings. Thanks to the upgrade, this camcorder is able to increase the optical zoom up to 20x.
Not only that, you will also see improvement on the clear image zoom for it is supporting up to 30x for 4K quality and 40x for High Definition videos. We almost forget to mention that this camcorder is already able to record video in 3840 x 2180 which is 4 times the resolution of HD videos. Another improvement they put here is on the sensor because the Exmor R CMOS has been upgraded to be 1.6x larger than the previous model. Read also: Sony FDR AX53 vs. FDR AX100 here.
This upgrade bring good results such as better low-light performance while Autofocus is also upgraded to be 40% faster than its predecessor. As for the image stabilization capability, the former Balanced Optical Steady Shot image stabilizer is now combined with 5-axis intelligent Active mode to be able to handle vibration with better performance. What’s unfortunate on this side is it won’t support the feature when taking video in 4K quality. Video modes is also added with 4K time-lapses and slow motion in full HD.
About Sony FDR AX33
If you are loving what you can get from Sony FDR AX53 but thinking that the price is too expensive or you just want to spend less, you should check the older model FDR AX33 because it has so many similarities with the newer model. This camcorder is also an upgrade of an even older model AX100, so if you ever use the unit, expect some new improvements. For starter, this camcorder also has the capability to record videos in 4K, so if you have the television, now you can made the actual quality.
Sony FDR AX33 Design
If you place AX53 and AX33 side by side, you can see that the first is slightly bigger in size compared to the other due to the improvement they put on the camcorder. This camera is smaller and very compact which making it comfortable when handled. The company also thought the buttons placing carefully because you can reach all of them easily, such as the button for taking photo, recording, and zooming the image that are all placed on the right side.
Sony FDR AX33 Features
Just like many other Sony’s camcorder in this line, FDR AX33 is also using ZEISS Vario Sonnar T lens with 7.76 mm back illuminated Exmor R CMOS sensor which is smaller if you compare it to the first 4K camcorder by Sony which used 1-inch sensor, AX100. Even though this unit is released later, it is not actually an upgrade to the older and more like the affordable option since the capabilities is still lesser than its predecessor, so it can be a good option for those with limited budget to spend.
While the video quality won’t hold a candle if compared to AX100, thankfully, the company still put its Direct Pixel Read Out technology to smoothes the edges and improving the color gradation. The capability to perform zooming is also reduced because now it can only do optical zoom up to 10x while clear image zoom for 4K resolution is up to 15x and HD up to 20x. However, FDR AX33 is able to retain the same 4K at 30p and 1080p at 60p just like the older model.
If you are asking then what has been improve on FDR AX33 as a newer unit, well, the answer is the new Balanced Optical Steady Shot image stabilization technology which is working by moving an entire optical block all at once to help you produce less shaky videos since it is able to keep the optical path integrity.
Comparison
Now, let’s compare Sony FDR AX53 with FDR AX33. As you may already know, the biggest difference between these two is the sensor because AX52 is using a bigger sensor even though it is not as big as AX100. Another improvement is on the zoom and image stabilization system which makes the camcorder able to do up to 20x optical zoom and an even better stabilization with 5-axis Intelligent Active mode. Autofocus is also better and claimed to be 40% faster than AX33.
Sony FDR AX53 vs. FDR AX33
Conclusion
All in all, the decision is all yours to make. In our opinion, both of them are good option depend on your budget and preference. But, if price is not an issue, we will highly recommend you to pick Sony FDR AX53 because it is an overall better camcorder than AX33.
