Now available at B&H is Panasonic’s 2015 line of compact consumer camcorders, first announced at CES in January. Most notable are the HC-VX870 and HC-WX970 models, which feature 1/2.3" back side illuminated MOS sensors and bring Ultra HD 4K (3840 x 2160) video capture at 30 fps to Panasonic's consumer market. Both cameras, along with the Full HD HC-V770, can record Full HD 1080p video at up to 120 fps and are equipped with 20x zoom lenses. The HC-WX970, along with the Full HD HC-W570, feature a unique sub-camera attached to the flip-out LCD, which allows you to capture a second angle and superimpose it over the main image. Additionally, you can use the camera on your Wi-Fi-enabled smartphone to supply the second camera angle. This phone-camera-tethering feature is also found on the HC-VX870and HC-V770 models.
The HC-W570 and HC-V270 both feature 1/5.8" back side illuminated MOS sensors, record up to 1080p60, and give you the most zoom range with an impressive 50x optical zoom. They are also Wi-Fi and NFC enabled for easy one-touch pairing to your mobile devices. At the entry level is the HC-V160, which also has a 1/5.8" MOS sensor, but only records HD video at 1080/60i, has a 38x optical zoom range, and lacks built-in Wi-Fi. All of the camcorders, except the HC-V160, feature the latest in Panasonic's ever-evolving image stabilization technology, O.I.S.+ with 5-axis correction and Level Shot function.