Last year, Sony released the ZV-1, a point-and-shoot camera with a feature set that’s been tailored for the specific needs of vloggers and video content creators. It was great, allowing folks to shoot in 4K and plug in an external mic, while being very compact. As great as it was, the inability to switch lenses can limit the things you can do when you want to get fancy with your cinematography. If you liked the things that camera can do, but want a little more versatility, you may want to check out the Sony ZV-E10.
A mirrorless version of that point-and-shoot, the new camera combines the best features of that vlogging-focused model, but reinforces it with a bigger sensor, interchangeable lenses, and a whole load of other conveniences. Basically, it’s a better overall camera, allowing you to do everything the ZV-1 does, while giving you the range of versatile features found in mirrorless cameras.
The Sony ZV-E10 is equipped with a 24-megapixel APS-C sensor that has a native ISO range of 100 to 32,000, allowing it to shoot 4k video at 30 fps and 1080p at 120 fps. It delivers many of the same vlogger-friendly features as the ZV-1, such as the excellent eye- and subject-tracking autofocus, one-tap background defocus, Face Priority AE that keeps faces exposed correctly even under harsh lighting, and a Product Showcase Setting that automatically transitions the focus from faces to objects. Unlike that point-and-shoot camera, it has an E-mount, giving you access to over 60 compatible lenses, allowing you to expand your filmmaking options in entirely new ways.
Because it’s slightly bigger (not as big as regular mirrorless cameras, though), it’s able to integrate more conveniences than the ZV-1, such as a built-in jack for your headphones, as well as a bigger battery for extended shooting time (no recording limit for movies). While we were expecting in-body stabilization this time around, Sony still skimped on that. Instead, you’re relegated to electronic image stabilization and optical stabilization via supported lenses, although it does record gyro sensor metadata that can be utilized to better stabilize your footage during post-processing.
The Sony ZV-E10 can record timelapse and slow motion footage directly in-camera without any post-processing via a new S&Q feature, which allows you to capture 1080p video at an specified steps between 1 to 120 fps, essentially letting you speed up and slowdown in the middle of a scene by simply toggling a dial. There’s no viewfinder, but it’s the first APS-C mirrorless camera from Sony to have a fully-articulating touchscreen display, so you can angle it the exact way a scene requires.
There’s a built-in three-way mic (left, right, and center) that, the outfit claims, is tuned to pick out your voice. Knowing how important audio is to vloggers, though, we imagine they’ll still prefer hooking up an external unit for sound. The onboard battery is good for 125 minutes of shooting between charges. Other features include a right hand grip, integrated zoom lever, livestream support, and built-in connectivity (Bluetooth and Wi-Fi).
The Sony ZV-E10 goes on sale in August, priced starting at $699.