back to main blog

I thought this would be a cool blog post because my website hosts my photography portfolio , and I have a lot of YouTube friends that may be interested! I have lots of experience with cameras, and have watched many conficted user reviews, so I thought I would give my opinion



pros

• lightweight, compact
• comes with a detachable wind muff
• crisp sony contrast
• has spots for hdmi, usb-c, and an external mic
• comes in white, as well as a classic black
• has auto focus and facial recognition tracking
• very beginner friendly
• cute digital camera size/look
• can manually change iso if wanted
• optional skin smoothing feature with 3 strength options
• flip out LCD
• a decent natural wide angle- I would love to purchase a fisheye attachment one day though

cons

• battery dies fast
• "locking" component for the battery and SD compartment is a manual slide lock rather than a normal snap into place lid
• interal mic is not very good (some people say otherwise, but compared to the crisp visuals, the audio is not crisp)
• the focusing can take a few seconds to "think", but it has never bothered me personally. I have seen a couple tech review videos where this has bothered others though
• limited zoom
my main cons
• the video stabilization is terrible lol- tripod is almost required. If what sets this camera apart from a regular digital camera is supposed to be it specializing in video, I expect stabilization to be at least good. Especially for the price.
• it is touchscreen. I have owned many many cameras, and none are touchscreen. I actually hate it lol. I love only using tactile buttons, and often forget/ end up accidentally changing a setting when holding the camera. I wish the budget for the touch screen went to video stabilization and the mic instead.

accessories

A lot of videos I have watched stress the importance of accessories and even make that the focal point of the video sometimes. I don't think this is a pro or a con, but a subjective neutral. When you buy the camera new, it only comes with the camera body, a short, black usb-c to usb-c charging cable, and the wind muff in the color of the camera.

SD card: I am only adding this in here because i thought it was funny in a cute way xD Some reviews I watched were made by people who have never owned a camera, so were unaware that you have to buy an SD card separate. I thought that was adorable. You do have to buy an SD card, and thankfully nowadays SD cards suited for video (get the highest storage you can afford and make sure it says HD class 10 minimum) are more common. My first SD card was a cheap 4gb in the 2010s and my Canon t3i laughed at me. I still have it though! I will note that SD card prices have and will go up due to the rise in AI :( something to keep in mind.

flash: I dont personally use a flash ever, so I am glad I don't have to deal with the bulk or extra price of one built into the camera. Many others do love using flash, so it is something many people buy immediately. Ulzani seems to make the most reccommended and popular one that attaches onto the camera body.

mic: This is the one that interested me most, and I ordered one immediately after buying the camera. I like a mini shotgun mic that attaches onto the camera body. I do know that many other YouTubers prefer a handheld/clip bluetooth mic, but that's not my vibe. Also I'm not big on bluetooth- give me a wire! Again some people like the internal mic quality- I am not one, haha.

misc/other: A couple other misc things I've seen people buy are a camera case, screen protectors, extra batteries, tripod, and a cold shoe adaptor to have both a wind muff and flash on simultaneously. I already had several tripods and SD cards, and a box for usb-c cord, so the only thing I bought specifically for this camera was the shotgun mic. I only say this because I can't speak on how game changing all the other accessories might be. For my filming purposes, what I have has worked, although I would like to collect all the specific accessories meant for this camera eventually. Not totally neccessary though, and definitely not in everyone's budget to buy them all with the camera right away.

comparisons with my iphone

sony zv-1f

iphone 17 pro

I really love the warmth of the iphone video with my fairy lights, so much so I edited the Sony footage to have at least a little bit of it. Sony is very much known for its blues and greens, something I am not used to as a canon fangirl, haha.

Where the Sony shines is the deepness of the blacks and the beautiful bokeh! I do a lot of "talking head" style videos, and I adore the way the showcase frames look. I am also grateful for the low skin filter ><.

who is this for and my overall thoughts

All in all, I love this camera! It is not perfect, nor is it cheap (I would look on facebook marketplace and take an SD card to test the camera out if you can!), but filming with it is so fun. Also, if you use a camera for work, don't forget to save the reciept and report it on your taxes! I think if you make videos, there is something to be said about shooting with a camera rather than a phone. Modern phone quality is great and you already paid for the phone- but the experience is different. The Sony ZV-1F is good for someone who does a lot of talking head style videos, loves the look of a digital camera, and doesn't want to think too hard about having good footage. If you enjoy buying camera accessories, this is also a good fit for you. If you are impatient with focusing, and film long hours with lots of movement, this may not be for you. I also would not reccomend this for photography, but that is coming from a biased Canon fangirl. For my skatepark videos, I really prefer a camcorder. The video stabilization and zoom capabilites on a camcorder are unmatcHED.

With each new place I record in with this camera, I get so excited seeing the footage. It is so fun!

That being said, I think it is all preference. If you want to make videos- use whatever you have or can get your hands on! You don't need a nice camera to make meaningful videos. If you like cameras, this one is worth trying as an entry level to this body style of Sony's. If you don't like it, sell or return it and try something else.

Thank you for coming to my tedtalk c:

If you want to see some example footage, my most recent videos "emo skater thrift with me - y2k grunge...", "bleaching my hair..", and "going to the park alone," were all filmed on it. The most recent videos by YouTubers Dino dining and Goblin puppy studios also use it! Their videos paired with Luvstarkei's talking head videos are how I knew I'd like the quality of this camera c: (I don't know for sure if the later 2 have the exact model or just in the family, but either way their videos allowed me to put my trust in Sony! I highly reccommend all three channels if you like my videosss)

back to main blog