Nowadays 4k camcorder is becoming more popular among all recording cameras. Many companies are developing 4k camcorder and Panasonic is one of them which is making more affordable camcorder in your budget. Panasonic has released many 4k camcorders in the year 2016 and two of them were Panasonic HC-WXF 991K and Panasonic HC-VX981K. In this article, we are going to compare these two 4k consumer camcorder.
Panasonic HC-VX 981K Camcorder Review
Panasonic HC-VX 981K captures high-quality UHD 4k and full HD video recording within 4k cropping and editing tools. It is also smaller and lighter than its sibling. This camcorder has advanced features like HDR movie mode and wireless multi-camera function.
Panasonic HC-WXF991K Camcorder Review
Panasonic HC-WXF991K is a 4k UHD camcorder that has 4 times resolution of FULL HD, and the same as the resolution of 4k projector in the movie theatre. It has a twin camera that can record a picture in a picture. This camcorder has included advanced features such as the new hybrid optical/ digital image stabilization with five-axis intelligent zoom and 20x optical zoom. It has a tiltable electronic viewfinder and 24p recording with slow motion and dolly zoom effects
Panasonic HC-WXF991K vs Panasonic HC-VX981K | 10 main differences
| FEATURES/ CAMCORDER | Panasonic HC-VX981K | Panasonic HC-WXF991K |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor | Live MOS Sensor | Live MOS Sensor |
| Optical Zoom | 20x | 25x |
| Weight | 351 Gram | 403 Gram |
| Dimensions Wxhxd | 65 x 73 x 139 mm | 67 x 78 x 163 mm |
| Effective Resolution | 8.29 MP Resolution | 8.3 MP Resolution |
| Viewfinder | NO | Electronic Viewfinder |
| Usb connectivity | Type 2.0, 480 MB | no |
| Video Resolution | 3840x2160 Pixels (2160p),1920x1080 Pixels (1080p HD),1280x720 Pixels (720p HD) | 3840x2160 Pixels (2160p),1920x1080 Pixels (1080p HD) |
| Fps | 1080p Frame rate : 24, 60720p Frame rate : 30 | 1080p Frame rate : 24, 30, 60 |
| Optical Sensor Resolution | 460 Pixels | 1 Pixels |
| Total Megapixels | 18.9MP | 16MP |
| Slow Motion Effect | no | yes |
| Battery | Rechargeable(proprietary) | Rechargeable(proprietary)Li-ion1940 mAh, 3.6 volts |
Design and Build quality
Both the camcorders are compact and lightweight but 991k is slightly bigger and heavier than 981k with extra features such as viewfinder and secondary camera. The dimensions and weight of 991 are 67 x 78 x 163 mm,403 grams respectively while dimensions of 981k are 65 x 73 x 139 mm and weigh around 351 grams. 991 is a little bit heavier because of some more features which are not present in the older model. 991 has a viewfinder and a secondary camera. Both are made of hard plastic with some metallic parts. Both the models have a lens on the front side, a handle strap on the right side, and a tiltable display along with buttons and connectors on the left side. Overall both the professional model of Panasonic has the same design with a black finish.
Display and Viewfinder
Panasonic HC-WXF991K has a 0.24-inch electronic viewfinder on the rear side of the camera. It is connected in such a way that you can tilt it up or down and its soft eye cup sets a comfortable position for you while using it. Its viewfinder has a great resolution that provides you excellent images which are incredibly sharp and clear
Panasonic HC-VX 981K has a regular display screen instead of the viewfinder. If you are a beginner and casual user then lack of a viewfinder is not a problem because it is tricky to operate. But experienced and professional photographers used it for better framing and they always prefer a camera that has a good viewfinder.
Twin camera with wifi capability
Both the camcorder has the same lenses on its main camera but Panasonic HC-WXF991K provides a secondary camera that is connected to the edge of the LCD monitor. Twin camera of this camcorder provides you 270-degree panning with +/- 20-degree tilting feature to record from two different angles at the same time. The video recorded by the secondary camera appears in the sub-window for a picture in picture recording. Its LCD monitor has a secondary twin camera
Audio and video quality
Both the camcorder has a built-in microphone. You can use a good external mic for getting high-quality audio.Both the camcorders come with the same lens and image sensor. The main camera has a 1/ 2.3-inch backside-illuminated MOS sensor which has a total 18.9MP count while the effective pixel is only 8.29MP when shooting 4k videos and 6.10MP when shooting full HD videos.
The performance of both models is very impressive. They capture 4k videos at 30p framerate and 72 MBPS bit rate. This camcorder has an HDMI mini connector for the best quality video.
Multi scene video
Both the camcorders can capture a multi-scene video but in a different way. Panasonic HC-WXF991K do it by itself but HC-VX 981K capture after connecting it to a mobile device because Panasonic HC-WXF991K has two cameras but Panasonic HC-VX 981K has only one main camera. Panasonic HC-WXF991K can connect up to three smartphones wirelessly to capture multi-scene videos. Panasonic HC-VX 981K can also capture multi-scene videos via a wireless connection. Both the camcorder comes with 5 axis hybrid optical image stabilization
In-camera 4k cropping and editing tool, and connectivity
Both the camera has a set of built-in editing tools that crop 4k videos as well as add various effects such as panning, tracking, stabilizing and zooming. Both the camcorders have built-in 2.4 GHz wifi that allows you to connect mobile devices for capturing multi-scene videos, remote control, and transferring files.
4k photo mode and HDR movie mode with video effects
In this mode, you can crop a video at a certain moment and extract 4k images from those frames. It comes with a wide range of cinema-like effects like slow-motion video, slow zoom and dolly zoom, slow and quick video. Using these effects users can simulate shooting techniques seen in films. HDR movie mode maintains the gradation in the images. it’s 5 axis hybrid image stabilization prevents blurring and jitters in videos and this feature stabilizes in the axes- pan, roll, tilt, the horizontal and vertical direction
PROS
Panasonic HC-VX 981K
- 4K Ultra HD Video at 24/30 fps
- 1/2.3″ BSI MOS Sensor
- Wireless multi-camera support
- Hdr movie mode
Panasonic HC-WXF991K
- 20x Leica Dicomar Optical Zoom Lens
- Amazing video quality
- 5 axis image stabilization
- Electronic viewfinder
- Twin camera and wireless multi-camera
- Built-in cinema-like effects
- Tilting 0.24″ EVF / 3.0″ Touchscreen LCD
- Capture stills from 4k video mode
CONS
Panasonic HC-VX 981K
- No viewfinder
- Average battery life
Panasonic HC-WXF991K
- Noise in the picture
Conclusion
Panasonic HC-VX 981 is a 4k UHD camcorder with WIFI twin camera that capture multi-camera scene picture in picture recording while Panasonic HC-WXF991K is a 4k UHD consumer camcorder with WIFI and built-in multi-scene twin camera that makes multi-camera scene picture in picture recording with its embedded flip screen in their second lens. Both the camcorder have similar performance and recording quality but Panasonic HC-WXF991K comes with a viewfinder whereas Panasonic HC-VX 981K doesn’t.
Panasonic HC-WXF991K is a powerful and affordable 4k camcorder that can produce 4k ultra HD videos at 24fps or 30 fps. It is a great choice for young filmmakers, you tubers, and travel photographers while Panasonic HC-VX981K can record 4k ultra HD video up to 30 fps and it is a reliable choice for those customers who can’t afford professional camera but still want great image quality.
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