Canon Marketing Malaysia has announced changes to its strategic leadership, set to take effect on 2 January 2024. These appointments are poised to drive growth and foster innovation in the Malaysian market.
Masato Yoshiie Assumes Role of President and CEO
Masato Yoshiie succeeds Shunji Yoshikai as President and CEO. Yoshiie brings a wealth of experience across Canon’s global operations, along with a track record of steering successful business expansions and product launches. His deep understanding of Asian markets and customer-centric vision will be a driving force for Canon’s new chapter in Malaysia.
Edward Chang to Lead Image Communication Business Division
Edward Chang steps up as the Head of Image Communication Business (ICB) Division, succeeding Hunter Zhang. Chang, equipped with marketing and brand development expertise will play the pivotal role in steering Canon’s BIS business towards sustainable growth.
Jeffrey Kung Takes the Reins of Business Imaging Solution Division
Jeffrey Kung assumes the role of Head of Business Imaging Solution (BIS) Division, stepping into Masato Yoshiie’s former position. Kung’s extensive expertise positions him to guide customers through the complexities of digitalization and hybrid work using BIS’s innovative solutions. His capabilities extend across SME, corporate, and business partner domains.
As Canon Malaysia prepares for this leadership transition, the company has set its sights to continue innovating imaging solutions and achieving customer satisfaction. For more details about its new leadership appointments, visit Canon Malaysia’s official website.
Sony’s camera division is on a roll. They just recently introduced the α(alpha)6700, α7CII and α7CR models for the budding hybrid content creators who are looking for premium and reliable hardware that is also accessible and offers flexibility and shooting capabilities like no other. The α6700, while being an APS-C mirrorless camera, is still a rather capable camera that offers 4K 60p video recording capabilities alongside the S-Log encoding Sony is known for. If you have a little more money to spare and wants the best shooting experience at a more compact body, the α7CII and α7CR are perfect mirrorless full-frame cameras that can get the job done as well as their full-sized counterparts.
These are Alpha cameras though. They are made for the pro-sumers and enthusiasts more than anything else. What if you are serious about your contents? What if you are a professional videographer that often takes out time for documentary type shoots? You need to go for the Sony FX30 or FX3, no wait; maybe the FX6 will do, what about the Venice 2? Too much? Maybe something in the middle, something like the brand-new BURANO.
Welcome to the Sony CineAlta line-up, specifically to the VENICE 2, Sony’s flagship video camera that is made to shoot at 8.6K resolution, higher than what Netflix requires for their 4K certified movies. Well, to be fair Sony launched their VENICE 2 camera a while ago, and this is not the camera you are here to see. It is important to know the VENICE 2 camera though, because Sony’s latest film camera is sporting Sony’s best and most powerful full-frame film sensor ever made.
8.6K Sensor with VENICE Colour Science
Source: Sony
The BURANO sports an 8.6 full-frame sensor that is likened to the VENICE 2, except for a few missing features. You cannot record videos at the full 8.6K resolution, for example, but that is minor when you consider that the BURANO still records videos at 8K resolution at 30p. You can shoot at 60p, but you must dial it down to 6K. At 4K, the BURANO can record at a maximum of 120p for those impressive slow-mos. They are still more than what Netflix requires for their exclusive movies.
Perfect for Running About
Source: Sony
So why would you opt for a dieled down edition of the brilliant VENICE 2 film camera then? For one, it comes down to the weight and size of the BURANO. The Sony BURANO is 32mm shorter and 1.4kg lighter than the VENICE 2, meaning that it is more portable, comfortable, and easier to work around when you are constantly moving or when you need to shoulder mount your camera. Its lightweight magnesium body construction also means that you can shoulder and operate the camera for longer periods of time.
The cuts in effective resolution, weight, and size does not make the BURANO a slouch. It still packs some of the best Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) mechanisms you can find on a film camera, which makes it all the more suitable for a run-and-gun type of shoot. With an included PL mount bracket for the Sony BURANO, you have the world’s first PL-mount digital cinema camera. Of course, it is still an E-mount camera so you can pair it to Sony’s wide lens selection or third-party lenses of your choice.
Does Everything The VENICE 2 Does
Source: Sony
You still get variable ND filters built right into the camera body just so that you can trim your set-up down to a reasonable size and weight. With built-in ND filters too, you are able to quickly set-up for your shot to save on time.
Since this is a cinema camera with 8K recording capabilities, recording media is rather crucial here. The Sony BURANO supports up to two CF Express Type-B cards and VPG400 mediums for high bitrate writes especially with8K videos. You can even shoot at compressed RAW if you want even more control over colours and look. If course, you still can shoot at Sony’s S-Log3 or even S-Log.cine for the best-in-class log encoding and easy colour grading in post-editing processes. Since it offers the same colour science as the VENICE 2 camera, you can even use this BURANO as a secondary camera or back-up camera for your main driver, the VENICE 2 (if you are lucky enough to own a VENICE 2 anyway). But that is not all your camera can record in. To quicken your editing process and skip through the entire colour grading process, you can stick to the Warm, Cool, Vintage, Teal and Orange cinematic colour presets.
Price and Availability
Sony did not announce the Sony BURANO’s official pricing. It is a cinema camera though, so it is not technically a product that is sold publicly. They also have not mentioned any availability dates for the camera. If you are interested in procuring one, you might want to contact Sony. They are offering attendants to IBC 2023, Amsterdam a first look and feel of the BURANO though from the 15th to 18th of September 2023. If you wish to find out more about Sony’s latest BURANO cinema camera, you can head out to Sony’s website.
Sony first introduced their very high-end, very clever, and very powerful Exmor T for mobile imaging sensor on the Xperia 1 V, Sony’s fifth generation flagship smartphone that does everything an Alpha user needs it to do and even more. The thing is, at MYR 6,399, the Xperia 1 V commands an asking price even higher than what Samsung asks for in their flagship Galaxy S line-up. While the Xperia 1 V is a brilliant smartphone that is supposed to offer unparalleled performance and functionalities to content creators or creative professionals, it may be a little too rich for plenty of users. So, you get the Sony Xperia 5 V then.
In any way you look at it, the Sony Xperia 5 V is a brilliant product still, even compared to its more premium brother, the Xperia 1 V. Sure, there are visual cues to tell the people who know that you are not using Sony’s top-of-the-line smartphone. Its display size, for example is only 6.1-inch compared to the larger 6.5-inch of the Xperia 1V. It is also only Full HD in resolution instead of 4K. You still get the unique 21:9 aspect ratio from the Xperia 5 V. It is also still an OLED display that offers up to 120Hz in refresh rate and 240Hz in sampling rate. According to Sony as well, the display on the Xperia 5 V offers 100% in DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage and even BT.2020. Like the more premium flagship, the Xperia 5 V also has an X1 engine just to power the display.
Beneath the Corning Gorilla Glass protected display though is still the very powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen2 platform that proved to be a force in the Xperia 1 V. It is not like you are getting a dwindled down battery too. Even in a smaller shell, you still get a 5,000mAh pack. That also means that this one smartphone can offer you even better battery life than even the great Xperia 1. Of course, the device runs on a rather stock version of Android 13 with just a few bloatware like its premium brother.
The bloatware powers the same Exmor T for Mobile sensor that its higher-end flagship brother gets. The Xperia 5 V boasts an effective 48-Megapixel underneath a 24mm lens with F1.9 aperture. Instead of two other cameras though, there is only one more camera that sits with the main shooter. You get a 12-Megapixel ultra-wide shooter instead of the clever variable telephoto that the Xperia 1 V offers. Still, you probably can get enough details with digital zoom from the 48-Megapixel photos. There is also a front-facing camera that is rated at 12-Megapixel for all your selfie and video-conferencing needs.
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Just like its bigger brother, the Xperia 5 V maintains the same candy bar look and offers 3.5mm jack connectivity. Alongside that, there is the unique shutter button too. If you need, the Xperia 5 V also features a MicroSD card slot for storage expansion up to 1TB. There is fast charging for the large battery, you also get wireless charging still with the Xperia 5 V.
Price and Availability
While Sony Malaysia touts Q4 2023 availability, they have not officially announced its retail price just yet. We expect the Xperia 5 V to be a little more expensive than the current Xperia 5 IV at MYR 4,499. We do not think it will be priced above RM 5,000 though, at least there is no reason to believe that it will be priced as such. For now, we can only wait. For more information on Sony’s latest Xperia 5 V, you can head to their website.
Sony’s α7C (Alpha 7C) launched in 2020 was something we liked. The idea of having a full frame camera in a body no larger than a standard APS-C DSLR was appealing. It makes plenty of sense especially for the travelling photographer to still have the power of a full frame sensor for all your creator needs while travelling.
As of 2022 though, the brilliant α7C went out of production. While we expected Sony to come up with a replacement or follow-up to the compact full frame shooter, it looked bleak since Sony kept that information rather privy. To be fair, the world is still recovering from the constraint that is the product of the world’s chip shortage.
Finally in 2023, the α7C has a replacement device. It is not just one camera that Sony announced though. They launched two cameras – the α7C II, and the α7CR.
Sony α7C II (Alpha 7C Mark II)
Source: Sony
Sony’s direct replacement for the α7C is the new α7C II. Where the original α7C shares similarities with the α7 III, the α7C II shares similarities with the full frame mirrorless camera that replaced the α7 III, the α7 IV. That is a good thing.
For starters it packs the same 33-Megapixel Exmor T CMOS sensor as the α7 IV (Alpha 7 Mark IV). That means you also get the same Advanced BIONZ XR image processor that the powerful α7 IV packs alongside a clever AI processor that offers more accurate subject recognition than before. This results in the same advanced Eye-AF system that the α7 IV benefit from as well offering one of the best, if not the best, autofocus systems found in a mirrorless camera this size.
Like the α7 IV, the new α7C II is also capable of recording videos at 4K at up to 60p. If you wish to record videos at 120p, you do have to push it down to 1080p Full HD resolution. You also want to take note that 4K 60p recording can only be done in super 35 crop mode, which means you are not technically fully utilizing the entirety of the full frame sensor when you record at those speeds. Still, being able to shoot in 10-bit 4:2:2 is a huge bonus for video recorders and color grading purposes. You have the option to shoot in S-Log3 or S-Cinetone with custom LUTs for even better-looking videos.
Sony α7CR (Alpha 7CR)
Source: Sony
Then there is the other camera that came as quite a surprise, the α7CR. To be fair, this is very much like the full-sized counterpart to the α7 series. As per the ‘R’ moniker suggests, the α7CR is made for photography prowess in a small form-factor body. It shares similarities with the Sony α7R V.
It packs the same high-resolution 61-Megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor like the bigger α7R V. It also packs the BIONZ XR image processor for the most advanced image processing capabilities available to full frame cameras of this stature. This full frame sensor is also capable of recording videos at 10-bit 4.2.2 colour space and in 4K resolution at a maximum of 60p.
The Mini α7 Line-Up
The new cameras are pretty much a miniaturized version of the α7 IV and α7R V counterparts. They pack everything the larger, full-sized cameras they are based on and offer almost all the sorts of photography and video recording power their full-sized counterparts offer. There is a small compromise though. Since the body is a little smaller, the battery they come with is also smaller than their full-sized counterparts. The cameras also do not support CF Express cards and therefore does not have the recording speeds that the full frame cameras are capable of.
Availability
Sony Malaysia has not announced the official pricing for both the products just yet. They have confirmed that the new α7C II and α7CR will be available in Malaysia by the end of November 2023. In markets where the α7C II and α7CR are already available, prices are at US$ 2,199.99 (MYR 10,210*) and US$ 2,999.95 (MYR 13,922*) respectively.
*Approximately based on exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.64 as of 30/08/2023 on xe.com
Hold on to your cameras, photographers! Canon Malaysia has just announced the launch of its brand-new E-Store and is giving away special offers of up to 43% off until 25 August 2023.
The launch of the E-Store means you can now purchase a full range of Canon products including cameras, lenses, printers, and other accessories directly from the brand. In addition to the convenience of online shopping, this is also an assurance that you’ll be getting genuine Canon products with proper after-sales warranties. The E-Store also accepts all major payment methods, whether it’s with a credit card, online banking, or even Touch ‘N Go, Canon’s got you covered.
Let’s talk offers – because who doesn’t love a good deal? You can snag exclusive discounts of up to 43% on some of the latest printers and cameras. But here’s the kicker – it’s for a limited time only. From 3 pm on 22 August 2023 to 3 pm on 25 August 2023, you’ve got the chance to grab these deals. Purchase selected camera and printer models, and you’ll also get your hands on cool merchandise – think sunshades, notebooks, and EOS R caps. Canon is definitely not leaving fans empty-handed.
If you’re aching to add some new sweet tech to the shopping cart, you can head on over to https://store.my.canon/. You can also keep up with the latest updates by following Canon on Facebook and Instagram.
Sony’s α6000 series is one of those line-ups of cameras that we can easily recommend to anyone who is looking to get into photography. Despite its price, we think that Sony’s mirrorless APS-C interchangeable lens camera line-up offers some of the best value for a camera. The older α6600 for example, offers 4K video recording with S-Log3, pretty much on par with the more premium α7 line-up of cameras when it comes to video work. While APS-C sensors are smaller than full-frame sensors, the α6600 is still a formidable photography tool that offers photo quality that is comparable to full-frame photos.
The α6600 is an aging platform though. It launched back in September 2019, which was nearly 4 years ago. Considering that the gap between the α7 III and α7 IV is also a little over 3 years old, the α6600 is due for an upgrade. Introducing the Sony α6700.
New Sensor
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
You still get an APS-C sensor on the Sony α6700, like its predecessor, which is also rather expected, since this is the compact camera line-up from Sony. It is an upgraded sensor though. It is now a 26-Megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor alongside Sony’s most powerful BIONZ XR image processor that also powers Sony’s latest full-frame cameras.
New Processor
Source: Sony
The BIONZ XR processor allows the Sony α6700 to record 4K videos like the older α6600. But instead of the regular 60fps, you can record at 120fps this time. You can also record videos at S-Cinetone picture profile, which is the preferred profile for Sony’s filmmakers on their professional Cinema Line cameras. On top of that, you have the flexibility of shooting videos and photos from a standard ISO 100 all the way to ISO 32000 for both high-sensitivity and low-light shooting.
The new processor also contains a clever artificial intelligence (AI) engine first seen on Sony’s advanced α7R V platform. The AI engine allows the α6700 to cleverly recognize subjects accurately (Real-Time Recognition AF) and quickly focuses on the subject even if they are not human. Of course, that contributes to the speedy Eye-AF system that Sony pioneered.
Still Compact
Source: Sony
You get a familiar platform on the Sony α6700. You get the same compact design body with lightweight materials. It is a little over 100g lighter than the older α6600 too. While 100g may not sound a lot, it does make a difference when you need to work with it an entire day for both video and photography workflow. Thanks to the new swiveling vari-angle LCD monitor as well, the new α6700 offers even more flexibility in the types of shots you can get and monitor.
Price and Availability
The Sony α6700 will be available in Malaysia from September 2023 onward. No colour options here, just the regular black colour that we are used to with Sony’s cameras, or any other cameras for that matter. There are no mentions yet on its official pricing in Malaysia just yet. It is priced at US$ 1,398, which is about MYR 6,416*. In that case, we are expecting the new camera will be priced at about MYR 6,400 when it arrives in Malaysia. For more information on Sony’s latest α6700, you can head over to their website.
*Approximately based on exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.59 as of 13/07/2023 on xe.com
What can you buy with MYR 4,000? You can get yourself a very nice steak dinner for at least four people in a very expensive restaurant. You can buy an entry-level gaming laptop with older generation hardware. You can even buy a decent laptop that you can use for work and play for that money. Even if you buy a 4K TV, you might still have some spare cash to afford yourself a decent soundbar. Or you can buy a Sony ZV-1 II, Sony’s latest compact camera, and have MYR 1 to spare for your parking.
So Familiar
If you have had your hands on a Sony ZV-1, the original one, you would be surprised (or maybe not) at how similar this ‘second-generation- ZV-1 is to the first one. It is sort of the same body that both use with no changes in the layout or material. That also means that if you come from the ZV-1, you will be quickly familiar with the ZV-1 II.
We like plenty of things on the ZV-1. We like the swiveling hinged monitor that we can just swing out to quickly turn the camera on. We like that folding in the display also turns the camera off. We like that it is compact yet shoots decent 4K footage, and we like that it features a standard zoom 24-70mm lens. Most of these features stayed on for the ZV-1 Mk. II.
The ZV-1 II still has a brilliant swiveling display that will be the only source of monitoring you get on the camera itself. There is no viewfinder to look at here, which is pretty much expected in this form factor. Then there is the 4K 24p capabilities that continued from the older ZV-1. The lens offers the same zoom mechanism and look, except that it is an 18-50mm lens now instead of a 24-70mm with a maximum aperture of F4.0.
They have added a few things too. They added ‘background blurring’ effect toggle for your portraits. They also added more creative looks for the ZV-1 II. The highlight addition though, at least we think, is the Cinematic Vlog mode that completely changes how you shoot your videos.
The sensor you get on the ZV-1 II is pretty much the same one you can find from the first-generation ZV-1. You get a 1-inch 21-Megapxiel Exmor RS sensor that is also capable of taking videos at 4K 24p resolutions. You can technically also record Full HD videos at up to 60p with the camera. That also means there is no slow-motion video recording for the ZV-1 II. To be fair, that is not what the ZV-1 is for anyway.
If you come from the older ZV-1, there should be no surprises about the photo and video quality here. The 21-Megapixel photos are clear and well detailed, even at the edges. While the sensor is not very big, you technically can get great looking portraits with some deep ‘bokeh’ effect by turning on the camera’s ‘background blur’ mode. Even if you do not use the ‘background blur’ mode though, portrait still looks mighty good with limited depth. Still, for landscape photos, the image is mostly clear and sharp when you go closer to the edges of the image. If you are shooting at 18mm, you can expect some distortion at the edges of your image since you are technically getting an ultra-wide angle.
The ZV-1 II can also shoot photos at up to 24fps, meaning you can technically use this to shoot action photos. You can take it down to your local track on a track day and take great looking photos with this camera thanks to the fast and rather accurate autofocus. We did not get to do that though unfortunately. You technically can take photos when your friends are playing football or any other sports technically thanks to the clever eye-AF. Again, we did not get to do that in our test period.
For 4K video recording, the camera uses the entire 1-inch sensor to shoot, which also means that you are not getting any odd crops on your frame when you switch between photo and video mode. In video mode though, the camera defaults to 16:9 aspect ratio, which means that you lose a little bit of image from the top and bottom of the photo frame. The Cinematic Vlog mode cuts the image even more to make the traditional film 2.35:1 aspect ratio for that cinematic look. We also noticed that the image stabilization is a little more aggressive in cinematic vlog mode allowing for a much more stable looking contents without going through vigorous stabilization algorithms from your editors.
You can technically shoot in Sony’s colour gamut Log with the ZV-1 II. You can go up to S-Log3 in both 4K and Full HD modes. There is no S-Cinetone log here though, which is a shame since we thought it would be nice to pair with the cinematic vlog function. Of course, since the ZV-1 II is made for quick and fuss free vlog production and social media contents, it would not make sense for its intended user to use any of the colour gamut logs. Still, having the option to use the logs in all kinds of shoot mode would be nice for more advanced users.
You can even use the ZV-1 as your webcam if your PC does not already have one. Unfortunately, the camera only allows for up to 720p when you stream the camera directly to the PC via USB Type-C. Still, the 720p image still looks better than most 720p and even Full HD 1080p webcam you can find in the market today. If you are looking for a plug-and-play webcam that looks good, this one could be for you.
Oddly Poor Battery Life
There is a compromise with all the weight saving and focus on making the ZV-1 II the most compact camera of its type yet capable of even more than its predecessor. The compromise comes in the form of a small battery capacity. To be fair, the small battery also contributes to the lightweight construction of the camera.
It is a rather small 1,240mAh NP-BX1 removeable battery that the ZV-1 II packs: the same one as the first-generation ZV-1. It is rated for up to 290 stills and up to 75 minutes of continuous video recording. We took it out to do both stills and videos in the same venue for our test. In our test, we barely got the camera through an hour and a half (1 hour 30 minutes) before the ZV-1 II started warning us of low battery. Since it is replaceable, you technically can buy more to prolong your photo shoot or video shoot with the ZV-1 II. Each battery pack will set you back MYR 202 though. Thankfully you can charge the battery and camera via the camera’s USB Type-C port, meaning you can just plug it to your powerbank, and you are ready to shoot even more photos and videos.
Should You Then? Maybe Not.
We like the ZV-1 II. It is a tiny camera that is rather well packaged and well-rounded enough for a quick photo walk around town. Even if you are not on a dedicated photo walk, it is a compact enough camera for you to carry around and pull out when you see a photo opportunity. It is made for the spontaneous content creator that does not need or want to carry a bunch of gear or a large DSLR around for convenience and subtlety. It also works as a decent webcam to replace your rather poor one on the laptop for an all-around better video conferencing or streaming experience.
We are finding it difficult to recommend this camera to anyone who wants a compact camera that does everything though. For starters, it will set you back MYR 3,999. For that kind of money, you can get your hands on an older ZV-1 and still have extra to buy a proper Sony mic that can be mounted on the camera. Secondly, the ZV-1 will still be on sale, and there is nothing wrong with that camera in the first place. Thirdly, if simplicity is what you are after, what is wrong with the ZV-1F? The ZV-1F has a fixed lens and does everything the ZV-1 does too. If you already have the ZV-1 or the ZV-1F, apart from a few added features and the different lens length, you are not getting much of an upgrade on the ZV-1 II too.
Canon has announced quietly that they are going to be focusing more on the mirrorless market segment than the traditional DSLR. While this does not mean that the DSLR format is dead, it is a significant sign that the photography and film making industry is moving forward and championing mirrorless technology, after many years in the making that is. It is also quite hard to believe that Canon, the largest camera brand that has championed DSLR and made countless lenses for the market, would move to mirrorless systems completely. The newly launched Canon EOS R100 should make you believe that Canon is really moving toward the mirrorless direction.
Unlike their higher end EOS R series of cameras, the EOS R100 is an APS-C format camera and is meant to be one of the more compact options in their mirrorless line-up. It is, in effect, Canon’s lightest camera at merely 356g (body only). Unlike their old M-series of mirrorless cameras, the EOS R100 is compatible with Canon’s latest RF and RF-S lenses, which also means that this camera will have plenty of future support still. Of course, you can still adapt it to older EF lenses with the EF-EOS R mount adapter if you already have some EF mount lenses on hand.
Source: Canon
The APS-C CMOS sensor found in the EOS R100 is a 24.2-Megapixel unit that is also capable of shooting videos at 4K (24p) resolution and up to 120p Full HD high speed videos. The new EOS R100 also offers Eye and Face Detection even in video recording mode to ensure that your subject is always in focus. With compatible lenses, you also get the highly acclaimed in-body stabilization features for both your videos and photos. While there is a high-resolution EVF and a 1.04 million dot LCD for you to work with, the built-in LCD display is fixed in its place, meaning that you might want to think about getting a secondary monitor when it comes to video work. It is also not a touch sensitive display, which means you do not get touch focus functions here.
Content creators might enjoy the EOS R100 still though. There is a Hybrid Auto mode that puts together a bunch of your phones and video snippets into an easy to digest movie of the day of some sorts. There is also a 4K Timelapse video mode for you to quickly and easily shoot a timelapse video with pre-determined intervals for a smooth looking, high-resolution timelapse video that usually takes hours to stitch together. On top of all of that, the camera offers plenty of Creative Assist modes that offers you things like ‘background blur’ for that desired portrait effect. You can even quickly change your ‘brightness’ and ‘saturation’ settings without messing about with things like ISO, shutter speeds, and aperture; the camera does it for you. If not, there is Scene modes and Scene Intelligent Auto that automatically adjusts your camera to whatever it thinks is best for your frame. To complete the look, there are Creative filters for you to play around with too.
Price and Availability
Currently, at US$ 480 (MYR 2,379*) onward, the Canon EOS R100 is Canon’s most affordable mirrorless EOS R series to date. There are no mentions of any other colour option currently except for black, as usual. They are also no mentions of the official arrival of the camera in Malaysia currently. Based on the quoted official price in Malaysia though, we can expect the camera to be coming to Malaysia soon. More on the Canon EOS R100 can be found on their website.
Sony’s ZV-1 was something we thought was rather clever for content creators to work with. It was compact, offered 4K video recording, and all the clever features that any content creators could enjoy and appreciate. Now, you can get your hands on one Sony ZV-1 camera at MYR 2,599, which is not too unreasonable.
There is a new kid on the block, just launched by Sony last night. The new kid is the sort of follow up to the ZV-1 compact shooter, the ZV-1 II (Mk. II, M2). No, it is not quite a replacement to the ZV-1, at least not according to Sony. They say that they have made some improvements based on the feedback from their community and users, but it is not meant to replace the ZV-1. They will still be selling the ZV-1 alongside this Mk. II.
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
The design of the camera has not changed very much. You would be forgiven for mistaking the ZV-1 II for the ZV-1 when you put them together. They both come in the same colour options too, which does not help in telling the cameras apart. The price tag is a little different though, we will get into that later.
The difference is really more than skin deep. Instead of 24-70mm, you get a much wider viewpoint with the widest shot at 18mm and zooming up to 50mm. The 18-50mm lens is fast too with a variable aperture from F1.8-4.0. The wider lens also offers more shooting flexibility and creative avenues for landscapes and even selfies. You do not need to stretch your hands all that much anymore or find a selfie stick to work with. You can just have your natural arm’s length to get a good frame for yourself and even others to join you even without the help of selfie sticks. You still can get your hands on Sony’s clever remote camera grip though, if you want to.
They have improved the microphone too. It is now a 3-capsule unit that captures audio from all directions. It is clever too; the ZV-1 II can quickly switch its recording direction when it detects human faces in its frame allowing you to shoot your vlogs without needing another mic attachment. You can also select its shooting direction manually, your options are front, rear, and all directions. There is an included windscreen too for you to use in the great outdoors. If you still prefer to shoot with a mic attachment, you can get an assortment from Sony’s own stables that works with the Multi Interface shoe mounting or get a generic one and connect them to the camera via the 3.5mm mic jack.
Source: Sony
It is still a 1.0 type CMOS sensor with Sony’s Exmor RS image processor that boasts about 21-Megapixel. You get a lot more shooting options with the ZV-1 II over the previous camera though. You get a CInematic Vlog settings that you might like, if your main medium is YouTube. The settings offer you a very cinematic CinemaScope 2.35:1 video aspect ratio and 24fps for your videos for that cinema look. You do not get to shoot in Sony’s famous colour gamut Logs, but the camera still can cleverly offer you five looks and four different moods to your video that also enables you to create content more quickly than ever.
Even for photography, you get to work with up to 10 preset looks allowing you to shoot in different creative styles without post processing. That means your contents get from the camera to social media channels much faster than before especially when you pair it to Sony’s Creator’s mobile app.
Source: Sony
For a better and more seamless shoot experience, the ZV-1 II offers Face Priority AE and Soft Skin effects for natural and better-looking skin tones in whatever lighting conditions that you subject the camera to. Its Fast Hyubrid autofocus system will ensure that the camera locks and tracks its subjects accurately without too much focus hunting for better looking videos even without a shooting assistant. Its Eye AF can also now lock on to animals’ eyes in both video and photopgraphy mode for even more shooting flexibility than before. For the reviewers, the ZV-1 II offers a clever Product Shwocase mode that you can activate to ensure that the device priortises intended subjects instead of the face or human being in the frame and then transitioning smoothly from face to product and vice versa.
Its S&Q mode also now offers up to 5x slow motion video recording or 60x quick motion video recordings to add flavour to your videos. With a dedicated S&Q mode, you can have complete control over the ZV-1 II’s shooting parameters on a single screen too. With up to ISO12800 (from ISO125), the camera is capable of shooting clear stills and videos in low-light conditions. Even when you are moving while shooting, the ZV-1’s Active Mode stabilisation should keep things smooth and shake free. It even includes its own built-in ND filter for outdoor shoots.
Price and Availability
The Sony ZV-1 II will be coming to Malaysia in July 2023. Sony have also confirmed that the ZV-1 II will be available for MYR 3,999 onward. It is MYR 1,400 more than the current ZV-1. There is no other way to put it, it is expensive. Still, if you want the best vlogging camera money can buy, this is probably it. Like the ZV-1, you can have it in Black or White. More on the Sony ZV-1 II can be found on their website.
For years, imaging companies have been avoiding mirrorless technologies in their consumer or prosumer grade cameras. Canon, Nikon, and even Hasselblad has fallen on the same boat for years since their inception. While they are not in the same playing field, they recognise the benefits of a DSLR, a camera with a single reflex mirror sitting in front of their sensors. The system was simple, and rather accurate, since you are looking at a mirror, not a digital representation of images. You are not looking into a pixelated display that offers subpar image qualities and resolutions to frame your images. Once you are ready, the shutter button pulls a lever that lifts the mirror mechanism up to reveal the sensor to your desired frame and captures your image.
Technology of mirrorless cameras have progressed plenty though. Sony’s Alpha division have championed the mirrorless camera technology for far longer than any major camera manufacturer and made it their brand. With every iteration, the mirrorless camera takes not only a new form, but also some kind of major evolution. The mirrorless camera from Sony has proven to be some of the most versatile and reliable cameras on the planet. Major news outlets have also started to adopt mirrorless cameras as their sole go to when it comes to imaging purposes. Even Canon and Nikon had to admit defeat by introducing their EOS R and Z series cameras and lenses, and then announcing last year that they are going to focus on mirrorless cameras instead of developing new DLSRs.
Source: Hasselblad
Hasselblad is the latest to join the band of camera makers that is abandoning the DSLR. They are not the only medium-format camera maker to go mirrorless exclusive though. Fujifilm has also championed mirrorless cameras, especially with their GFX medium-format cameras which has proved to not only be the more affordable option for that time of camera, but also more popular amongst photographers.
For Hasselblad, they have announced (not directly) that the latest Hasselblad H system will be the last of their DSLR product. According to the third-party announcement, Hasselblad will not take any more orders for the H system. They also mentioned that the H system line-up or products has officially all sold out and will not be replaced. The third-party vendor that pushed the announcement even mentioned that they cannot even replace their old malfunctioning parts. That also means that Hasselblad is completely and decisively abandoning the entire H series and its user base.
Source: Hasselblad
So, what if you want a Hasselblad for your studio? They have the X2D system. It is not like the H series camera though, at least not in modularity. For the X2D system, you go back to the camera body complete with its grip and sensor built-in and choose a lens for it. You get to choose between the 100C or 50C; either 100-Megapixel sensor, or 50-Megapixel sensor. The biggest upside to this and mirrorless camera is the reduction in camera size. The Hasselblad X2D series of cameras look more like a normal full-frame camera instead of a behemoth sized rig. While the sensor size prevents the camera from getting smaller, the Hasselblad X2D cameras are a lot more portable and simpler to handle. That means that you can technically take it out to the field for some stunning and highly detailed images on-the-go. It is still bulkier than modern mirrorless cameras from the likes of Canon and Nikon though, so you want to keep that in mind.
You might think that the X2D system might be more affordable. You would be right if you compare it to the H system. It is still EUR€ 8,699 (MYR 42,592*) for one X2D 100C though, which is not exactly a small amount of money, considering. The X2D 50C starts at EUR€ 6,000 (MYR 29,377*), which is slightly more affordable than the 100C, but still not what you want to call cheap. Then there are the lenses which starts off at EUR€ 1,199 (MYR 5,870*) at the very least. Still, better than paying EUR€ 34,680 (MYR 168,785*) for just a camera body. More information on Hasselblad’s latest products can be found on their website.
*approximately based on the exchange rate of EUR€ 1 = MYR 4.90 as of 16/05/2023 on xe.com
