Sony chases vlogging market with fixed lens ZV-1F

With a list price of €650, the new Sony ZV-1F aims to give vloggers something rather more capable than their phones to work with.

Sony’s been chasing the entry level market in various guises and different markets for generations now, so it’s no huge surprise to see it detecting a niche underneath its current ZV-1 and ZV-E10 and looking to plug the gap.

The 4K 30p / FHD 120p ZV-1F is thus targeted fairly firmly at the vlogging market, presumably for those that find being able to use their phones for other things at the same time a bit more useful. It records onto fairly affordable SDHC/SDXC media and can also be used as a live-streaming device at 720p, functioning as a fairly high-end web camera when connected to a computer or smartphone via USB.

It features an ultra-wide 20mm prime lens for optimum selfie shooting and provides a wide field of view to capture more background. It also offers background bokeh in both stills and video which can be turned on and off via a dedicated button to further highlight the subject or create a softer look.

This is a camera designed for taking selfies from the ground up, and features a whole host of software tools to let people do just that. Skin tone is optimised for both video and stills with a ‘Soft Skin Effect’ option that smooths and reduces wrinkles when shooting video and creates a natural skin tone effect for stills. Face Priority AE, meanwhile, automatically adjusts the brightness when shooting so that faces can be captured with optimal brightness, even in situations where the light changes. 

The ZV-1F also features high precision focusing and Eye AF for both humans and animals which allows the autofocus to fix ‘tenaciously’ on the face and eyes without getting diverted by other subjects. For people on the review vlogging track, there is also a Product Showcase setting that shits focus from face to stuff seamlessly.

Image stabilisation is available in Active Mode to ensure footage is steady and smooth when walking. The ZV-1F also features S&Q mode to shoot in both slow motion at 5 x slower speed and quick motion at 60 x faster hyper lapse speed to achieve a desired effect

A new Creative Look function gives users access to the sort of preset tools beginners are drawn to, featuring 10 preset options to create desired atmospheres in both stills and video with differences in tone, brightness, colour depth, and more. 

Audio is taken care of with a directional 3-capsule mic and wind screen.

It also features a Vari-Angle LCD touch screen with features and settings changed by touch, including the ability to zoom,. And it has its own self-timer and recording lamp to make video content even easier to capture for newbies.

The wider ecosystem

Sony’s new Imaging Edge Mobile Plus smartphone app allows users to connect to the camera via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and transfer images and video. Content captured can be easily transferred to a smartphone and then uploaded to social platforms. Users can also mark shots for posting on social using shot marks during shooting or on the camera. 

Additionally, they can cut out and transfer specific 15, 30, or 60 second marked clips to their smartphone and post directly to social without the need to edit the length to suit the platform.

The app also allows users to control many of the camera’s settings such as date, time and area, as well as control software updates and access support guides. It can also operate the ZV-1F remotely and display battery level and remaining storage capacity.

The camera is compatible with the GP-VPT2BT Shooting Grip with Wireless Remote Commander which offers cable-free control of zoom, recording and more, and expands into a mini-tripod for stable hands-free shots. An external microphone can also be easily attached to the accessory shoe for bumped up sound recording.

And lastly, taking about the actual ecosystem, it was designed with environmentally friendly features and technology. Recycled materials including SORPLASTM are used in both the camera body and bundled accessories like the newly developed wind screen that have been adapted to maintain performance. Plant-based non-woven fabrics are used for product bags to reduce plastic packaging.

The camera is available this month at a list price of $650 or equivalent. Here's the promo vid.