Sony ZV-1 review
Our Verdict
The Sony ZV-1 should win the hearts of many vloggers thank you to its blend of compelling video features, very proficient quality footage and ease of use.
For
- Powerful nevertheless piece of cake-to-utilise features
- Relatively cheap
- Very adept quality video and stills
- Excellent AF
- Very good quality audio
- Tin can be used as a webcam
Confronting
- May not be versatile plenty for advanced vloggers
- Image stabilization could be better
- Streaming and webcam features non bachelor on macOS Big Sur
Tom's Guide Verdict
The Sony ZV-ane should win the hearts of many vloggers thanks to its blend of compelling video features, very good quality footage and ease of utilise.
Pros
- +
Powerful yet piece of cake-to-use features
- +
Relatively inexpensive
- +
Very adept quality video and stills
- +
Excellent AF
- +
Very good quality sound
- +
Can be used as a webcam
Cons
- -
May not exist versatile enough for advanced vloggers
- -
Prototype stabilization could be ameliorate
- -
Streaming and webcam features not available on macOS Big Sur
Sony ZV-1: Specs
Epitome Sensor: 20.0MP one-inch-blazon CMOS
Focal Length Equivalent: 24–70 mm (approx. 2.9x optical zoom)
Storage Media: SDXC/SDHC/SD, Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo
Epitome Stabilization: Optical IS
Display: 3.ii-inch affect LCD
ISO: 100-51,200 (expandable to 1,640,000)
Max video resolution: XAVC S 4K (3,840 x 2,160/30p at 100 Mbps)
Boring-Movement Video / Time-Lapse: Yes / Yes (using desktop software)
Congenital-in Flash: No
Wireless & Bluetooth: Yes
Ports: Multi/Micro USB Terminal, High-Speed USB (USB2.0), Micro HDMI, Mic jack (3.5-mm stereo mini jack), Multi Interface Shoe
Battery life (CIPA): Approx. 75 mins. (Movies, continuous shooting with monitor on); approx 260 shots (with monitor on).
Size (body): 4.iii x 2.4 ten ane.8 inches
Weight: 9.5 ounces, body only
The Sony ZV-1 is an intriguing compact camera for a number of reasons. It's aimed squarely at vloggers, with features such every bit a side-opening swiveling touchscreen LCD screen, Soft Peel Result style, Production Showcase setting and directional mic all designed to make it easier to shoot bang-up video. At the same fourth dimension, it maintains the high quality that photographers have come to await from Sony'due south long-running RX100 series, with which it shares many similarities.
Indeed, the ZV-one keeps many of the same specs found on the RX models, such as a 1.0-type stacked Exmor RS CMOS image sensor and a 24-70mm equivalent zoom lens. Information technology comes with an f/one.8-2.8 ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T large-aperture lens, too, offering a high quality shallow depth of field to the footage it shoots. Plus, ideally for this quarantine era, Sony has recently fabricated the ZV-i capable of live streaming and interim as a webcam thanks to its firmware 2.0 upgrade.
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Later on using the Sony ZV-1 camera for a few weeks, I found a lot to dearest nigh shooting with information technology — in fact, it'south shot to the tiptop of the Tom's Guide best cameras for vlogging list. Read on for the total Sony ZV-ane review.
Note: For this review, I also used Sony Vlogger Kit (ACCVC1), which includes a GP-VPT2BT Shooting Grip with Wireless Remote Commander. It also comes with a 64GB memory card. The grip is compatible with a variety of Sony cameras.
Sony ZV-1: Price and availability
The Sony ZV-1 was introduced in 2020 for $799, but is currently bachelor at many outlets for a very reasonable $699. The price for the Sony ACCVC1 Vlogger Kit remains at $149.
Sony ZV-i review: Design and controls
The Sony ZV-i looks very much like the RX100 Vii, and in fact, Sony says the sensor and processor come from that photographic camera.
Still, Sony redesigned many other aspects of the ZV-1 to appeal to vloggers, such equally the fact that its LCD opens to the side, instead of up or down. This is a feature that makes it much easier to etch shots in selfie mode while connecting external audio accessories.
Because of the photographic camera's small footprint, Sony needed to make some tough choices as to which buttons and controls to include and which to omit — while as well reworking information technology for vloggers. For instance, you lot'll find that the video record button is larger than any found on the RX100 series models, plus, in that location's a low-cal on the front of the camera to permit y'all know you're recording.
At the same time, the popular popular-upward viewfinder, pop-up flash and control ring that are found on the RX100 VII are all absent here. Yet even with these omissions, I nonetheless found the photographic camera enjoyable to utilize.
Sony ZV-1 review: Video
Overall, I was impressed with the Sony ZV-1's video quality, both in the daylight and in some depression-light settings.
As I mentioned, I used the Sony Vlogger Kit (ACCVC1) for this review, which immune me to pair the camera with a gimbal-like grip which as well doubles as a tripod. This was actually useful when I shot video of myself singing with my guitar in a pub in Mattituck, Long Island, as it meant I didn't have to worry most bringing fifty-fifty more than gear; the fact that it doubles as a tripod is really quite handy.
Overall, I found my video clips had very good dynamic range and for the most part included crisp, sharp details. Nonetheless, you may not always want sharp detail — and that'southward where the Sony ZV-1'southward dedicated defocus push comes in.
This is found on summit of the camera torso, and when turned on sets the camera to its widest aperture of f/i.8; this creates a very nice bokeh issue in the background, which allows yous to focus on the bailiwick affair. And if you don't want to use it, y'all can only turn it back off. Plus, you can employ it while y'all're shooting.
Another feature I liked on this camera — although it didn't work in all cases — is the new Product Showcase Setting. Here, the camera "knows" when to focus on a product — for example, when it's placed in the foreground. Information technology's another iteration of Sony'south Existent-fourth dimension Eye AF and Real-fourth dimension Tracking AF for video, which the company says "allows the ZV-1 to seamlessly switch focus between multiple subjects while controlling the AF speed and tracking sensitivity." So, instead of maintaining the focus on the bailiwick'south centre, it switches instead to focusing on the production in front of it.
Generally, information technology worked pretty well, particularly when there was lettering or numbers on the product. Just when I tried using the supplied (and very colorful) fuzzy wind muff, it didn't ever lock in every bit speedily, and sometimes not at all. Still, most of the time it worked very well, and I can see vloggers getting excited about this.
However, not every characteristic worked flawlessly. For example, take the Sony ZV-1's image stabilization. To bring up the IS mode I wanted to use, I clicked on the Fn (or function) button on the back of the camera, to bring up the relevant menu. On the far left side, I selected the Agile IS mode for the image stabilizer. My hope was that this would eliminate the jitter every bit I walked, but unfortunately all it did was minimize it; it didn't make information technology shine the style a gimbal would with a DSLR or a mirrorless camera.
As for the sound, Sony mentioned that the camera has a new type of mic: a directional 3-capsule mic designed for forward-directional audio. Sony says that this allows the camera to capture clear audio "of the field of study's voice while minimizing background racket, especially when operating in selfie mode."
I tested the mic in a noisy situation: every bit mentioned earlier, I had the opportunity to play a gig in Mattituck and I think the ZV-1 did a very good task recording the fun temper of a alive concert. I too believe it did a decent chore in being able to distinguish my voice from the noise of the oversupply.
Yet, I really loved the fact that Sony included a handy wind muff (or "expressionless cat" equally some call information technology) to put over the mic. This tin be really important outdoors, where even a gentle wind can distort all your audio, and I found it to be pretty effective in use.
Low light and nighttime are always challenging for cameras, with even the all-time signal-and-shoot cameras commonly struggling. The ZV-1 did a decent job in low light, simply I found it began to struggle in very low light or when shooting at nighttime. That was certainly the case when using its Auto or intelligent Auto video settings, so I'd suggest switching to manual way in these situations.
Sony ZV-one review: Deadening-motility video
Slow motion is not bad on these cameras — you lot can shoot at 120 fps (which is near 4x every bit dull as real-fourth dimension-shooting at 30 frames per 2d). But you also have the ability to shoot a college frame rates, but with a lower resolution. Here's the resolution you get with those three short outburst slow-motion modes (when you employ the quality priority setting):
- 240fps or 8x slow motion: (ane,824 x 1,026 resolution)
- 480fps or 16x slow motion: (i,824 10 616 resolution)
- 960fps or 32x slow move: (1,244 x 420 resolution)
The two college HFS modes — 960 and 480 — give you pretty low resolution. Withal, at 240fps, the resolution is even so near total HD quality.
I found the modes really fun to use, peculiarly with action shots, for instance my son throwing a baseball. At 960 fps, it was really compelling watching the baseball game leave my son's fingers and then slowly — or 32 times slower than I see him throw it in real life.
Sony ZV-one review: Livestreaming and webcam
Since the start of the Covid pandemic, many manufacturers have added the ability to use a camera every bit a webcam; we've got a full guide to how to employ your photographic camera as a webcam hither.
The Sony ZV-i launched without the ability to be used as a webcam, simply Sony released a firmware update in February that added this characteristic. It works with Windows and Mac devices, and I constitute the process to be seamless whether I was connecting via a Google Meet video chat or a Zoom telephone call. Both the image and audio were articulate and consistent throughout.
Withal, you practise need to brand 1 change on the ZV-i in order to enable the characteristic: in the second major camera tab, you need to go to the quaternary page (4 of 9 pages) and at the bottom, click on USB Streaming and then select "Yeah". And then you lot're set to use the camera as a webcam. It'south also worth noting that it doesn't currently work with macOS 11 Big Sur; I was only able to connect to my MacBook Pro because I'chiliad using macOS Catalina.
Sony ZV-1 review: Image quality
As with my earlier review of the Sony DSC-RX100 VI meaty camera, the Sony ZV-1 did an first-class task of shooting a still life image in bright light, with enough of item and very good color saturation and color allegiance.
However, I felt the depression-light image had a little more dissonance and was a bit softer in details than I would have liked — which again matches my feel with the RX100 VI. Notwithstanding, the racket didn't modify the colour accuracy.
When shooting with it around the house and in the street nearby, I again found it to exist on a par with the RX100. I fifty-fifty tried some panoramas, in the daytime and at night, as well equally seeing how the Shine Peel Event feature worked on the wrinkles on my face; for the most role, it did a decent job in lessening them.
The ZV-1 likewise keeps some of the fun Picture Effects present on the RX100. For example, I shot a scene of my hometown, Malverne, at night, using the Illustration picture result; I found it made the image await a fiddling like Edvard Munch's "The Scream."
It's just one of many Picture Effects that you can shoot still images with, including Toy Camera, Loftier Contrast Monochrome, HDR Painting and Watercolor. And although Illustration doesn't work in video mode, there are several that do, including Pop Color, Posterization, Retro Photo, Soft High-key, Partial Color and High Contrast Mono.
Sony ZV-1 review: Verdict
The Sony ZV-ane is an splendid investment for vloggers who are just starting out in the field, or even those who accept been at information technology for a while simply who aren't interested in getting bogged down in overcomplicated rigs. The clever sideways-opening flip-out screen will prove to be very useful and the Product Showcase and Defocus modes both work really well. The Sony ZV-1 shoots nice video and records good quality audio, and all at a reasonable price.
Against that, potential buyers should be aware that the image stabilization won't shine over the bumps or jitter when you lot're walking; you lot'll want a DSLR or mirrorless camera with a gimbal for that.
That aside, I think this small, very smart camera will be a valuable asset for many vloggers — and fifty-fifty more than and then at present that information technology can stream as a webcam, also.
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Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/sony-zv-1
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