Introduction
Sitting at the front of the ZV series, the Sony ZV-E1 is a 35mm full-frame mirrorless camera meant to be the ideal all-round small hybrid solution for video content makers and vloggers.
Literally adopting the A7S III as its starting point, the ZVE1 largely removes that camera's viewfinder and adds a better built-in mic, increased stabilisation and enhanced vlogging options to a smaller, lighter and significantly cheaper alternative.
It features the same 12.1 megapixel resolution Exmor R CMOS sensor, BIONZ XR image engine, up to 4K/120p 10-bit video recording, 10fps burst shooting rate, 5-axis image stabilization, AI-based Real-time Tracking AF and vari-angle LCD touchscreen as the A7S III.
This full-frame mirrorless camera is intended firmly at filmmakers, but it is also a highly capable low-light and action shooter for stills shooting, assuming the restricted 12.1 megapixel resolution matches your particular requirements.
The Sony ZV-E1 is available in white or black, priced at roughly £2350 / $2200 / €2250 in the UK, USA and Europe accordingly. It is produced in Thailand.
Ease of Use
For such a feature-rich camera, the Sony ZV-E1 is incredibly tiny, measuring 121.0 x 71.9 x 54.3mm. Its magnesium alloy body only weights 483g / 1 lb 1.1 oz with the battery and memory card loaded, which is 216g less than the A7S III, a notable weight saving.
This is largely attributable to the ZV-E1 not having a viewfinder, only a rear LCD screen, whereas the A7S III has both, with its EVF being an impressively specced 9.44M dot resolution with 0.9x magnification.
So if you generally use a viewfinder for the most of your photography, then the A7S III will be a far better fit than the ZV-E1, especially given the screen on the smaller camera may be hard to read in strong sunshine.
On the other hand, if you never use the viewfinder on the A7S III or any equivalent camera, then you'll appreciate the substantial weight reduction given by its removal on the ZV-E1.
The lack of an EVF is certainly a huge tradeoff for stills shooters, less so for vloggers who will be more than comfortable using just the rear LCD screen to compose.
Sony loaned us the hefty FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM wide-angle zoom lens for the length of this review, but owing to a decent-sized handgrip the ZV-1 II feels comfortable to handle for extended durations, but not as pleasant as the A7S III which has a bigger grip.
Although not very deep, the sculpted hand grip is rather wide and easy to grasp on to, which paired with the substantial rear thumb rest makes the ZV-E1 feel safe enough even when shooting one-handed.
The body is weather-sealed to be dust and moisture resistant so it may be depended upon in difficult situations. It has a plastic, or polycarbonate, body, which has been selected to keep the cost of the camera down, but in touch the body appears robust; all the components fit very neatly together, there are no creaks or weak appearing joints, with everything seeming well designed and made.
One very notable distinction between this camera and the A7S III is that the later model is bigger and incorporates a 'heat dissipation' construction.
This helps to lengthen the recording periods while recording 4K video at the higher 60fps and 120fps frame rates, especially in warmer situations.
The ZV-1 E1 is both smaller and doesn't have a built-in heat-sink, thus recording lengths will be shorter than on the A7S III before the overheating alarm comes in. Sony say that the ZV-E1 gives up to an approximate 60-minute recording period at 4K/60p resolution.
Controls are put up reasonably enough, albeit there are a lot less of them than on the bigger A7S III. This camera more closely resembles the ZV-E10 model, rather than any of the A-series cameras.
For example, there's no shooting mode dial, second exposure dial or an exposure compensation dial on top of the camera.
The Shooting Mode dial has been replaced by a Mode switch on top of the camera with three settings - Stills, Video and S&Q (slow-motion video).
You therefore have to delve into the menu system or use the touchscreen icons to modify both the shooting mode and exposure compensation, and the back scroll wheel less effectively replaces a second exposure dial.
The lack of a shooting mode dial may seem like a significant concern, but for videographers this is generally a seldom used dial which will mostly be set in the same position depending on their favorite mode.
It obviously takes a few seconds longer to switch modes using the dedicated switch and menu system, but it surely isn't a deal breaker unless you're frequently shifting between shooting modes.
For video, the ZV-E1 is pretty much like a tiny version of the A7S series cameras. Virtually all of the essential visual specs that are found far further up the range are here.
4K video can be recorded up to 120fps at 10bit 4:2:2 and 280Mbps from a full-pixel readout without binning. There's also 4K I (all-intra) recording up to 60fps with a bitrate of 600Mbps.
Full HD may be shot at up to 100/120fps, depending on whether you are filming PAL or NTSC format. The Slow and Quick (S&Q) mode allows you quicker access to the camera's slow- and quick- motion video settings (frame rates ranging from 1fps to an astonishing 240fps in 1080p mode for 10x slower playback), as specified in the S&Q Settings option in the main menu system.
All of the Picture Profiles are present and proper, so you can match the video recorded with the ZV-E1 with cameras such as the A7S III, making it a great complement for folks who may be utilizing such cameras in more of a studio situation.
The ZV-E1 also has Sony's S-Log 2 and 3 gamma and HLG curves which enable it to capture more dynamic range, assuming you're willing to colour grade the recording in post-production.
Proxy recording is also supported, allowing low quality 1280 x 720 resolution footage to be captured alongside 4K or Full HD footage. This is fantastic for individuals who may be editing video on outdated machines. Simply edit using the lower resolution proxy files, then switch to the full resolution 4K files when it comes to the fine-tuning and export.
A recording bulb (tally light) is also supplied on the front face of the ZV-E1's body for an at-a-glance indicator of the current video recording status, and a red color recording alert square is presented on the LCD screen too (both may be turned off).
Live streaming is possible straight from the ZV-E1 simply by connecting it to a computer or compatible mobile device via USB, removing the requirement for a video capture card. This allows the camera's video and audio capabilities to be used for live social networking and video conferencing. Both the UVC and UAC standards are supported for greater picture and sound quality when streaming.
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Image Quality
All of the example photographs in this review were taken on the 12 megapixel Extra Fine JPEG preset, which produces an average image size of roughly 12Mb.
Noise
With its full-frame back-illuminated sensor and 12.1 megapixel resolution, the Sony ZV-E1 has a very good grasp over undesired noise.
Its initial sensitivity range for RAW and JPEG photographs includes ISO 80 to ISO 102,400 (that's more than 11EV), and can be increased to cover ISO 40 to ISO 409,600 - that's a range larger than 14EV.
Below are some 100% crops that demonstrate the amounts of noise for each ISO setting. All in-camera noise reduction settings are set to off and no noise reduction has been performed post capture either.
Close examining these example photographs at 100%, we have found clear and sharp detail in high contrast regions in images up to ISO 6400, at which time a very fine grain begins.
At ISO 25,600, grain seems more noisy. Select the native ISO range cap of ISO 102,400 and photographs are still completely useable albeit, predictably detail in the extended high ISO settings is tonally flatter and mushed by noise.
In those identical raw and JPEG photographs at high ISO settings, we prefer the appearance of the RAW files. Detail is a little sharper since there is no strong noise reduction, plus JPEGs display chroma noise (which in general here is more evident than luminance noise).
Perhaps even more amazing is the camera's management over noise in video files. It has what we term a dual gain sensor where there is a second gain step for a reduced noise readout.
File Quality
In the ZV-E1 both HEIF and JPEG formats are supported, however you can't pick both at the same moment. Whichever format choice you chose can then be recorded independently or concurrently with RAW.
Thanks to a superior compression efficiency, HEIF files are smaller than JPEGs even though they contain much more data. How much more? Well, HEIF files are 10-bit but JPEG files are 8-bit. It's a heck of a lot more tonal detail and wider colour spectrum.
In HEIF format there are 10-bit 4:2:2 or 4:2:0 possibilities, while JPEG file sizes are Extra Fine (12MP), Fine (5.1MP) or Standard (3MP). An Uncompressed RAW format image will take up roughly 15MB of hard disk space, and there are extra Lossless Compressed and Compressed alternatives too.
Low-light
Low light is when the Sony ZV-E1 is really in its element. With a wide ISO 40-409,200 sensitivity range and exceptional focusing sensitivity, the ZV-E1 is up there with the top low-light shooters.
Beyond the shutter speed range of 1/8000sec to 30 seconds is a bulb mode for long exposure photography. To discover bulb mode you need to be in manual exposure mode and turn the dial beyond the maximum 30 seconds setting.
It's also possible to photograph in the quiet electronic shutter mode where there are no vibrations that may adversely influence quality in long exposure photos.