Sony ZV-E1

The Sony ZV-E1 is a compact full-frame mirrorless camera released in 2023. At 483 grams and roughly 121 x 72 x 54 millimetres, it puts a full-frame sensor into a body small enough to carry all day.

Its mix of a flipping screen, 4K video modes and no viewfinder points clearly at creators who film themselves and record a lot of footage. Stills photographers who prefer an eyepiece should expect to compose on the screen instead.

Day to day, you get a weather-sealed body, the Sony E mount and a single SD card slot. The NP-FZ100 battery carries a 570-shot rating, though real-world endurance will vary with how much you shoot and record.

Still images come from a 12-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor working with the Bionz XR processor. That resolution keeps files small and quick to edit, though it leaves less room for heavy cropping than higher-megapixel bodies. The ISO range runs from 80 to 102400, giving settings for dim conditions.

Autofocus uses 759 points, while burst shooting at up to 10 frames per second gives you a sequence to choose from as a subject moves. That is useful for brief expressions or gestures when a single frame might miss the moment.

In-body stabilisation reduces camera shake, which makes handheld shooting at slower shutter speeds more practical. It does not stop subject movement, so action still needs a fast shutter, and the 1/8000 second maximum gives you that headroom. Lenses attach via the Sony E mount.

The camera records 4K video, and pairing that with the small full-frame body gives a portable setup for filming on the move.

High frame-rate recording reaches 120 fps, so you can slow down short bursts of movement during playback. This is useful for details such as a splash, a gesture or a fast-moving subject within a longer sequence.

Recording options include XAVC S, XAVC HS and XAVC S-I, with H.264 and H.265 compression available. Those choices let you match the recording format to your editing workflow and storage needs.

The flipping screen makes it easier to frame yourself when you are both operator and subject. In-body stabilisation also helps control camera shake, which is useful when you film handheld rather than setting up a tripod.

With no viewfinder, every shot is framed on the 3-inch TFT screen. It is a touchscreen with 1,036,800 dots, so it shows plenty of detail, and touch input keeps adjustments quick.

Wireless connectivity is on board in the form of WiFi and Bluetooth, and live view rounds out the screen-based handling.

The body is weather sealed, offering some protection when shooting outdoors. Weather sealing is not the same as waterproofing, so care is still wise in heavy rain.

There is no built-in flash, but external flash units are supported, so lighting is an add-on decision rather than a built-in one. GPS is absent, so location tagging has to happen somewhere else in your workflow.

Storage uses a single SD, SDHC or SDXC slot with UHS-II support. That gives you access to faster compatible cards for video work, but there is no second card slot for a simultaneous copy. For an important shoot, card choice and a routine for transferring files deserve some planning.

The NP-FZ100 battery is rated at 570 shots. Actual endurance varies with recording and screen use, so treat that figure as a guide for stills rather than a measure of how long you can film.

USB charging lets you top the battery up between shoots. On a travel day, that gives you another chance to restore power during a break before you head out to record again.