Years of consistant reliable and high quality testing yields Mr Frost to be a source that camera brands want's to have their products tested by. Cool and love to se you on the first ones to get the hands on new products. I don't buy a lens that has not been "Frostified"
I now have had one of these cameras for a year and they are brilliant. What he doesn’t say in the review is the camera has dual ISO, and if shooting in SLog the second base dual ISO is 12800 where it totally cleans up. None of that or SCinetone mentioned, I know he’s really a photo reviewer, but these are basics with the camera on video. This camera is insane in low light and has much more high ISO capability than stated in the review.
It's definetely a camera that's got some use cases and a target audience for it but here in Germany it's 2,700€. That's crazy expensive for a 12 mp camera without a view finder and the other drawbacks that come with such a small camera body. And just like with recent products like the Sony FE 20-70 F4 G it's European price is inflated so much it's ridiculous. If you'd convert the USD price it'd be only 2,100€. 2,700€ is almost the same as the A7IV when it was launched and that is a beast when it comes to image quality (especially in terms of photography) and has so many features you'd expect for this amount of money. If you want the portability you could easily film much of the same footage with a phone, for more of a professional level work you'd probably want your money spent go towards hardware that is really sufficient. What personally bugs me a lot is that features like the auto framing aren't really good enough to compete with modern smartphone software even. The stabilization of an iphone or similarly priced smartphones is better and there's no excuse for such an expensive camera to not be able to compete. The normal in body stabilization looked wobbly too which I don't like to see on such a camera. You wouldnt want to use a gimbal on this. For under 2,000€ I could see this one being picked up by ambitious hobbyists and content creators as it is nice to be able to have so many professional features, great quality and such a small form factor that's really useful. But 2.7 grand for this spec sheet and far from ideal software performance is a no go for me. Sony's price policy is really atrocious here in Europe. Great review though, thank you as always! It's nice that you start to get your hands on new products very soon now. :)
The prices of electronics in Europe are insane. The difference between 2100 and 2700 is almost 30%. For what? I find the camera overpriced too. Not sure I would buy it for 2100 either. If we are talking about hobby video recording, there are much cheaper options. And pro it is not...
No mechanical shutter is bad, imo. The sensors are not THAT good yet. Maybe in a brick like Z9, with 2 CPUs it works, but getting warped images, even at 1/320 (like shown in the video) is far from ideal.
For me, this almost looks like a good camera. Several years ago this would be all I wished for, but now not anymore. I wish they made a similar body focused on still photographers - so something like A7c with better features :)
In any camera they made new, they always leave some nice features missing on purpose. We then, the poor people, begin to wait for the next ‘new’ perfect model :)
The A7C is almost perfect but to make it the perfect Sony camera It just needs Sony to release a Firmware update for it that allows the LCD screen to have full touch navigation features, instead of just touch focus, and they could give it the updated menu used by the ZV-E1 at the same time.
@@alfoutdoors9660 Without focus bracketing, most of Sony cameras are useless for me :) Basically all other manufacturers have it even in entry level cameras.
Brilliant review, I am impressed but a slightly shocked at the starting price, but that is the norm now :) With that price I would have expected an EVF.
fully agree, but as CF said, they target entry level videographers/photographers with this that want a small, lightweight and really simple camera while still getting all the FF advantages. I can see this being used by creators for youtube talking head shots, vlogging, travelling and such where its all about convinience rather than perfection/options. Think about all the streamers on twitch buying sony cameras as webcams. an a7iv is pretty big, the fx30 has a lot of features, a7c doesnt have the latest software. I imagine most people not overly familiar with cameras could easily get the zv-e1 up and running, or maybe get it as an upgrade to an a6600 or the zv-e10. with the ISO performance thats a great pick for someone with a higher budget and no aspiration to become too invested into their camera.
@@DrWurzeli but would an entry level videographer / vlogger spend more than 2000$ or more on a camera? Wouldn’t that person go for cheaper camera anyway? That’s why I mentioned the A7 IV, if you spend so much money on a camera and want great hybrid performance, the A7 IV would be the better choice imo
@@theowlfromduolingo7982 Sure. I did. Skipped the cheaper stuff. It didn't do what I wanted it to do. I would expect that savvy buyers will do the research that points them to this if this is intended for them.
If you still have the ZV-E1 I would love to see how well it performs as a night vision device in basically moonlight or near total darkness at the highest ISO. I don’t care about quality just if it can even see anything. Especially with a fast 1.8 or 1.4 lens. Tia
Haha, sorry, I've packed it up to go back to Sony tomorrow morning! But you'll be able to see some video footage of it in my upcoming review of the Astrhori 28mm f/13 :-)
Isn’t it that most new cameras perform nearly the same nowadays? I checked the tests shots on dpreview and the A7Siii doesn’t look really better than any other camera even from different brands. Sure it may be different for video
Tony Northrup tested it at 51200 ISO near pitch black with f1.2 lens and it was perfoming real well. Fro explained it with dual base ISO, where high base ISO is at 12800.
It is exactly the same low light performance as the a7s iii, so there are scores if videos demonstrating its low light prowess. This is the same sensor as the a7siii and the fx3. But has better AF, better stabilization, better flicker reduction, and better audio. And its smaller and lighter.
I thout this is a replacement for the sony A7c when I first saw it but when I looked at the price and the 12 megapixel its clearly a budget option for the sony A7s seriers
I get that this is coming with a kit lens but in terms of pricing and value this is now in R6II territory. The constant cropping alone is a deal breaker and then 28mm kit lens that comes with is not wide enough for vlogging (because of the constant cropping), and finally the stabilization is atrocious even further cropping based on the level selected. The target audience for this camera is very specific, but it's a camera they are out to outgrow extremely quick and has way more cons than pros.
Great 👍 light but price is also great for average content creator. Not many can justify this much for what they do but for some creators it is great product.
this looks like a very interesting offering especially at those iso levels i don’t know if it’s as good as the a7s with those higher iso levels but there’s nothing wrong with that i could see a few people liking this finding a purpose for it 📸
Rolling shutter is visible on every single camera using rolling shutter. This camera has a read out speed of 8.7 ms in 4K which is a value the us industry leading and the only mainstream camera I know to have a better value is Nikon Z8/Z9 that costs more then twice as much. Get your facts straight.
Not sure why you're taking this quite so personally...I only said that rolling shutter is visible and I wish it were a little better, to say nothing about the competition, or its value for money
It is a cheaper version of the A7S3, and for video more than stills. I am impressed with the video quality footage. If you film in a dark night situation, you will appreciate the low light sensor performance. This one also light for travel and portability but the 7S3 is not that helfty. With 2000usd vs 3400usd price tag, I will keep my A7S3 for now and wait for an overdued A7S4..
I would argue though that if someone got the budget it's the best studio camera! I have the A7S3 and can see a new stacked sensor a7Siv with double the ISO performance and sensor readout to destroy all.
I think it doesn't record true 24fps, but rather it is one of those cameras where "24" really means 23.98. That seemed strange to me for a camera that is not a camcorder, but I have since been learning that this is more common than I thought (at least in Sony models).
@@christopherfrost great, thanks. Glad you enjoy the Canon. Haven't tried any canon cameras, I had a go with Sony with the A7RIV and A7IV but ended up selling them as it didn't make sense to keep two systems. I do miss the 1.8 primes however, incredibly light and capable lenses.
It has apsc mode on 1080p only. In photo you will only get 5.1mpx resolution. In video it's less of an issue as when engaging dynamic active stabilisation the camera crops enough to have no vignetting with most lenses. You can also use clear zoom feature to do up to 1.5x crop (like apsc) without loosing any AF modes.
I like the quality of this sensor very much. I use the a7s III for stills only and it’s awesome. Would like to see an Sony a7 cam for stills only with this sensor to reduce the price. Some people like me don’t use the video modes of the cameras but have to pay for it.
I agree that the a7siii is abandoned, but it is no longer better for video. The fx3 and now the ZV E1, with improved hardware, are better. Again, for video.
You mention RAW image quality for stills, but most of your discussion was about JPEGs. The spec list at B&H shows still image file format only as JPEG. Please clarify if this camera can indeed shoot RAW, or if there are limitations. Thanks.
On Sony’s website, it’s listed at $2198. Ouch. Add $300 and you have the extremely capable X-H2S. $200 less, and you get the superb Lumix S5 II. Right now, you can land the OM-1 with a 12-40 f2.8 lens for $2599. The kit lens is Sony’s 28-60 f4-5.6. No. Really puzzling price given what it does (or doesn’t).
Looks like that’s what Sony like to do recently. Every camera release from Sony used to be exciting but except for the A1 (which was mind blowing), most of the cameras just got old sensor, different body and maybe few features. The A7iv got more resolution but it’s slower than the A7iii…. But I have to admit that most of the camera make sense in terms of usability :)
It's a upgraded a7s3 without EVF. I think Sony overdo their video-centric mirrorless. FX30 is pointless now. And those who shoot videos with a7iv should felt betrayed by Sony.
@@markr041 Sony 'innovate' on the gimmick AI. Having multiple products in similar price range that does similar roles. It's pointless. Sony forgot how did their E mount cameras are so well praised. First 3 generations of a7 cameras invoate properly, introducing useful specs in the successor cameras.
Years of consistant reliable and high quality testing yields Mr Frost to be a source that camera brands want's to have their products tested by. Cool and love to se you on the first ones to get the hands on new products. I don't buy a lens that has not been "Frostified"
Likewise. Chris is my go to expert for all things photography.
I only count 9 total Nikon F-mount DSLR lens reviews. Hardly a treasure trove of information.
actually the rolling shutter performance in video is better than quite a lot other cameras
I don’t think he knows what he’s talking about when it comes to video
true it's actually better than even the stacked sensors in the OM1, X-H2s and Nikon z8
I now have had one of these cameras for a year and they are brilliant.
What he doesn’t say in the review is the camera has dual ISO, and if shooting in SLog the second base dual ISO is 12800 where it totally cleans up. None of that or SCinetone mentioned, I know he’s really a photo reviewer, but these are basics with the camera on video.
This camera is insane in low light and has much more high ISO capability than stated in the review.
It's definetely a camera that's got some use cases and a target audience for it but here in Germany it's 2,700€. That's crazy expensive for a 12 mp camera without a view finder and the other drawbacks that come with such a small camera body. And just like with recent products like the Sony FE 20-70 F4 G it's European price is inflated so much it's ridiculous. If you'd convert the USD price it'd be only 2,100€. 2,700€ is almost the same as the A7IV when it was launched and that is a beast when it comes to image quality (especially in terms of photography) and has so many features you'd expect for this amount of money.
If you want the portability you could easily film much of the same footage with a phone, for more of a professional level work you'd probably want your money spent go towards hardware that is really sufficient.
What personally bugs me a lot is that features like the auto framing aren't really good enough to compete with modern smartphone software even. The stabilization of an iphone or similarly priced smartphones is better and there's no excuse for such an expensive camera to not be able to compete. The normal in body stabilization looked wobbly too which I don't like to see on such a camera. You wouldnt want to use a gimbal on this.
For under 2,000€ I could see this one being picked up by ambitious hobbyists and content creators as it is nice to be able to have so many professional features, great quality and such a small form factor that's really useful. But 2.7 grand for this spec sheet and far from ideal software performance is a no go for me. Sony's price policy is really atrocious here in Europe.
Great review though, thank you as always! It's nice that you start to get your hands on new products very soon now. :)
You summed up perfectly.
Look at that camera as lighter and cheaper A7SIII alternative and the prize does not look that bad.
The prices of electronics in Europe are insane. The difference between 2100 and 2700 is almost 30%. For what? I find the camera overpriced too. Not sure I would buy it for 2100 either. If we are talking about hobby video recording, there are much cheaper options. And pro it is not...
I wish it had at least 24mpix. It would be perfect for my photography game.
Very good review !! Pleasant to watch, and gives all details and practicalities we amateurs expect to hear, I think 🙂
ZV-1, ZV-E10, now fullframe ZV-E1, I just don't understand their naming
Sony is the worst at naming - just look at the names of their head phones
Welcome to Sony
In Chinese, 1 is pronounced exactly the same as "E", exacerbating the confusion.
@@shang-hsienyang1284Sony is Chinese or Japanese?
E is for E Mount
The person who programmed the autoframing watches the office too much lol
8:15 who is that gentleman? Rarely showing up in this channel 🤭
No mechanical shutter is bad, imo. The sensors are not THAT good yet. Maybe in a brick like Z9, with 2 CPUs it works, but getting warped images, even at 1/320 (like shown in the video) is far from ideal.
Is this the first camera review on the channel? Nice work!
Nope, Chris has reviewed some Nikons and Canons in the past
For me, this almost looks like a good camera. Several years ago this would be all I wished for, but now not anymore. I wish they made a similar body focused on still photographers - so something like A7c with better features :)
In any camera they made new, they always leave some nice features missing on purpose. We then, the poor people, begin to wait for the next ‘new’ perfect model :)
The A7C is almost perfect but to make it the perfect Sony camera It just needs Sony to release a Firmware update for it that allows the LCD screen to have full touch navigation features, instead of just touch focus, and they could give it the updated menu used by the ZV-E1 at the same time.
@@alfoutdoors9660 Without focus bracketing, most of Sony cameras are useless for me :) Basically all other manufacturers have it even in entry level cameras.
@@LukesMushrooms You don't need focus bracketing with Sony cameras, as they have the fastest and most accurate AF on the market.
@@alfoutdoors9660 You do, probably you just cannot imagine why :) For focus stacking you need focus bracketing.
i love your camera body reviews
Brilliant review, I am impressed but a slightly shocked at the starting price, but that is the norm now :) With that price I would have expected an EVF.
Just go for the a7 iv or the fx30. I don’t think this camera makes much sense, especially in that price range.
fully agree, but as CF said, they target entry level videographers/photographers with this that want a small, lightweight and really simple camera while still getting all the FF advantages. I can see this being used by creators for youtube talking head shots, vlogging, travelling and such where its all about convinience rather than perfection/options. Think about all the streamers on twitch buying sony cameras as webcams. an a7iv is pretty big, the fx30 has a lot of features, a7c doesnt have the latest software. I imagine most people not overly familiar with cameras could easily get the zv-e1 up and running, or maybe get it as an upgrade to an a6600 or the zv-e10. with the ISO performance thats a great pick for someone with a higher budget and no aspiration to become too invested into their camera.
The auto framing feature is unique. Ideal for unmanned operation.
@@DrWurzeli but would an entry level videographer / vlogger spend more than 2000$ or more on a camera? Wouldn’t that person go for cheaper camera anyway? That’s why I mentioned the A7 IV, if you spend so much money on a camera and want great hybrid performance, the A7 IV would be the better choice imo
@@theowlfromduolingo7982 Sure. I did. Skipped the cheaper stuff. It didn't do what I wanted it to do. I would expect that savvy buyers will do the research that points them to this if this is intended for them.
@@DrWurzeli You are fundamentally correct in your assessment.
i thought this is a7c with cutdown evf and price about 1400 usd but this is tiny a7s3 with 2/3 price i guess
Wonderful video, Christopher!
Will you be making a list of budget Sony FE cameras to go along with this new camera?
Thanks Christopher!
If you still have the ZV-E1 I would love to see how well it performs as a night vision device in basically moonlight or near total darkness at the highest ISO. I don’t care about quality just if it can even see anything. Especially with a fast 1.8 or 1.4 lens. Tia
Haha, sorry, I've packed it up to go back to Sony tomorrow morning! But you'll be able to see some video footage of it in my upcoming review of the Astrhori 28mm f/13 :-)
Isn’t it that most new cameras perform nearly the same nowadays? I checked the tests shots on dpreview and the A7Siii doesn’t look really better than any other camera even from different brands. Sure it may be different for video
Tony Northrup tested it at 51200 ISO near pitch black with f1.2 lens and it was perfoming real well. Fro explained it with dual base ISO, where high base ISO is at 12800.
Ah ty ty
It is exactly the same low light performance as the a7s iii, so there are scores if videos demonstrating its low light prowess.
This is the same sensor as the a7siii and the fx3. But has better AF, better stabilization, better flicker reduction, and better audio. And its smaller and lighter.
I thout this is a replacement for the sony A7c when I first saw it but when I looked at the price and the 12 megapixel its clearly a budget option for the sony A7s seriers
10:34 JPEG looks sharper than RAW on Sony ZV-E1...?
Jpeg has sharpening and other processing
Does this camera support 24-bit audio recording?
Yes, if you use the digital audio input.
@@markr041 thanks!
I get that this is coming with a kit lens but in terms of pricing and value this is now in R6II territory. The constant cropping alone is a deal breaker and then 28mm kit lens that comes with is not wide enough for vlogging (because of the constant cropping), and finally the stabilization is atrocious even further cropping based on the level selected. The target audience for this camera is very specific, but it's a camera they are out to outgrow extremely quick and has way more cons than pros.
Great 👍 light but price is also great for average content creator. Not many can justify this much for what they do but for some creators it is great product.
Really want the A7Cii to land...
this looks like a very interesting offering especially at those iso levels i don’t know if it’s as good as the a7s with those higher iso levels but there’s nothing wrong with that i could see a few people liking this finding a purpose for it 📸
It’s the same
Thank You!!!!!!! Love your videos!
Great review. Thank you
there is no Mechanical Shutter not for the size, but foe Price
Frankly Chris's hands are huge
Whoa mainstream camera review
Rolling shutter is visible on every single camera using rolling shutter. This camera has a read out speed of 8.7 ms in 4K which is a value the us industry leading and the only mainstream camera I know to have a better value is Nikon Z8/Z9 that costs more then twice as much. Get your facts straight.
Not sure why you're taking this quite so personally...I only said that rolling shutter is visible and I wish it were a little better, to say nothing about the competition, or its value for money
DOESN'T IT SHOOT PAL FRAME RATES???? 25/50P???
It is a cheaper version of the A7S3, and for video more than stills. I am impressed with the video quality footage. If you film in a dark night situation, you will appreciate the low light sensor performance. This one also light for travel and portability but the 7S3 is not that helfty. With 2000usd vs 3400usd price tag, I will keep my A7S3 for now and wait for an overdued A7S4..
I would argue though that if someone got the budget it's the best studio camera! I have the A7S3 and can see a new stacked sensor a7Siv with double the ISO performance and sensor readout to destroy all.
@@Bo_Hazem agree.
If the cost is 50 percent of 3400 usd which I paid for my A7S3 then I would consider, but at 2000 plus USD... Nah...
I like 4K @ 120P
I think it doesn't record true 24fps, but rather it is one of those cameras where "24" really means 23.98. That seemed strange to me for a camera that is not a camcorder, but I have since been learning that this is more common than I thought (at least in Sony models).
Really hoping for a new rx100
Chris, what do you use for 8K recording? Currently we use the Z9. Interested to hear what your camera of choice is...
The only camera I own capable of 8k is my R5 and it's amazing IMO :-)
@@christopherfrost great, thanks. Glad you enjoy the Canon. Haven't tried any canon cameras, I had a go with Sony with the A7RIV and A7IV but ended up selling them as it didn't make sense to keep two systems. I do miss the 1.8 primes however, incredibly light and capable lenses.
Bring on ZV-0 medium format!
Medium format camera for vlogers?
The finger smudge on the sensor... 💀
mmm good stuff; now i wnat one xD
Sony better update the a7iv and a7S iii
I doubt they would do that
Does this have apsc mode to be able to use apsc lenses?
It has apsc mode on 1080p only. In photo you will only get 5.1mpx resolution. In video it's less of an issue as when engaging dynamic active stabilisation the camera crops enough to have no vignetting with most lenses. You can also use clear zoom feature to do up to 1.5x crop (like apsc) without loosing any AF modes.
I like the quality of this sensor very much. I use the a7s III for stills only and it’s awesome. Would like to see an Sony a7 cam for stills only with this sensor to reduce the price. Some people like me don’t use the video modes of the cameras but have to pay for it.
Nobody talking about something that's clearly missing: Open gate shooting...
2700$ body only.. not a good deal..
How long can it record a video?
jordan from the dpreview preview mentioned 30 mins at 4K 60 max.
Do not buy better models like a7sIII or A1 these models are abandoned by sony and you will not find such rich options in them
I agree that the a7siii is abandoned, but it is no longer better for video. The fx3 and now the ZV E1, with improved hardware, are better. Again, for video.
Wow
You mention RAW image quality for stills, but most of your discussion was about JPEGs. The spec list at B&H shows still image file format only as JPEG. Please clarify if this camera can indeed shoot RAW, or if there are limitations. Thanks.
It's basically a diet A7C! The A7C eat's it for breakfast all round and for a lot less money.
A7C doesn't even shoot 10 bit.
@@CanditoTrainingHQ So what? 8bit video files look just as good at 10 bit, but they take up less memory space.
@@alfoutdoors9660 no, not if you have to edit colors or exposure at all
Compare it with a nikon Z30 & Z50
Wouldn't the ZV-E10 be a better comparison to the two crop Nikon bodies, being crop itself?
Full frame, 10bit color, better AF, stabilization, 4K 60p with no crop, and better audio. Easy. Oh, and smaller.
On Sony’s website, it’s listed at $2198. Ouch. Add $300 and you have the extremely capable X-H2S. $200 less, and you get the superb Lumix S5 II. Right now, you can land the OM-1 with a 12-40 f2.8 lens for $2599. The kit lens is Sony’s 28-60 f4-5.6. No. Really puzzling price given what it does (or doesn’t).
Nothing really new. A cheaper version of Sony a7S III because it doesn't have EVF, mechanical shutter, magnesium body. Only a firmware update.
Looks like that’s what Sony like to do recently. Every camera release from Sony used to be exciting but except for the A1 (which was mind blowing), most of the cameras just got old sensor, different body and maybe few features. The A7iv got more resolution but it’s slower than the A7iii…. But I have to admit that most of the camera make sense in terms of usability :)
No, it has an AI chip and a more advanced cpu, which is why it has better AF and stabilization. Also better audio. That is all hardware.
It could be better if it has a viewfinder.
Totally agree! They could have at least made the camera compatible with the fda-ev1mk (or a successor)...
@@carstenk.3284 Thanks!, yeah.
No, it would just be bigger. :)
@@markr041
I will like it if it was bigger with a viewfinder .. 🤍💖
@@Ali80D I get it.
Too crippled this.
This camera should not cost more then 1.5k.
No evf, no mechanical shutter….no thanks
Yeah no mechanical shutter sucks
Unless it's Nikon Z9's readout speed, well, maybe next time 😅
It's video mirrorless, what would you expect?
I hate when Camera doesn't include mechanical shutter for example Canon R8, but this camera I can forgive because it was made for Videographer.
@@carlz3955EOS R8 is first curtain only
First comment …. Very fast ….
lol. the auto framing is so shaky. WTF?
It’s because they’re walking with the camera
It's a upgraded a7s3 without EVF. I think Sony overdo their video-centric mirrorless. FX30 is pointless now. And those who shoot videos with a7iv should felt betrayed by Sony.
The SD cards and the frame rates are the exceptions but if I just bought an fx30 I'd be PISSED
@@potentiallyperfectshorts4289 yea.... I don't understand why Sony is doing this to their lineup. It's not broken, don't mess with it.
@Σ ε γ σ Yeah, they should stop innovating. Stop offering new alternatives, because it makes owners of older models feel bad?
@@markr041 Sony 'innovate' on the gimmick AI. Having multiple products in similar price range that does similar roles. It's pointless.
Sony forgot how did their E mount cameras are so well praised. First 3 generations of a7 cameras invoate properly, introducing useful specs in the successor cameras.
Sony can just bring firmware to save the fuss of new bodies. But hey, dumping new bodies looks better. Especially on CZcams.
ewww