Sony's new ZV-1 II vlogging camera comes with wider lens for easier selfie recording
After three long years, we finally have a successor to the ZV-1 vlogging camera.
The Sony ZV-1 II (Image source: Sony)
How time flies! It has been three years since Sony launched the ZV-1, a compact camera designed especially for content creators who are video blogging or vlogging.
Now, the successor has arrived in the form of a rather mundanely-named, ZV-1 II. So, what's new?
The major difference between the ZV-1s is in the fixed lens. The ZV-1 has a 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8 zoom lens, while the ZV-1 II has a wider 18-50mm f/1.8-4 zoom lens.
The ZV-1 II might lose a bigger aperture at the 50mm focal length and less zoom, but Sony is giving what vloggers want with a wider ultra-wide-angle 18mm focal length. This is so they can do wider selfie recording or ensure products or guests are seen during live-streaming.
Sony added the Cinematic Vlog Setting in ZV-1 II, which helps you to take stylistic movie-like videos from five Looks and four Moods to choose from.
(Image source: Sony)
In addition, the built-in microphone has been upgraded to an intelligent 3-capsule one. This means it recognises human faces and automatically switches its direction for better audio recording. You can also select the audio recording direction - Front, Rear or All Directions - in manual mode.
The other big difference is in its launch price. The original ZV-1 is priced at S$999 when it was launched in 2020. But the ZV-1 II will be priced S$200 more at S$1,199.
Otherwise, the ZV-1 II shares many similarities with its predecessor. These include the same 20.1-megapixel 1-inch Exmor RS image sensor, same Bionz X image processor, same 3-inch 921,000-dot rotatable touchscreen display, same hybrid auto-focusing (AF) system with 315 phase-detection AF points and 425 contrast-detection AF points, same ISO sensitivity range as well as practically the same design. But the ZV-1 II is a wee bit lighter by two tiny grams at 292g.
Based on first impressions, the new ZV-1 II looks like a sensible update by Sony. Users get the wider lens that they want while retaining the same compact form factor and excellent imaging qualities of its predecessor. The price hike, however, might be a stumbling block but the world in 2023 is a very different place from three years ago.
Pricing and availability
The Sony ZV-1 II is priced at S$1,199 and will be available in the middle of next month. Pre-orders have started and will end on 12 June 2023.
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