Are you looking for the best budget vlogging camera? The Sony ZV-1F is just the camera you’ve been searching for. This compact camera has professional features with user-friendly design and the same body style as its predecessor, the ZV-1, available in both black and white finishes. Its 20mm F2 prime lens with 24-70mm zoom and wider angle of view proves incredibly useful for vlogs with the digital Active SteadyShot stabilization. The F2 aperture allows for beautifully softened backgrounds, and you can easily switch between blurry and focused backgrounds using the convenient Background Clear/Defocus button.
Sony ZV-1F Design and Handling
The Sony ZV-1F is very compact and lightweight camera due to 254 grams weight. To put its size into perspective, it’s only slightly heavier than a typical smartphone, ensuring that carrying it around is as effortless as having your phone in your pocket. The ZV-1F’s body style is reminiscent of its predecessor, the ZV-1, but with a few notable differences. You can choose between a sleek black or crisp white finish. The lens is encircled by a metal ring.
There are four buttons on the top plate: On/Off, Mode, Record, and Background Clear/Defocus. The shutter release is conveniently located nearby. Use the zoom rocker to access a 1.5x digital zoom at 4K resolution (and 4x at 1080p). On the rear of the camera, there is a fully articulating touchscreen. The remaining controls are neatly arranged in a rectangle bordered by the rear thumb rest and LCD. These include a flat control wheel, Play, Delete, and Menu buttons, along with a button to launch the on-screen Fn menu.
User Interface and Controls
The ZV-1F’s control layout is pretty neat and clean. On the top plate, you’ll find four buttons: On/Off, Mode, Record, and Background Clear/Defocus. The shutter release is conveniently located nearby. It has two shutter buttons – one for still images and another for video. This makes switching between photo and video modes quick and effortless. To shoot selfie-style, simply flip the display around so it faces forwards, and the camera adjusts accordingly.
The ZV-1F offers three core shooting modes: still photography, video, and S&Q (slow and quick). You can manually adjust exposure, background blur, aperture priority, and shutter speed using the touchscreen’s menus, or let the camera handle these technical aspects automatically. Along the right side of the camera, you’ll find the USB Type-C, 3.5mm microphone, and Micro HDMI ports for connectivity options for various accessories and external devices. The Background Clear/Defocus button on the top of the camera switches between blurred and focused backgrounds.
LCD Display
The Sony ZV-1F has a 3-inch LCD vari-angle touchscreen with 921,600 dot resolution. This high-quality display serves as both a monitor and a touch control interface. It can be flipped out to the side and rotate to point in virtually any direction. You can easily adjust focus by tapping on the screen, and access essential features like the Bokeh Switch, Product Showcase setting, or white balance adjustments with a simple touch. The screen shows precise colors so what you see is what you’ll get in your final footage. Under normal conditions, the default brightness settings are sufficient for comfortable viewing.
Sony ZV-1F Video Recording
The Sony ZV-1F can record 4K video at up to 30 frames per second, with two recording modes: 60 Mbps and 100 Mbps. For the best results, opt for the 100 Mbps setting using a faster SD card to handle higher bitrate. In Full HD, frame rates ranging from 24p to 120p for super slow-motion shots. The camera supports two record options in this mode: 25 Mbps and 50 Mbps. The ZV-1F’s 20mm wide-angle lens is perfect for beginners videographers.
The camera includes several features for self-recording. A bright red tally lamp next to the lens clearly indicates when recording is in progress, and a red border appears on the LCD as well. You can also enable a Soft Skin effect, and the ZV-1F’s metering system works with face detection to maintain proper exposure for on-screen.
Audio Quality
The camera has a high-quality built-in stereo microphone on the top plate. The ZV-1F’s microphone is designed to record the voice perfectly when you’re at arm’s length (about three feet) from the camera. You can adjust the decibel levels to suit your needs, with both channels typically staying in the green zone when you’re speaking at a natural volume. Sony includes a fuzzy windscreen cover in the box. This thoughtful addition helps reduce wind noise so your voice remains clear even in breezy conditions. You can easily attach this windscreen to the camera as it adjusts automatically to stay out of view during recording. You can connect an external microphone through the 3.5mm analog interface.
Image and Photos
This CMOS sensor with fast response times provides 16fps bursts for photos and controls rolling shutter distortion in videos. The ZV-1F’s lens contributes significantly to image quality. You’ll get sharp central results throughout the entire f/2-8 aperture range with the best edge-to-edge clarity at f/5.6. This bright aperture helps limit the need for extreme ISO settings in dim light, allowing you to maintain good image quality even in challenging conditions. Enjoy JPEGs without too much noise up to ISO 3200. The camera’s automatic range goes up to ISO 6400, and you can manually set it to ISO 12800.
Sony ZV-1F Battery and Connectivity
The camera comes equipped with a rechargeable NP-BX1 battery pack. The battery performance varies depending on your usage and settings. For still photography, it provides approximately 360 images when the Auto Monitor OFF function is set to “Does not turn OFF”. If you adjust this setting to “2 Sec”, you’ll see a significant improvement to take around 540 images on a single charge. For actual movie shooting, which includes start-stop recording, it provides about 60 minutes of use. If you’re doing continuous video recording without interruptions, the battery life extends to approximately 90 minutes.
The Sony ZV-1F comes with built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi with seamless integration with your smartphone and other devices. The ZV-1F is compatible with Sony’s Imaging Edge Mobile Plus app, available for both Android and iOS platforms to transfer files and remotely control your camera
