Sony ZV-1 II
Announced June 1, 2023
PixelMeter The PixelMeter is our 1–100 aggregate of reviewer scores from trusted publications and creators. Weighted by source tier — not a raw average, and not PetaPixel’s own review.
Reviewer Consensus
Good
The Sony ZV-1 II is a compact, vlogging-focused camera that gains a versatile 18-50mm ultra-wide lens and improved touch-based controls. While it offers a convenient and portable experience for content creators, it lacks optical image stabilization and suffers from short battery life.
Weighted from 26 reviewer scores
Pros
- Reliable and fast autofocus system
- Improved touchscreen interface and menu navigation
- Versatile 18-50mm ultra-wide lens
- Compact and lightweight design
- Helpful built-in ND filter
Cons
- Limited to 8-bit video recording
- Lack of optical image stabilization
- Short and unreliable battery life
- Crop factor when using active electronic stabilization
- Absence of a headphone monitoring jack
- Launch price $899.99 (USD)
- Sensor 20.1MP 1-inch Stacked BSI CMOS
- Video 4K 29.97p
- Stabilization None
- Burst 24 fps electronic
What the Reviewers Say
All 26 expert reviews, weighted into the PixelMeter score.
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- PetaPixel 7/10
Should you buy it? It depends on your focal length preference, but at a fairly affordable price, the Sony ZV-1 Mark II gives you a wider lens for vlogging and maintains everything that made the ZV-1 popular with the addition of a few new bells and whistles to make vlogging a little more creative.
- DPReview 83/100
The video-centric Sony ZV-1 Mark II has excellent rolling shutter, industry-leading autofocus and a very nice selfie-friendly zoom lens, but runs into issues with short battery life and flat out-of-camera audio.
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At the end of the day, this is Sony's best option in the ZV-1 line and it really does seem like they listened to feedback on the ZV-1 to improve this camera.
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[T]here’s plenty to like about the ZV-1 Mark II, but some question marks too.
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The new Sony ZV-1 II is very compact, has a reasonably wide lens and is a capable vlogging camera straight out of the box. Refinements can be investigated as the user becomes more familiar with the options available.
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The ZV-1 II’s portability, screen, audio quality and autofocus setup are all mightily impressive, but it lets itself down with feeble image stabilisation and slightly limited video options.
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The ZV-1 II is more of an alternative model to the ZV-1 than an outright upgrade.
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The Sony ZV-1M2 impresses as a vlogging camera thanks to its versatile 18-50mm zoom lens, 4K recording options, and clear stereo mic, but battery life could be better.
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Ultimately, this sequel product feels more refinement than revolution, with Sony very much taking the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ approach.
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I think I think this is they've reached a point where this is the perfect compact vlogging camera.
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The Sony ZV-1 II is a nice light package with the ultra wide lens built in if you can justify the full cost.
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[...] I’d recommend the ZV-1 II to anyone getting started with content creation. It’s simple enough to use, though the Sony menu system takes a bit of getting used to.
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If you're looking for a video powerhouse that can slip into your pocket, we think the ZV-1 II is one of the best options around. It's a shame that so many compromises are involved, but for the most part, it's a better experience, and it's still easy to recommend.
- SlashGear 8/10
Absolutely: if you're an on-camera content creator seeking a compact, affordable kit that won't strain your arms or back, this camera should top your comparison list. Even current ZV-1 owners should consider upgrading.
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[...] I think Sony gave a massive upgrade to the camera that was already very famous between content creators, so in the range of under a thousand dollars this is definitely the best camera for bloggers.
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[I] think if you are perhaps new to vlogging, new to filming things, this could be a really good pick for you just because it has that fixed lens, everything's here.
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Now, on paper, the Sony ZV-1 II does not sound like a tremendous upgrade over the mark one, but I would say that the wider lens alone would make enough of a difference in the way you use this camera.
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Sony ZV-1 II, I will be buying with my own money. It is going to be an incredible camera just to have in my bag.
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This is probably the best quality photos and videos that you can get in a camera this small, so I definitely think the Sony ZV-1 II is the best compact camera that you can get right now.
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[T]his one ticks all the boxes that I needed for my everyday carry when it comes to vlogging and all my trips.
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I think that this camera makes a lot of sense again for people shooting just video and wanting to capture themselves, but if you want to do anything else, these two may still be a better option as I've stated through the course of this full review.
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This camera just provides such a great starting point for someone like that.
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I'll be the first to admit that out of the tiny 1-inch sensor camera lineup that Sony has released, this is by far the best camera.
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The ZV-1 was already a great product, the Mark II is next level, perfected and even more comfortable to use.
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[I]t's really the ideal camera for video content creators.
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I really, really like this camera.
