Great Vlogging Camera, Better than your Average Ph
October 15, 2020
I was excited to have received the ZV-1 Sony Vlog Camera. I saved the first use for the day I went hiking on a trail. This is my experience:
Setup was extremely easy after charging the camera up! Battery and sd card goes in the same access port. Wind screen and the bluetooth remote tripod can easily attach to camera. The bluetooth remote tripod accessory is worth praising in itself. Easy to maneuver, you can swivel it a full 360° and tilt it forward and backwards to a max 90° which is more than enough. Using the tripod, you can zoom in/out, record and take a photo. Conveniently enough, it has a provided lock function to prevent accidental touch.
When attached to the ZV-1, with a grip weight of 7.6 oz., you don't feel the stress on your hand and arms even after carrying it for 2 hours during my hike. There are some great functions to the ZV-1 that one looks for in their vlogging experience. You have the LCD screen which allows you to see what you are recording which I can tell you is necessary. Another feature I find necessary is the soft screen effect. Especially since you're filming in 4K mode, you have to look good for the camera. My skin isn't perfect and this feature helps me not shy away from placing the camera too close to my face. Oh; and speaking of "close", we need to talk about the "Product Showcase" aspect of the ZV-1. This means the ability to focus on what the camera owner is trying to show its viewers. It is superb in this camera as it quickly focuses on the item I place closest to the lens in front of me. I tested this in the outdoors where there are many distractions in the background and it performed really well. This function will work great in product reviews.
There are a lot of other functions, modes and setting one can adjust for their preference but as someone who has been mostly using a phone, it can be a bit complicated to understand. Luckily, it has an auto-intelligence mode that will adjust the picture/recording settings for you so you don't have to fret. I will learn to understand the technicalities as I go on.
Another note to takeaway from my experience is about the battery life. After a full charge and being periodically used for picture taking and recording during my 2-3 hours I spent outdoors, the battery was already drained. I recommend having backup batteries for that matter.
While my phone can do many things the ZV-1 can, there's also things only the ZV-1 can do. I'll be switching to the ZV-1 for my vlogging needs!... Read More
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