Sony HDR-PJ790V Camcorder
My feelings on this camcorder range from slightly maddening to outstanding. After all is said and done I would guess most folks will either like this camcorder or love it, depending on what is important to you. For my usage, an overall score of four stars is probably accurate.
Also keep in mind that the "support landscape" for these newer models seems to change daily, so some of what is included below may be obsolete by the time you read this.
The "eye-brow-raising" or maddening aspects of the HDR-PJ790V for me, in no particular order:
GENERAL FEEL
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The "steady-shot" technology means the "guts" of the camcorder "float" inside the housing. Literally. When you first take this thing out of the box, I will almost guarantee your first impression will be "something broke off inside during shipping". It was so bad that I sent back the first one I received since there is no way IMO any manufacturer would send something like that out to consumers. The "guts" of the camera literally shook and bounced around when you picked it up. The second unit I received had much less "internals shaking around" feeling, but still the overall effect is disconcerting. Once you power up the camera, everything feels solid but of course you won't know this until you get a battery charged up.
I still cannot get over that Sony could not find a solution to this before shipping this camcorder. Or at least post a warning sticker that states "the insides are not broken, things are supposed to bounce around when you pick this camera up and before you power it on".
PORTS AND CABLES
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For 2013, Sony moved a bunch of functions to the Multi-A/V port on several of their camcorders and eliminated other ports (like the LANC/remote port). Hmmm. Unfortunately, if you read the "what's in the box" literature it is stated an "A/V cable" is included a cable which one would assume (well, at least I did) allows use of the multi-port for at least A/V output (i.e., RCA video/audio connectors). The manual however tells you this type of cable is sold separately. And it was not even available when I bought my unit.
NOTE:
As of this writing Sony makes two additional multi-port cables, both of which became available after I purchased my HDR-PJ790V.
The VMCAVM1 cable, which connects to the multi-port and ends in a female "D connector", into which you can plug Sony accessories such as the RM-AV2 Remote Commander, the GP-AVT1 Mini Grip or the Sony remote control tripods.
The VMC15MR2 HandyCam A/V cable also connects to the multi-port and terminates in three RCA connectors (video and audio). There are older style cables available that go from the D connector to RCA and S-Video out, if you are so inclined.
Since the multi-port controls all of these functions, why not a cable that would allow use of the A/V and remote capabilities simultaneously? Surely that is not too much to ask from Sony? Heck, my five-year old Canon camcorder can do that with two cables. StudioOneProductions does produce a cable for Sony camcorders that has RCA and LANC outputs from a male Sony "D connector", so if you have the VMCAVM1 you can use this cable pair to connect a remote and simultaneously burn a DVD (external burner) while recording with this camcorder.
Of course I'm not thrilled to spend another $50-$100 on cables to access functions of a $1500 camcorder.
So there is no longer an "A/V", remote or LANC port on these camcorders (remote functions are now controlled by three pins from the multi-port). However, having LANC/remote control is very important to me, so shame on me for not making sure there was "included" access to the LANC function before buying this camcorder. And I have to say, calling Sony tech support to get any of this info was an exercise in comedic futility you would have thought I was describing an alien space landing when talking to these folks. They (several employees) had no idea what the LANC/remote functions/ports/cables were, or what in the world they possibly could have to do with camcorders. Anyways, enough said on the multi-port subject. That area is obviously a work in progress for Sony.
QR PLATES
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I use Manfrotto video heads and thus use the Manfrotto 501PL QR plates on my video cameras. When this plate is mounted on the HDR-PJ790V, you no longer have access to the battery release button. This is a minor PITA when filming (I have a have a few of the NP-FV100 batteries so it is not a huge problem as I rarely have to swap batteries). But this does mean that unless you modify a 501PL plate (I will load a pic of how I modified a plate), you can't mount it and leave it on the camcorder. Just realize there is not a ton of room for your favorite QR plate and it may interfere with the battery release button.
ONBOARD MICROPHONE
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Having the onboard microphone jut out from the body does help with the audio quality from this unit. Two things however first, the lens shroud (if you choose to use it) blocks the mic from most sounds in front and "down" from the camera. Secondly, due to the amount this mic projects from the main "HandyCam" body none (or none that I have found) of the bags or pouches made to "snugly" fit the generic "HandyCam" dimensions will house this camcorder. Even the bags that Sony itself sells and labels as "compatible" with this camcorder will not work, as they can't clear the mic. So plan on getting something bigger than the standard "HandyCam" bag.
RECORDING MODES
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Sure, the manual (and BTW this is about the skimpiest manual I have seen in a long time) flatly tells you how to choose "PS", "FX", or "FH/HQ/LP" recording mode. Ummm, OK. But you'll have to unbury page 60 of the manual to find (NTSC):
**** NOTE: I recently discovered a real, newer, actual manual available in pdf form on the Sony website. I have not read every bit of it yet. Navigate through the Sony support site and enter the model number. The manual that came with my camcorder is now woefully obsolete!
AVCHD FX (24Mbps) 1920x1080/60i
AVCHD FH (17Mbps) 1920x-1080/60i
AVCHD HQ (9Mbps) 1440x1080/60i
AVCHD LP (5Mbps) 1440x1080/60i
AVCHD FX (24Mbps) 1920x1080/24p
AVCHD FH (17Mbps) 1920x1080/24p
AVCHD FX (24Mbps) 1920x1080/30p
AVCHD FH (17Mbps) 1920x1080/30p
AVCHD FX (24Mbps) 1280x720/60p
AVCHD FH (17Mbps) 1280x720/60p
MPEG2 SD HQ (9Mbps) 720x480/60i
MPEG2 SD HQ (9Mbps) 720x480/60i (24p Scan)
MPEG2 SD HQ (9Mbps) 720x480/60i (30p Scan)
(you can then choose HD, MP4 or STD, with restrictions on what goes with what).
HD: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 (AVCHD)
SD: MPEG-2 PS
CARDS AND FORMATTING
-----------------------------------
Sony specs for this camcorder state anything Class 4 or faster for SD cards, no stated restrictions on size. I have tried three different SD cards:
WILL NOT FORMAT:
Transcend Class 10 SDXC 64Gb card (TS64GSDXC10E), but of course my four year old low-end Canon Powershot camera has no trouble handling this card.
WILL FORMAT:
SanDisk Ultra 64 GB SDXC Class 10 Flash Memory Card 30MB/s (SDSDU-064G-U46)
Sony 32GB SDHC/SDXC Class 10 UHS-1 R40 Memory Card (SF32UY/TQMN)
ON TO THE GOOD STUFF
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That's about it for the downsides I have bumped into so far. I can sum up a lot of the above with the notion that Sony rushed this camcorder to market, since given time almost all of the above is very likely to be addressed or is being addressed already.
If none of the above matters to you, you will probably love this camcorder.
The form factor, as with just about all HandyCams, is great. When you open the display the unit turns on, another nice convenience. Power-on is not instant but it's not too bad. The Carl Zeiss lens is superb as far as I have judged. Optical zoom is sufficient for my needs.
FEATURES
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Video, color saturation, autofocus and "steady shot" are all superb. I have found the Intelligent Auto function to work fairly well, in that the camcorder "senses" the scene you are shooting and selects the scene mode accordingly (the default for this setting is "on"). There is also a "Low Lux" mode where you can override (brighten) the scene mode that the camcorder selected.
You can set the customizable manual dial to control focus/exposure/IRIS/shutter speed/AE shift/white balance shift. Would have liked it to be able to turn "Low Lux" on and off. Some intelligence is built-in there as well (i.e., if you set exposure after AE shift then exposure will override AE shift).
There are other funky features (like "Smile Shutter" which automatically takes a picture when it senses someone in the video smiling). These things are way down the list of importance for me but you may make good use of them.
LCD / TOUCH SCREEN / MENUS:
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The LCD monitor is vivid and sharp. Sun glare can be a big problem, but this screen is better in that regard than my older Canon. With fingers my size, touch screens and mini-controller buttons are generally a PITA for me to use. While I seem to have less "do-overs" with this touch screen than many others, I still have to repeat every second or third touch to get the function I am trying for. One nice ergonomic feature is you don't have to land your fingertip on a tiny dot of an icon most functions have the "touch" section going across the screen so you can hit it in several places.
I am not buried in the menu system a ton anyways, other than card formatting and changing video specs. So overall this is not an issue for me and I would certainly rate the touch screen as "good enough". The menu system is not too cumbersome and remembers where you last left off. Otherwise it is pretty standard fare.
BUILT-IN PROJECTOR, TAKING PICTURES WITH THIS CAMCORDER, PLAYMEMORIES SOFTWARE:
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Have not used the projector and have only taken one test photo, I will come back and post notes when I use these functions a bit more. I am a Mac person and have not looked into the Sony software at all as of yet, so I can't comment on the Windows PlayMemories (although I may load it in Parallels one of these days). I use Adobe Premiere Pro as my NLE and it works with these files just fine.
BUILT-IN GPS:
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The GPS function works fine when you are outdoors (near a window does not count as outdoors). Found my locations accurately. See the newer manual for usage this is a nice-to-have feature for me but I could live without it.
OPTIONAL WI-FI:
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I ordered the Wi-Fi unit due to the included remote only working from the front of the camera. Why no manufacturers seem to think you will be behind the camera and want to use a remote is beyond me. The Wi-Fi unit is tiny and allows a smart phone to be used as a remote. You will need to load the Sony PlayMemories Mobile app for your phone (as of this writing, this app has fairly bad reviews). Then you enter the menu system on the camcorder, scroll a bit in the "Camera/Mic" section until you find "Control with Smartphone" (this selection only appears when the Wi-Fi adaptor is connected). That fires up the Wi-Fi connection (you'll have to navigate to the connection on your phone and enter the password shown on the camcorder). Once the connection is set and your phone Wi-Fi network is set to the camcorder, you are good to go.
The camera LCD stays on the menu screen and shows "Being controlled by smartphone...". So your LCD/viewfinder is now your smartphone. The allowable functions are pretty basic with this camcorder, for movie mode you can zoom, start and stop recording (other camcorder models get more options in the app). A few more options for photo mode. Response is 2-5 seconds from hitting "record" to the recording actually starting up.
I would say if most of your remote needs are met by using the included remote from the front of the camera, then the optional Wi-Fi with the current state of the mobile app is a waste of money. But if you want to start the camcorder from a distance and from behind to catch that squirrel in the act of stealing the birdfeed for instance, then the Wi-Fi is the way to go.
OVERALL IMPRESSIONS
---------------------------------
I like this camcorder even though it forces me to work around its limitations a bit, or the limitations of Sony as a company (i.e., not having cables or detailed manual information available when product released to market). Some features or optional features sound great (Wi-Fi), but in practice seem not that ready for prime time.
The end result of actually videotaping which is what a camcorder is meant to do after all results in files that are easy to work with in just about any NLE and have great detail and color saturation.
I suppose every generation is spoiled by really cool electronics, and at my age I am still amazed at the quality products being produced in small footprints, this camcorder included. I do think this one was rushed to market but already see signs (new manual, new cables) that Sony is willing and able to play catch up.
This will be a fantastic camcorder when Sony addresses the above issues and if and when the price drops a few hundred $. For now it's four stars from me.
I am a long term Canon user and my current stable of camcorders includes a HV20 and HV40 both of which I prize for their extensive manual controls, their HDV recording, and the use of tape which acts as an natural archival mechanism.
The PJ790V was an exciting departure from my normal routine, and I used it exclusively on a recent trip to St Louis, MO to watch my son's high school robotics team compete at the Robotics World Championships. Over 3 exciting and exhausting days, I put this camcorder through its paces.
Here are my thoughts.
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This is easily one of the most comprehensive camcorders I have ever come across in over 25 years of videography.
In an embarrassing abundance of riches it combines:
1] an astounding amount of internal memory (96 GB. Really.)
While the jaw-dropping 36 hours recording time is only achievable on the lowest quality setting; even at full 60p HD you get a still-awesome 7 hours. See below for notes on Recording Modes.
2] a wide and fast Zeiss 10x zoom lens (26-260 mm/F1.8-3.4)
3] mind blowing optical image stabilization technology. At the Robotics World Championships, I shot hand-held, indoors, at full zoom from the nosebleed section of the Edward Jones dome and the images were still spectacular, with hardly any camera shake (except for wild pans in my excitement.) Check out footage in the first comment below this review. This is unbelievable OIS quality.
4] built in 100" projector(imagine that!) with a 1.6' throw distance and WVGA resolution (854x480)
5] a microphone separated from its body to avoid the camera noise that plagued my HV20
6] Navteq-supplied GPS for most places you are likely to visit including North America, Europe, Japan, and Oceania. Unfortunately, it does not do navigation, traffic, or weather :)
7] PlayMemories Home software lets you trim, split, and combine videos; grab frames for stills; and to share your creation. I found it to be a very intuitive video organizer/editor and great for when you can't be bothered to load up a full editor.
Some minor quibbles:
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1] The touch screen takes some pressure to register. I initially thought I had a bad touch screen!
2] The zoom rocker has a perceptible delay when the camera is first turned on, which is distracting when you need to get going quickly at a sporting event.
Conclusion:
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This is one of those cameras that you can simply start using, right out of the box. It is that intuitive. I was blown away by its SteadyShot system the image stabilization is truly best in class. When you view the clip in the comment below, remember that this was shot by a tired and excited parent, whooping like a kid, in indoor stadium lighting, often at full zoom. The focus is sharp, the images are clean, and the microphone clearly captures the videographer's very vocal enthusiasm. At its highest PS video quality (see Recording Modes section below), you get stunning video that needs to be seen to be believed.
Add in its clear and bright LCD that I could easily use even in bright daylight; elegant design touches such as the USB cable integrated into its hand grip; the attention getting lens hood; and reasonable power consumption (even the tiny NP-FV50 lasted me an entire day), and you have a winning performer.
I'm more conflicted by the presence of the GPS and projector features that are great attention grabbers, but ones that I'll probably never ever use.
Happy Memories!
~Damodar
Must have accessories:
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1] The NP-FV50 needs help especially if you are on vacation. Check out the NP-FV70 or NP-FV100 instead.
2] BC-TRV charger I hate to leave camcorder charging overnight so this travel charger is very handy.
3] VMCUAM2 USB adapter cable lets you back up your videos to an external hard drive without needing a computer
Recording modes:
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Sony uses video quality abbreviations PS, FX, FH, HQ, and LP that I'm clarifying for others who may be as confused as I was:
There are 4 aspects to recording video bit rate (the number of bits captured per second, in Mbps), the number of pixels in each video frame (full HD 1920x1080, or 1440x1080), frame rate (the number of frames recorded per second), and whether these frames are interlaced or progressive (whether each frame is captured in full, or whether the odd rows and even rows are captured separately.)
For highest quality capture: pick the highest bit rate, the highest number of pixels in each frame, the highest frame rate, and use progressive mode.
For the HDR-PJ790V this is [PS] quality up to 28 Mbps, 1920x1080 resolution, 60 frames per second, progressive.
The downside? All those bits take up a lot of disk space, reducing available recording time. Switching to FX or below, causes more aggressive compression that can cause compression artifacts in fast moving scenes.
My advice: stay at PS. Why compromise on quality? Just pack a external drive, and clean up space as you go.
Now, I'm done :)
Postscript: And, the East Ridge Robotics Ominous RaptorS? They ranked 20 out of 100 teams in their division (Newton). The kids had a great learning experience and the parents cheered themselves hoarse. What could be more fun! Next stop for the team the MN state championships in May!
Buy Sony HDR-PJ790V High Definition Handycam Camcorder with 3.0-Inch LCD (Black) Now
Pros: Fantastic Quality, Anti-Shake Technology, Great Sound Quality, Projector on camera
Cons: Touch Screen
I've only had this camera for a day or two but so far I just love it. The quality is the best I've seen in a while, really easy to use too. The projector is great and one of the best qualitys is the anti-shake feature in the camera. The camera basically floats inside of it and makes for a much smoother filming experience. The only problem I have is that it has a touch screen. Not that big of a deal but it often takes multiple taps for it to actually register.(hide)
Read Best Reviews of Sony HDR-PJ790V High Definition Handycam Camcorder with 3.0-Inch LCD (Black) Here
Lucky in my usual "jinx" sort of way.....Just bought myself a brand spanking new Canon VIXIA HF-M500 HD Camcorder with every option I could find for it here at Amazon. But hey, I am not complaining to get to try this Sony. I almost actually bought a much cheaper Sony model instead of my Canon. But I have to admit up front that we have had HORRIBLE luck with Sony "quality". 3 PS3 units (2 failed in 14 months) and a new 55" LCD HD TV that died with less than 400 hours (yes HOURS!) on it but it was just 2 weeks after the 1 year warranty & Sony told us to pound sand. So I no longer spend MY money on anything Sony. But to try this free of charge was like a gift from God, nothing less. (For the record I also use expensive surge protection on all of our electronics even though we live in sunny southern California).
I want to get to this right away. I give this 4 out of 5 stars and will adjust up OR down as time & experience (reliability!) dictate. I am no camcorder expert like so many who write reviews that make me dizzy when I read them. I am a point & shoot old "phart" but one who loves and appreciates nice video. I just don't want to have to go back to school to accomplish that. I have to say that my new Canon simply blows me away, and for the price I got it for on sale, STILL find it the super deal of my life (if you have to pay). I never much needed the manual to figure it out. I pointed, shot and got no less than stunning video. I also for the first time ever, finally became aware (with the Canon) just how much more stunning your video looks if you take the time to connect it to your TV to enjoy as opposed to looking at it on one of your computers. I had NO idea what I was missing. I was thrilled to have a 1/3" CMOS that blew my socks off when watching my videos on the TV.
But there was a problem, and one that I always have no matter how much I spend. Shake, jitters, bouncy video caused by me being an old goat with less than steady hands, and lately, by my latest new car, my Fiat 500C. I LOVE my Fiat convertible, bought it to try to get me off motorcycles. But it will beat you to death, plus I have done lots of mods to it so it is not a car to relax in. The videos on my Canon were simply useless, abysmal if not worse....This is where this Sony will simply blow you away.
I took the same route (driving along the local beach) with both cameras and you can actually watch the video taken on this Sony without throwing up in the process. No it is NOT perfect but it is night & day better than my new Canon or ANY of my current 5 camcorders. Simply in a league of it's own. Image quality.....I call it a tie, in fact the Canon just MAY be a bit nicer still even though it has a 1/3" CMOS and this Sony has a 1/2" CMOS (as I best understand it)? Whatever is going on, I love BOTH so much I can hardly contain myself when watching. But the Sony makes me able to use it with my new dash mount I just got here at Amazon, the ARKON CMP212 Friction Dash and Windshield Mount for Cameras with 1/4 20 Screw Thread. Even though it was useless in my Fiat with my Canon, it is wonderful with this Sony.
Low light or indoors. It is sort of a wash between the 2 except you need to know something Sony will NOT tell you. The Sony low light is only good for a maximum of 10 feet.....so be aware of that before diving into a somewhat lofty promise. My Canon seems to do about as well in low light all around. But not talking about with the light OUT, at night? In other words, inside my home during normal daylight hours, I prefer this Sony, same at night with just indoor lamps lit normally. The Sony just seems (to me) to have warmer color and I am a severe Canon fan so it pains me to say this. But it is the truth so there it is.
Again, I just can't compete with all the expert power users out there that would normally spend the kind of money this camera costs, and give you the science on this beauty. Best I can do (to be honest) is judge it by what I have experienced with it and how I use a camcorder. I DID have to read the manual to use this, to figure out how to use the included USB cable which is a WEIRD setup by the way! You have to disconnect a cable in the strap you hold the camera with and connect a bizarre supplied cable into that, then into your computer....WEIRD to me anyway. Then be prepared to download a proprietary Sony program called "Play Memories Home" and jump through some extra hoops to transfer your movies if you film using their massive and WONDERFULLY included/built in 96 GIG SSD memory. I still think I am going to faint when I film and never even DENT my memory! It makes any & all hoops well worth my effort but I bitch about nearly everything (per my wife) so why stop now? I have simply never felt so relaxed using a camera knowing I will NEVER run low on drive space. I almost blush when inserting my now skimpy SanDisk Extreme 32 GB SDHC Class 10 UHS-1 Flash Memory Card 45MB/s SDSDX-032G-AFFP I bought for my new Canon...It really is Heaven.
I guess everyone already knows by now you have to buy optional Sony parts to use the WIFI? But I would rather use the supplied cable and not waste all the time WIFI takes crawling my data back & forth so I could care less, I won't be wasting my money there. I WILL however be ordering the following today:
-Wasabi Power Battery (2-Pack) and Charger for Sony NP-FV100.
Bought the same for my Canon and it is an AMAZING DEAL/STEAL. This camera is a LOT heavier than my Canon or others and I like that. Like that a LOT since it makes shooting (for me anyway) more stable. But the camera is also much larger (which I also like) but I was afraid it may not fit in the new bag I just bought here also. But it does but barely. I recommend the Canon 2400 SLR Gadget Bag for EOS SLR Cameras since it just makes it and still has room for my other cameras and my Canon camcorder which I will now be selling if this doesn't absolutely burst into flames:-)
The included remote is still mystifying me....It seems counter intuitive compared to my Canon and I have yet to master it. In addition, it ONLY seems to respond for ME if the camera is facing ME? So useless when using it to begin recording while driving. Then sometimes it works either way so will see how that turns out with time. On the projector? Well if in a darkened room I guess it is "OK"? I would NEVER pay any premium for it out of my own pocket however. NEVER...I just find it to be a novelty (for MY use) at best but then again, this is after viewing drop dead GORGEOUS movies direct to my HD big screen TV. I mean, after that? I would move Heaven AND Earth to only view my movies that way from now on. It is equal to Blu-Ray to me anyway. Simply knocks my socks off. As a result I only want to watch my movies in a way that showcases 100% of what this camera can do. Why spend this much money to watch in any inferior way?
So, would I spend $1600.00 of my own money for this? Well after using it to try out, I would IF I wasn't living on a tiny pension and I would wait for the inevitable price drop once some time has passed. I have to admit right up front however....I have NEVER had my aged old hands on ANY camera or camcorder this nice, EVER. It feels like a million bucks, looks like a million bucks, sounds like a million bucks. I am not equipped like many who spend this kind of money to write an eloquent review worthy of this perhaps, but I CAN say I feel like the luckiest man alive, EVER to have been allowed to test & review this. I am grateful beyond words. I will add to and modify this as time & experience happens. I am a harsh critic when it comes to Sony given my experiences. If this Camera holds up, it WILL go to 5 stars. Given it's price, if it fails as horribly as my past high end Sony products, it will go to a MINUS 5 stars. I won't lie, won't be bribed, even for "free". But this camcorder seems to be simply an amazing piece of equipment. Sure hope it turns out to be. I LOVE this thing.
UPDATE April 27 2013:
I just completed an exact road test of this to compare with my Canon VIXIA HF M500. Took the exact road etc and there is simply NO comparison of this camcorder to ANY other camcorder made prior on image stabilization. NONE! My Fiat 500 Convertible will rearrange your spine worse than most of my motorcycles...It is a modified car and harsh to drive but I like it that way. I just got home and looked at the raw video to compare to all my other cameras and camcorders. I simply can not believe this system that makes my video smooth when the road is so bad you can hear my car keys endlessly slapping against my dash! Yet you look at this video on the screen and the car looks as if it is "floating" along on some kind of cloud....This camera is simply a staggering piece of equipment and I am doing something I just never do. I am changing my review from 4 to 5 stars until it does something to deserve otherwise. If I had ever known there would be something that could perform like this I would simply borrow the money or finance to own it. It is that good. I am in the process of uploading the video comparison to my YouTube page. If you do a search on mikecartwrightsurfs at youtube you should find it in a few hours. For the record, ANY video looks like crap on YouTube compared to watching direct to your HD TV. But the proof of just how remarkable the image stabilization works on this is crystal clear, even online. If this camcorder doesn't burst into flames or fail in some horrific way, Sony has just EARNED me back as a customer. I had been a lifelong customer with them until so many failures as described above. The performance of this latest camcorder is just astounding and the ONLY camera on the market that makes it possible to use in my "
"unusual" car.
And for the record, UNLIKE the Wasabi charger & battery kit with 2 extra LARGE capacity batteries I bought for my Canon, this kit for my new Sony DOES display time remaining to use on the extra 2 batteries. I bought my kit here at Amazon through Blue Nook both times. Great product for just a couple bucks and wonderful Company.
Want Sony HDR-PJ790V High Definition Handycam Camcorder with 3.0-Inch LCD (Black) Discount?
Sonys HDR-PJ790v is an update to 2012's HDR-PJ760v(which is an updated version of the CX560v) and comes with the most substantial upgrades and sports new changes for this years 2013 Handycam line up, as well as future models to come.
The PJ790v still features a Carl Zeiss lens with improved low light performance, improved balanced optical steady shot that seems to be Sonys best yet, still features a 96GB internal flash memory, an improved Projector putting out 35 lumens(although nowhere near a home projector which is 700 lumens), and the 5.1 channel microphone has been isolated from the camcorder to deliver the best possible life like audio with no distortion from the camcorder functions. The microphone is also telescopic, it can be raised further above the camcorder to improve isolation and improve sound recording which there might not be a camcorder on the market to match Sony on this model.
It features 24.1 MP still images, Night Shot, and features the Multi-Interface terminal which has been changed from the previous Active Shoe interface on the PJ760v. Plus, this camcorder features the wifi function via the optional Wireless Adapter(Sold Seperately) to manually control your camera via a tablet or smartphone, as well as upload footage directly from your camera via a tablet or a smartphone. So you can record in either AVCHD format or MP4 format for Internet.
You can also stream content from your tablet or smartphone via the projector input on the camera. Although the USB plug-in port has been removed to put in the projector input, it's a small complaint unless you really want to store your content on an external HDD.
Overall, this is one packed out camera with loads of improvements over the previous models. The only thing is the price, I have seen this camera for at least $1400.00, which isn't bad considering the 2012 models still sell for around $1200-$1300. But this camera will retail between $1500-$1600. So, my advice would be to compare the other Sony models before you take the plunge and buy it. But overall, if you're looking for one serious investment in your camera, look no further.
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