Sony boasts again with a camera. On this occasion, he has presented the first one for vloggers that has a good handful of features from professional cameras and advanced amateurs. The new interchangeable lens Sony ZV-E1 is the world’s smallest and lightest full-sensor camera.
Technically, the ZV-E1 is a hybrid that combines the 12-megapixel sensor of the Sony Alpha 7S -a camera of more than 4,000 euros-, with the Bionz XR AI chip of the Alpha 7R, the compact form factor of the Alpha 7C and the forms of use of the ZV series, cameras intended for those who not only record videos, but also record themselves.
The ZV-E1’s sensor is very powerful. In low light conditions, with more than 15 steps of sensitivity, it reproduces very well defined images in both light and shadow. The standard ISO range is 80 to 102,400 for both stills and video, while the extended range for stills is 40 to 409,600, and 80 to 409,600 for video. It is hard to get used to the idea that everything is produced in a device of such contained size.
The Sony ZV-E1 can record in 4K 60p format and, later, through a free update from Sony, it will allow it to reach 4K 120p. In Full HD it reaches 240 frames per second, especially suitable for sports and action videos
One of the most interesting features of the new Sony camera for vloggers is the use of AI to maintain or vary the focus, framing and image stabilization, with the necessary format crops so that nothing is distinguished. For example, with the fixed camera you can move a person in front of her and follow her keeping her in the center of the image. It is a system used by some manufacturers such as Apple and Samsung for their mobile devices.
Artificial intelligence is very present in everything it does. It evaluates not only the position of the eyes, as before, but also the posture, so it understands the position of the subject and its head, so it can follow it when it is not looking directly at the target. Cinematic picture quality is highly customizable, with five aspects of tones, colors, and brightness each combinable with four different moods.
The Sony ZV-E1 has interesting features such as a zoom lever next to the shutter button and a microphone with variable directionality to capture clear audio outdoors, along with a windscreen. To manage the camera and monitoring functions, you can use its vari-angle, side-opening LCD screen as well as a new Sony mobile app. The price is up to the characteristics of the camera: 2,700 euros.
