Sony has announced a cheaper, entry-level alternative to its popular ZV-1 vlogging camera with the Sony ZV-1F.
The ZV-1F sits below the ZV-1 and the ZV-E10, offering a more affordable option for vloggers and creators looking to go beyond their smartphone’s capabilities when it comes to capturing 4K video, low-light and bokeh.
The ZV-1F is a small and lightweight camera that weighs just 229g. It has a vari-angle LCD touchscreen, allowing bloggers to zoom and adjust the focus by touch as they would on their phones.
It packs the same 1-inch sensor found in the ZV-1 and is capable of recording 4K video at 30p and FHD at 120p. There’s also Sony’s S&Q mode, which allows vloggers to shoot at up to 5x in slow-motion or 60x for hyper-lapse content.
The camera includes a number of improvements over the ZV-1, including a wider 20mm prime lens to squeeze more people into the frame in group shots, and improved electronic image stabilisation thanks to the camera’s Active Mode. It’s also more lightweight than the ZV-1 and features USB Type-C charging instead of Micro-USB.
However, the newer camera lacks the hot shoe available on the ZV-1, with Sony instead opting for a cold shoe, and it does not include the integrated ND filter found on the pricier camera.
The ZV-1 does, however, take advantage of a range of features found on the ZV-1 and ZV-E10. This includes the wrinkle-reducing Soft Skin Effect, and the bokeh switch which highlights subjects by blurring the background behind them.
There’s the Product Showcase setting that makes it easier for influencers to shift the focus between their faces and the products they hold up to the camera.
Face Priority AE automatically adjusts the brightness when capturing faces, even with changing lighting conditions, while high precision focusing and Eye AF fixes the focus on the subject when shooting both humans and animals.
The Creative Look feature offers 10 presets that adjust the tone, brightness and colour depth for those with no time to stop and edit, and the camera supports the XAVC S codec to minimise file sizes and records in Standard and Log formats for greater editing flexibility.
The ZV-1F comes with a directional 3-capsule mic and wind screen so you can record clear sound right out of the box, though the camera is also compatible with external microphones.
Finally, Sony is also launching its new Imaging Edge Mobile Plus app. The app lets you easily transfer content from the camera to your phone via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, control camera settings and post directly to social media.
The ZV-1F is available from mid-October with prices starting at €650 for the body-only and UK pricing TBC.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.