Tag Archives: ZV-1 II

Camera, Editorial, Lifestyle, Reviews

24 Hours with the Sony ZV-1 II – It’s Great, But Not MYR 3,999 Great 

Leave a comment

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 

  • Sony ZV 1 M2 01
  • Sony ZV 1 M2 02
  • Sony ZV 1 M2 03
  • Sony ZV 1 M2 04
  • Sony ZV 1 M2 21
  • Sony ZV 1 M2 05
  • Sony ZV 1 M2 06
  • Sony ZV 1 M2 07
  • Sony ZV 1 M2 08
  • Sony ZV 1 M2 09
  • Sony ZV 1 M2 10
  • Sony ZV 1 M2 11
  • Sony ZV 1 M2 12
  • Sony ZV 1 M2 13
  • Sony ZV 1 M2 14
  • Sony ZV 1 M2 17
  • Sony ZV 1 M2 18
  • Sony ZV 1 M2 19
  • Sony ZV 1 M2 15
  • Sony ZV 1 M2 20

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. 

21-Megapixel Photos and 4K videos 

To view this content, you need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
To do so, please follow these instructions.

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.  

Sony ZV 1 M2 19

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. 

Sony ZV 1 M2 09

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.  

Camera, Lifestyle, News

The New Sony ZV-1 II is not a ZV-1 Replacement, More like ZV-1 EVO for MYR 3,999

Leave a comment

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.

  • Sony ZV 1 IMG (3)
    Source: Sony
  • Sony ZV 1 IMG (2)
    Source: Sony
  • Sony ZV 1 IMG (1)
    Source: Sony
  • Sony ZV 1 IMG (6)
    Source: Sony
  • Sony ZV 1 IMG (5)
    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.

Sony ZV 1 IMG (2)
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.

Sony ZV 1 IMG (6)
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.