Sony ZV-1
- 20MP - 1" Sensor
- 3" Fully Articulated Display
- ISO 125 - 12800 (Expand to 25600)
- Optical Image Stabilization
- 3840 x 2160 video
- 24-70mm (F1.8-2.8) lens
- 294g - 105 x 60 x 44mm
- Revealed May 2020
- Refreshed by Sony ZV-1 II
- Read full specs
- Alternatives
- Size Comparison
- FAQ
88 Imaging
55 Features
86 Overall
67
Sony ZV-1 overview
Sony ZV-1 is Sony's Large Sensor Compact camera first announced on May of 2020. The camera has got a 20MP, BSI-CMOS 1" sized sensor and has a peak resolution of 5472 x 3648.
Sony introduced the more recent Sony ZV-1 II (Read Full Comparison) to upgrade this camera.
The ZV-1 is placed #10 out of 65 in Large Sensor Compact cameras and all around #189 out of 1465 for cameras in our collection. You can try our Advanced camera finder to see camera ratings based on your personalized factors.
Here is a diagram of different criteria used in the scoring system.
Sony ZV-1 family
The Sony ZV-1 is part of a family of products. You can see the complete range below.
F1.8-2.820MP1"2020
Sony ZV-1 Gallery
You can check the ZV-1 from different angles in the gallery underneath.
Sony ZV-1 Pros and Cons
Below is a list of pros and cons of the Sony ZV-1 based on factors that are oftentimes seen as necessary in a camera.
Sony ZV-1 Sensor info
The Sony ZV-1 features the Bionz X processor chip. The dimension of the sensor on the Sony ZV-1 is 13.2mm x 8.8mm (1"). The 116 mm² sensor can resolve 5472 x 3648 pixels and aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. The camera includes Image Stabilization (Optical). Optical stabilization is superior than digital stabilization since the latter can easily produce cropping.
Photography GlossaryThe BSI-CMOS sensor boasts 20MP and provides a native ISO range of 125 to 12800. This ISO can also be increased electronically to 80 to 25600. RAW files are saved which means that the user has wider room to maneuver in post.
The image below illustrates the ZV-1's sensor dimensions when compared to other common sizes. The ZV-1 sensor comes with a crop factor of 2.7 and is showcased in green.
Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a LandslideTo get a sense of different aspect ratios, you should refer to the visual below.
Sony ZV-1 dimensions
Sony ZV-1 is 0.65 lbs (294 gr or 10.37 oz) and features outer proportions of 105mm x 60mm x 44mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.7"). The weight of general Large Sensor Compact camera is 396 gr and the Sony ZV-1 is lighter when compared to various competitors.
President Biden pushes bill mandating TikTok sale or banListed below is a photo of the Sony ZV-1 beside a soft drink to help you to have a sense of its scale.
The top view directly below will highlight the button layout on the ZV-1.
Sony ZV-1 Lens info
The ZV-1 is equipped with an inbuilt lens featuring a focal range of 24-70mm making it a 2.9 x zoom which is not huge but it can be helpful in certain scenarios.
At the widest 24mm, it offers an aperture of f1.8 making it incredibly good in low light occasions and capturing a shallow depth of field. It is going to also enable you to use a lower ISO in order to get more clean pictures. With the tele end, 70mm comes at f2.8 which is quite decent and enables you to use high shutter speeds.
Sony ZV-1 Connectivity
The ZV-1 has the following connectivity:
- USB Yes
- Wireless Yes
- Bluetooth Yes
- HDMI Yes
Cameras which include NFC and Bluetooth support can be controlled wirelessly by smartphones. You are able to copy pictures and in some cases adjust camera settings with no need to connect physically to the camera.
A few applications even provide a Liveview and press the shutter if you aren't near the camera. If the camera boasts a HDMI out, it can be connected to an external display. The majority of cameras will allow you to recharge the battery through the USB socket.
Sony ZV-1 Video info
The highest video quality on the Sony ZV-1 is 3840 x 2160 and it can shoot in MPEG-4, AVCHD and XAVC S format. 2160p offers a fantastic quality for video. You can easily crop to Full HD to get clearer video. Be wary of the large file sizes and make sure you have got decent SD cards that have fast write speed. Even though the camera includes a mic jack, it is lacking a headphone jack which means that you will not have the ability to keep an eye on your sound levels.
Sony ZV-1 Weather Sealing
There is no weather sealing in the Sony ZV-1 so you need to be cautious in rainy and dusty conditions.
Sony ZV-1 Display and Viewfinder
The Sony ZV-1 has got a 3" fully articulated display supporting a resolution of 922k dots.
It includes a selfie friendly display to shoot self portraits and even group photos if needed. Moreover the display is touch friendly which means that you can easily switch focus point as well as adjust settings using your fingers.
Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modesThe ViewFinder specifications regarding Sony ZV-1 are the following:
- ViewFinder None
In those bright outdoor conditions which make the camera screens washed out and challenging to view, viewfinders are rather helpful.
Sony ZV-1 Shutter info
Sony ZV-1 can shoot continuously at 24.0 frames per second. The highest shutter speed is 1/2000 seconds. The camera also includes silent electronic shutter of 1/32000 seconds. Keep in mind that the electronic shutter may lead to "rolling shutter" under certain situations.
Sony ZV-1 Flash and Hot shoe info
Sony ZV-1 includes external flash ability but is lacking in-built flash.
Sony ZV-1 Autofocus info
Sony ZV-1 includes both Phase Detect Auto Focus along with Contrast Based Auto Focus. Phase Detection focusing is more faster and precise when compared to Contrast Based focusing. The camera has got Face detect making it handy for portraits.
The Sensor has got 315 focus points to choose from. Sony ZV-1 has touch to focus. You can easily use your fingers to adjust focus points. It also features Tracking Auto Focus for things on the move. Sony ZV-1 comes with manual focusing if required in low light or you want more accurate control on focusing.
Sony ZV-1 Battery life
The battery power in the Sony ZV-1 is built to last for 260 clicks as per the CIPA standards which is lower when compared to its competitors. The typical Large Sensor Compact camera battery life is 301. Leica X-U offers the highest (450) battery life in this type of cameras.
Following is a listing of Large Sensor Compact cameras that have the highest battery life:
Sony ZV-1 for different categories of photography
The following diagram indicates a overview of the Sony ZV-1 for different categories of photography. To learn more, browse to the specific section below.
Sony ZV-1 as a Portrait photography camera
The Sony ZV-1 gets a score of 73 which is above average, and means the camera is a very decent pick for portraits. Photographing portrait images favors greatly towards sensor dimensions, RAW support in addition to the option to work with external flash.
Sony ZV-1 Street photography factors
Coming in at a very high points total of 85, the Sony ZV-1 is a outstanding option for street photography. A good street photography camera provides a good balance of image quality and portability.
Sony ZV-1 Sports photography factors
A above average sports photography score of 71 means the Sony ZV-1 is a very decent fit for photographing sports. A camera must have excellent focusing plus fast shutter speeds for sports photography.
Sony ZV-1 Travel photography information
Size is really critical when picking a camera for travel. Over-all, the Sony ZV-1 gets a outstanding 81 as a travelling camera which is a wonderful fit to take on your travels.
Landscape photography with Sony ZV-1
For anybody planning to pick a camera for landscape photographs, the most essential aspect will be image quality. The Sony ZV-1 at it's very good score of 70 for a landscape camera is a very decent option amongst its rivals.
Vlogging with Sony ZV-1
A camera for vlogging should come with a articulating screen, microphone port and if possible IBIS. Taking everything into account, the Sony ZV-1 is a brilliant fit for vlogging as it comes to a fantastic score of 86.
Sony ZV-1 Alternatives
If you are searching for alternatives to the ZV-1, here is a range of the top rated cameras which fall under the class of Large Sensor Compact.
The graph here shows you an overview of the ZV-1 versus it's top ranked competitors mentioned previously.
Here are a few more cameras you might view as alternatives. To see a extensive comparison, simply click the "compare" link.