Customer Ratings & Reviews

The Sony ZV-1 Digital Camera is designed for Creators and Influencers. What does that mean? First, if you're reading this and you want a point and shoot camera, this is probably not for you. If you're creating YouTube or Instagram videos or need to shoot close range video the ZV-1 is Perfect. In the box, you'll get - the camera - micro USB cable - wind screen accessory - instructions and warranty paperwork The ZV1 has a good weight and a premium feel. It has dedicated buttons for photos and video recording - love the large dedicated video button as there's no more fumbling in a menu trying to shoot video. There's no flash but it has a very good microphone and the wind screen accessory helps reduce wind noise. If you want to use an external flash or mic then the camera uses the standard Sony MI mount. Just a note though, When you're shooting video, there's a red "record" light on the front, which is useful. The screen is a touch screen, which is super handy for things like tap to focus and face tracking. It actually tracks in real-time and will prioritize faces. In fact, the intelligence in the focus on the Sony ZV1 has me seriously impressed. As it has something called a product showcase setting so if you hold something in front of you, the ZV will automatically bokeh the background and focus on the item you're holding. There's also a bokeh button (Sony calls it 'clear') if you want to apply the effect to photos. Other cool features include that it automatically turns on/off when you flip out the screen. The screen flips so you can use it as a selfie cam but also a total flip if you want to protect the screen when not in use. I was fortunate enough to get the ZV1 with the Sony vlogger grip (GP-VPT2BT) which I HIGHLY RECOMMEND. The ZV1 paired with the vlogger kit makes for a perfect creator and vlogger camera. As you can more easily grip and hold the camera for taking your own selfie videos. You can use the ZV1 without it but it does make for a better experience. If you're wondering about storage. A 64Gb SD card (standard size SD) will store about 5,500 photos or 2 hours and 25mins of video (depending on shooting quality). Make sure you get a high-speed SD card if you plan to shoot 4k video. On video, it's AMAZING. I mean WOW. I haven't owned a 4k camera before and it will knock your socks off. I played back the videos I recorded on my Sony TV and it looked professional. I wanted to upload videos to this review but they were too huge, so settled on photo hopefully you get a sense of how good the quality is. Sony also makes some free software for iOS (and Android) as well as desktop apps for editing, etc. I've also included a mini-review of these apps below in case you're wondering. Only minor issue, but still giving Sony 5 stars is the camera menus are, well not perfect, but that's typical for Sony cameras and if you've used a Sony camera before it's not really an issue. There's also an intelligent system that will autodetect everything, so you don't have to get into the menus if you don't want. The other minor issue is some of the fluff on the wind screen sometimes gets caught as you turn the screen. But this is trivial and really me just looking for an issue. Would I recommend - YES. If you're dreaming of being the next big star on YouTube or IGTV, this is the camera for you. I would have uploaded a video, but even a 10second 4k video as an MP4 comes in at 70Mb (and Best Buy caps video uploads to 5Mb). Additional Notes on Apps below for those that might be interested. Imaging Edge Mobile App iOS Sony's free Imaging Edge App lets you connect the ZV-1 Camera to your phone for the transfer of photos and videos. Connecting was easy you just scan the QR code from the connection menu in ZV1. The mobile software is pretty good and you can also use your phone as a remote. Transfers are made using WiFi (peer to peer). Images transfer from the ZV1 fast and video depends on the length and shooting quality. I like that you can transfer to your phone as it means you can then easily uploaded videos to Instagram TV (IGTV) Viewer, Remote, Edit Windows App Sony makes a couple of free apps for windows, technically called Imaging Edge Desktop. You connect the camera using the included USB cable. The Viewer and Remote apps are particularly useful. The Editor app is somewhat basic but good for minor edits. Personally, I recommend installing and using the phone apps and sticking with Adobe if you really need to do desktop video editing.

First off let me state I have a Sony a6500 and the Rx100 Vii so my comparison and experience will be through the lens (pun intended) of the ZV-1 when of course using it but also how it stacks up against the other cameras I have. I will also be reviewing the just released earlier in 2020, GP-VPT2BT Wireless Shooting Grip that I used with the ZV-1, which is included in the Vlogger Accessory Kit for the ZV-1. What you get in the box is the ZV-1, a Type X Sony Battery, a Micro USB cable (c’mon...lets get with USB C already!!) and a Dead Cat windscreen. And in the box of the GP-VPT2BT is the grip, a 2032 button battery and soft pouch for storage of the grip. The ZV-1 has pretty much the same form factor as anyone who has any generation of the Rx100 family of cameras is used to so that’s certainly familiar, and it also uses the same “X” battery. The ZV-1 and the latest Rx100 Vii also share the same updated 20.1 Megapixel 1.0 inch Sensor which speaks to the quality you can expect from the images produced by the ZV-1. The ZV-1 body is plastic but still has a nice heft and feel to it and one thing that was added to the camera is a bump out grip on the side that significantly improves holding and maneuvering with the camera, on my Rx100 Vii I had to purchase one separately and stick it on. Which brings me to the main point and reasons why Sony made this camera. They took all of the input on what the opportunities were to make a camera for Vloggers and Content Creators and tried to put it all in one camera. One big easy Movie Record button, a better on board mic with the new Directional 3-Capsule Mic, and included “dead cat” wind screen that mounts on the (only on ZV-1) accessory hot shoe, which can also be used for other accessories. A flip out Screen, easy to see red “recording” indicator on the front of the camera. Fantastic 4K video utilizing “advanced color science” with all of the main color profiles S-Log etc. for post production. Time Lapse and Super Slow Motion capable. A background “defocus” mode that adds a nice Bokeh effect. And a really innovative and cool feature called “Product Showcase” which will quickly shift focus from your face to any item you put between your face and the camera, a great enabler that grabs focus of the item or product you are reviewing without having to block your face which has to be done on any other cameras. Oh..integrated ND Filter...and a microphone jack! One thing that will take a little getting used to is there is no actual mode dial on the top of the camera, you will need to press the “mode” button on the top of the camera and then choose the shooting mode with the control wheel that is to the right of the rear screen, just an extra step, not that much of a big deal. The AutoFocus and Real Time Tracking are also industry leading and help you make high quality content easily. The lens is fast with a F1.8-2.8 Aperture so low light shooting is possible and the zoom is 24-70mm which has less range than the Rx100 Vii at 24-200mm, but as mentioned the lens on the ZV-1 has a F1.8 Aperture which is faster than the F2.8-4.5 of the Vii so low light performance is better on the ZV-1. The ZV-1 is Fantastic for video and pretty good for photos. One of the things that dings the ZV-1 in the photo department in my opinion is there is no zoom ring on the lens, to zoom in and out you must use the zoom lever on top of the camera. That’s where the Wireless Shooting Grip comes in, the GP-VPT2BT links up with the camera via Bluetooth which is very easy to set up. If you are using the Grip, then there is a zoom toggle at your fingertips as well as a movie and photo button. The Grip is fully articulating and also acts as a stable mini tripod. So how is it real world use? Almost perfect at least for me...the video is second to none and the stabilization works wonders. I just wish the 24mm wide angle was just a tad wider (as when using the stabilization, the view gets a bit cropped)but it certainly looks great. When paired with the grip, using the fully articulating screen you can take videos, photos etc with ease. If you are a content creator, have a YouTube Channel, are a Vlogger then this is a MUST tool for your kit. The ZV-1 paired with the GP-VPT2BT Grip gives you THE SETUP to make creating easy and it just works.

wow sony knocked it out of the park on this one! the camera is targeted for bloggers who maybe a content video creator online, the camera is small, compact and easy to use for those people who enjoy taking pictures of food or editing videos, for what you’re paying for this camera packed with features that everybody will love. pros - the camera can do 4k 24fps and 30fps - it also support 240fps, 480 and 960fps (960fps my goodness!) - 20 megapixel camera, I myself thought the image looked beautiful - amazing 180 degrees flip screen, this is huge, people who enjoy taking pictures of food would love how you can angle the screen to get a perfect view of the shot! - the built in mic sounds great the audio sounded clear - auto focus is so amazing with this camera, on setting there’s product showcase mode if you like showing things right at front and watch how fast it can focus on object. ( i’m trying to start doing video edit where I used this feature more, kept forgetting about it, but it’s amazing) - the camera also have unlimited recording limit, depending on how much battery you have, if you do enjoy recording, highly recommend to get an extra battery - the camera also come with audio wind filter, it’s a useful little piece - this camera also has setting called beauty mode, for girls who would love to make sure they looked their best, now you have 3 setting filter to improve your facial clarity. cons - doesn’t have the ability to change the lense - battery last about 1 hr ( i would buy and extra battery) - no ring focus on lense but you can still do it on the main camera Sony zv1 also comes with audio microphone port, micro usb 2.0 for charging and updating the camera, and micro hdmi port. Sony zv1 face exposure during bright outdoor is amazing, my older camera is terrible when it comes to this and even low light performance is amazing! ofcourse Sony zv1 also have the ability to transfer file from your camera to your phone, I haven’t tried transferring videos yet but i’m glad this feature is also included. I also have the Vlogger kit with this camera it’s $150 but I do believe for what you’re paying for it’s a great piece of tech, it can act as a stand and the built in button to control your camera through bluetooth is a must for vlogger, you can even zoom, record the camera from the the vlogger kit, plus it look slick together when you combined them. I didn’t think the sizes was too bulky I felt right holding it with my camera, the only down side i’d say is I wish there’s some kind of rubber grip to it, some people get sweaty hands having a grip will definitely help, beyond that I have no complaints about the vlogger kit, highly recommend you guys to get this with the camera! i’m also going to be using this camera as a streaming camera, having that ability is one of the huge reason why i’m in love with sony zv1 everything I needed and more, as you can see i didn’t put much negative things about the camera, i just didn’t see much negative features on sony zv1 for $750 this camera is worth it, i do believe this will probably going to be sony’s most favorite camera for the price. thank you sony for this amazing product, makes me want to take more videos and pictures a lot more!

The new Sony ZV-1 is marketed for folks who create their own video and image content. Since I make work-related videos for my profession on social media channels, I thought grabbing something lightweight and easy to use would make at-home and on-the-go content creation more enjoyable, and for the most part, it has. The ZV-1 is still your basic design for Sony digital cameras, in fact, going to date myself with this reference, but the UX hasn't really changed all that much from the old "Cybershot" days. From the aspect of picking it up and knowing how to use it, that's great - but when it comes to the software menu, that's a bit of a drawback. The main selling point of the ZV-1 is the ability to shoot 20 megapixel images and 4K video. I've used it to create several videos and have found the quality to be really good. The outputs are much better than what my smartphone's camera can capture - owning much to the actual zoom ability in the ZV-1's lens. There are other features like facial smoothing and image stabilization that make using the camera on-the-go a nice change of pace. I would say it actually reduced the amount of post-prod work I normally have to do on my videos. The camera itself comes with a micro-USB cable for transferring data - and also for charging. Guess I'm a bit of a dinosaur, but one of the things I like about my DSLR camera is the battery is removable and chargeable on a separate charging station. The ZV-1 relies solely on being connected to a USB power source, like your PC, to charge. Additionally, there is also a small wind guard attachment to help reduce the ambient white noise from sounds like wind. My videos have been mostly shot indoors, so I can't speak for the ability of the wind guard in outdoor shoots. I also picked up the Sony Bluetooth grip, which is an extra item and sold separately. It really does make the camera more functional, being able to serve as both a selfie-stick type grip as well as a portable tripod. I don't think I would have felt like I got full value out of the ZV-1 without it. As I mentioned before, the software and UX is still in need of an update - having to tap over to an uppercase arrow and then tapping "abc" 3 times to get to a "C" and then back again made connecting to a WiFi network with a complicated password a real pain. This camera does support Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity, but when I tried to use WiFi to send images to my PC, I was met with a prompt telling me I had to connect it using the micro-USB cable first. That can be a challenge if you have multiple PCs that you use for creation. I have a MacBook Air for on-the-go, and my iMac at my desk at home - so having to hot swap the cable essentially was a bit cumbersome to me. The price tag of the ZV-1 means it's not marketed towards the average consumer - this is marketed towards more of a pro user who is serious about creating video and image content. It's nice and small, which make portability a breeze, and it's certainly not the most expensive "content creator" setup I've seen.

In a time where I thought a phone camera suited me for everything and I didn’t need a Vlogging camera. Sony proves me wrong, and I’m glad they did! As I type this I’m listing places near and far I could take this camera to capture moments with the perfect shot! As a point and shoot camera it adjusts well to depict exactly what I want. You’ll notice I love dog pictures and food! This camera brings all the muscle and all the fluff you need/want in a camera to capture life’s moments. As my doggo begins to age I wanted something to capture moments of him and I. The ZV-1 is doing that and inspiring me enough to take him out and have some fun adventures. I’ve never been able to master the blur in the background while just having one subject be in focus. The ZV-1 does it! The tripod is amazing and easy to set up, I learned to transfer photos from the camera to my phone all through wifi (never having to connect the camera to a computer). There are so many untapped features like the slow motion, color grading which I haven’t learned yet, time lapse for fun on the river and more! If you can get the shooting grip it makes the camera so dynamic and you feel like a camera person shooting a movie. The touchscreen that you’re using to capture life is the perfect size and provides crisp, quality picture. This is a great fit for someone who is a professional or someone like me who wants a camera that can grow with me and my skill. It’s that time of year for family events outside and I can’t wait to flex my picture taking skills with everyone and to print out a photo of my little doggo to post on my wall. Usually I have some sort of downside but there isn’t one for me with the ZV-1. It is utterly been so helpful capturing moments and home and will be my companion of trips this summer and winter!

I was very excited to get this camera! Although my experience with photography and videography is small, I fully enjoy taking pictures and videos. Thus, I intend to use this camera to really improve my skills. Fortunately, the camera is very handy for beginners and even for people with more experience. The camera (with the Vlogger Kit) came with everything needed, including the memory card, rechargeable batteries, an onboard mic for clear audio, and a wireless remote commander grip. I also appreciate how the instructions were straightforward to follow. I've only owned one other camera, which is big and bulky, primarily for taking pictures. In contrast, this camera is relatively light, ideal for vlogging. Nonetheless, the quality of the camera is exceptional!! I am also very pleased with its size and lightweight because it makes it very portable. I can easily capture trips, events, and just about anything I want to with greater quality than my smartphone and without having to take a big, heavy camera. I especially love the side flip-out LCD screen, and it's advanced autofocus features. The focus quickly adjusts with movement and changes in lighting. The Zoom feature also works great, although I expected a larger range. Additionally, there are various modes to choose from to best fit the needs of the user. I was most amazed, however, with how easy it is to transfer images and videos from the camera to my smartphone via the Imaging Edge Mobile application. This app allows me to access and share the pictures and videos I take with my camera super fast. Connecting the two devices was simple. This camera has precisely what an advanced, modern device needs!

This camera is fantastic. I use this camera everywhere I go. It’s compatible and easy to store on the go. The pictures are taken with pretty good quality and accuracy. I would definitely recommend this camera.

Sony Digital Camera ZV-1 with Sony GP-VPT2BT Bluetooth remote/tripod. The Sony ZV-1 along with the Sony GP-VPT2BT is ideal for Vloggers and other context makers. This camera system is equipped to transfer your movies to your telephone, computer. The excellent quality of video and sound make this system a must have for Vloggers. The 20.1 Mega pixel pictures are top notch. The 24-70 MM zoom is minimal, would have liked to have 150 or higher max zoom level. The camera is completely adjustable; however, you would need to go online and download the large PDF file and read through it. I did not have any problems setting up the camera and taking movies and pictures. The Sony GP-VPT2BT is a must have accessory. This unit comes with a button battery. Set up is easy following the enclosed directions. The remote also opens to a tripod. The remote has an on/off switch. You can push a button and turn the camera around 360 degrees. With a push of another button you can tilt the camera up and down. There is a movie button and a photo button. You also get a rocker switch for zoom. The Sony ZV-1 does not come with a carrying strap or bag. I would recommend this camera to family and friend.

This camera has captured most of my great memories and moments that I created within friends and family. I would recommend to anybody to purchase such a unique and powerful product. This camera good for taking a pictures, recording for YouTube, anything you can think of. For bonus points, it always has different camera layers to chose for recording,

After doing months of research on cameras I settled on the ZV-1. This cameras photo quality is impressive. You have the ability to shoot in a manual mode where you can create all the settings or you can shoot in of the modes that are pre-programmed. The camera is an “intelligent mode” and it is so so good. The camera does not come with a flash, but I bought an external flash that you can pop on and off the hot shoe. During the day a flash really isn’t needed but adding the flash doesn’t hurt it. Just depends on how you want the photos to come out. Overall I’d definitely recommend this camera to others. So far I’m super happy with this purchase and can not wait to use it on my upcoming trips!

Before i bought tge zv-1 i had no experience with a camera except for the camera on my phone. I was a bit hesitant to get it because i wasn't sure if it was going to be easy to use, but it was. The has 4k capabilities which is amazing especially for the price. The camera is super easy to use but it doesn't mean you wont get confused by it if you've never handled a camera and don't know the terminology. If you are interested in the camera i would definitely recommend it, but please do your research on it.

Been using this Camera for over two years now as a webcam. This camera is fantastic! Quality is really good! I also plan to take it with me when I travel to get some high quality photos!

I took this camera on a few trips and ive got to say well worth the money. My friends continue to compliment the quality, even my guy friends if you can believe that! The video quality ive been told is like the kind of quality you see in films, movies, youtube vlogs done by professionals. 10/10 im constantly bragging about it!! Battery could be better, but its worth the hassle ;)

Video purposes it shoots beautifully, but for photography the quality isn’t as great. Still a good camera though.

Great for video, no built in flash for stills but my external flash connects very well, pretty decent quality still images as well. Very nice camera for content creation.

Love the camera although I was under the impression that it would be like the Canon It was not It.

Good solid camera. Wish had a flash. I wish there were some in-between cameras between this one and the really cheap, not so good quality, cameras. I won't be using all of it's capabilities.

I initially wanted the Canon GX7 camera but after seeing the price I couldn't justify paying that amount for a camera. I then did a whole lot of research on cameras that compares to the Canon GX7 and after days of researching I decided to go with this Sony ZV-1 20.1 megapixel digital camera. So happy I decided to go this route instead. Camera quality and features are so amazing, this camera is definitely worth the price and without breaking the bank. 10/10 recommend this camera.

I decided to purchase a ZV-1 for myself because I was familiar with this camera from when we got these for run-and-gun cameras for my job to create training videos and take pictures of the products. Out of all the Sony ZV lineups, this is still my favorite right zoom range, easy to do video, and take photos—a small camera to take on trips. The bad, not weather or dust sealed but otherwise a fun camera

Love this camera! Perfect for vlogging your everyday lifestyle