Small camera, big performance – here’s why the ZV-1 II is worth it

The Sony ZV-1 II is a compact point-and-shoot vlogging camera. It’s extremely simple to use, with no interchangeable lenses – I can just slot in a battery and memory card and start shooting straight away. It’s a follow-up to the hugely successful ZV-1, and it needed to offer enough improvements to make its release worthwhile.

Compared with the ZV-1, one of the major changes is the lens. The original had a 24–70mm f/1.8–2.8, but the ZV-1 II now features a wider 18–50mm lens at f/1.8–f/4. That wider field of view is ideal for handheld vlogging and group shots – clearly aimed at content creators.

One upgrade I really appreciated was the move from the outdated micro-USB to a USB-C port. It’s far more practical, and I only need one cable for charging or data transfer, which works with most of my other devices.

There’s also been a big improvement in audio. The original ZV-1 had just one omnidirectional mic, which was fine but not brilliant. The ZV-1 II now includes a three-capsule directional mic, which captures far better sound. There’s also still the option to plug in an external mic – essential if you’re creating content seriously.

One thing that used to frustrate me on the ZV-1 was the touchscreen, which only worked for focus. Now, we’ve got full manual touch navigation, making it far easier to use – especially if you’re moving up from a smartphone.

As for video features, there are now Cinematic Vlog settings and Creative Looks, letting me style footage in-camera and get it ready for upload with minimal editing. Sony clearly understands what creators need, and the ZV-1 II feels built around that.

As with the original ZV-1, the ZV-1 II is well-made. It’s plastic, but it feels solid and well put together. Over a couple of weeks, I used it, I never felt concerned about the build quality. It’s the kind of camera I can carry with me at all times, and for travel or vlogging, it’s a reliable, compact option.

Despite its small size, Sony has put thought into comfort. The deep grip offers a good hold, even when handling gets tricky. There’s also a standard quarter-inch thread on the base, so if I want to mount it on a tripod, gimbal, or support rig, I can do so easily.

In terms of physical specs, the camera measures 105.5mm × 60mm × 46.7mm and weighs 292g. It’s light and compact, which makes it very easy to carry and pack.

The fully articulated flip-out LCD screen is one of the key design features I really like. I can fold it inwards to protect it when not in use or flip it out and rotate it to face the back, side, or front of the camera. This kind of flexibility is more in line with what I’d expect from a professional video setup, and it really helps for shooting at different angles or in selfie mode.

Although it’s a compact camera, Sony has included a decent number of customisable buttons, which is a bonus. The touchscreen also makes navigating menus much easier. That said, it’s still a Sony menu system, so some options take time to find. Once I’d set up my “My Menu” section, I found I could get to everything I needed pretty quickly – it just took a little time to get used to it.

Another useful feature is the USB-C port, which makes charging and file transfer simple. It’s great to see this included, and it should be standard on all modern cameras now.

Other ports include HDMI Type-D for external displays and a 3.5mm mic input. There’s no headphone jack for monitoring, but I used my DJI Mic 2 system, which allows headphone monitoring through the receiver – a good workaround for anyone wanting better audio control.

At the heart of the ZV-1 II is a 1-inch, 20.1-megapixel Exmor RS CMOS sensor. What stands out is the inclusion of a built-in ND filter, which is rare for a compact – or even a mirrorless – camera. This shows the ZV-1 II has been designed with video in mind, letting me follow the 180° shutter rule and achieve a more cinematic look without extra gear.

Among the more standard features, there’s face priority auto exposure and eye autofocus. Both are particularly helpful when I’m filming myself or others and not behind the camera. The camera takes care of exposure and focus without much input, which is ideal for creators who want to focus on content rather than camera settings.

A standout mode that’s become popular on Sony cameras is Product Showcase. This shifts the focus from the presenter to the object held up, which is perfect for product reviews and similar content. It’s a small detail, but really useful for YouTubers.

I also liked the background defocus shortcut. It mimics the shallow depth of field or portrait mode effect from a smartphone, but it is done properly with optics, so it looks much better. Paired with the ND filter, it gives me plenty of creative control.

The USB-C port is more than just for charging or data – it also lets me use the camera as a webcam. Combined with the improved three-capsule microphone, the ZV-1 II is a solid choice for live streaming or Zoom calls.
Creative Looks and Cinematic Vlog settings give me in-camera options to stylise footage. I found a look I liked and mostly stuck with it, which saved editing time later.

Other touches I appreciated include the bokeh control button and the improved touchscreen, which now allows for full menu navigation. It’s starting to feel more like a smartphone in terms of ease of use, and that transition is helped by Sony’s experience with mobile tech.

Finally, the built-in zoom lens offers up to 4× zoom, starting at an ultra-wide 18mm – ideal for selfie video. It’s a flexible setup, and all these features together make the ZV-1 II a strong package. It’s not cheap, but it certainly delivers a lot for the price.

From the outset, the Sony ZV-1 II felt quite different to what I’m used to. The small, compact size makes it easy to carry, and the autofocus system is impressively quick. Whether I was shooting subjects or filming selfie videos, the face and eye tracking were incredibly responsive and reliable, which really stood out during day-to-day use.

I also noticed how well the camera handled exposure shifts. Moving between light and shadow, the exposure adjusted quickly and smoothly without any jarring transitions. Using the Intelligent Auto mode showed me just how refined this camera is. It’s clearly designed for those starting out in content creation – people looking to move beyond their smartphones to something with more control and quality without making things overly complicated.

One surprise was the onboard microphone quality. While I wouldn’t rely on the internal mics for all situations, the built-in three-capsule mic picked up clear audio and did a decent job for its size. It didn’t isolate vocals perfectly, but that’s expected with onboard audio. Being able to plug in the DJI Mic 2 was a major plus. Although there’s no headphone jack on the camera itself, I could monitor through the DJI receiver, which made for an effective workaround.

The 1-inch sensor also impressed me. I’ve seen similar sensors in cameras like the Insta360 series, and the performance here is on par. The footage has great tone and detail, and the motion is smooth – making it hard to believe it was shot on a compact. Shooting in V-Log adds further flexibility in post, and when applying LUTs, I was able to get some great-looking results. That said, I wouldn’t push the sensor too hard in low light, especially with V-Log active, as noise starts to creep in. But overall, 4K performance was excellent.

There is some rolling shutter, especially with quick horizontal panning – though, in fairness, that’s something I’ve seen on many cameras in this class. It’s not a dealbreaker, just something to be aware of, and can usually be worked around with slower movements or different framing.
Low-light video performance was decent, with expected levels of noise for a sensor this size. Still, the image quality was impressive, even though the ZV-1 II clearly aimed more at video creators. I wouldn’t hesitate to use the stills for social or web use.

Battery life is one of the compromises. Shooting 4K video, I managed around 45 to 60 minutes per charge. With only one battery in the review unit, early outings were limited to about 30 minutes of recording. I carried a UGREEN power bank, which helped top it up, but recharging takes time. If you’re serious about using this for content creation, I’d definitely recommend picking up at least two extra batteries to get a full few hours of shooting.

After testing, I can say I really like the Sony ZV-1 Mark II – just as I did the original ZV-1. These are compact, easy-to-use cameras and a great step up if you’re upgrading from a smartphone, especially if you already use Sony gear.

The 20.1-megapixel sensor captures excellent stills, and the video quality is impressive. It’s hard to believe it’s all coming from such a small camera, but with Sony’s finely tuned 18–50mm lens and f/1.8–f/4 range, the footage looks far more polished than I expected.

Shooting in Log and applying LUTs in post gives a lot of flexibility. It’s a feature I really appreciated when editing. While audio has improved massively from the ZV-1, I’d still recommend using an external mic like the DJI Mic 2 for vocal work. If you’re producing professional content, external audio makes a big difference.

There are other features that make this camera especially useful – the built-in ND filters, for example, are a real bonus. Combining those with V-Log support gives you a compact yet powerful setup for content creation, and the feature set really does reflect the camera’s price.

Overall, 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. The video quality is excellent, and paired with a couple of extra batteries and a good mic setup, it becomes a very capable package. A grip like the PGYTECH MantisPod also helps with handling.

While it’s not a pro-level camera, the footage holds up well for supporting shots or even light professional use. If you’re upgrading from a smartphone or even the original ZV-1, this is a strong step up.