Sony ZV-1 Review: Features and Performance Tests

Sony ZV-1, analysis

For some, my statement that this is much more than a simple vlogging camera may seem exaggerated, even more if I say that it could perfectly serve professional video work, but it is exactly what I think.

After a few days with it, my experience with the Sony ZV-1 has been so good that I consider it a great companion of cameras like the own Sony A6600 or the popular Sony A7 III, and the best camera for anyone who wants to start creating video content appeals to you in the vlog format and is looking for quality, versatility and a very compact size. So let’s go in parts and start with the first, the technical characteristics.

A camera to always carry

The Sony ZV-1 is a camera with a very compact design , something that is obvious just by looking at it. It is small, light and although it does not reach that level of construction seen in the Sony RX100 family it is not a problem.

The plastic used in its casing conveys a feeling of robustness and quality. So you can be calm. Although the most striking thing is that it is a very comfortable camera and that you like to always carry with you. Something that vloggers will really like.

Making a review of its exterior, there are certain elements that attract a lot of attention. While others are basically the same as we’ve seen on other cameras from the manufacturer, but they cannot be properly rated until they have been tested. So let’s look at the rear keypad first.

The sony ZV-1 introduces a keypad similar to what can already be seen in other proposals from the manufacturer. There is a main wheel that also works as a crosshead and a series of buttons that give access to the menu, the preview of the captured material as well as different shortcuts.

There are not as many buttons as we could have on an A7, but they are enough to obtain a quick handling of the camera in practically all kinds of situations. It also supports some customization of controls and settings that you can memorize for an even faster change.

The only problem I see with the rear keypad is its size. Personally for me it has not been, but I understand that there will be users who do find it difficult to interact with them. Luckily with the buttons on the top that does not happen, they are bigger and there is more space between them.

In this upper part we have the on and off button, mode change, start of video recording, shutter release, zoom lever and a C1 button that activates one of the outstanding features of the camera that I will tell you about later.

The only “conflicting” button is the power button, which when you put the windbreak on the microphone is somewhat covered. But here Sony has introduced an interesting feature that allows you to activate the camera just by unfolding the screen and turning it off when it is folded again.

This may seem an insignificant detail, for the vlogger and that point and shoot camera concept is something that is appreciated. Because you save an intermediate step that robs you of a couple of seconds and they can be important when determining whether or not you have time to capture what is happening in front of you.

Otherwise, other interesting details of this camera are the red front LED . This allows you to have a visual alert with which you will be sure at all times whether you are recording or not. When you record in 4K mode it is especially useful, because as I will tell you later, video recording at full resolution is limited in time.

The second interesting detail is the top grille . There is hidden a three-capsule microphone that improves the quality of audio recording and that can be covered with a windbreaker or deadcat that includes the standard camera and for outdoor recordings is great. Although the most significant detail of this camera at the design level is its folding screen.

Sony has introduced in this Sony ZV-1 something that many users have been asking for for years: an articulated screen that could be lowered in many positions. This for the vlog format is almost essential and for other types of plans it is also very useful. Hopefully it is something that little by little extends to future proposals of the A6x00 and A7 series.

Finally, on one side are the connections: microphone input, micro USB connector and mini HDMI output . Here it is surprising that in full 2020 it has micro USB and not USB C. Sony will have its reasons for making that decision, but a USB C would have been great for many reasons. However, it is not a big problem either. So, having seen all this, let’s start talking about what adds value to this camera.

The keys to the Sony ZV-1

With a compact design and a clear point-and-shoot approach, the surname vlogging on the box and Sony as the manufacturer, what makes this camera really special? Well, there are several key features of the Sony ZV-1 :

• Autofocus system. Here Sony has been demonstrating for years that it is practically unrivaled and with this Sony ZV-1 they demonstrate it again. Fast and precise, this is how we define your AF system that continues to keep focus on the face and eye for both photo and video continuously. But this time they add a button that activates the so- called showcase mode. This allows you to deactivate that face and eye detection to offer a very fast focus that detects when a new element comes into the foreground. It works wonders and for certain types of content creators who are regularly showing things on camera it will be of great help
• Stabilization system. Stabilizing the Sony ZV-1 does not work miracles, but it does provide usable material when recording with a handheld camera. For the vlog format this is key, but keep in mind that in the most aggressive mode a larger clipping is applied to the sensor. This together with the focal may be too much to record, but it is the cost to obtain a more fluid video. When a long focal length (70 mm) is used, stabilization is anecdotal

• Audio recording. Sony introduced a three capsule microphone plus an accessory ( windbreak or deadcat) that helps a lot when recording outdoors and in windy conditions. It has more quality than other cameras of the brand, although if you need more you can always connect a lapel or barrel microphone through the 3.5 mm Jack connection
• Bokeh mode. If you are an experienced user this will not be necessary, but if you do not have much knowledge with the Sony ZV-1 it is very easy to achieve that bokeh that you like so much on video. You press a button and it goes from the so-called sharp mode (lens with f5.6 aperture) to blurred mode (lens with maximum aperture f.18 or f2.8 depending on focal length). It is true that a larger aperture can lead to an overexposed image, but for that the camera incorporates an ND filter. I said, for inexperienced users this option is very attractive
• Improved skin tones . Here Sony proposes two ways to always improve the image when you record people. On the one hand, always calculating the exposure to the face and on the other, applying a smoothing that beauty vloggers surely love. Personally, it is the least striking feature for me, but I admit that they add an extra value for certain users.

Along with all this, the camera offers advanced features that professional users are going to take advantage of enormously and that is why saying that this is more than just a vlogging camera.

The Sony ZV-1 adds the possibility to record 4K video . Of course, for technical reasons it is limited to 5 minutes. It can record a little longer if the automatic shutdown by temperature is set to its high value, but you should take this into account. In 1080p video there is no time limit, as was the case with the Sony A6600.

We also have logarithmic video recording , from classic Cinema profiles to Slog and HLG. It is true that color correction with these profiles is not easy at first, but over time you can get a high-quality video image, close to that offered by the Sony A7 III, saving the distances generated by the use of interchangeable lenses and a full frame sensor instead of an inch.

And I do not forget the option to record video with Timecode data or slow cameras of up to 960 fps (limited in time by buffer) or 1080p at 120 fps. Honestly, everything such a small camera offers is surprising.

A professional video recording camera

Valuing only and exclusively the experience and quality of the video captured with the Sony ZV-1 only to say that it surprises how a camera with a 1-inch sensor performs . 4K video has a very good detail and in 1080p you can reach a frame rate that, in order to generate slow motion, gives a lot of play. Not counting the HFR mode, which is wonderful for certain shots and resources.

Little or nothing I can blame the Sony ZV-1 on issues of image quality. Despite having the surname vlogging for me it is much more than that, it is a camera with which professional results can be achieved. That makes it a great complement for all kinds of creators who will find in it a very compact option with which to get shots that other cameras could not.

Regarding photographic quality, here I admit that it is the section to which I have spent the least time. The performance of such a sensor in low light situations is not comparable to an APS-C or Full Frame sensor, but still you can get high quality photos.

One of the great cameras of 2020

If I had been told that this 2020 one of the most interesting cameras was going to be a compact I would not have believed it, but it is so. The Sony ZV-1 has surprised me for many reasons . The first and most important is its video quality. Along with the use of tools such as zebra lines, histogram, etc., the control to obtain a high quality image is very high.

In addition, being able to record in Slog2 and Slog3 as well as HLG allow working later in post-production with much more grateful material when it comes to playing color. Although it is not a simple process until you get used to the particularities of each profile. If we add to that the ability to record 4K video and slow cameras, the Sony ZV-1 seems to me to be a practically perfect camera for creators looking for something small, versatile and very powerful.

In summary, the Sony ZV-1 a camera that I liked a lot despite not being perfect. For a future Sony ZV-2, all I would ask for is a little more angular and greater autonomy. The battery if you are going to record intensively is not enough, so I recommend that you get an extra couple of them.

Otherwise, even the time limitation when shooting 4K video is something I understand to happen and I’m not overly concerned. Because for that there are other types of cameras on the market. So, for 799 euros that it costs, the Sony ZV-1 is already one of my favorite cameras of this 2020. One hundred percent recommended.