I enjoyed the new modes, especially auto framing whether the camera was on a tripod or handheld, but it’s a real missed opportunity not to offer a vertical crop option.Imagine being able to record horizontal and vertical versions simultaneously, with the camera automatically keeping the subject centered on both. This could be even better still if Sony equipped its cameras with Open Gate to access the full height of the sensor. Now for some handheld vlogging, starting with the ZV-E1 fitted with the FE 20mm f1.8 prime lens at f1.8 without any stabilisation, so let’s fix that straight away by enabling standard SteadyShot, which here is using sensor-shift IBIS alone, allowing you to film without a crop. While electronic shutters have the benefit of silent operation, they can suffer from artefacts including banding under artificial light and again skewing from rolling shutter. On the left side of the body are three flaps. Behind the top one are a 3.5mm microphone input and a USB C port, the latter supporting charging, power delivery and UVC / UAC output for use as a standard USB webcam, and in a nice upgrade, it’ll even now stream over USB in 4k up to 30p.

Ok let’s get on with the review, starting with the design and controls. Here’s the ZV-E1 on the left, alongside the A7 IV on the right, the latter also representing other models in the full-frame Alpha range in terms of size. Again the main feature benefits of the A6400 here are its built-in viewfinder not to mention a higher resolution sensor that’s more aimed at hybrid use, but the ZV-E1 counters with a larger full-frame sensor, IBIS stabilisation, a better built-in mic and all those new filming modes. UN Regulation 99 covers gas discharge light sources for use in vehicle headlamps. All light sources acceptable under Regulation 99 are also acceptable under US regulations. And finally the outer edge of the green frame represents what you’ll get with Dynamic SteadyShot, which by my calculations works out at about a 1.44x crop.Sony quotes 95 minutes of video recording on a full charge, but it depends on the quality and potential for overheating. Like other recent Sony cameras, you can set the Auto Power Off Temp to High and allow the body to become very warm to extend recording times. Next-up, the new Auto Framing mode which once it recognises a face will digitally zoom-in a little, leaving space around the edges to move the frame left and right to follow you – simulating a camera operator panning a little from side to side. You can adjust the speed, the delays, and the crop size, as well as recording the cropped version to the SD card and output an uncropped version over HDMI or vice versa if desired. However you choose to describe it, the ZV-E1 is unashamedly aimed at videographers. Sure it can still take photos, but this is not designed as a hybrid camera. If photos and video are equally important to you, you’ll be better-served by the similarly-priced A7 IV. Now I’ve super-imposed a red frame, where the outer edge represents the coverage when you’re using Active SteadyShot, which works out about a 1.12x crop. Again, while the ZV-E1 is designed for video first, it can still take photos if you like, albeit at a maximum resolution of 12 Megapixels, such as these examples.

With this enabled, I managed to record 52 minutes and 25 seconds of 4k 50p XAVC HS video before the camera became very warm and shut itself down, albeit with roughly two thirds of the battery remaining. The larger bodies and heatsinks of other models in the Alpha range should allow longer recording, even unlimited in some conditions. Set to 1080 50p, I managed two hours and 26 minutes on a single charge with no overheating. On the top left of the ZV-E1 is one of Sony’s Multi Interface Shoes, complete with the extra pins to support digital audio accessories, and to its right is a three capsule internal mic which allows you to switch between patterns. But in a missed opportunity, the Auto Framing mode won’t let you choose a different aspect ratio, so all the cropped footage is in the traditional wide 16:9 shape. To illustrate the effect of the various stabiliser crops, here’s a static view filmed with the 28-60 kit zoom at 28mm with IBIS alone, so this is uncropped. Enter the latest ZV-E1, which essentially takes the 12 Megapixel sensor with IBIS from the A7S Mark III, and, following earlier models, drops the viewfinder, and adds the improved microphone plus some new AI-based vlog-friendly filming modes.In these respects it could be seen as a simpler, more affordable version of the A7S III, or perhaps a consumer-focused FX3 that’s optimised for vloggers. Or size-wise, maybe a video-oriented version of the A7c. Key to decoding the combinations of numbers and letters on marker and signal lamps. The most frequent codes used in Oh and if you prefer, the ZV-E1 is also available in white, although I don’t believe Sony goes as far as to offer a matching version of the 28-60 kit zoom.

There are of course plenty of alternatives at a roughly similar price, albeit aimed more at a hybrid owner, including Sony’s own A7 IV, Canon’s EOS R6 and Panasonic’s Lumix S5 II.All deliver higher resolution photos with the benefit of dual card slots, mechanical shutters, longer recording times and built-in viewfinders, while two also sport full-size HDMI ports, with the Lumix additionally boasting Open Gate facilities. To put the size into perspective again, here’s the ZV-E1 on the left alongside the A6400 on the right, coincidentally the camera I use to film most of my videos. The ZV-E1 is a little larger in every dimension, but it’s still striking how similar they are in size. In terms of video, the ZV-E1 inherits most of the quality options of the S III, at least those within the speed of its SD slot. So you can film 1080 from 24 to 240p or 4k from 24 to 120p, the latter making it one of the most affordable full-framers with 4k 120p capabilities. Well, not quite yet. As you may have noticed in the menus, there’s no mention of 1080 240 or 4k 120 at the time I made this review, as for some unexplained reason, they’re not ready for the launch of the ZV-E1. Instead they’ll arrive on a free update in June. So the ZV-E1 will have 1080 240 and 4k 120 capabilities, but not until June 2023. In Canada, vehicle headlamps may use light sources (bulbs) conforming to either the US or the international ECE regulations. [8] :108(5)(a) Replaceable Light Sources for Vehicle Headlamps Bulb TypeFurther cementing its intended use for video, Sony’s also seen fit to remove the mechanical shutter on the ZV-E1, so unlike the S III, you only have a fully electronic shutter for still photos. Imagine how good it would be to automatically crop a tall 9:16 shape for vertical video, which could keep you in the frame as you moved left and right, while simultaneously recording a traditional wide version, even if only in 1080p. This could become even better if Auto Framing also had access to the full height of the sensor in an Open gate mode. That said, you’re still getting Sony’s latest XAVC HS option for 10 bit 4k, as well as Intra options for 1080 and 4k. Eagle-eyed Sony owners will also notice Log shooting has been moved out of the Picture Profiles and into its own menu. This makes much more sense, although means the Picture Profile list now has a gap where they previously were. which covers light sources for high-intensity discharge headlamps. Some UN-approved bulb types [4] are also permitted by some other regulations, such as those of the United States or of Japan, though Japan has begun supplanting the former Japanese national regulations with the international UN regulations.