SONY ZV-1F OVERVIEW

In the realm of personal streaming content, made possible by the high popularity of short reels and TikTok, Sony presents us with a camera for such adventures. The new Sony ZV-1F is the resulting camera that pays close attention to people’s way of using images and relating through them as the nature of visual communication continues to evolve. This model aims to be a reliable solution for those in the need of constant high-quality video, and today we are going to take a deep dive into what Sony has prepared for us!

Quick Overview

According to Sony, this camera has been developed for users with no prior camera experience, but with the will of improving their current video style. Built with the same generous 1" BSI-CMOS sensor available in the Sony ZV-1, this camera covers up to 2.5x more visual range than most available mobiles in the market.

Thanks to this reliable sensor, users will experience good camera behavior in low-light situations, natural bokeh, and 4K recording. Although, it should be noted that this camera records in 4K at 30 Frames per Second, and in 1080 FullHD at 120 FPS. It supports X-AVCs codec files, and the Standard + Log formats, and it’s also possible to record Hyperlapses or FullHD slow motion (60x) footage. With a ZEISS 20mm-Equivalent f/2.0-f/8.0 Lens and its active electronic image stabilization, this camera will teach you how to see the world in vertical mode!

The multidirectional built-in microphone captures the sound coming to the front of the camera (ideal when speaking directly to the camera), and reduces wind sound. And for better holding the device, Sony suggests coping it with their Shooting Grip with Wireless Remote Commander ($138.00) for a smoother shooting experience. Conveniently, the rear display is touchscreen and can be rotated for frontal shooting without missing a thing. Also, the ZV-F1 comes with eye autofocus (for both people and animals in photo mode).

Among the creative functions, this camera offers the bokeh function and product presentation mode; which consists of a smoother foreground focus system that makes quick transitions when showing products to the camera. Another cool novelty is that the Creative Looks is now available in both stills and video.

Let’s see what else this compact $498.00 camera can offer to us!

Taking Some Shots

Everything gets easier to capture with the Sony ZV-1F; group selfies, lifestyle, product reviews, you name it! Since the camera’s ultra-wide-angle 20 mm lens captures a wider field of view when compared to the human visual field, we can take images with eye-popping depth and perspective, even in narrow spaces, both indoors and outdoors.

Without the need for any special setting, this camera accurately renders skin tones, ensuring a healthy and natural look; look your best any time you’re shooting. There’s also a Soft Skin Effect selectable to OFF/ Low/ Mid /High to adjust skin smoothness. And by using Eye Autofocus, the ZV-F1 automatically recognizes human faces and eyes, making sure we stay in focus every single time. Switching the focus to other subjects is easy, just touch the screen and you’re set to go! There’s no need to worry about lighting either since Face Priority AE will automatically brighten our face.

A Bit on How the ZV-1F Behaves

This vlogging camera is built around a 1" sensor with a wide-angle, 20mm equivalent, prime lens. Something that instantly compares to the 24-70mm equivalent zoom found on the more sophisticated Sony ZV-1. This assortment of a wide lens and full-width sensor lets this camera deliver a usefully wide angle of view, even with digital image stabilization engaged (imposing a 1.23x crop and giving an approximately 25mm equivalent field of view).

Another limitation we found in this camera is that it can’t shoot Raw files, so it’s JPEG or movie only. There’s also no built-in flash or hot shoe in which to mount one. Although this camera offers full PASM shooting modes, we can take control and shoot stills as we please.

Creative Visuals and Dedicated Sound

Achieve the most gorgeous blurred backgrounds like a pro with one push of the Bokeh Switch. The camera’s large image sensor allows for true optical bokeh or blurred backgrounds. Select “Defocus” to make the main subject stand out against the background, or “Clear” to keep the entire image in perfect focus for your shots. Capture beautifully colored images from the get-go without bothering about further processing later on. With the Sony ZV-1F, get impressive colors to match your style, just pick from 10 available presets for pro-level footage that matches the scene and your creative vision. Creative styles can instantly enhance contrast, highlights, shadows, saturation, sharpness, and clarity.

Get all the emotional moments you want in slow motion or ramp up the energy for dramatic scenes, all without the hassle of further processing. With the ZV-1F, we can adjust the footage speed simply by pressing the S&Q button. Shoot smooth video at speeds up to 5x slower, or use hyperlapse shooting to make the video up to 60x faster and bring all your creative vision to life.

Superb shots while moving or not while showing our viewers the world around us for better and more engaging content. Avoiding shaky footage is always great for vlogging, and the ZV-1F allows us to capture video, especially while walking clearly. Active Mode image stabilization helps to minimize image blur from handheld shooting for steadier shots. And for more tranquil scenes, set the Product Showcase Setting, and hold a product in the center of the frame. The camera will automatically focus on it with no additional gestures to be imposed. Let your viewers pay attention to what matters to you with a single touch.

Let the world hear your voice clearer than ever before. Designed for crisp voice recording no matter between indoors and outdoors, the ZV-1F is designed to prioritize your voice when shooting. Thanks to the built-in Directional 3-Capsule Mic, the camera collects sound from the frontal area, giving high-quality audio so we can put our energy into creativity, rather than worrying about the sound while recording. And for when shooting under battling wind conditions, this camera is prepared to still record our voice in the clearest of ways thanks to a supplied windscreen which, despite the funny look, drastically reduces wind noise.

Perfect for Vlogging

Shooting vertical video with a camera isn’t the most intuitive thing to do in the world, especially when one’s used to shooting video with a phone. Shoot all your portrait-mode videos for social media and more, just like on your smartphone. The Sony ZV-1F also gives us the option of rotating horizontal video in-camera with no extra editing required. And if that wasn’t enough, vertical videos are automatically tagged so we can transfer them straight to our phones, letting us quickly publish our content to the world.

Move all your recorded images and videos to our phones over Wi-Fi through the Imaging Edge Mobile Plus™ app, which also turns your phone into a remote control for remote shooting. This mobile application allows us to transfer still images and videos to any smartphone, it enables remote shooting and provides location information for images captured by a camera.

Another cool feature of this mobile app is that one can also transfer images from a turned-off camera or automatically transfer all still images as they get shot. The remote control function allows us to shoot images from our phones while live viewing them. And if you feel adventurous, modify the exposure settings from your phone before getting the shot!

The remote control is more than useful when taking selfies, or when shooting at night, or in any other situation in which you rather avoid touching your camera as well.

Configuring your camera from your phone:

• Automatically enter initial settings for the camera (Date/Time, Device Name, etc.) from your phone
• Add location information acquired by your phone to the images on the camera as you shoot them
• Check the remaining capacity of the battery or media on the camera
• Easily access the camera’s help guide and other support information

And for a smoother workflow, only transfer the scenes you need; this saves both time and storage space. By adding a Shot Mark while shooting or replaying a video, you can cut out a 15, 30, or 60 seconds clip to send straight to your phone. Shot Marks also lets us easily find the scenes we want to use in the future, cutting down on time searching through footage.

Some Specs

• 425 contrast-detection AF frame points for high-precision focusing
• Built-in Directional 3-Capsule Mic for high quality audio
• Effective Pixels: Approx. 20.1 Megapixels
• ISO 125/160/200/250/320/400/500/640/800/1000/1250/1600/2000/2500/3200/4000/5000/6400/8000/10000/12800
• Sensor 1.0-type (13.2 mm x 8.8 mm) Exmor RS CMOS sensor, aspect ratio 3:2
• Ultra-wide-angle 20mm prime lens, ideal for group selfies and background scenery
• Vari-angle LCD touch-screen
• Wind screen for Clear Voice Recording outdoors

Keeping it Simple

Sony knows that not every vlogger has a passion for image-making. Vlogging is about the stories that get told through the camera and about sharing stuff with the world. Therefore, we find that crafting a simple tool like the ZV-1F is a smart solution for those content creators not interested in the complex intricacies of image-making.

Simple and intuitive, even no-experienced camera users can jump directly into shooting with this visual tool. There’s no need to study complex settings or learn about the complicated exposure triangle with it. Control icons are displayed on the screen and are easily adjustable with just a touch.

Forget about accidentally missing the action. When you press record, the recording lamp glows red and a red frame appears on the screen, instantly letting us know that we are capturing what we want. Small and lightweight, the Sony ZV-1F camera is designed to be taken out just like a smartphone. Capture everyday life with ease, and grab content on the go.

What's Next?

Take your growing vlogging skills to new heights with some of the ZV-1F especially designed accessories. The GP-VPT2BT Shooting Grip expands the shooting experience by enabling us to grab steadier shots, and also works as a mini tripod! The zoom lever and the recording button are conveniently placed on the grip side, so we don’t have to work around the camera to reach the key buttons.

Give your vlogs the audio quality they deserve by attaching an external microphone. The ECM-G1 captures sound directly coming in front of the camera, cutting down on unwanted noise from elsewhere, or recording your voice from a distance with the ECM-W2BT wireless microphone.

Last but not least, dive into the streaming experience by transforming the ZV-1F into a high-quality web camera just by connecting it via USB to your laptop or PC. The image sensor and Creative Look guarantee vibrant visuals, while the Directional 3-Capsule Mic will give you excellent audio.

Some Final Thoughts

So, if you are an emerging content creator exclusively relying on your phone, and you’re thinking about taking a step further into the visual realm of things, then this camera is perfect for you. To meet the needs of the ever-changing content landscape, Sony has decided to expand its vlogging-dedicated camera lineup. The ZV-1F has been made with a broad mindset and is not something for visual techs or pro shooters as well. Also, this camera offers a friendly welcome into the Sony Imaging world, which we all know is fascinating and overwhelming at the same time. The price of this camera isn’t as cheap as one might expect from the specs, but offers a tremendous workflow aid.