Sony ZV-E1 Camera – Buyers Beware!
This article is a bit of a rant mixed with a buyer-beware warning for the new Sony ZV-E1 mirrorless camera. The Sony ZV-E1 is overpriced, overheats, and people still defend it.
Thanks to some actual customer reviews, the Sony ZVE-1 will overheat in 37 minutes, shooting in a 25c/71f environment shooting 4K25. It astounds me that any camera company charging a premium for a “Vlogging” camera has this issue. Shooting 4K60 will make the camera overheat more. 4K60 will overheat in 27 minutes.
Article updated June 29, 2023
Sony’s 4K120p Firmware test
Sony just released the firmware. I can now share with you some ZV-E1 overheating times for the 4K120p firmware update. To download it, please check out the Sony Firmware Download Page.
The Sony ZV-E1 shooting 4K120p will overheat in 13 minutes in a 25c/77f environment. If you’re shooting 4K120p in a cooler room of 22c/72f, expect up to 26 minutes of runtime.
This runtime will no doubt improve if you shoot outside on a cold day, for example. Don’t expect miracles with the Sony ZV-E1, the heatsink in this camera is appalling.
To be honest, I wasn’t expecting it to shoot for longer than 7-9 minutes, so this is good. Just know if the camera overheats, you need to let it cool back down.
Sony ZV-E1 Hype Train
Many YouTubers pushed this as a Vlogging camera for making YouTube videos. However, if you sit at a desk and need to do a long take, The ZV-E1 is not the camera to buy. Shooting if you’re shooting in direct sunlight on a hot day, forget it!
Sony Fanboys are Ruining YouTube
Now that the Sony ZV-E1 has been released, it’s finally started to get tested and properly critiqued. I’ve never seen so many Sony fanboys get on the hype train as much as with the ZV-E1.
This “getting in good with Sony” style of reviews and fanboyism is ruining the chances of unbiased reviews on YouTube. Thankfully, you’ve come to the right place for a proper critique. While I own Sony cameras, I could not, in good judgment, recommend this camera over others in their line.
Sadly, many channels proclaimed, “I’m replacing my (better) camera with the ZV-E1. If you only shoot in short and sharp bursts and are happy to pay for a firmware update on a camera that overheats, it’s a great choice. Channels I used to respect also said, “Buy it, don’t even question it.”
Sony Echo-Chamber
Thanks to the few channels that review products over gushing the brand name. The amount of brand defending going on regarding the overheating is the cringy thing I’ve seen in years. Of course, if you love the Sony echo chamber, you’re undoubtedly unhappy about this post. Haha.
My Balanced Critique of the Sony ZV-E1
Sony ZV-E1 is Overpriced
If the Sony ZV-E1 was under $1200, it might be a better choice for “Vloggers.” As it stands, Sony is charging a fortune for a camera that overheats in no time at moderate 22c temperatures. But, again, the overheating issues would be expected if this were a cheaper camera. Considering all of the flaws, the Sony ZV-E1 is an overpriced camera.
Sony ZV-E1 Overheating is a Deal Breaker
For those buying into this camera for longer YouTube productions and longer takes, your money is far better spent on the Sony FX30. If you’re like me and shoot outside, or live in an area upwards of 40c, give this camera a miss! Thanks to their active cooling, I highly recommend the Sony FX30 or Panasonic LUMIX S5II over the ZV-E1 for anyone doing anything demanding.
Sure, the Image quality of the Sony ZV-E1 is great, but you’ll face many more issues with a poorly designed camera regarding usability and reliability.
Here’s a customer review from my friend Mark.
Sony FX30 vs Sony ZV-E1
For a “vlogging camera to cost over $2000, the ZV-E1 is only better than the FX30 in one way – low light performance. But, on the other hand, the FX30 is a professional camera, a great A or B camera for any video production.
The handling, form factor, resistance to overheating, great battery life, and built-in resolutions and codecs make this a much better long-term camera. The FX30 is a camera you can take anywhere without overheating, like the ZV-E1.
Sony ZV-E1 vs LUMIX S5II
Without question, the LUMIX S5II is a much better camera than the ZV-E1. This determination comes down to video options, video tools, handling, codecs, 2-SD card slots, better image quality, full-size HDMI, and more.
The LUMIX S5II is a professional camera at a price that makes a lot more sense than the ZV-E1. Check out the full review for more information.
Horrible Micro-HDMI port
If you ever want to work with an external monitor, the ZV-E1 has a micro-HDMI cable port, which is the worst on the market.
Micro HDMI means you need a special cable or adapter to get this to a monitor. On the other hand, you’ll appreciate the full-size HDMI port of the FX30 if you want to run the camera on a larger external display.
Sony Channels and Paid Promotion: Views beware!
A note to the internet is unsavvy. If a channel is flown overseas or to an event, it’s paid promotion. If they got a free camera, it’s paid promotion, and the video should clearly state it.
Of course, some YoTubers will say nothing but positive things about it. This has become a huge problem, especially in the Sony review sphere. While there’s nothing wrong with these events, at least click the “contains paid promotion” box.
The Problems with Sony as a Brand
The biggest problems with Sony are their lack of transparency and firmware upgrades for their flagship cameras. For Sony to update the FX3 without updating the A7SIII is appalling. Sony has abandoned the A1 and A7SIII, which were flagship cameras at the time of release.
Regarding transparency, Sony is known for releasing another camera not long after a major launch which is a huge kick in the guts for their customers. You might remember when the A7SIII came out, and not long after, the FX3 was released. However, there was no mention of this at launch, unlike other companies like LUMIX.
When LUMIX released the GH5II, they mentioned the GH6 and the same for the S5II and S5IIX. I appreciate this sort of heads-up to make the best buying decision. This saves customers from getting completely burned when they invest thousands of dollars into any system.
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