SONY ZV-1: The ULTIMATE Review

Review of the Sony ZV-1 with comparisons to the a6000 line. Evaluating the vlogging & live streaming capabilities and testing the autofocus, low light, image quality, & ergonomics.
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Review of the Sony ZV-1 with comparisons to the a6000 line. Evaluating the vlogging & live streaming capabilities and testing the autofocus, low light, image quality, & ergonomics.
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Table of Contents:
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0:00 - Intro
0:30 - Similarities to a6600
0:54 - Ergonomics
1:24 - The Lens
2:59 - ND Filter
3:16 - SD Card & Record Limits
3:32 - Battery Life & USB Power
4:06 - Overheating
4:27 - Battery Compartment Issues
5:22 - Live Streaming
6:11 - HDMI Problems
7:56 - 1080p Modes
8:16 - 4K Added Crop
8:27 - Stabilization Modes & Crops
9:02 - Vlogging Considerations
9:35 - Vlogging Test (Audio & Stabilization)
12:36 - IBIS Analysis
12:57 - Built-in Microphone Comparison
14:02 - Audio Samples
14:21 - Rolling Shutter
14:38 - Autofocus
14:54 - LCD Screen & Touch Control
15:11 - Image Quality & Sharpness
15:52 - Dynamic Range & Low Light
16:14 - Color Quality
16:26 - How Does It Compare?
17:24 - Value Considerations
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#sonyalpha #zv1 #camera

[@WannabeAlpinist]

Gerald, thank you for everything you do for us small KZbinrs. Your ability to convey advanced information in an organized fashion is impeccable, not many KZbinrs can do that!

[@ClementZhouk]

Gerald is the Bill Nye of the Camera Guy, EverydayAstronaut of the electronics!

[@LostWax]

Now that's a well done review video. You answered questions I never knew I had! Great unbiased information, thank you!

[@KOrnhOliO1]

Yes, fantastic!

[@jettlifeproductions]

Like 30 KZbinrs posted a video on the Sony ZV-1...I saw Gerald Undone posted it and knew that was the best decision to get all of the information I need about it without any fluff or biased opinion. You are very much appreciated sir!

[@ChrysGringo]

You’re so comprehensive with your reviews man! Good job

[@EinzMY]

According to Potato Jet, the ZV-1 has the new "Soft Skin Effect" applied by default, thus making things look softer than usual. After turning it off, the images should look sharper.

[@nvaudio]

Agreed! Jared Polin also said Soft Skin effect was On by default (Sony needs to change that default in the next firmware update!) -- so I am wondering what that might do to the A/B comparisons. Gerald -- maybe do an update video of sample comparison footage, with Soft Skin Off?

[@gillesmatheronpro]

An old function from back in the days. Now, we're better with it set "off" for sure !

[@losmandu]

Without that, it will just be a cellphone video.

[@BrendanEvan]

Why does Sony think we all have such bad skin

[@gonewiththewynns]

Gerald, we met you at camera camp and you have been our fave tech channel since. Thank you for all the fantastic videos. I (Nikki) have been learning so much.

[@geraldundone]

Aw! Thanks so much! That means a lot. I hope we can have a Camera Camp #2 eventually.

[@zZjak793Zz1]

I got like 20 reviews in my feed and you are the first and probably only one I’ll see. Thanks for always putting out ace content 👍👍

[@StetsonDoggett]

THANK YOU! Clearly a tremendous amount of time, energy, and effort went into producing this high-quality and in-depth review video. Just want to say I SUPER appreciate it and found it both entertaining and informative. I hit the like button 3 times :)

[@TechLineHD]

Excellent review, thank you for making this!

[@STATXMUSIC]

I’m predicting a lot of Sony ZV-1 targeted ads coming to my social media feeds in the near future. Bathe me, algorithm gods. Bathe me good.

[@erodz1892]

Not if you pihole them ,,, browse wisely

[@fredio54]

@@erodz1892 you beat me to it. I'm expecting no ads at all to continue for the foreseeable future :-D

[@STATXMUSIC]

Emmanuel Rodriguez pihole? Never heard of it. Down the Google wormhole I go...

[@JamesDBuzzard]

🤣

[@BrendanEvan]

Lol

[@51Drones]

It's almost magical how you weave the information into a perfectly crafted presentation that leaves me wanting for nothing more. My ZV-1 arrives today. Thanks Gerald!

[@aaronpk]

Thank you for answering all the questions I didn't know I had!

[@sleetvisuals]

Long-time subscriber here. Just pre-ordered. Gerald's reviews are by far the best, answering those granular questions that no one else addresses.

[@bensgadgetreviews]

This is the best video on this camera yet. Thank you for this.

[@Paddleheads]

Agreed. I've been through quite a few Zv-1 reviews now and this one is by far the most comprehensive and most unbiased.

[@ChechoGoto]

Man, great video, THANKS. Never saw someone doing such a complete and in depth review, and also, with such a zero waste in time without risking detail loss. Loved the specific tests in both audio and image stabilization. Please, keep this AWESOME work 😏👊🏼.

[@alexandrosroussos]

I'm stunned by the quality of your review, way more critical than the other reviews I watched for this camera,, but so many useful specs details. Well done. That's a like subscribe for me :)

[@poiisondn]

My favorite KZbinr for all camera stuff related and you're the only camera-related reviewer I have a bell icon notification for. Love the work you do. Keep it up! Fellow Canadian here saying hi! :D

[@MrGaryDiehl]

Unquestionably the most thorough and well thought-out review video of the Sony ZV-1 on KZbin.

[@jeromechiu]

I must must MUST applaud Gerald Undone for his constant strive for excellence, e.g. the recent addition of embedded info (viz. section headers) on the timeline and the convenient coupling of sponsor info with those parts of gear tests that require little or no voiceover audio. Bravo!

[@GLOBIK]

Great detailed review! Seems like an interesting little camera. Could you make a comparison with a more similar camera like the Sony RX100 V?

[@galenlong3745]

I was wanting to see a review that was honest and forthcoming about the negatives of the camera as most were with the positives. Thank you Gerald for laying it all on the line.

[@DMS3TV]

still the best and most informative camera videos around. This was exactly what I needed to learn about this camera.

[@ShishaWG]

I use this cam for nearly all my Livestreams. Since the delay is too high on YT 4K Streams, i stream in 1080p anyway :) Im very happy with this affordable, light and versatile cam. Also, it keeps my a7iii ready on the Tripod for shoots :) Great Video Gerald!

[@RbShahi]

Never seen a video with so much depth. Thank you for you time and effort. This is amazing

[@raksh9]

Great, thorough and helpful as always. Thank you, Gerald.

[@shammyh]

As per always... best review of this camera. Hit every scenario of interest, did all your research, and presented both in logically and aesthetically pleasing manners. Excellent work and very helpful review!

[@JamesDBuzzard]

Gerald I watched this video at least 4 time (lbs) before I bought this camera. Thanks for always being a trusted resource on new cameras and giving us so much information about all the features and quirks. 👊🏽

[@chud2070]

Now that is a review! Thank you for being so thorough.

[@PerfumeGuru]

Perfect review. Fabulous effort and detailing. Cheers.

[@TT23TechTalk]

Love how you explain everything in so much detail but still easy to understand

[@DigitalGenki]

Oh man, i've followed you for a long while now and I REALLY appreciate your format. This video review really hits home your experience with how to review a product. Thank you for being informative, succinct, thoroughly professional and still relatable. Thank you.

[@NiamhAdkins]

Thank you so much for making such a great review video. I was recommended this camera and I really feel like I know everything I need to know now!

[@bitchplease1114]

Brilliant as always, thank you, Gerald! Wish you at least 1M subscribers by the end of 2020!

[@nadamuchu]

Only two years ago?! You're the best, feel like I've watched ur stuff forever man, keep doing whatever makes you happy 😄

[@AmritaBhortake]

Very thorough review, Gerald. Thanks so much!

[@martinhain]

Appreciate the in depth review, great quality content Gerald!

[@WookieeRage]

Great review. You covered SO many questions I had, including battery life and power usage. Thank you!

[@BruceChastain]

best review ive come across, appreciate the deeper technical content.

[@mattiaantonelliofficial]

Amazing review, complete, clear and super detailed. Thank you so much!

[@paulgero]

solid information Gerald....great review as always!

[@nagarjunameda]

Probably the most data-packed review I have ever seen. Great job. Thank you very much.

[@MichaelSchmidt_UrbnPxl]

from all the videos i've seen about that camera yours is pretty much the best overview and more detailed ... thanks man!

[@FlyHighinItalian]

Thanks, very technical! Just ordered this and your video was really helpful!

[@otakulensphotography]

Outstanding work brother and I come to you for the real answers. You gave me all the pros and cons. I’m getting it for running slick on the go.

[@babyboy1971]

I just bought this camera in 2022 and I’m super happy. It ticks all the boxes of what I wanted…small video camera to vlog with, decent built in mic, very usable as a pocketable stills camera, and a good camera to start a KZbin channel with. I’m a photographer and I exclusively shoot Fuji, so I didn’t want to invest too much in the Sony ecosystem. And best of all, I got the camera on sale for $650. I’m super excited to dig into using it and for the price, it’s superb. Lastly, it’s really cool that it just turns on when I pull the screen out, very reminiscent of the old handycams I used growing up. It feels nostalgic and brand new at the same time, fits in my pocket and gives me great results, straight out of the box. Thanks for the amazing and in depth, positive but balanced review, it helped me to make my decision to pull the trigger and I have no regrets. It’s a fun little camera with a decent set of features and a perfect basic vlogging camera, that I can fit in my jacket pocket.

[@PeregrineChurch]

Really appreciate the extra work of the youtube-integrated timestamps/chapters!

[@DanSanderson]

One of the best early ZV-1 review vids. I especially appreciate the a6000 comparisons. Thanks!

[@armando.visuals]

This is by far the best review Ive seen and I saw lots. Great video! Im def subscribing

[@GrillSergeant]

Great review and comparison with the ZV-1...just picked one up and subscribed to your channel! Cheers!

[@superzaka]

Fifth review in a row Ive watch today for this camera. This one is the best review so far.

[@jeffyu4972]

I held on to my rx100v because of the f1.8 aperture and the built-in ND filter. Finally, a worthy successor.

[@BackusCreativeImaging]

Gerald .... your reviews are amazing. Hitting us all with tons of info and not playing around. Keep up the great work. This camera, despite its flaws, interests me. I have a GH5, GH5S, and they share the Sigma "Holy Trinity" of lenses lol (18-35mm f/1.8, 50-100mm f/1.8, and 14mm f/1.8). But I also have the good old Sony AX53 camcorder. This camera pretty much has the same codec, shooting frame rates, and video resolution as the AX53. The ZV1 I think is a great little camera for those lower lit situations despite it's less than stellar aperture stopping down so suddenly. Thanks for showing us that. Love the built in ND filters, seems electronic at the sensor level (maybe) and not like on the Canon XF400 or Sont AX700 which feature physical ND filter turret style arrays, but this ZV1 is much cheaper. I kinda like it actually. It is a good side camera. There's always a place for cameras like this. I agree with you on the tripod screw placement. They should have just made the camera a little bigger. Anyways, absolutely LOVE your videos. This is the best review of the ZV1 on the internet. Your channel has grown rapidly for a reason. I loved also when you met Camera Conspiracies and showed him your fancy camera setup lol :)

[@tomiyourtradesguy6708]

Exactly what I needed to see Thank YOU

[@Jason_Hermann]

Excellent review!

[@monarksinghyede]

On ZV1 this is the 6th review video that I have seen. I have seen Kai's, Jason , Iphonedo and Jared video's. This is the most detailed & best review that I have seen. and god bless you for the timestamp. Immediately subbed, Liked and notification icon pressed. I know where I need to come now for all of my camera review fix.

[@TygerByte]

Best review of this new camera. Thank you!

[@omega3294]

Dude you really make the best reviews on youtube, hands down.

[@WilkyBeKing]

Great video! I love how you show the different camera modes. You just got a new Sub!!!

[@bitwalk]

Dude! The colored rim lights on all closeups is dope!

[@BenChamberland]

Regarding the screw/battery door issue, there are some pretty good cages that were made for the RX100 . Hope to see something similar for the ZV1.

[@Jacksonwong1999]

Thanks for the amazing review, it's really helpful!

[@AthanCondax]

"I'm Gerald Undone and I feel pretty, oh so witty."

[@jc2685]

This is the best review of the Sony ‘Zed’ V-1 I’ve seen so far. Great comparison between the Sony a6100/6400 too. Went with the Sony ZV-1 in the end for 506

[@fototripper]

Brilliant review Gerald. That compartment under the tripod clip might be a dealbreaker though. Did you test if the data transfer rate is usable when connecting directly to your computer to download the files?

[@miguelcarlostarrosa9109]

Really impressed by how much you've covered in such a relatively short amount of time for a review video. It would've been nice if you compared the ZV-1 with its competitors outside of the Sony lineup. Nonetheless, all the tiny details you mentioned makes this the most comprehensive review video yet for this camera.

[@baptistepayendessinphoto]

As always, very instructive review, thanks a lot !

[@JDFloyd]

I got notices from 8-KZbinrs within a 5-minutes space of time this morning about the ZV-1. Watched your's first for the more technical review. Good review Gerald.

[@WillEDC]

Wow a review rather than an ad 👏🏻

[@LaughterOnWater]

As always, a quality camera review. Well undone!

[@felixfelicis9870]

First time discovering your channel. great review. all the timestamps are perfect

[@GamingRobot13]

Camera noob here and this really helped me out! One of the most informative video i've ever watched!

[@FrankieD]

Excellent Review and impeccably organized.

[@jingjingcoming]

thanks. the best review for zv1 and I bought it this Black Friday.

[@rodrigofuga1166]

Bro, you just nailed it. Thank you for the review!

[@jrosedds42]

No one goes into detail quite the way you do. Awesome job.

[@PeterSvensk]

Curious if apparent softness may have been caused by "Soft Skin" setting, which defaults to "Mid." Also curious about the "Bokeh Button." Thanks for the consistently high-quality content!

[@TriexLola]

I bought the SONY ZV-1 few days ago! It's quite expensive but its super easy to use, features are awesome! Perfect for beginners! Thank you!

[@gillesmatheronpro]

Great great work, really digging deep is so helpful ! Thank you. I don't remember if you pointed out the "soft background" feature. I've seen it operating, and it's way nicer then those found on smartphones. Actually, to a not-so-accurate eye, it even seems like a proper bokeh.

[@jankitanoff]

Thank you for your reviews. I don´t need other reviews from other KZbinrs after yours :-)

[@alaneddy4575]

That's what I've done Gerald. The A6400 w/ Sigma 16mm. I discovered that it just fits on the Zhiyun Crane M2 lightweight gimbal. You have to discard the tightening screw and put in a smaller bolt instead but it works..and doesn't add much weight. It is literally only just big enough, which is great as you are adding minimal gimbal weight. You can plug in your camera too and I think it might work with a little tubular "handle battery for even more lovely power. haven't tried that yet, tho.

[@VasantaDas]

Hi Gerald, thanks for a well informed review. Do you script your videos ? or is that just you being able to communicate in such a mindblowing way ? cheers for the video !!!

[@royalchoicetravelltd]

Just ordered mine for my travel vlogs. Thanks mate

[@berthubbardt.o.o.c7314]

I think I have to buy this . Great review man.

[@attackemartin]

Great review, thanks!

[@shartsir]

Thanks very much for this video, it's really helpful!

[@Paul_anderson_creative]

What a superb review. You are impressive. Thanks!

[@MadProductionsstudio]

Mad respect 💪🏻

[@PeacePham1991]

Thank you for dividing the sections of the video!

[@just4uamnda]

Great video bro!

[@CarySagady]

Nice job! Very technical and to the point. My old RX100 (1st gen) died 18 months ago and I really miss it! I find the lack of the small flash inconvenient, but the hot shoe opens opportunities for accessories.

[@Deceptive24]

Farr out, what an EPIC review. As an engineer who desires no fluff and straight to the facts, I'm speechless. Good job!!

[@dunnadidit]

Great video dude! The "solution" I gave in my video for the "one more function button" problem was to make the movie button customizable since you can use the shutter button to start and stop recording. Also, I gave in and said "zee"... its just so much easier.

[@geraldundone]

Haha. Thanks, dude! Yeah, I noticed you said "zee". I thought you would have my back on this one! Ha. 🍁🤓

[@baqcasanke]

Its pronounced Zee. Sony is not a canadian company....

[@Togglefree]

Gerald, excellent review!

[@tamvee]

Best review on this camera thus far.

[@YorkieFrancesca]

Fantastic review!

Great video, It would be awesome to see some comparisons of auto blur option

[@WalkWithWallace]

Brilliant review thanks. As a hiker and camper this looks an ideal upgrade from my GoPro Hero 7? 🤔

[@HeadbangerEats]

What a fantastic review!!!

[@michaelpoczynek]

Interesting camera. For the cost - you can't go wrong. Thanks for making this video, Gerald (fellow Canadian). Cheers!

[@shrekpower]

Gerald... You F. rock, thanks for sharing ;) Awesome review