Sony ZV-1 II - digital camera

Sony ZV-1 Mark II digital camera

Sony's camera designed for vloggers and content creators has now been updated to a new version 2. The lens is now a very interesting 18-50mm cine equivalent!

This camera features a 20MP sensor with fast autofocus and RAW photography, so in addition to video work, this can be a great addition to landscape photography when the camera's small size is important, for example when hiking.

• Fast autofocus - real-time face and EyeAF eye tracking that now also works on animals
• Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 18-50mm F1.8-4 cine equivalent lens
  
• Powerful electronic image stabilization with Active mode setting
• Product Showcase function: quickly switches focus between the person in the photo and the product being showcased
• Streaming directly from your computer, without additional software
• Raw photos
• Cinematic Vlog presets for video shooting in the ZV-E1 style
• Both audio and video directly via USB
• Screen Reader function
• High-quality internal microphone with adjustable directionality - also comes with a windscreen!
  
• Forward-facing touchscreen with new touch interface

The next level of vlogger camera

Sony previously released the ZV-1F with a fixed 20mm wide angle, but this updated ZV-1 II takes the win with an 18mm wide angle, even two millimeters at the wide end has a big impact on the scope of the image. This is useful if you're shooting yourself or a group of people while holding the camera in your hand.

In addition, the camera has an effective Active-mode image stabilizer, which frames the image surprisingly well . For this reason, it would be difficult to use the original camera directly in the hand if the main subject was the photographer himself, but now the second version succeeds just fine. This electronic stabilizer setting makes the video look professional - even when walking while recording .

The camera has a flip-type touchscreen that folds out to the side and forward . You can easily compose and monitor the image. The Sony ZV-1 also includes a tally light familiar from camcorders, so you can always see whether video recording is on.

The image quality is good, as with Sony, and video recording is possible at 4K resolution. The automatic exposure keeps the face exposed even in varying conditions, such as outdoors in sunlight. The color scheme is tuned so that skin tones look good and authentic.

The autofocus is borrowed directly from Sony's most expensive flagship models. The subject-detection autofocus keeps the focus in exactly the right place. The camera automatically detects faces and eyes in the frame and is not confused by fast movements. Now the focus can track multiple people in the frame and also animals.

The camera also has a dedicated Product Showcase focus mode for showcasing products to the camera. This mode is activated with a single button and then the camera quickly but smoothly switches focus between the person in the picture and the products being shown to the camera. This feature is perfect for product reviews, haul videos or even showcasing cosmetic products. The focus quickly finds even small products, and the video looks very professional as you don't have to wait or adjust the focus.

Thanks to the screen that can be tilted to the side , the top of the camera accommodates a high-quality directional microphone with three capsules, and you can adjust whether sounds are recorded from the front, back or all around the camera. The sales package also includes a thick windscreen for outdoor shooting. In addition, the camera has a 3.5mm microphone jack if you want to use, for example, a button microphone, interview microphone or wireless microphone systems.

Usability improvements

The Sony ZV-1 II is also designed for one-handed use , the handle is shaped for a better grip and the rec button is large and easy to find. For the self-filming vlogger, we recommend the camera grip , which gives you an even more comfortable grip and a camera control button. The handle also functions as a tabletop stand.

The camera includes a new Screen Reader feature that reads aloud the camera's current settings. This is a very unique feature that makes it easier to use the camera if you have trouble navigating the camera's menus, which contain a lot of small text, or if you have some degree of visual impairment.

Touch screen usability has been revamped, with Touch Focus, Touch Tracking and Touch Shutter, meaning you can focus, track your subject and take a picture directly from the screen.

The goal is to create a stunning video with minimal depth of field and a soft background. There's a dedicated button for that, press it and the camera will do the rest.

Features for video nerds

The camera's processor is borrowed from the top model Sony RX100 VII and the sensor is a so-called stacked type. The Sony ZV-1 includes an internal three-stop ND filter. This filter makes it easier to achieve optimal exposure times for video shooting. The ND filter also helps control depth of field when shooting in bright weather.

The Sony ZV-1 records UHD 4K videos at 30, 25 and 24P. FullHD video recording is possible at 120P, suitable for slow motion, and there is also the option of up to 1000FPS Super Slow slow motion videos.

The camera's 4K video is recorded using the entire pixel count of the sensor, which is used to create a 4K video file. This results in sharper images with less noise and softness than 4K video recorded without taking the sensor's pixels into account. The Sony ZV-1 Mark II also supports the Hybrid Log Gamma standard, allowing compatible displays to display HDR videos correctly without post-processing. In addition, Sony's wide-gamut recording formats S-Log2 and S-Log3 are available.

Those passionate about video will also be pleased with the zebra overexposure warning and manual sound level adjustments. The camera's continuous focus can be switched to manual mode by touching the screen, after which the subject to focus can be selected via the touchscreen. In other words, it's kind of like push to focus in professional cameras.

Streaming is possible with a single cable, and audio and video are transferred directly to the computer, while the camera also receives additional power.

Photographer's power pack

A large sensor for the size of the camera, 20.1 megapixels and up to 24 fps continuous shooting (and the image is displayed without flickering at all times thanks to the stacked sensor!), i.e. equivalent to the top model RX100 VII. The only negative thing for photographers is the lack of optical image stabilization. Thanks to RAW recording, the images also have material for post-processing. Bright optics. The whole package is crowned by the previously mentioned Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 18-50mm F1.8-4 lens. This is suitable as a lightweight second camera for professionals.

Specifications:

• 1' Exmor RS CMOS 20.1 megapixel image sensor
• Sensitivity: 125-12800
• 18-50mm cinema-equivalent lens
• Aperture: f/1.8-4
• Built-in ND filter
• Electronic image stabilization
• Electronic shutter, shutter speeds 1/32000 - 1/4s
• Continuous shooting: 24 frames per second
• Video recording: UHD 4K and FullHD 120P
• Built-in microphone, adjustable mouth angle, resolution 921.6K pixels
• 3.5mm jack for external microphone
• 3' flip-up touchscreen
• Lightning shoe (multi interface shoe)
• HDMI micro and USB-C
• Bluetooth & WiFi
• Battery type: Sony NP-BX1 (approx. 290 images or 45-75min video recording on a single charge)
• Charging is possible even while shooting via USB with a power bank
• Size: 105.5 x 60 x 46.7mm
• Weight: 266g

Sales package includes: Sony VZ-1II camera, Sony NP-BX1 battery, USB-C cable, microphone windscreen and mount, wrist strap