Are you looking for a portable yet reliable video recorder, but don’t want to break your bank account? If so, you have to take a look at Sony HDR-MV1 and Zoom Q4. These two products are among the most popular models on the market right now. However, there is some price gap between the two. Sony HDR-MV1 is a little bit more expensive than Zoom Q4. So, what do these products offer? Which is the one that you should get?
Sony HDR-MV1
Sony HDR-MV1 is a compact and portable video recorder featuring a unique and distinctive design. The design allows you to use it with just a single hand. The video recorder is equipped with a 120-degree wide lens at the front, with a pair of X/Y stereo mics angled accordingly underneath. Furthermore, the Audio Lip Sync feature ensures that the audio and video are always in synchronicity. On the left side, you can notice a 2.7-inch display screen, along with some function and control buttons near the rear and on the top side. The connection ports are placed on the rear. The layout allows for easy reach by the fingers, at the same time keeping the device compact and uncluttered. Sony HDR-MV1 is able to record videos in a maximum quality of 1920 x 1080 Full HD with 30 fps frame rate, and with the selectable audio encoding of LPCM (44.1kHz, 16-bit) and AAC (48kHz, 128kbps). The device has been equipped with built-in Wi-Fi and NFC for easy and seamless file sharing as well as turning your mobile device into a remote control and monitor. (Read also: Sony HDR-MV1 vs. Zoom Q8)
Zoom Q4
On the other hand, we have Zoom Q4. Compared to its contender here, Zoom Q4 is indeed rather bulky in its full form. This is due to the display screen that is foldable and needs to be retracted out as well as the stereo mics that are placed on the top. On the good side, the display screen is detachable, too. So, if you feel like the display screen is kind of disturbing for handling, you can just remove the piece. Zoom Q4 comes with a 130-degree lens and records 1920 x 1080 Full HD videos in MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 encoding. Unfortunately, though, the model does not come with any wireless connectivity. At least, it allows live streaming of the recording through the USB or HDMI port.
Sony HDR-MV1 vs. Zoom Q4
The lack of Wi-Fi is a major drawback in Zoom Q4. All in all, Sony HDR-MV1 makes a better choice. It has inbuilt wireless connectivity, and it records with better performance and quality.
