Customer Ratings & Reviews

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

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

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.

This is my first camera with 4K capability. I have the RX-100 III, on which this is based, so I like that it has the new auto-focus system of the Mark V. This is better than my RX-100 in every way except for the telephoto. The ZV-1 doesn't not have the same range capability as my Mark III. There are a lot of YouTube videos that review this camera with the most common complaint being that it's a bit too tight (close to the face) compared to other cameras that people use for blogging. I'm not a blogger so I don't care, but I see their point. And I imagine the next iteration of this camera will not be so tight. Also, going to YouTube, a novice would get a better sense of how to better set the settings on the device. If you want to use automatic, it's great for a beginner. If you want more control and you aren't a more knowledgeable camera person, YouTube is a good source, as are the reviews online that you'll find everywhere. The stabilization function does cut the screen down by 25%. It's very noticeable. And you need a little practice getting the camera situated so you don't crop something out inadvertently. If you're going to edit the footage, this won't be a problem. But, if you plan on using the footage right away without editing, you'll have to practice with it to get the framing right from the very beginning. The 4K is wonderful, but I've found with such high definition, you will notice any shake of the camera if you're trying to get steady shots. My RX-100 III had wonderful 1080 footage in all types of lighting. I could zoom in to maximum with it held over my head with two hands to steady the shot and I'd get great footage at a concert, for example. But with 4K, any shake seems to stand out very clearly, even with the stabilization system on. I have therefore bought a light tripod in order to capture any kind of landscape footage. The image is so clear, that I expect absolutely no shake when I'm reviewing the footage, and unfortunately I always see shake now when I only use my hands to steady the camera. When you're vlogging and the camera is facing you, I imagine the shake is just really part of the experience. But with 4K, any shake just doesn't seem acceptable to me anymore. I really like the 1080 footage I got on my RX-100 but 4K is a different ball game. I want the quality of my footage to match the quality of the image, and that's forced me to up my expectations. I'm just learning the editing program I got and I've discovered that it takes a long time to render 4K footage. I'm a bit of an archivist so I tend to keep everything I film, but 4K takes up a lot of space on my hard drive. Price is cheap when compare to the RX-100 V, on which it is based. And if you're going to use it for vlogging, it's automatic setting will make this camera very easy to adapt to. I'm still waiting for the upgrade program that will allow me to use the camera as a computer camera when face-timing. It was supposed to be out in July, and it's July 22 already. Oh, the stereo microphone attachment works very well. It has much better sound quality and it has a jack so you can listen in as well. This camera doesn't have an eye piece and I was hoping my Sony viewfinder attachment would work, but it didn't. It's also made from more plastic than my RX-100, but that's to make it lighter. Good change in my opinion. I'm not using it as a museum piece. I love it so far. No complaints. I look forward to keeping it for many, many years because I'm not looking for more professional cameras (I travel a lot and don't have the space or money). It's got 4K, which will be the standard for amateurs because 8K is just too big in terms of file size and indistinguishable from 4K to the eye.

Excellent vlogging and streaming camera with a few minor things that I would hope they improve. This camera will record at 4K at 30 frames per second, and 1080 at 60 fps, and will even support High Frame Rates for a super slow motion but at some reduced quality. The flip out screen is bright and has good detail. In certain recording modes it is not lit up. In my case I found that it would turn off if I am recording on the camera and outputting HDMI at the same time. Otherwise it was very useful with horizontal and vertical flips of the picture depending on where you point it. The ZV-1 has a full hot shoe at the top! Something that I was not expecting and does support speedlights! It accepts a full SD card, but make sure you get v30 or better class card if you want to shoot 4K 30fps 100m video. I found a 128GB card had room for over 2 hours of video, and the camera can only shoot 4K for about 40 minutes before exhausting the battery. (note you also have to turn the temperature shut down setting to high, otherwise it will auto stop recording after 5 minutes of 4k!) Another nice thing is that you can power the camera from USB, so you can extend the shooting time in the field with a battery back, or shoot indefinitely if you have it plugged into an AC adapter. My only cons are as follows: The battery and SD slot opening gets covered up if you mount the camera to any tripod or other device to hold it. (gimbal, selfie stick) Which means if the battery runs out, or your card runs out of room, you have to take the camera off the mounting device to change them. Fortunately you can get a camera cage that not only protects it a bit, but provides a lot of additional threaded mounting holes. These additional mount points allow you to work around the battery cover issue, and give you vertical mount options (for Instagram / TikTok) and mounting locations to hold a battery bank. The other minor issue I had was the low battery life. These are super small batteries, so while they keep the size and weight of the camera down, they do not last long if you are out vlogging. The good thing is they are also very inexpensive (at least the third party versions). You can find a 3 battery pack with USB charger for just over $22 on the internet. Then you can quickly swap batteries between events if you want to.

Bought this for my daughter. It was a great investment. The camera is easy to use and high tech. She loves it!!

I love it so much. Very easy to use and beginner friendly

Great addition to my big cameras. Easy for on the go. My finance loved it for blogging the day to day.

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

love my camera , the size is very convenient , the quality is immaculate 10/10

I purchased the ZV1 after watching several reviews on YouTube and PotatoJet was the review that sealed the deal. I had originally been looking at Cannon M50 but opted to go the Sony route due to their better low light technology. Reasons I Purchased: • Price: Sub-$1000 • Size: Literally fits in my front pocket so I can take it with me and isn’t a hassle to carry around. • Picture: Can shoot in a variety of formats to include 4K at various frame rates. • Focus: Auto focus is awesome and still maintains the ability to manually focus which is nice for pre-planed productions. • VLOG: I wanted the option to VLOG in the future some family trips and work related material. This certainly does that well. Things I Like: • The Dead Cat cover does an amazing job at reducing wind noise. It also picks up great audio considering its size and limitations. • Fully adjustable screen. This is incredibly handy and I find myself adjusting it all the time to give me the best view and angle. • SmallRig has accessories and cages for it. • I can carry it all the time and I have been carrying it all the time without much inconvenience. • Memory Cards! I like being able to use and swap out SD Cards compared to when I used my iPhone. Data management of content was a hassle, now I just swap out various memory cards and it’s all good. Things I Don’t Like: • Battery life is terrible and you’ll definitely want to invest in 2-3 extra batteries. DON’T waste your money on cheep aftermarket batteries, just suck it up and get the Sony batteries. I personally now have 4 batteries total that I rotate through and when traveling bring with. • Because it’s small, it can be hard to hold sometimes. To resolve this I purchased a cage from SmallRig and that seems to be working well so far. It also provides a layer of protection of accidentally dropped. Things I WOULD NOT Invest In: • Cheep SD Cards... I use ScanDisk Extreme Pro. • Don’t waste you’re money on the VLOG grip, it’s way over priced for what you get. Use that money instead to buy extra batteries and SD Cards. If you need an extension, buy a gorilla pod, selfie stick or monopod. FINAL IMPRESSION: • This is a solid investment so long as you take care of it. I intend to actually purchase another ZV1 to possibly use it as a backup B camera for work.

10/10 coming from someone who does photography this is a great camera to have if you’re looking for something small and easy. As long as you can figure out how all settings work and figure out what to really use the camera for, it’s amazing! But definitely order a little flash off Amazon. It’ll help you a lot

Love this point and shoot. Really small and compact. Love how it takes pictures and records video. Also has a webcam feature

I purchased the Sony ZV-1 20.1-Megapixel Digital Camera in White for my daughter's 21st birthday. She was thrilled to receive it as her main gift and loves the clearness/easy functions of the camera.

Love this camera! Perfect for vlogging your everyday lifestyle

Got this for my daughter and it is perfect. She is a Senior in High School, and she takes it on all her trips. Easy to download photos onto phone if needed or wanted too.

I've had the ZV-1 for a couple of weeks and have really enjoyed it. My main camera is an A7riii. I sought out a second camera for compact, run & gun video, and to double as a webcam. I have no video experience, so I wanted a simple camera. The ZV-1, with an Elgato Camlink, has worked wonderfully as a webcam, especially on my 2017 iMac. When plugged into my 2018 MacBook Pro, the fans run loud - that's the fault of the MBP, not the ZV-1. Because battery life of the ZV-1 is awful, I leave it plugged in all the time. The video quality far exceeds typical webcam quality, and has been commented on by others on my video calls. I also used it to record a "talking head" lecture (using Camtasia), and the video recorded was terrific. Image stabilization is fair - but becomes outstanding when paired with Sony's Catalyst Browse software, which uses gyroscopic data to stabilize video in post. I've mounted the ZV-1 to my bicycle (extra gear needed), and the quality of the video, especially after running it through Catalyst Browse, has been excellent. Catalyst Browse is free, and it also includes basic tools for color grading and editing video. Being only 24-25mm on the wide end is a bit limiting for selfies, but the grip accessory (separate purchase) helps. When using the ZV-1 as a webcam, I leave it mounted on the grip, which doubles as a tripod. Downsides: poor battery life; screen difficult to see with polarized sunglasses (I bought a screen protector that solved the problem); limited usefulness of touchscreen. Many people don't like the Sony interface, but I guess I've gotten used to it from having other Sony cameras. Overall, I would highly recommend this camera - for such a small and inexpensive device, it's extremely versatile. Check out YouTube for incredible videos that others much more talented than me have created with the ZV-1.

Great camera and easy to use. I also Iove all the features.

Very few excellent cameras fit into your pocket and this is one of them. It has a great lens, focusing and sensor and is TINY, which is fine because I no longer like to carry a larger camera around. Do not be sucked into the tech advancements of full=frame and apsc cameras cameras when you are not a professional or looking to win awards (which you still might with a ZV-!) AND are tired of the flat tiny-sensor iPhone cameras that pollute the world.I am a lifelong amateur (half century of photography) and this one is one favorite.

In love with this camera it’s very good quality the only down fall is no flash