Sony ZV-1 Review

Name: Sony ZV-1
Brand: Sony

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Main Features

20MP - 1″ BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 125 - 12800( expands to 80 - 25600)

24-70 mm F1.8–2.8 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3.00" Fully Articulated Screen

24.0fps continuous shooting

4K at 30fps and FHD at 120fps Video Recording

Built-in Wireless

294g. 105 x 60 x 44 mm

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Sony ZV-1 Overview

Updated: 2020-05-27

First introduced in May 2020 , Sony ZV-1 is a 20.0MP Large Sensor Compact camera with a 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor, built-in Image Stabilization, Fully articulated touch screen and 2.9x zoom 24-70 mm F1.8–2.8 lens.

Sony ZV-1 Review - Click for Table of Contents

Overview
Pros and Cons
Sensor and Photography Features
Physical Specs
LCD and Viewfinder
Connectivity, Storage and Battery
Video
Other Features
Lens
Photography Type Scores
Alternatives
Popular Comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Detailed Specifications

Sony ZV-1 is a member of Sony's ZV series of cameras. Below you can see the latest models in this series and how their main specs have changed with each new version.

Sony ZV Series History

	Model	Release Date	Sensor	Max FPS	Dimensions	Weight
	Sony ZV-E10 Compare	2021	24.0MP - APS-C	11.0 fps	115 x 64 x 45mm	343g
	Sony ZV-1	2020	20.0MP - 1″	24.0 fps	105 x 60 x 44mm	294g

Check the link below to compare specs of the latest cameras in this series side by side:
Sony ZV-E10 vs ZV-1

Alternative Model names found for Sony ZV-1: ZV1, ZV 1 and Z-V1.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Sony ZV-1 PROs and CONs Review

Now let's get in to more details of our Sony ZV-1 review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

PROs

Gyroscopic Stabilization

Unlimited Video Recording (no 30min limit)

Built-in Wireless (Wi-fi)

Bluetooth Connectivity

Image Stabilization

Articulating Screen

External Flash Shoe

4K (UHD) Video

Touch Screen

RAW Shooting

Face Detection Focusing

20.0MP - High Resolution Sensor

12.800 Max ISO

315 Focus Points

922k dots LCD Resolution

1/32000s Electronic Shutter Speed

24.0fps Shooting w/ Mechanical Shutter

294g Light Body

Manual Focusing

Manual Exposure

External Microphone Port

Timelapse Recording

24mm Wide Angle Lens

Fast 1.80 Lens at Wide

Fast 1.80 Lens at Tele

960fps High Speed Video

AE Bracketing

Wide AE Bracketing Range: ±5 EV

3.0-stops Built-in ND Filter

Selfie & Vlogger Friendly LCD Screen

Remote control with a smartphone

Digital video stabilization

Webcam Functionality

Tally/Front recording light

Directional Microphone

Included Mic Windscreen

S-Log Recording

HLG/HDR Video Recording

USB Charging

Report a correction

Buy Sony ZV-1 from AMAZON or B&H PHOTO

CONs

No Built-in Viewfinder

Low Battery Life: 260 shots

No Environmental Sealing

70 mm - Poor Telezoom Coverage

Optical Zoom only 2.9X

Report a correction

Sony ZV-1 Physical Specs

Sony ZV-1 weighs 294 g (0.65 lb / 10.37 oz) and has external dimensions of 105 x 60 x 44 mm (4.13 x 2.36 x 1.73″). Considering that the average weight of Large sensor compact type cameras is 401g, Sony ZV-1 is a remarkably light camera for its class. Even better, with a thickness of only 44mm, it is also quite small, 11mm thinner than the average of its class.

Weight Comparison

Large sensor compact Cameras

Sony ZV-1

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Large sensor compact Cameras

Sony ZV-1

Min

Average

Max

Here is the front and top view image of Sony ZV-1 with the dimensions:

Front and Top View External Dimensions and Size of Sony ZV-1 Camera Body

In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Sony ZV-1, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.

Physical size of the Sony ZV-1 Body Compared to a Credit Card and an AA Battery

Below you can find the comparison of the weight and thickness of Sony ZV-1 with its main competitors:

Sony ZV-1 Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Weight	vs ZV-1	Thickness	vs ZV-1
Sony RX100 VII Compare	302g	8g heavier	43mm	1mm thinner
Canon G7 X MIII Compare	304g	10g heavier	41mm	3mm thinner
Sony ZV-E10 Compare	343g	49g heavier	45mm	1mm thicker
Canon M50 II Compare	387g	93g heavier	59mm	15mm thicker
Sony A6400 Compare	403g	109g heavier	50mm	6mm thicker
Sony RX100 V Compare	299g	5g heavier	41mm	3mm thinner
Canon M50 Compare	390g	96g heavier	59mm	15mm thicker
Sony A6000 Compare	344g	50g heavier	45mm	1mm thicker

Weather Sealing

Sony ZV-1 doesn't have any environmental sealings on its body so you got to be extra careful to protect it against water and dust. If you shoot under these conditions very often, consider checking Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing page.

Sony ZV-1 Lens

Sony ZV-1 features a 24-70 mm F1.8–2.8 2.9× zoom lens. This camera offers exceptional wide angle capacity thanks to 24mm focal length on the wide end. On the contrary, 70mm on the tele side is only good for classic portrait shots, but doesn't provide a real telephoto reach.

Wide Coverage

Large sensor compact Cameras

ZV-1

Widest - Canon G1 X II

Average

Telezoom

Large sensor compact Cameras

ZV-1

Longest - Panasonic ZS200

Average

Providing a max aperture of f1.80 at 24mm, this lens is remarkably fast on wide end. Even better, having an aperture of f1.80 on tele end, this lens is exceptionally fast through out its range.

Max Aperture at Wide

Large sensor compact Cameras

ZV-1

Fastest - Panasonic LX10

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Large sensor compact Cameras

ZV-1

Fastest - Leica X (Typ 113)

Average

ZV-1 is equipped with Optical image stabilization system which is very handy especially at lower shutter speeds.

Sony ZV-1 also features Gyro Stabilization system where the built-in gyro records the data from the sensors inside the camera only to use it during post processing - using a software such as Catalyst Browse - to stabilize the recorded video, although with an extra crop. Using this software based stabilization method that only very few cameras have, can create impressive results even without the use of a gimbal or stabilizer. In order to have the most pleasing results, remember to set your video settings to a high shutter rate though.

Sony ZV-1's lens also has a Manual Focus Mode.

Sony ZV-1 Sensor and Photography Features

Sony ZV-1 has a 20.0MP 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Bionz X processor. You can shoot at maximum resolution of 5472 x 3648 pixels with aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. ZV-1 has a native ISO range of 125 - 12800 which can be boosted to 80 - 25600 and it can save files in RAW format which gives you a wider room for post processing.

Sony ZV-1 is not the highest resolution 1 inch Sensor camera. Nikon 1 J5 with its 21.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Sony ZV-1 vs Nikon 1 J5 or take a look at Highest resolution Compact cameras list.

Let's look at how the size of the Sony ZV-1's 1″ sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Comparison image of Sony ZV-1 Sensor Size with other standard sensors

Sony ZV-1 LCD

Sony ZV-1 has a Fully Articulated 3.00-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 922k dots. Articulated screens are more video oriented compared to only tilting or fixed screens. On the other hand, photography oriented users generally prefer tilting screens. Both the screen size and the screen resolution is up to the standards of this class.

LCD is Touch screen type, so you can change the settings and set the focus point with your fingertips.

For those of you who loves shooting selfies, self or group photos, Sony ZV-1 will make your life easier with its Selfie friendly screen. Another group of users who will take advantage of ZV-1's LCD screen are Vloggers and any video creators who are working in a single-person setup.

ZV-1 doesn't have a viewfinder and no option for external viewfinder. Lack of a viewfinder can be problematic especially under strong light where visibility of LCD screens goes down dramatically. If you need a Compact camera with a built-in viewfinder in a similar price range, consider Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III (Compare) or Canon PowerShot G5 X (Compare).
Alternatively, check here the list of all Compact cameras with viewfinder..

Sony ZV-1 Connectivity, Storage and Battery

Sony ZV-1 features built-in wireless (Wi-Fi) connectivity ( 802.11ac + Bluetooth) which lets you transfer your photos directly to compatible devices without any physical connection. Sony ZV-1's Bluetooth connectivity feature comes handy for connecting other devices that supports it. One other feature that we like is the ability to use our smartphone as a remote to control our ZV-1. You can change camera settings, release shutter, view LCD screen and tranfer files using remote control app.

You can connect ZV-1 to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port.

Sony ZV-1 Battery

Sony ZV-1 is powered by NP-BX1 battery which provides a battery life of 260 shots according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of Large sensor compact type cameras is 303 shots, its battery life is about average in its class but it would still be wise to invest in some spare batteries for long photo trips.

Battery Life Comparison in Large Sensor Compact Cameras

Sony ZV-1

Min

Average

Max

Leica X Vario with its 450shots is the model with longest battery life among Large Sensor Compact cameras. Check the comparison of Sony ZV-1 vs Leica X Vario or take a look at Longest Battery Life Compact cameras list.

Sony ZV-1 Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Sony RX100 VII Compare	3840 x 2160	260shots	Yes	Yes	Yes
Canon G7 X MIII Compare	3840 x 2160	235shots	Yes	Yes	No
Sony ZV-E10 Compare	3840 x 1920	440shots	Yes	Yes	Yes
Canon M50 II Compare	3840 x 2160	305shots	Yes	Yes	Yes
Sony A6400 Compare	3840 x 2160	410shots	Yes	Yes	Yes
Sony RX100 V Compare	3840 x 2160	220shots	Yes	No	Yes
Canon M50 Compare	3840 x 2160	235shots	Yes	Yes	Yes
Sony A6000 Compare	1920 x 1080	360shots	Yes	No	Yes

Sony ZV-1 Video Features

With Sony ZV-1, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 3840 x 2160 at 30p,25p,24p fps and save in MPEG-4, AVCHD and XAVC S formats. Sony ZV-1's 4K is the common standard resolution in consumer video world.

High-Speed Video

ZV-1 features a high speed mode where it captures videos at 960fps which helps to create slow motion videos. If you shoot a video at a frame rate of 960fps and play it back at 24fps, the video will be 40x slower and longer than normal.

ZV-1 has a built-in Stereo microphone and a Mono speaker. Sony ZV-1 also has a port for an external microphone so you can record high quality sound with the help of an external microphone. Unfortunately, it doesn't have a headphone port though.

Sony ZV-1 Other Features

Max Shutter speed

Sony ZV-1 can shoot continuously at max speed of 24.0 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/2000 sec. ZV-1 also has an electronic shutter which can shoot silently at max speed of 1/32000s. One thing to keep in mind is that electronic shutter may cause rolling shutter / jello effects, and also banding issues under artificial light on your images.

Flash

Unfortunately ZV-1 doesn't have a built-in flash but it has a flash shoe for mounting external flashes.

Focusing

Sony ZV-1 features both Contrast Detection and Phase Detection autofocus (AF) systems which ensures speed and accuracy of focusing in most situations. The AF system has 315 points to choose from.

Sony ZV-1 also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

What type of Photography is Sony ZV-1 Good for?

In this section, we review and score Sony ZV-1 in 5 different photography areas.

Sony ZV-1 for Portrait Photography

Sony ZV-1 has a score of 52 for Portrait Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Portrait Photography list.

Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability

External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
No Built-in Viewfinder

Read the details of how we scored Sony ZV-1 for Portrait Photography

Sony ZV-1 for Street Photography

Sony ZV-1 has a score of 84 for Street Photography which makes it an EXCELLENT candidate for this type of photography.

Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Image Stabilization

Fast Lens at Wide: f1.80
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
RAW shooting capability
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
No Built-in Viewfinder

Read the details of how we scored Sony ZV-1 for Street Photography

Sony ZV-1 for Sports Photography

Sony ZV-1 has a score of 36 for Sports Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Sports We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Sports Photography list and consider these alternatives over theZV-1.

Fast Continuous Shooting: 24.0fps
315 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Manual Exposure Mode
Manual Focus Mode
External Flash Shoe
Image Stabilization

RAW shooting capability
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 260 shots
No Built-in Viewfinder
70 mm Tele Lens

Read the details of how we scored Sony ZV-1 for Sports Photography

Sony ZV-1 for Daily Photography

Sony ZV-1 has a score of 71 for Daily Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Daily Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Compact Cameras for Daily Photography list.

294g
RAW shooting capability
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor

Body Thickness 44mm
2.9X Optical Zoom

Read the details of how we scored Sony ZV-1 for Daily Photography

Sony ZV-1 for Landscape Photography

Sony ZV-1 has a score of 39 for Landscape Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Landscape Photography list and consider these alternatives over theZV-1.

Manual Exposure Mode
Manual Focus Mode
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
RAW shooting capability

Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings

Read the details of how we scored Sony ZV-1 for Landscape Photography

Sony ZV-1 Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Sony ZV-1 compares with other Large sensor compact cameras within a similar price range.

Read a more detailed analysis of Sony ZV-1 alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Sony ZV-1

Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Sony ZV-1 amongst Camera Decision readers.

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Sony ZV-1 Alternatives in Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare Sony ZV-1 with Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked cameras in Sony ZV-1's price range.

Sony ZV-1 Conclusion and Scores

Currently, Sony ZV-1 has an Overall Score of 66/100 which is based on our evaluation of 69 different technical parameters. Our scores are dynamically updated whenever a new camera is added to our database or when we change our ranking algorithm and the maximum score is always 100. Sony ZV-1 is ranked #18 out of 61 in Large sensor compact cameras (Top 20 Compact), and ranked #203 out of 1239 in all Cameras (Top 20 Overall).

#203 out of 1239 in Top Ranking Cameras
#18 out of 61 in Top Ranking Compact Cameras
#21 out of 63 in Top Ranking Large Sensor Compact Cameras
#14 out of 44 in Top Ranking 1 inch Sensor Sensor Cameras
#89 out of 179 in Top Ranking Cameras with Selfie friendly Screen
#7 out of 23 in Lightest Compact Cameras with 1 inch Sensor sensor(294g)
#77 out of 133 in Top Ranking Cameras with Fully Articulated Screen
One of only 7 Cameras to have a Tally Light
One of only 7 Cameras to have a Gyro Stabilization

Main Scores

Imaging

Features

Value for Money

Portability

Overall Score

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Frequently Asked Questions about Sony ZV-1

Does the Sony ZV-1 have Image Stabilization?
Does the Sony ZV-1 have RAW support?
Does the Sony ZV-1 have Weather Sealing?
Does the Sony ZV-1 have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Sony ZV-1?
What is the Sensor Size of Sony ZV-1?
is the Sony ZV-1 a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Sony ZV-1 have Touch Screen?
Does the Sony ZV-1 have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Sony ZV-1?
What is the Weight of Sony ZV-1?
What are the Dimensions of Sony ZV-1?

Sony ZV-1 Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Sony
Model	Sony ZV-1
Announced	2020-05-27
Body Type	Large sensor compact
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	24-70 mm (2.9×)
Max Aperture	F1.8–2.8
Macro Focus Range	5cm
Screen
Screen Type	Fully Articulated
Screen Size	3.00"
Screen Resolution	922k dots
Live View
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage	n/a
Viewfinder Magnification	n/a
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed	30s
Max Mechanical Shutter Speed	1/2000s
Max Electronic Shutter Speed	1/32000s
Continuous Shooting	24.0 fps
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Exposure Compensation	Yes
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	no built-in flash
Flash Modes	Auto, Flash On, Slow Synchro, Rear Sync, Flash Off
External Flash
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Exposure Modes
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested
DxO Color Depth	not tested
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested
	Report a correction

Sensor
Sensor Type	BSI-CMOS
Sensor Size	1″
Sensor Dimensions	13.2 x 8.8 mm
Sensor Area	116.16mm²
Sensor Resolution	20 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	5472 x 3648
Max Native ISO	12,800
Max Boosted ISO	25600
Min Native ISO	125
Min Boosted ISO	80
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	315
Number of Cross Focus Points	Unknown
Video Features
Video Resolutions	3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 60 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM3840 x 2160 @ 25p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM3840 x 2160 @ 25p / 60 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM3840 x 2160 @ 24p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM3840 x 2160 @ 24p / 60 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 120p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 120p / 60 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 100p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 100p / 60 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 28 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 28 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, Dolby Digital1920 x 1080 @ 60i / 24 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, Dolby Digital1920 x 1080 @ 60i / 17 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, Dolby Digital1920 x 1080 @ 50p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 50p / 28 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC1920 x 1080
Max Video Resolution	3840 x 2160
Video Formats	MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Built-In
HDMI
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Water Proof
Dust Proof
Shock Proof
Crush Proof
Freeze Proof
Weight	294g
Physical Dimensions	105 x 60 x 44mm
Battery Life	260 shots
Battery Type	Battery Pack
Battery Model	NP-BX1
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None
Storage Type	SD/ SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo
Storage Slots	1

Most Popular Large Sensor Compact Cameras

Sony RX1R II
42 MP | Full frame Sensor| 35 mm

Panasonic ZS100
20 MP | 1″ Sensor| 25-250 mm

Leica Q2
47 MP | Full frame Sensor| 28 mm

Sony RX100 VII
20 MP | 1″ Sensor| 24-200 mm

Canon G1 X III
24 MP | APS-C Sensor| 24-72 mm

Fujifilm X100F
24 MP | APS-C Sensor| 35 mm

Panasonic LX100 II
17 MP | Four Thirds Sensor| 24-75 mm

Leica Q
24 MP | Full frame Sensor| 28 mm

Latest Compact Cameras

Sony ZV-1
20 MP | 1″ Sensor | 24-70 mm

Fujifilm X100V
26 MP | APS-C Sensor | 35 mm

Sony RX100 VII
20 MP | 1″ Sensor | 24-200 mm

Canon G5 X MII
20 MP | 1″ Sensor | 24-120 mm

Canon G7 X MIII
20 MP | 1' Sensor | 24-100 mm

Leica Q2
47 MP | Full frame Sensor | 28 mm

Leica Q2 Monochrom
47 MP | Full frame Sensor | 28 mm

Nikon A1000
16 MP | 1/2.3" Sensor | 24-840 mm