Sony ZV-E1 Review: 5 Reasons to Avoid this Camera
I will list six reasons you shouldn’t purchase the new Sony ZV-E1 mirrorless camera. Unfortunately, the hype train on YouTube can be persuasive, convincing, and dangerous.
While there are a lot of positive features within the Sony ZV-E1, it’s fatally flawed, looking at what we have seen so far. So here is a list of reasons you should miss this camera if the ZV-E1 is your primary A camera.
There were a lot of YouTubers flown to a Sony-sponsored event promoting this camera. While on the surface, that’s fine, it also led to many channels not disclosing paid product promotion. As a result, there were only a handful of truly balanced video reviews out there.
This is not a heavy specification review. However, this will cover the practical limitations and restrictions of Sony’s new flagship vlogging camera. If you want the specifications, check out the Sony ZV-E1 on B&H.
Ergonomics
The ergonomics on the Sony ZV-E1 are awful. One of the main reasons I sold my Sony A7C was the small grip. If you have large hands like me, give this camera a miss. You’ll forever have your knuckles bashing against the side of the lens.
If you plan on shooting mostly from a Tripod, this might not be a deal-breaker, but the ZV-E1 is terrible for handheld work. On the other hand, shooters planning on getting a video-centric camera should look at the Sony FX30 or Sony A7SIII if they want to stick with the Sony ecosystem.
For those happy to look outside of Sony, check out the Panasonic Lumix S5II. (my review article)
Overheating
Any camera released in 2023 (or from 2017) should not be overheating. Making a camera smaller at the expense of proper heat dissipation is horrendous. I feel sorry for anyone living in places like Florida, Texas, or anywhere with regularly warm temperatures.
If you plan on shooting out in the sun as I do, the Sony ZV-E1 is the last camera I would trust for long-duration or even short-burst duration recording in 30c/86f temperature days. If you at all shoot in direct sunlight, give this one miss.
While I wouldn’t expect active cooling in a small-form-factor camera body, not having a quality heat sink will be a huge deal-breaker. Active cooling all the way! This is why I shoot with a Sony FX3, FX30, Panasonic S5II, and GH6.
The fact any new camera released can overheat is beyond my comprehension. But how fast it overheats will depend on your use case.
Paid Firmware Updates
If you want 4K120p – guess what? Unfortunately, you might have to pay for the privilege. The current consensus is that the firmware update could be a paid option. This adds more expense to an already overpriced vlogging camera.
Keeping the YouTube reviewers out of the loop with whether or not this is a paid process is a bad move by Sony. Clarity on this specific item is important because many fanboys will pre-order the camera as soon as anything is announced, only to get burned later.
4k120p is a fantastic addition, but it’ll no doubt overheat the ZV-E1 even sooner than normal. If you need to shoot a lot of slow motion, get the Sony FX3, A7SIII, or FX30. (see my FX30 Review).
The Sony FX30 is cheaper, has more codecs, has better ergonomics, and won’t overheat in any scenario I have used.
One SD Card Slot Sucks
1 SD Card slot? Really! I would expect this on a camera like the ZV-E10, an entry-level price point, but not a camera that retails for 3799 Australian Dollars. This completely baffles me as to why a camera that is this expensive fails to deliver a second card slot.
Whether you’re a working professional or don’t want to lose your vacation footage, a single SD card slot is a no-go zone for me. There’s no way I would trust this with anything important in my professional or personal life.
Getting a sense of redundancy puts your mind at ease, and this is a huge reason why I won’t be buying the Sony ZV-E1.
Sony ZV-E1 is Overpriced
While the image quality will be excellent, there’s more to a camera than image quality. The Sony ZV-E1 is overpriced. While it has the same great sensor found in the Sony FX3, this doesn’t compensate for the lack of reliability, heat sink, and missing hardware features.
For 3799 Australian dollars, you still get a micro-HDMI port. This is a disgraceful addition to a pro-featured camera aimed at content creators. I heard from a YouTube video that Micro HDMI ports are prone to breaking easily. Yay.
Micro HDMI makes it more difficult to hook the camera to an external monitor or an ATEM Mini Pro for live switching. Sony’s HDMI output on the A7C was atrocious, and I hope this camera can handle lengths of HDMI cable greater than 5m/16ft lengths.
Sony ZV-E1 Review/Preview Video
If you prefer to see my video on the topic, check it out here. To reiterate, I am not a Sony hater and own three mid to high-level cameras and many lenses. That said, I am far more critical than many YouTubers based on my experience in the field.
Sony ZV-E1 Positives
Let’s talk about the positives. While I think Canon’s cripple hammer severely damages the Sony ZV-E1, there’s still much to like.
Video-Centric Design
The Sony ZV-E1 is aimed at Vloggers and content creators. The body design is simple, clean, and designed predominantly for video shooters. The simple top switching allows you to choose Movie, S&Q, and Photo Modes.
10-Bit Codecs
Unlike the Sony A7C, the new ZV-E1 supports 10-bit recording. This feature is a massive upgrade over the A7C, ZV1, and ZV-E10. For this price, I would expect it to have 10-bit video recording, and Sony delivered the goods! Well done, Sony!
The Worlds Smallest Full Frame Camera
While making something smaller isn’t always better (heat-sink), the result is a portable camera body. The Sony ZV-E1 is the world’s smallest full-frame camera body. This is so if you want the smallest and lightest full-frame camera for video work.
Auto-Framing
Perhaps the best feature of the Sony ZV-E1 is the new auto-framing option. Auto-Framing allows you to get a dynamic pan and zoom shot with a stationary tripod thanks to smart processing.
I could see this being used effectively in a one-person setup where you want your behind-the-scenes camera to look more dynamic and interesting than a typical static shot. Once this feature is featured on a more reliable camera in the future, I will undoubtedly buy it.
Dynamic Active Stabilization
The next level of Stabilization is here. Much like the Auto-Framing option, Dynamic Active Stabilization looks to be a useful feature. Dynamic Active Stabilization lets you crop in digitally on the sensor to achieve GoPro-Level style stabilization.
Sure, it crops in quite a lot, but it works. Sometimes, a Gimbal isn’t an option, so this will be a worthwhile addition if you cannot get good results using Catalyst Browse.
Improved Autofocus
The Autofocus has been improved again. The Sony ZV-E1 features a new human, animal-eye, and AI-tracking autofocus system that takes it to the next level. Owners of an A7C or A7SIII will greatly improve with the Sony ZV-E1 thanks to the new AF processing.
Should You Buy the Sony ZV-E1?
If overheating, a single SD card slot, a Micro-HDMI port, poor economics, and potentially paid firmware upgrades don’t bother you, then yes. The answer is no for those who shoot in challenging weather conditions from Melbourne, Australia, to Sarasota, Florida.
Camera reliability means more than software gimmicks and a poor user experience. Having one SD card slot is no good for anyone requiring a sense of redundancy.
For YouTubers wanting a full-frame image without the price tag of the A7SIII, then the ZV-E1 is an option. However, before jumping on the bandwagon, I would seriously wait to see what many actual customer reviews say.
At the price Sony charges for this camera, I would rather save a few more dollars and get something more reliable, but that’s just me. I don’t see this as a budget FX3 because that camera is reliable, robust, and features the best ergonomics from Sony.
The best budget Sony FX3 is the Sony FX30. While the FX30 is APSC and won’t have the same low-light performance, in any other situation, it’s fantastic. I own the FX3 and FX30, and the FX30 is a monster.
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