First Impressions: The Sony ZV-1 for Street Photography
Image courtesy of Sony
It took a busted finger, but I finally did the dirty deed: I bought an overpriced point-and-shoot camera. Not the most grossly overpriced one, but maybe the $735 could be considered mid-range since the Sony RX100 VII currently tips the scale at $1,300 at Amazon.
One or two of you may have recalled that I wrote a little article called Why Buying a Point-and-Shoot Camera in India Is Pointless in 2022 nearly a couple of years ago. Having read through it, perhaps one or two of you might recall my conclusion: that I would stick with my smartphone camera. Well, it's funny how an injury can alter one's perspective and ability to hold a camera properly. Just to clarify, I still stand by every point I raised in that article. Nothing has shifted, except for the splint now adorning my left ring finger. The desire to capture photos persists, if not slightly aggravated by this setback.
First Impressions of the Sony ZV-1
I've only had the chance to take the Sony ZV-1 out for a few brief sessions thus far, mostly using it during short trips from Point A to Point B in an auto-rickshaw and on a couple of daylight walks. As of now, I've only edited a handful of images, and it'll be a few months before I can provide a comprehensive review of this camera. However, for those who are intrigued by a point-and-shoot that seems promising for street photography, I'll share a few observations and comments.
Size and Form Factor
In terms of size, the Sony ZV-1 falls somewhere between the slightly larger Sony A6000 (which I once owned) and the smaller Sony RX100 Mark 7, which is, in my opinion, overpriced for its capabilities. Despite featuring a fixed 24-70mm lens, the Sony ZV-1 still fits comfortably into my shorts pocket, even with the added grip plate I attached for better handling.
Image by Craig Boehman
For shooting with just one hand, the additional grip provided by some of the plates is indispensable. Without it, I'm quite certain accidental drops would be unavoidable. While I'd love to attach a wrist strap, the space available for looping the strap through is too small, and I'm uncertain if any camera straps with a loop small enough are available. I'll be sure to update you on any noteworthy developments in my search for a suitable wrist strap.
I must confess, I'm enamored with the small, compact size of this camera. There's a certain satisfaction, as Mr. Rogers would sing, in carrying something that doesn't draw as much attention as my Sony A7iii. It's difficult to quantify, but it feels like there are half as many eyes on me as I navigate the streets of Mumbai. Let's be honest, people simply don't regard small cameras as seriously as they do the larger ones. Perhaps it's this aspect alone that justifies the seemingly exorbitant prices of point-and-shoot cameras.
Battery Life of the Sony ZV-1
Let's address the elephant in the room: the battery life of the Sony ZV-1 leaves much to be desired. I've come across a few reviews online claiming that the NP-BX1 battery holds up decently for stills photography... which tells me that those reviewers likely don't keep their cameras on while actively shooting, unlike my approach to street photography. From my experience, I'd say the battery life is easily less than two hours if you're exclusively using the camera for photography, which is predominantly my case, despite Sony marketing the ZV-1 to bloggers. I'll have more precise figures once I dust off the stopwatch for a future article. In the meantime, I'll be carrying around four spare batteries, hoping they'll see me through a long day of shooting.
Sony ZV-1 Features
In the mentioned article, I highlighted the dearth of features in point-and-shoot cameras given their price. While this remains a concern, even with the Sony ZV-1, there are a handful of features that I'm beginning to find quite useful, with one in particular seeing frequent use at present.
Highlight Metering Mode
Image by Craig Boehman
Discovering a hidden gem within the metering modes was unexpected, yet here we are. The ZV-1's Highlight metering mode mirrors a post-processing preference I often employ for my images. True to its name, this mode safeguards highlights from overexposure, a boon during sunny Mumbai strolls. However, there's a trade-off: shadows swiftly plunge into darkness, obscuring details across significant portions of the image. This contrasts with my usual approach of using the Multi mode, which delivers a more balanced exposure across the frame.
While I appreciate the shift in the visual aesthetic of my images, using this mode frequently requires additional post-processing to recover shadow details. I've found myself editing most of the images to restore these shadows. However, I'm enjoying this process because starting with a darker canvas in Lightroom and Photoshop offers creative opportunities. If I require a more conventional approach, I can simply switch back to Multi mode.
Image by Craig Boehman
In the image above, the pixels on the left representing the auto-rickshaw’s side mirror and frame were initially completely black. I had to selectively adjust the exposure and fine-tune the shadows, whites, and blacks sliders to reveal these details. However, I find this effect appealing because it naturally obscures unnecessary details, leaving it up to me to decide what to revive, if anything.
I wanted to highlight this feature because, for me, it's a game-changer and a much-needed shift in approach. Highlight metering might just become my preferred method for capturing the majority of my shots with the Sony ZV-1. Stay tuned for more insights and examples in future articles.
The Defocus Button
The Defocus button is conveniently mapped to the C1 button located on the top-right of the ZV-1. While I haven't extensively used it yet, I anticipate its usefulness, which is why I've kept it at its default position. Essentially, the Defocus button swiftly adjusts your aperture to its widest opening based on your current focal length. For instance, if I'm shooting at 24mm in Aperture Priority mode at f/8, a quick tap of the Defocus button instantly sets the aperture to f/1.8. Another press returns you to your previous settings.
To be frank, the bokeh and blur produced by the ZV-1 aren't particularly impressive when compared to the results from full-frame lenses. In simple terms, you won't be amazed by what you see. There's no striking "wow" factor. However, it does provide a degree of blur that can help minimize distractions or emphasize your subject in a portrait.
Here’s a video demonstration to give you an idea of what Defocus can do.
As you can see, the Sony ZV-1 doesn’t knock it out of the park. But a little background blur never hurt anyone.
Silent Mode
Similar to many cameras in Sony's mirrorless lineup, the Sony ZV-1 offers a silent mode, although it's not explicitly labeled as "Silent Shooting." To deactivate the shutter and other audio cues, you'll need to navigate to the Audio settings. From there, you can opt to mute all audio or specifically the shutter sound. Interestingly, the shutter sound is incredibly subtle! When I'm out shooting on the streets, it's barely audible. While this is advantageous in many situations, there are times when I do want to hear that sound to confirm that I've captured an image without broadcasting it to the world. However, there's a possibility that I might struggle to hear it at all in certain environments. Fortunately, there's another feature that can provide added assurance if I need to be certain that I've successfully taken a shot.
Burst Mode
In continuous shooting mode, the Sony ZV-1 boasts an impressive maximum of 24 frames per second, which is truly remarkable. Coming from a background where I've typically worked with a maximum of 10 or 11 frames per second on the Sony A7iii, this is a significant leap. While I haven't had the opportunity to assess how many of these frames are usable yet, I plan to do so as I continue to use the camera over time.
The Rest of It
I'll reserve some of the other key discussion points, such as overall performance and image quality, for later when I've had the opportunity to review a larger volume of images. However, I'll conclude by noting that the autofocus appears to function exceptionally well. It seems to track subjects as effectively as my Sony A7iii, which is quite reassuring. Given that I heavily rely on reliable autofocus for much of my street photography, particularly when using a point-and-shoot camera, this is a significant observation. However, I'll delve deeper into this and other aspects in the forthcoming weeks.
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August 26, 2023
The Sony ZV-1 for Street Photography Update: After Eight Months of Use
Rather than crafting a separate blog post solely dedicated to my concluding thoughts on using the Sony ZV-1 for street photography, I've opted to revise my original article. This choice is driven by the significant volume of visitors currently accessing this page. My aim is to ensure that all individuals who come across my website can access all pertinent information conveniently in one place. Therefore, let's pick up from where we left off and explore the aspects that I previously highlighted, which warrant further assessment.
Image Quality of the Sony ZV-1
Before delving into my opinion on the image quality of the Sony ZV-1, allow me to provide some context. Simply labeling the image quality as "good," while accurate, might not suffice if you're contemplating purchasing this camera as your primary street shooter or as a convenient backup option. When I acquired this camera, I had specific needs in mind: I required a compact camera that I could operate with ease using just one hand. Additionally, I was keen on a compact camera packed with features that would offer me advantages over relying solely on a smartphone for photography.
In assessing the image quality, I'm viewing it through the lens of a photographer equipped with a full-frame mirrorless camera and an extensive array of lenses. My satisfaction with the image quality and performance of the Sony A7iii, my primary tool for street and fine art photography, sets a high standard. Barring any significant technological advancements in photography or the eventual aging of my current gear, I plan to stick with my current setup.
In my assessment, the image quality delivered by the Sony ZV-1 is sufficiently impressive to serve as a dedicated street photography camera in the years 2023-24. To elaborate further, I would venture to say that its image quality may even surpass that of many smartphone cameras currently available, including various iPhone models. Despite the emphasis often placed on megapixel counts and AI capabilities, the fundamental principles of physics continue to play a dominant role in determining image quality, favoring the larger sensor size of a dedicated camera over computational photo processing.
So you may ask, “Craig, what exactly are you saying? Do you love the image quality? Are you blown away by it?”
No, I'm not blown away by the image quality of the Sony ZV-1. As someone who primarily shoots with a full-frame camera, I don't have a strong affinity for it. It's just satisfactory. While having a Zeiss lens certainly contributes to better-than-average image quality, those accustomed to extensive cropping, intensive photo editing, and meticulous pixel-peeping may not be particularly impressed.
Despite not being blown away, I find the image quality of the Sony ZV-1 good enough to work with. As a professional photographer with a keen interest in photo editing, I don't consider my decision to use the ZV-1 as settling in terms of image quality. I'm confident in my ability to make it work for my needs.
A Few Notes on Features of the Sony ZV-1
I'm offering an eight-month review of this camera due to my upcoming travels, which coincide with the usual timeframe for a year-end review. However, this early timing won't impact my overall evaluation of the camera. I'm currently using it in my day-to-day photography as I normally would.
Creative Style
You can find the Creative Style menu on page 9 out of 12 in the first menu tab. If you're interested in exploring options beyond Standard (std.), you'll find choices like Vivid, Portrait, Landscape, Sunset, Black & White, and Sepia.
I played around with the Black & White and Sepia settings, thinking it might be interesting to start with a more street photography-inspired look. However, I found that the black-and-white profile tends to crush the shadows a bit too much for my taste. As for the Sepia setting, it leans too heavily towards reddish tones and just doesn't look appealing. Despite my initial excitement about shooting in monochrome mode and then tweaking the images, I've decided to stick with the Standard profile and adjust the photos as necessary during post-processing. I've found that I can achieve better results with my own black-and-white and sepia conversions.
The Defocus Button
I understand that Sony put some effort into promoting the Defocus Button feature, but in my experience, I've found it to be rather pointless. Since you can only take advantage of the ZV-1’s maximum 1.8 aperture when shooting at 24mm, using the button for any other f-stop doesn't seem practical to me. Additionally, the quality of background defocus isn't particularly impressive. I haven't encountered any situations during my street photography sessions where I felt the need to use the button. If I'm already shooting at f1.8 at 24mm in Aperture Priority or Manual Mode, there's no reason for me to hit that button. In my opinion, this feature shouldn't be a determining factor in your decision to purchase this camera. It comes across as more of a gimmick.
Who Should Be Using the Sony ZV-1 for Street Photography?
I've been quite critical of this camera, and perhaps that might seem harsh. However, I found little value in what some YouTube reviewers and many articles were saying about it. It's a common phenomenon; genuine critical reviews are rare, especially when many are driven by viewership and sponsorships. That's not to discount the few genuinely insightful reviews out there.
New Street Photographers Getting Into the Game and Not Ready to Settle on an Interchangeable Lens System
This camera is particularly well-suited for street photographers, especially those seeking a dedicated camera for the genre while mindful of budget constraints. Additionally, there might be a niche of photographers still entrenched in the DSLR realm, hesitant to make a significant investment in a new camera system. For them, especially if they're exploring street photography and seeking a versatile mirrorless option without committing to a full array of lenses, the Sony ZV-1 could be an ideal fit.
In the current landscape of mirrorless technology, I wouldn't recommend investing in a DSLR system at this stage. While some may argue otherwise, suggesting that those on a tight budget could potentially get more value from a DSLR setup, I respectfully disagree. Especially for beginners looking to transition from the automatic modes of smartphone photography and take control of their images, mirrorless offers significant advantages. The ability to see precisely what your camera sees in live view mode is invaluable for both immediate improvement and mastering the nuances of the Exposure Triangle. With mirrorless, you can observe how settings affect the image in real-time, eliminating the need for trial and error adjustments after the fact—a significant leap forward from the traditional DSLR workflow.
If you're a newcomer to the realm of mirrorless cameras, working within a budget, and uncertain about making a substantial investment in a new mirrorless system, yet eager to delve into the captivating world of street photography, the Sony ZV-1 might just be the solution you're seeking.
For Pros Needing A Dedicated, Compact Street-Shooter
It sounds like you did your homework and found the perfect compact mirrorless camera for your needs in the Sony ZV-1. Your decision seems well-founded, and it's great to hear that it still meets your expectations. Embracing the convenience of carrying it in your pocket instead of a camera bag speaks volumes about its portability and practicality. Plus, your confidence in your photo editing skills ensures you can overcome any minor shortcomings in image quality or performance.
The freedom to experiment and capture moments spontaneously is indeed one of the greatest joys of having a compact camera like the Sony ZV-1. Its versatility and portability allow you to document life's moments without the need for a big setup or production. As your constant companion, it becomes a formidable contender against the ubiquitous smartphone, offering you the opportunity to elevate your photography in any situation.
Thumbs up for me!
