Customer Ratings & Reviews

As a stand-up comedian, capturing high-quality content is everything, and the Sony ZV-1 delivers in spades. This compact camera punches way above its weight. The autofocus is lightning fast — perfect for moving around on stage or switching focus during crowd work without missing a beat. Low-light performance? Surprisingly solid, even in dim comedy clubs where the lighting can be unpredictable. I usually run it with either a Rode mic or a wireless mic pack (both pictured in my setup), and the audio comes out clean and pro-level. But honestly, if I forget the Rode? The onboard mic still rocks — way better than you’d expect from a built-in. The flip-out screen is clutch for framing myself during solo bits or YouTube uploads. It’s easy to toss in a bag and head to a set, or even record quick content in the car post-show when the jokes are still fresh. If you’re in comedy or any creative field and want a no-fuss camera that just works, the ZV-1 is a killer option. It’s not just a vlogging cam — it’s a legit tool for content creators who take their craft seriously without taking themselves too seriously.

The Sony ZV-1 has been a game-changer for my personal photography and vlogging, especially for TikTok and YouTube. It’s compact and easy to carry around, yet delivers outstanding image quality. The colors are vibrant, and the autofocus is impressive, tracking my face perfectly even in poor lighting. Using it with an external flash, the results are comparable to those from the Canon G7X Mark II/III but with better focus and versatility; the video on the ZV-1 is better than G7X in my opinion. The background defocus button is a great feature for achieving a professional look effortlessly. Pros: - Compact and portable, ideal for on-the-go vlogging and photos. - Excellent autofocus, even in low light. - Crisp, vibrant image quality. - Background defocus button for a professional touch. - Comparable performance to Canon G7X Mark II/III with an external flash. - Wide range of accessories available through Sony, Amazon, etc. Cons: - Limited battery life, so I always carry a spare. - Battery/SD slot cannot open with a tripod attached (accessories are available to address this). - Cropped video in 4K (a wide-angle lens can help mitigate this). The ZV-1 Mark I maintains excellent autofocus and high-quality video similar to the Mark II, but at a lower cost. Additionally, the Mark I offers slightly better battery life and a more straightforward interface, making it more user-friendly for those who don’t need the extra features like the wider lens and touchscreen enhancements found in the Mark II. I’ve shared pictures taken with my ZV-1 using an external trigger flash (MEDALight) and a still flash (Ulanzi).

Pretty good camera! Super light weight and easy to use! Buy an extra battery, this drains quick and I Hate that the mounting point is inline with the battery compartment door. When I use the ac power adapter I have to put an extension in. Those are what keeps this camera from being 5 star for me.

"The Sony ZV-1 is, without a doubt, the best camera I have used to start recording videos and vlogging. Its design is small and light, ideal to carry in your pocket, but its quality is comparable to that of much larger cameras.

This camera is marketed to vloggers, but for those of us that simply want a small camera to fit in the pocket and shoot RAW this camera is excellent. It's quite good for the street photog that wants to disappear in the crowd (ala Henri Cartier-Bresson). It's no Leica, but it's no slouch either. It's a nice companion camera for film shooters that want to take some digital snaps as well without looking like all the other smartphone shooters out there (and there really is something to being discrete). For Sony mirrorless shooters, the workflow and controls will be familiar. Image quality is acceptable within the various focal lengths in the zoom range. It's a little touchy to zoom to a precise full frame equivalent (like 35mm for street), but that Carl Zeiss lens is well-matched to this 20 mpx sensor. While I only shoot RAW, it should render JPGs with the latest Sony color science improvements that have been updated on their recent mirrorless systems. As a RAW shooter, I relish the option to do my normal post-processing workflow and apply my style and editing as if it were shot on a full frame mirrorless kit. As I do not use this for vlogging or really care about its video, check out other reviews for that. For me, it's a camera, Period. And when walking in Chicago, I wouldn't cry as much if this one were stolen as I would with any full frame kit or even any film camera I own. But it's so small that it should not attract much attention, and that is precisely what makes this camera so good. Sure, be prepared to charge your battery or have a spare. Be prepared for tiny buttons and no viewfinder. Yet for first-time camera buyers coming from a smartphone, this would be a great option. Composing shots with the view screen is familiar to digital natives, and there's something to be said for keeping your eye on the subject and not through the lens.

Great quality for pictures and videos! Light weight easy to use and carry!

I love this camera due to its quality. Perfect for vloggers or to document vacations and events.

Camera is great for beginner vloggers. Has great quality and decent battery life. Digital zoom and many different modes and settings to switch from. 7.5/10 only because you can’t change the lens, only add onto the current lens. Sad I don’t have it anymore..

I like the camera how they simple things down is truly nice For someone that doesn’t know how to manually control cameras like a professional definitely has features that Does make it a bit special then others. I bought it and tried and it gave me what I was looking for. Don’t go just for opinion of YouTube buy it if you dk t like it return it. There’s nothing better then you actually have it and put it to use would I recommend it yes!, o lot of people say is not worth it because of the pricing but read the specs and compare it to other cameras and see if it’s worth it to you

I loved this camera, it is very practical besides that the resolution and the shots are great. I highly recommend it for both professional and personal use.

This camera has exceeded all my expectations. It’s super easy to use and delivers excellent photo and video quality. The autofocus is fast and accurate, and the flip screen is perfect for vlogging and self-recording. I love how compact and lightweight it is, making it great to carry anywhere. Definitely recommend it for beginners and advanced users alike!

First of all I just want to say after so long wanting this camera and debating for so long to purchase is it! I am the happiest of people after purchasing it. The quality of it is AMAZING! It’s honestly perfect for someone who’s some what on a budget and getting started with making videos, etc. But don’t get it twisted this camera is also perfect for photos!!!! All around the best purchase ever. I also did go ahead and purchase extra equipment (as seen in the photo) for my camera but it’s so worth it!

Improvement for use of major trips and enough memory to relentlessly take new pictures, for any place around the world that may rarely visit, like in my case, taking a very decent 1 week Alaskan Cruise in May.

I absolutely love this camera. I’m having fun playing with the different settings. It does everything I need it to do and more. I bought an external flash and I can’t wait to take pictures with it. I got it mainly for vlogging. Excited to get back into vlogging with this camera.

Great for content creators, easy to use I would just buy a couple of backup batteries. The battery life is bad

The Sony ZV-1 is a great grab it, throw it in your pocket and go camera. There’s a few things I’m not crazy about ( mostly button layout ) but for anyone who makes vlogs or short form content and doesn’t want to invest in a bunch of lenses and camera bodies than this is for you. The Focal range is equivalent to a full frame camera at 24mm-70mm and the f/1.8 at 24mm is bright, at 70mm it stops down to f/2.8 but you still get a nice out of focus background. Videos are 4K and sharp, with amazing autofocus. If you want slowmo videos you get ( 240, 480 and 960 fps )which is in 1080p.

This compack cameras its phenomenal and great picture with it I recommend to get it. Its great for beginner

I’m a avid hiker and I needed a small very versatile camera to capture and record my adventures and the SONY ZV1 fits perfectly

I'm actually obsessed with this purchase and SO incredibly happy with it. The quality is stunning both for video + photos. I am a photographer and produce short vlogs for myself + clients. Not only is the video quality great but so is the photo quality. I've been using it shooting everyday scenes + events + selfies (lol)

It the quality was great and blog was better than before. Love it