Customer Ratings & Reviews

This camera takes horrible pictures. It's difficult to use. It's only good for videos.

I bought this as a gift for my daughter, she’s getting into vlogging and loves it

First impression: Up till now, my content creation rig was my DSLR. It is a Lumix G85 in a SmallRig cage. I have a Rode microphone and an Olympus flash on it with SmallRig side handles. It is a heavy setup for any content creation and/or vlogging outside of it being on a tripod, and that doesn’t happen very often. Enter the Sony ZV-1F to solve my problem. But does it solve it? My first impression of the Sony ZV-1F is that it is small, lightweight, and feels like it is high quality, what you would expect from a Sony camera. The buttons feel firm and not flimsy, and the articulating LCD screen is easy to move, but feels tight and not likely to loosen up. The screen is bright, and the buttons laid out so that even larger fingers can easily navigate the menu. The charge time from dead to fully charged is about 4 hours, Setup: The setup on this camera is like any DSLR, but not quite as extensive. There is an full menu system that allows you to configure every aspect of this camera. You have major categories on the left and all the submenus for each category to the right of it. You can cycle through the major categories or if you need a specific setting, or one-by-one through the submenus. When you get to the end of a submenu, it automatically moves you to the next major category. Features: This camera come with featured designed to make your videos turn out better pre-production. My DSLR has these features, and even though I save photos in both JPG and RAW, I use these features when shooting content creation, so I won’t have to do any or much post-production editing. These features include built in slow motions and time lapse – set with a single button. It also has a built-in bokeh switch to add bokeh effect, soft skin effect for airbrush-like results, and Eye autofocus which works really well. Pros and Cons: All cameras have pros and cons, even expensive ones, even if the con is the cost. This camera also has them. For this camera, I don’t see the cons as being that bad. Even if 4K recording is only 30 fps, this is a content creation camera, not a cinematic camera. Pros: • Large Sensor (good for low-light video). • 20mm wide angle prime lens • 4K @ 30fps • 1080P @ 120 fps • Easy to use • Eye autofocus works great • Active Image Stabilization • USB C charging port Cons: • No optical zoom. • Only 30fps at 4K • Doesn’t support Raw shooting. Performance: I found the video really clear on this camera. I wasn’t sure how the camera would do with non-vlog recording, but I’m surprised at how good it is. The prime has you locked in, but there is a small digital zoom, and it does pretty good. The wide-angle lens makes for some interesting video. The audio on this camera was also good. With the microphone being on top instead of the front, I wasn’t sure how good it would be located on top. I was also wondering if that might make wind noise worse. Well, it sounds very good, but it does increase wind noise. That’s what the included dead cat is for. To get a somewhat decent audio test, I placed the camera in front of a fan. I looked at the wind noise and it was about 75% of the meter. I then placed the dead cat on the camera, and the wind noise was about 30%. I had the camera about 6” from the fan and the fan was on high, so this was an exaggerated test to see if it really did help. The dead cat did reduce the wind noise, and I believe it is better than it tested because I doubt the camera will experience wind like I produced here (see loud/quite pictures). The photograph portion of this camera was good, but that is all. It was a touch disappointed at first, because I am an amateur photographer and love good photographs. The picture quality isn’t bad, but not as good as I am used to, especially from a Sony. However, and this is very important, this is not a professional photo camera, it is a content creators’ camera, for quick shots, but primarily for vlogging. This being taken into consideration; I believe the photo side of the camera is pretty good, especially for a prime lens. Is the photo side of the camera enough for me not to like it? Not at all. If I am traveling on a day trip and taking pictures for myself, rather than looking for a professional photoshoot, I will take this camera along instead of my DSLR. It is much lighter, takes really good videos, and good pictures. And using it with the vlogger kit, which is the wireless handle, taking pictures and starting/stopping video is that much easier. Conclusion: So, does the Sony ZV-1F solve my content creation problems? Absolutely. It is small, lightweight, easy to use, and the articulating LCD screen makes it easy to see what you are recording at and angle. The built-in audio sounds good, and the photos are good as well. Adding the vlogging kit makes carrying and using the camera even easier. And if you want to up your game with audio, you can add the external Sony Vlogger microphone, which sounds excellent. I review that in a separate review. So, if you are a content creator and/or vlogger, and want a very easy to use vlogging camera with excellent recording without paying the higher price for the Sony ZV-1, then I highly recommend the Sony ZV-1F camera.

The Sony ZV-1F comes ready to take vlogging to the next level; it comes with a battery, wind screen, lens cap, USB cable, setup guide and the warranty. There are two color options, Black or White to with your style, I got the Black one and it looks great. I have been doing most of my videos with my cell phone and it has been good but when I am doing a video where I have to show the app on my phone then I do not have a good camera and the Sony ZV-1F is going to replace both my phone and any other ones I have used. I really like how the screen rotates towards the front and back and also if I am taking a video of someone and I want to focus on the screen, I can face the screen upwards so I can see every detail. The screen is a good size at 3 inches and best of all it is a touch screen. I can use the touch screen to focus, shoot and more. I have been recording in 4k so the ZV-1F is perfect because it not only records in 4k, it also records flawlessly. The camera autofocuses so I do not need to adjust anything on it and it also shows great colors with bright or low light. I like the Eye AF, this lets the camera recognize human faces and eyes and stays in focus, I do not need to pay attention to the camera all the time, just stay in frame. Recording vertical or horizontal, no problem it does it and well. The video footage while in motion is great, I have taken the camera out for a walk and the video looks smooth. With a press of a button the background can be blurred, it can record in hyper lapse, slow motion, it is just the best. The audio is also great and since it does come with the wind screen, the audio is smooth and without the loud sound of the wind. Connecting to my phone is great for many reasons, I can transfer my pictures and/or videos fast and I can also use my phone as a remote to control my camera and even better I can see the pictures on my phone. Also I can configure my camera from my phone, I can tell how much battery life is left, I also got the Vlogger Accessory kit and the shotgun microphone to go with it to make my recordings easier and best. The shooting grip makes it so much easier to either have the camera stay in place as well as taking it with me. And the microphone picks up what is in front of it making it much easier than trying to edit the audio on my videos. Overall the camera is versatile, can be used for many occasions, vlogging, product review, take it with friends, taking pictures, can even stream high quality video with just one cable. It is easy to use and nicely portable. Best of all, including the mic, grip and memory, it is of great value.

With the rise of content creators and vloggers, Sony has created a budget style camera that certainly does not feel cheap or inexpensive by any means. I believe the main target audience of this camera are people who currently use the front facing cameras on their smart phones to record. This is a great alternative to using your phone and in some ways is a step up in my opinion. The camera is simple to use, and you are able to just pop in the battery pack, turn it on and go. The default settings are good enough to use for those that don’t care about tweaking the exposure, white balance, etc., but it does have advanced settings that allows those out there to change many settings to fine tune the image to your liking. Sony’s latest menu is included with this camera, and I found it very easy to navigate and the options are organized in a logical and simple manner. A few of those settings that I came across was setting the zoom level from the default 2x up to 4x digital zoom and turning off/on the built-in wind noise reduction. I am using the ECG-M1 shotgun microphone with a wind screen blocker, so I did not test the built-in functionality with that. Zoom speed can also be adjusted to be slow, normal, or fast as well, with some testing, the auto focusing seemed to keep up well with all the speeds. The camera does have a fixed length lens that is 20mm wide-angle and it works great for the selfie kind of shot and I didn’t have to fully extend my arm out to get the image I was looking for. Flipping open the screen is an additional way of turning on the camera so you can get to recording the action faster. Speaking of the screen, it is a touch screen interface, and you have the ability to customize what you want to be on it, and it was easy to set up some of my frequently used options that I change. The screen also pivots and rotates 180 degrees and allows you to see the image it is capturing while in selfie mode. As good as this camera is, there are a few drawbacks that I noted. First in the imaging quality, the background sky (while outdoors) can get blown out a bit and not look normal. Also, the external microphone connector is only a clip to hold it in place, it does not provide a connection for recording, and you must use a 3.5mm audio cable, and the short one I have gets in the way of the movement of the pivoting screen. Also, this camera does not shoot in RAW mode and if you are a true professional, you may not like the stock formats that it has. However, this is not a camera that is targeted to photography / videography professionals in my opinion but to content creators who just want to have a set up that is quick and easy so they can focus on content or reviewing products. This camera is also compatible with SDXC, SDHC memory cards as well as Sony’s Memory Stick Pro Duo and Micro cards. The battery pack is a Lithium Ion NP-BX1 1240mAh battery that I have managed to record about 45 minutes on it. The battery is easy to swap out and Sony placed the tripod mount off-set so you can still access the battery/memory cards when it is mounted still. Overall, this is a great beginner’s camera with some advanced features, and it will shoot 1080P with out a hiccup, but 4K I did notice some slight drops every now and then.

This camera was sold to me & it did not serve my needs. Quality was terrible for photos and not much better for videos.

As a content creator, finding the right camera that's both portable and packed with features is crucial, and the Sony ZV-1F absolutely nails it! From the moment I started using it, I was impressed by how much this little camera can do. It's incredibly compact and lightweight, making it the ideal companion for on-the-go shooting – whether I'm vlogging around town or setting up for a quick take at home. The image quality is fantastic. The wide-angle lens is perfect for getting everything in the frame, and the colors are vibrant and true-to-life. Even in less-than-ideal lighting conditions, the ZV-1F delivers crisp and clear footage. The built-in directional microphone is a game-changer for capturing clear audio, which is so essential for engaging content. Plus, the included windscreen is a lifesaver for outdoor shoots. Sony has clearly designed this camera with vloggers in mind. The vari-angle LCD screen flips out, allowing you to easily see yourself while recording – a feature I use constantly. The dedicated Bokeh Switch is brilliant for instantly blurring the background and making your subject pop, adding a professional touch with a single button press. The Product Showcase Setting is another standout feature, making it incredibly easy to smoothly transition focus to whatever you're holding up to the camera – perfect for reviews and demos. The ZV-1F is also surprisingly user-friendly. The menu system is intuitive, and the controls are well-placed. Even if you're relatively new to content creation, you'll find it easy to pick up and start shooting high-quality videos and photos. Battery life is decent for its size, and the connectivity options make transferring footage and live streaming a breeze. Overall, the Sony ZV-1F is an exceptional vlog camera that punches well above its weight. It's the perfect blend of portability, impressive features, and ease of use, making it an indispensable tool for any content creator. Five enthusiastic stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Sony ZV-1F camera is designed with vloggers and content creators in mind. It has a fixed 20mm lens with 20 megapixels, 4K video, an intelligent autofocus and a 3” rotating screen. This lightweight camera is great for those who are looking for an excellent picture without the fuzz of having to switch between heavy, professional lenses. The 20mm lens is great for filming yourself out and about, and the 3” screen can be flipped to the front, so that you can see yourself while filming and make necessary adjustments. The image stabilization works great while walking and moving around and the picture quality is great, even on basic/automatic settings; of course this will depend on lighting. The autofocus is smart and recognizes humans very well. There’s also a feature that focuses on products, so that you can do product review videos without worrying about your face or the product being out of focus; it works really well. The various presets allow you to create certain looks right off the bat, but I personally prefer doing this while editing, and I was a bigger fan of simply adjusting the settings of the Standard preset, but if you want to do a quick B&W or Sepia video, you certainly can and each setting is adjustable. For photography, the camera does a great job at taking photos quick and easy at 20 megapixels. The Soft Skin Effect works well, the Low setting does it just right while High looks airbrushed/photoshopped. The Bokeh effect looks really nice. The camera sports a 1-inch sensor and a wide F2.0 aperture lens. It’s missing one thing though, a flash, and the camera doesn’t have a “hot shoe” for an external flash. For video, the camera offers up to 4K resolution at 30 fps, or 1080p at 60 fps. Additionally, you can plug it directly into your computer and use it as a webcam at 720p / 30 fps. I wish it could output 1080p over USB, but that will require a capture card. I streamed live on Twitch for over 2 hours and the camera worked fine the whole time using the included USB cable. When plugged in for streaming, the camera is powered by USB, which is an added bonus, if you’re trying to avoid unnecessary cables. The camera has a fixed lens, meaning no optical zoom. There’s a 4X digital zoom for photos, and a 2X zoom for videos. The zoomed in photo looks fine, but with a non-removable lens, it would be nice to have an optical zoom, but the sacrifice would be the general image quality. You can do a lot with a 20 mm wide lens though, and for vloggers, it’s pretty much perfect for on-the-go shoots with one or two people on camera. Finally, the sound. The camera has a built-in directional 3-capsule microphone that’s great for talking, whether it’s into the camera or for an interview. A wind screen is included and does a terrific job at keeping out wind sounds and plosives, although it doesn’t look as puffed up as in the photos. Maybe I should get the hair blower… If you want a more professional sound, I would recommend getting the Sony shotgun mic (ECM-G1) that works perfectly with this camera and also comes with a wind screen. The camera has Wi-Fi and there’s an app to connect to your smartphone, so you can set up the camera and download photos. You can’t control the camera settings from the app, which would be an awesome feature. Sony offers a Vloggers Kit that comes with a remote that turns into a tripod, which is very convenient for both taking photos and videos while walking and for static shots like streaming or zooming. A 64GB SD Card is included, so you have everything you need to start filming. This camera is perfect for vloggers and content creators that are looking for a camera for selfie-style videos and photos that beats any smartphone and many cameras available. It’s lightweight and practical so that you can film and transfer quickly so that the content can keep on coming.

This is a nice quality entry level camera. I record long form content for Youtube and purchased this as an upgrade from using my iPhone camera. The quality is very good. The camera is light, compact, & easy to use. Battery can drain fast if you have wifi and bluetooth enabled, but the battery can be charged in the camera. It’s perfect for people just starting out with photography/videography and who are on a budget. The only downsides are that it has a fixed lens & no flash, but that can easily be remedied with add-on accessories.

Sony has released another vlogger camera in the ZV series - the ZV-1F, which is an adaptation of the previous model, the ZV-1. The box includes the camera, USB-to-USBC cable (for charging and transferring files), a basic mic with wind screen, 1 battery, and some user guides. The camera comes with a manufacturer's 1-year warranty. PROS: ----------- * Lens is fixed. Focus used is typically automatic for most people and can stay focused on the vlogger's eyes * Lens cover is completely removable * Very light, compact, good grip, excellent ergonomics * Switching between modes is easy - video, slo-motion video, and photo. * When the camera can't focus, the "focus square" in the middle of the shot turns purple. This is a nice and quick indicator on-screen. * The 3 internal microphones do a great job at picking up audio and ambient noise. The wind screen attachment does its job to keep wind noise out of the audio recording. * "Product Showcase" mode works well when showing a product in front of the camera then having the camera focus back in on the user's face or something else when that product is removed. * It has the availability of multiple picture profiles for setting the right color scene. CONS: ----------- * Always a wide shot with everything in focus. There isn't a good way to blur the background during recording * Manual settings can be a bit tedious to access in the settings and using only the wheel control on the back. * A simple addition to this camera that is missing is a basic 3.5mm headphones jack so the vlogger can hear if there is wind noise, or clothes rubbing against the mic, etc. * The camera can't shoot RAW photos which allows for better photo editing capabilities. But this being entry level is likely why this option is omitted. * Video does have a "jello" effect when panning left and right too fast, so if you are walking and want to show things behind you, you will not want to pan left/right too fast... there may be some distortion there. OTHER OBSERVATIONS: ----------- * Video can be in 4K but only at 24 or 30fps. If you need more fps, the user can dumb it down to 1080p at 120 fps. CONCLUSION: ===================== To be clear, this is not a professional photographer's camera. Though it has a number of options internally, it's not going to give the user phenomenal shots you might see in magazines. It's primary purpose is for vlogging, which in many cases, can be very basic when doing reviews of products. Most smartphones will take better still photos than this camera and even video. Keep in mind that the USE of the camera IS vlogging. Can you use a smartphone instead? Sure, but you end up having to use the selfie camera which may not be high quality, and you also won't have a high quality microphone that comes on this camera (or a better one that can be purchased, like the Sony Vlogger Shotgun Mic. For vlogging specifically, it does the job well, and I would highly recommend.

Its decent. Havent used it much but its a good camera and cheap. I dont like the lense much but its easy to use for beginners.

The Sony ZV-1 is perfect for creators. Super sharp 4K video, great low-light performance, and fast eye-tracking autofocus make filming easy. The flip screen and built-in mic with windscreen are perfect for vlogs. Small enough to carry everywhere but delivers pro-quality results. Highly recommend for anyone serious about content creation!

The Sony ZV-1F Vlog Camera is designed with content creators and vloggers in mind, combining user-friendly features with advanced imaging capabilities in a compact, travel-friendly body. Whether you're a seasoned vlogger or just starting out, this camera offers a streamlined experience that simplifies recording high-quality videos on the go. Key Features: Compact & Lightweight Design: Ideal for vloggers who need to travel light without compromising on quality. Its pocketable size means you can take it anywhere and capture spontaneous moments. User-Friendly Interface: With simplified controls and an intuitive menu system, the ZV-1F makes it easy for creators to start shooting without a steep learning curve. Flip-Out LCD Screen: The articulating screen is perfect for self-recording, ensuring you’re always in frame while filming. Fast Hybrid Autofocus: Keeps your subject sharp even during movement, so you can rely on it for dynamic shooting scenarios. Optimized for Vlogging: Features like background defocus and product showcase settings enhance the storytelling aspect of your vlogs. Enhanced Audio: The built-in microphone is engineered to capture clear sound, though it may be further boosted with external audio solutions if needed. Pros: ✅ Portability: The slim, lightweight design makes it an excellent companion for travel and everyday shooting. ✅ Ease of Use: Intuitive controls and a straightforward interface are perfect for quick setup and shooting. ✅ Vlogger-Centric Features: Tailored settings like the flip screen and background defocus help create a professional-looking video with minimal fuss. ✅ Reliable Autofocus: The fast and accurate autofocus system ensures your videos remain sharp and engaging. Cons: ❌ Audio Monitoring Limitations: The absence of a headphone jack can make it challenging to monitor audio in real time. ❌ Limited Manual Controls: While great for beginners, advanced users might miss a wider range of manual settings for more creative flexibility. ❌ Battery Life: As with many compact cameras, extended shooting sessions may require extra batteries or external power sources. Final Verdict: The Sony ZV-1F Vlog Camera stands out as a robust and accessible option for content creators and vloggers who value simplicity and quality in a compact package. Its design is particularly geared toward users who want to focus on storytelling without getting bogged down by overly complex controls. Despite minor drawbacks—such as limited audio monitoring and a modest battery life—the overall performance and ease of use make it a compelling choice for anyone serious about vlogging. If you’re looking for a dedicated camera that’s ready to capture your everyday adventures and creative moments with minimal setup, the Sony ZV-1F in Black is well worth considering.

Great quality , easy to use. Highly recommended. It’s affordable. I’ve been using this camera to record my YouTube videos and I love it !!! You won’t regret it.

Very great camera for an Ave goner looking to have a compact camera in the go. Battery life does not last all day so be prepared to buy extra batteries. The camera footage has some shakey parts when trying to focus. Overall the image and video quality is great. Depending on where you record if shooting footage you will want to eventually invest in a mic.

Sony’s ZV-1F is a budget friendly variant of Sony’s popular ZV-1 vlogger camera. The ZV-1F has a compact point and shoot form factor, 20mm F2.0 fixed focal length Zeiss Tessar lens, USB-C data/charging port, cold shoe, SD-card storage, and ships with a USB-C charging cable and slide on wind filter. The Zeiss lens is sharp, bright, and offers a nice wide field of vision. The ZV-1F’s useful photography tools include selectable shooting modes (aperture priority, shutter priority, manual, program auto, and intelligent auto), exposure compensation, creative filters, and a pushbutton instant background blur for bokeh effects. The ZV-1F can capture great pics in bright light and decent pics in low light but does have some limitations, especially compared to the ZV-1 and comparably priced compact cameras. The fixed focal length, lack of optical zoom, lack of flash and hot shoe, JPEG only format (no RAW nor JPG+ RAW like more advanced Sony cameras), and lack of HDR are some of the shortcomings that make the ZV-1F less than ideal for use primarily as a still camera. The 1F has a 4X digital zoom that isn’t great but better than nothing. The ZV-1F can take great still photos in the right conditions on occasion but is much stronger for video content creation like vlogging, shooting short selfie videos, and even mild action cam duties. I specified mild because the ZV-1F is neither waterproof, dustproof, nor ruggedly constructed like true action cams. Recordings can also suffer rolling shutter jitters with abrupt or excessive movement during shooting. So, great camera for filming skiing, not so great for filming while skiing. The ZV-1F’s main strength is content creation. Whether it’s shooting a podcast, travel or general vlogging, capturing live action at events, performing interviews, or merely creating a quick social media clip, Sony designed the ZV-1F to easily capture creative video for sharing. The 4K/30p (or 24p) video is tack sharp, has good light balance, good low light performance, accurate skin tones, and the auto-tracking and facial recognition work great at keeping the primary subject in focus and at the forefront. The camera does a great job with AF subject tracking although the AF sometimes reacts a bit slowly, resulting in brief loss of focus as it adjusts. Sony’s Active Mode image stabilization is effective for most mobile shooting situations and even feels somewhat like using a gimbal when combined with Sony’s remote grip tripod. One cool useful creative feature is the product showcase. When active, the camera quickly shifts focus to emphasize objects held up in front of the camera. It’s fantastic for product demonstrations or sharing effortless close ups of objects with viewers. Additional features like slow motion, hyper lapse, and built-in electronic creative filters further add to the creative capabilities of the ZV-1F. The lens is also threaded which should allow use of physical filters if needed. Features are accessed via a combo touchscreen and dial driven menu. The menu may seem a little dated and complicated at first glance but quickly becomes easy and intuitive to navigate. It’s much like the menu systems on my older Sony mirrorless cameras which also utilized a combination of touchscreen, physical buttons, and dial. The LCD touchscreen display can fully rotate around to allow use while facing the lens. The screen can also rotate to face inward while closed for protection during transport or storage. The ZV-1F can utilize Sony’s shooting grip in tripod mode, which allows convenient wireless control of the camera from the tripod. Other tripods and accessories can also be used on the ZV-1F’s standard bottom thread. The ZV-1F can be used for live streaming but I’m not a big fan of stationary live-streaming on battery power. The ZV-1F uses the same battery as the ZV-1, so I assume the same charging passthrough options could be used with the ZV-1F to avoid relying on the battery or overcharging during use. The ZV-1F ships with a removeable battery and USB charging cable that charges through a USB-C port on the camera. The port is also used for streaming and data transfer. The ZV-1F mic works well and includes a wind filter that slips onto the cold shoe. The cold shoe and 3.5mm mic input on the side can also accommodate a compatible external mic. I included a photo of the ZV-1F utilizing Sony’s ECM-G1 shotgun mic. The ZV-1F’s internal mic sounds good but the external mics I tested sounded clearer, warmer, and more professional. The ZV-1F is also compatible with Sony’s Imaging Edge+ companion app. Imaging Edge+ allows remote control shooting via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct connectivity to the camera. It also allows remote viewing, copying, and management of stored media on the camera. So, is the ZV-1F worth it? It depends on the situation. A decent smartphone can handle the needs of the average content creator if those needs remain basic. The ZV-1F is likely overkill for someone posting occasional videos on social media for friends and family or doing the latest viral trend. However, I prefer dedicated cameras like the ZV-1F over smartphones if engaging in more professional content creation reaching a larger audience. Dedicated cameras provide more opportunities for experience working with different settings, multiple cameras, and allow more creative freedom as someone grows with their craft. The ZV-F1 is a good bridge camera between smartphones and more advanced imaging hardware with steeper learning curves. The ZV-1F is easy to pick up and start using right away on full auto. I would not recommend the ZV-1F for anyone seeking a camera primarily for still images due to the previously mentioned shortcomings.

Using as my edc camera and gym footage. Simple to use, super compact, sharp footage and photos!

I liked this camera and enjoyed how compact it was. However, for me personally I did not like the fact that there was no flash on the camera. If you're looking for an alternative to the G7X, this is okay but it is not the greatest. The quality is fine, however, the lack of flash might be a dealbreaker for some. I did enjoy that the microphone was detachable! Def a camera for people who are looking to make videos.

--- SETUP --- The Sony ZV F1 camera requires minimal effort to set up. Insert a memory card (not included), the battery, and charge it up. --- FEATURES --- Cold shoe for customization, 4K at 24 or 30 FPS, 1080P at 120 FPS, screen rotates for selfie mode, touch screen, internal mic with windscreen, rechargeable battery, customizable shortcuts --- PERFORMANCE AND EXPECTATIONS --- This camera is light and easy to store in any traveling backpack. As far as pictures are concerned, the camera does a good job at auto-focusing on the subject as well as detecting people’s faces. There is a setting you can change so that instead, it detects pets. The internal microphone was ok, but I connected a Sony shotgun microphone for my needs. I used this camera to record dancing video reels outdoors (you can see on Instagram @NoeElBachatero), dancing videos indoors, and private dancing lessons. Since I prefer the look of 60 or 120 FPS, I changed the resolution to 1080P. The video capture looks phenomenal and my dance partner noticed the difference when I uploaded my reels and tagged her as a collaborator. I used this camera with the compatible Sony tripod and synced it to the camera. It was easy to take video and pictures in portrait mode, which is my preferred method when creating content. I also briefly tested the app and connected the camera to my phone so that I could take remote pictures. I didn’t use the app too much, but it came in handy once or twice when I needed to take the picture while away from the camera. The only caveat I have is that the menu seems a bit convoluted. Creating shortcuts for what you intend to use the most, like slow motion recording, quick-shot pictures, regular pictures, or recording, helps. However, if you plan to do more than that, you can easily get lost and frustrated with the menu. The zoom is also digital vs. analog. What this means is that, the more you zoom in, the grainier the subject will be. That’s expected with digital zoom, so make sure you use the camera with subjects you intend to keep close. --- APPROVAL --- As far as vlogging is concerned, I love using this camera vs. my phone because it frees up my phone for playing music to dance to. The auto-focus feature and the 120 FPS allow for some stunning visuals. I would highly recommend this camera for entry-level vloggers.

Great low light recording, fast startup Social media is all a buzz about this camera and here is my opinion now that I get to use it and see if its a hero or zero. And if I am only comparing it to my cell phones camera which cost me substantially more. As an enthusiast, the ZV1F definitely rides much closer to hero. The low light capture, wide field of view and really good auto focus features of the Sony ZV1F are easily better. And with removable batteries (NP-BX1, same as my 2 other Sony cams) and SD storage. It will be much easier for keeping it ready to get the next shot done. From everything I have seen, read and experienced already, there are a few tradeoffs over the other ZV series cameras. I was more interested in testing what does work well for my interests. Since I am just starting into the world of sharing my hobbies on the internet. This looks to be a great camera to start with. Its affordable for the most part as a tool for capturing what I want to share. The 4K 24p setting seems to be a great setting for filming most of what I expect out of the camera. Low light is great. At arms length I fit the screen perfectly and the focus tracking seems to keep me in focus effortlessly. Auto settings may be the scourge of the pros, but it works well here. Sometimes easy is better than fiddling with a ton of options to get 5% improvement. While the ZV1F digital stability has its limits. If the subject is centered in the shot, it works well. Trail ride filming might be a stretch, but I have water and dust protected action cams for that. I do wish the ZV1F had an optical zoom and hot shoe for the Sony Microphone I also got for this camera. At least Sony did include a cold shoe and microphone port/jack for those who want a bit more from their audio. Also wish lens cover had been built in. Little too cheap to go with lens cap that will likely get lost. It may have a few tradeoffs over its bigger brothers in the product line. It has a price to reflect that. But with a little add-on of some filters on the 40.5mm lens thread. It will take good pics and even better video. I see no reason this will not give several years of use till I upgrade or move on to the next hobby. Bonus notes: Be sure to flip the touch screen inward to the camera to protect screen in bag or pocket. Consider the Best Buy package bundle to save a few more dollars. The "ACCVC1" Vlogger Accessory Kit is great to have. The tripod/hand grip controls made holding and using the camera easier. I also used the Sony ECMG1 shotgun microphone. It increased the audio levels and fullness in audio recording.