Sony - ZV-1 20.1-Megapixel Digital Camera for Content Creators and Vloggers - Black

Sony ZV-1 Camera for Content Creators and Vloggers with Vlogger Accessory Kit Very high end for advanced users Test equipment! HP 590 desktop with Pro 4K video card/BT 5.0 and AX WIFI; Sony 55A9G; Sony XBR65Z9F;Apple SE 2020 128GB WIFI AX/BT 5.0; Surface Pro X;HDMI adapter cables; 128 GB U3 Memory card; Linksys - MX10 Velop AX5300, 4K monitors; BT 5.0 wireless headphones; Canon Pro wireless Laser printer; Imaging Edge Desktop, connecting cables Items that worked well: HD Video cast to TV (Samsung and Sony’s) Transfer files to computers via USB cable Play video over HDMI Cast pictures to TV Transfer files to Cell phone Transfer files over WIFI Use standard SD class 10 (U) cards as well as the Sony high end fast transfer card with two rows of connections Ultra-high quality Large built in microphone and micro speaker Manual online was 555 Pages of essential info https://helpguide.sony.net/dc/1910/v1/en/print.pdf https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/compact-cameras-zv-series/zv-1#manuals Micro HDMI and USB External jack for microphone Shoe for flash BT connected tripod Imaging edge (free) software for advanced photo editing Learning curve required/needed extra stuff: 1000’s of possible settings for the pros Navigating through the menu’s and set up Borrowed a strap from my other Sony camera Found a leather cellphone belt leather wallet in my stash that worked at Disney Springs taking pictures WIFI setup and transfer requires some real patience No BT headphone connection so far (still working that issue but doubt it has that feature). PDF manual is only searchable in advanced PDF versions. Online version is easier to use. Needed upgrades for future models: AX/WIFI 6 Summary: Sony Quality is phenomenal in many areas of electronics since 1972 (for me since the Vietnam war). Loved the Sony branded and Marantz equipment (Marantz was owned by Sony at one time). Keep going Sony!

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

love this camera the quality exceeded my expectations! the ease of control and capability is awesome. perfect for blogging and photography! would def recommend.

This camera is a beast of a camera for a “point and shoot camera” category. Having myself a Sony A7RIII and a RX100 VII this ZV-1 camera does not disappoint. Since this camera is very similar to the RX100 I may be comparing in this review one which each other. But first I want to thank Sony for providing a camera with fully articulated screen (Sony please provide this for all your future cameras for now on). For the money you are paying, this camera has the auto focus system of their most expensive full frame cameras which is the best in the market in my opinion. The camera body is made of plastic but does not look or feel cheap. It did not come with a wrist strap I know many people do not use them but for this type of camera that is very small I recommend buying one and use it. This camera was design for vloggers in mind now with the fully articulated screen is better to record yourself. There are a few drawbacks regarding the screen. First you cannot see the screen if you are using polarized sunglasses. If you are going to record yourself using this camera, make sure you are using non-polarized sunglasses. The screen like all Sony screens for all their cameras is a touch screen that only works for focus, and focus tracking. It does not work to navigate thru menus (I hope that Sony implements menu navigation using the touch screen in future generations). The ZV-1 camera offers some nice features for vlogging: 1. Skin tone feature, this will smooth your skin of your face to reduce wrinkles. 2. It has a built-in neutral density filter to reduce the amount of light hitting the sensor during video if you are recording outside. With this you shall be able to reduce the shutter speed. 3. Background Bokeh option will soft blur the background while maintaining your face in focus. It has a dedicated button for this; however, you can achieve this by using the lens at 24mm at F1.8 aperture. 4. Product Showcase, if you review products on YouTube this camera will certainly is a most for you. This feature will quickly focus on the product if you locate the product in front of the camera. Long gone are the days when you put a product in front of the camera and have to say, “lets wait for the camera to focus on this”. This feature work fast and smooth is impressive. One thing to mention is that when I was testing this the eye autofocus no longer works, it transitions to face autofocus. Also, make sure when you use this feature the camera focus at your face all the time if for some reason when you are recording yourself and the camera see your hands while you are doing expressions the camera will try to focus at your hands because your hands are closer to the camera than your face. 5. It comes with picture profiles in case you want to adjust colors in post I usually do not use this but is there if you want to use it. 6. Records in 1080p 24fps, 30 fps, 60 fps, 120 fps also records at 4K, 24fps and 30 fps. 7. It comes with a microphone input jack in case you want to use your own microphone for audio. The in-camera audio I believe is pretty good in my opinion. The camera came with a dead cat microphone cover that you attach to the camera hot shoe to reduce wind noise if you are recording outside. 8. Image stabilization. I know there is more to vlogging for this camera. The list is long but those are some of the main features of this camera offers. If you are going to use this camera mostly for vlogging I recommend the “Sony Vlogger Accessory Kit, product# ACCVC1”. Now, what about the photography aspect of this camera in case you are wondering if it is good for it. This camera comes with a 20.1 Megapixel 1” sensor, similar to the RX100 series. The lens is a 9.4-25.7mm which is 24-70mm equivalent in full frame, with an aperture of F1.8 / 2.8. You can only use the F1.8 aperture only at 24mm equivalent. More than 24mm it will transition to F2.8 aperture which is typical for zoom lens. Sony said that the color science has been improved in this camera compared to previous generations. From what I saw there is a difference but to me is minimal, to me the colors on Sony latest cameras are great. You have the option to save pictures as RAW and/or JPG. If you are a person that want to take advantage of all the quality and dynamic range that the sensor can give you use RAW format, if you want a quick picture you can share with friends use JPG format. You also have the option to save both formats to the SD CARD. RAW format is an unprocessed file (more like a develop negative from the old film days) and you need a RAW file editor program to process them, this can be Photoshop, Lightroom etc. I usually edit all my RAW pictures using CaptureOne Pro. At the time of this review the RAW format for the Sony ZV-1 was not supported. It usually takes a few months for CaptureOne to provide support for new cameras. This is typical, but if the sensor is like my RX100VII the dynamic range shall be pretty good. Not as good as full frame but very close to APC sensor cameras. I’m pretty pleased with the quality of the pictures I got with this camera. While testing the camera I took a picture that I really liked and printed a 12” x 16” on my Canon Pixma Pro 10. See picture sample. The detail is there, I am pretty happy with the results of the print, and I am going to hang it in the wall. Regarding low light performance I will say is ok. Anything above 1600 ISO is going to look a little bit noisy. However, having a F1.8 aperture at 24mm always helps. The only drawbacks that I experience regarding photos is that to see the screen in direct sunlight you must set the screen brightness to “sunny weather”. Having an electronic viewfinder would be better for taking pictures under direct sunlight which this camera does not have. My RX100VII have an electronic viewfinder however the RX100VII does not have a hot shoe for a flash which the ZV-1 has. I was wondering if Sony will provide in the future an optional electronic viewfinder that you can connect to the hot shoe like the Canon M6 Mark II. That would make a lot of people happy. The lack of a viewfinder would not affect the picture quality of the photos but would give you more flexibility and a would make it easier to take pictures under certain situations. Regarding battery life make sure you buy a few extra batteries because the battery wont last long. It will consume more battery during video than with pictures in my opinion. My recommendation is to always go with original batteries from Sony. The camera did not come with an external battery charger, to charge the battery, the camera came with a micro USB cable that you connect to the camera and charge the battery internally. Sony also sells an external battery charger if you are interested. Conclusion, the ZV-1 is an excellent camera for vlogging but not just for vlogging it can also create great looking photos under good lighting conditions. It has one of the most advanced autofocus systems in the planet. Its small, lightweight, and very versatile. I definitively recommend this product.

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.

Love the camera, perfect for my all around gaming/ vlogging/ unboxing videos. Highly recommend and working well with elgato or evga capture card.

One of my best purchases i ever done. I loveee my camera! Took it on a trip and it work perfectly !! I recommend this 100 percent! : )

The quality on this camera is amazing, it have so many different modes, only thing it doesn’t have a flash so I had to buy it separately. But other than that I love the camera