
The best camcorders are something of an anachronism in today's market. Yet, their barrel-shaped handheld format, built-in zoom lenses, and ability to get going with minimal setup see them continuing to be popular with a certain type of buyer. If you're an enthusiast looking for something that can shoot decent, stable 4K video out of the box then the Sony FDR-AX53 makes some sense.
It makes even more sense if you're looking for good value, want to upgrade from a smartphone, and don't need or understand the features, codecs, and interchangeable lenses offered by the best cinema cameras.