PANASONIC HC-VX870K

Not only can you capture Ultra HD 4K (3840 x 2160) with the HC-VX870 4K Ultra HD Camcorder from Panasonic, but you can superimpose a secondary video image from your smartphone’s camera via a Wi-Fi connection. In this way, covering two camera angles at once within a single recording becomes possible. Other notable features include a 20x optical zoom lens with a 29.5 to 626mm equivalent focal length – giving you a wide angle when zoomed out, a substantial amount of telephoto when zoomed in, and a lot to work with in between. For slowing fast action, the HC-VX870 captures 120 fps native slow-motion at 1080p resolution, which can be slowed down even further using in-camera interpolation – giving you a 240 fps final video.

Through their lens design partnership with Leica, Panasonic incorporated a Leica Dicomar 20x optical zoom lens with four separate optical groups and a maximum aperture of f/1.8. To keep excessive image vibration to a minimum, for steadier handheld shooting, the HC-VX870K features Panasonic’s HYBRID O.I.S.+, which combines optical and digital image stabilization to provide 5-axis correction. Adjustable settings allow you to find a stabilization mode most appropriate for the kind of shooting you are doing. From OFF for tripod work, to Normal for regular handheld work, all the way up to Strong for those times when things really get shaky.

The HC-VX870’s Wi-Fi does more than let you capture video from your phone’s camera as a secondary camera angle. You can preview a live image on your mobile device using the Panasonic Image App and change camera settings. If the camera has Internet access, you can even upload web-friendly copies of videos and photos directly to social media websites. Plus, there’s a Baby Monitor function which lets you use the camera like an IP surveillance camera, viewing a remote feed across the Internet.