Sony ZV-1 Camera: Small, Powerful, & Almost Perfect

When we 1st started TGSB’s blog/YouTube channel, we only had a Canon PowerShot point-and-shoot camera. And haven’t really used one ever since. A few weeks back, we got the opportunity to review Sony’s latest point-and-shoot camera targeted to vloggers & content creators: the ZV-1. Think of this as an updated RX100 line camera w/ many tweaks. We had about 7-days w/ it as well as Sony’s Bluetooth Wireless Shooting Grip and we wanted to see if this can be your one camera for photos, videos, & content creation.

Coming from the RX100 series, Sony has added new auto-focus abilities including Product Showcase, better image stabilization, better built-in mics for voice recording, better colors for skin tones, a front-facing recording light, & a grip for better handling. You do downgrade on the body as you go from a textured plastic to a smooth plastic body. Still using a micro-USB port. Maybe we’ll get an upgrade to USB-C next year.

The 3inch LCD display has super-limited touchscreen abilities. Only for playback & touch to autofocus.

The zoom range on the 24-70mm could be a bit wider. I say this due to cropping when vlogging – especially when using the highest level of stabilization. I would recommend an 11mm or 16mm to 24mm zoom lens for next year’s model. Speaking of stabilization, it is a combination of electronics & optical for video + optical for photos. You got off/on/active options that are good but my iPhone’s OIS is better though. The On setting is decent but Active is definitely the best available option but the crop is very noticeable.

No pop-up viewfinder. No pop-up flash. No control ring.

20.1MP 1inch Exmor RS CMOS sensor
f/1.8-2.8 24-70mm Zeiss zoom lens
ISO 120-128,000
Bionz X image processor
Up to 425 AF points w/ eye-tracking + animal tracking
24fps burst mode
4K video @24/30fps w/ 8-bit footage w/ S Log + HLG profiles
Slow-Motion up to 960fps
2 levels of SteadyShot image stabilization (on/active)
Background Defocus mode (C1 button)
Product Showcase (C2 button)
3inch 180-degree LCD touchscreen display
Built-In ND Filter
mini HDMI out/micro-USB/audio jack
3 capsule mic w/ add-on windshield

The ZV-1 gives you hella video options – especially for us content creators. It gives you 4K video up to 30fps w/ sharp imagery, good dynamic range, and amazing colors – even better than other Sony shooters. Not just good enough but great video quality. You still have a 5 min recording limit but you can turn it off within settings. On the slow-motion side of things, the 120fps looks great for use while the 960fps burst mode requires tons of light or else it will be super-grainy. You do have a great feature crafted for vloggers called Face Priority Auto Exposure. This allows you to keep the exposure on your face the same while the background gets lighter/darker depending on the lighting conditions. The Background Defocus mode is pretty fast & works as advertised. It basically works as a one-button Bokeh button. Definitely a welcome addition to a camera. Their Product Showcase feature allows you to shift focus to a product or area to highlight – all at a touch of a button. It works pretty well and can be super-useful for content creators in their creative process.

You do have a great feature crafted for vloggers called Face Priority Auto Exposure. This allows you to keep the exposure on your face the same while the background gets lighter/darker depending on the lighting conditions. The Background Defocus mode is pretty fast & works as advertised. It basically works as a one-button Bokeh button. Definitely a welcome addition to a camera. Their Product Showcase feature allows you to shift focus to a product or area to highlight – all at a touch of a button. It works pretty well and can be super-useful for content creators in their creative process.

Can the ZV-1 be used for photographers as well? Most definitely.

Photos come out pretty damn good. The 20.1MP sensor produces fast results w/ sharp images, true-to-life colors, and great dynamic range. All w/o sacrificing any of the details. This applies to various conditions of standard, well-lit, and low-light situations. The fast AF w/ eye-tracking is a staple of features when trying to capture moving objects or a toddler. The 24-70mm zoom can help pull off great shots at a distance – just so long as you’re not taking selfie w/ it.

The speaker is a little on the low side but it is a compact camera. Outside of that, you do have a mic jack. SD card + battery access will be completely blocked by tripod or shooting grip. So you’ll have to use a cable or take it off to access. However, there is a solution for that. For those of you who didn’t know, Sony has software for smartphones to get photos/videos from your camera to your phone to social media. This is called Sony Imaging Edge. Along with Wi-Fi transfer of media, you can use your smartphone as a viewfinder + control settings for photo/video. There is a delay so you can’t use it as an accurate monitor though.

The Bluetooth Shooting Grip is a great accessory Sony made. It is versatile & not as cheap as it may look in product shots. It is dust & moisture-resistant, it can tilt up to 80-degrees up & 90-degrees down, you got a remote button for photos/videos/product showcase button, and can be used as a tabletop tripod as well. You can use it as a grip for vlogging, use it as a run-and-gun, and more. Hell, I might even pick it up for my a6300 in the very near future. Just wishful thinking on my end.

Even w/ its shortcomings, the ZV-1 is still a great tool to start in content creation.

While those 7-days w/ it seemed to fly, I thoroughly enjoyed my time w/ the ZV-1 camera. It isn’t perfect but I only really have 2 qualms w/ it. One is minor and the other can be classified as significant to major. I would love to see Sony update w/ the ZV-2 w/ a wider lens and maybe an actual touchscreen display. To rectify the tight lens + cropping, you can grab a telescoping selfie stick to give you a better view. Outside of that, I think it is an amazing tool for creators. Priced at $798, this is a great camera to get started in content creation as well as experienced ones to have a smaller, versatile option at their disposal.