Last night Sony launched the cameraZV-E1. This model will become the company’s most advanced vlogging camera and it combines features from the A7S 3/FX3 models on the one hand and the A7R V on the other hand as well as a series of new features that have not been seen so far in Sony cameras (and some have not yet been seen on the market).
Sony’s ZV line
Sony’s ZV line is relatively new and was launched in mid-2020 with the ZV-1 camera – a compact with a 1-inch sensor and non-interchangeable lens (if you want a vlog version of the RX100 line that hasn’t been updated in a long time). Since then Sony has had time to launch an update called the ZV-1F last year and a more advanced model called the ZV-E10 which is a vlogging version of the old A6400 camera with an APS-C sensor and interchangeable lenses.
The ZV-E1 is already a much more advanced and completely new camera that is not based on a previous (single) product and mainly brings with it a series of innovations that we have not seen even in more advanced Sony cameras.
Sony’s ZV-E1 – an advanced vlogging camera
ZV-E1 – key features
The camera that was launched last night is, as mentioned, one level above the existing ZV models and it has a full frame 12 megapixel sensor (similar to the sensor in the A7S III/FX3), it of course supports interchangeable lenses and yet its weight is extremely low – 509 grams (the lowest weight of all other FF camera including the A7C) and in terms of size is close to the size of the APS-C series cameras.
Like the rest of the ZV series, it does not include an eyepiece and does not include a mechanical shutter, but does include a flipping touch screen, and in the new model, new touch features have been added to it that allow you to change the aperture, shutter speed and sensitivity from the main screen. The camera has certain still photography capabilities, but the camera’s emphasis is largely on video, vlogging and streaming (and the camera is able to connect directly to a computer via USB-C and stream up to 4K at thirty frames per second – will your streaming and internet service support such rates, of course, this is also another question).
In terms of capabilities, the camera is currently capable of shooting up to 4K at 60 frames per second without cropping and in the future Sony is planning an update around June that will allow shooting up to 4K at 120 frames per second (similar to the A7S III), it is not clear why an update is needed for this (perhaps for reasons of preventing overheating – after all the camera has no active cooling and is very small).
The camera has multi-interface hot shoe support which means you can connect digital microphones and the XLR adapter to it if you want to improve its audio recording. It includes a built-in microphone with 3 components and several modes (recording forward/backward or from the entire environment) and has a transfer switch between stills and video mode, and on the shutter button there is also an option to change zoom with supporting lenses and a power switch.
The size of the camera requires some compromises such as the use of a single memory card (SD UHS-II), and a micro HDMI connection (we thought we last saw this connection several years ago but here it is again). Despite the tiny size, the camera incorporates an NP-FZ100 battery like all FF models from recent years and the battery life should reach up to 140 minutes of video recording, although this depends on the settings of course.
ZV-E1 – advanced software capabilities
Beyond all the basic features of the camera, the ZV-E1 incorporates quite a few advanced software features, some of which are completely new and appear for the first time in this model. Here are some of the main ones:
- Timelapse photography is built into the camera (the product is a finished video).
- Product Showcase – enables the presentation of an object in the frame and transition to it smoothly (introduced in the previous ZV models but here takes on a new meaning thanks to general improvements in the quality of the focus and of course the larger sensor).
- Improvements in clear image zoom which now supports changing focus points and object tracking (a feature that was not present in any previous Sony model).
- Option to follow an object during automatic zoom – this advanced feature actually simulates the movement of the camera (recommended for use with wide lenses due to the crop) following the object in the frame and allows a lot of flexibility (see demonstration videos below).
- Background de-focus – allows you to create an artificial/digital separation from the background beyond the normal separation and also the option to change the aperture automatically if someone enters the frame.
- Centering an object in the moving frame – if you are photographing a walking and talking character, you can now allow the camera to try to place it in the frame in the same area to prevent its movement (as much as possible of course).
- Dynamic steadyshot allows an additional level of stabilization over what existed in the company’s previous models (at the expense of a crop of about 1.5X)
- The camera has a cinematic mode that adds black stripes at the top and bottom, reduces sharpness and adds a color filter to the image.
- The focus system includes capabilities similar to those of the A7R V with Sony’s AI engine and support for detecting a wide variety of objects including humans, cats/dogs, cars, planes, birds and even insects.
Prices and availability
The camera is expected to be available during April 2023 and the price abroad will be 2200 dollars.
Videos and reviews from around the web
Last night quite a few first reviews of the camera were published online and here are some of them.
Chris and Jordan in one of their last videos before closing the DPR site
Tony and Chelsea on the ZV-E1
Gordon Liang in a long and comprehensive review of the camera
Gerald Enden and his review of the ZV-E1
Ido Gnot Ido Gnot is the editor and founder of the Megapixel photography website. He has been covering technology news since the late 1990s and has written and edited for a number of leading international magazines. He has been involved in the field of photography since 2009. Ido is also a co-founder of the production company Shooteat.co.il which is engaged in creating visual content for commercial companies.