What’s Changed? The Sony ZV-1 II Digital Camera offers a few noteworthy changes to the previous-gen ZV-1. Its built-in 18-50mm f/1.8-4.0 lens gives you a wider field of view than the ZV-1’s 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8 lens, its battery life is slightly extended, a USB Type-C port facilitates direct AC power and on-the-go charging, and a few additional features aimed at content creators.

Designed for Content Creators and Vloggers. The Sony ZV-1 II Digital Camera has a host of features designed for content creators and influencers. Its rear LCD with side flip-out design, built-in front-facing three-capsule mic, Face Priority Auto-Exposure, Soft Skin effect, Background Defocus feature, Product Showcase setting, Active SteadyShot image-stabilization system, large REC button, right-hand grip, and compact, lightweight design all make it a particularly vlogger-friendly camera.

20.1MP 1-inch BSI Stacked Sensor. The imaging aspect of the sensor is unchanged from the original ZV-1, using the same 1-inch BSI CMOS sensor with integrated DRAM chip. Sony’s crammed an intricate phase-detection autofocus system on the chip as well. The BIONZ X image processor gives you high speeds across the board. This camera tops out at 24 fps continuous shooting with autofocus for bursts up to 189 JPG/80 RAW frames before hitting the buffer wall. The processor also boasts an ISO range of 125 to 12,800 (80 to 12,800 in extended mode).

Fast-Aperture Zoom Lens. The ZV-1 boasts a Carl Zeiss 18-50mm f/1.8-4.0 Vario-Sonnar T* (equivalent) lens that gives you a wider field of view than the 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8 lens found on the previous-gen ZV-1. It has just the range you need to frame vlog entries, group selfies, narrow indoor shots, and more.

UHD 4K Video. This camera captures UHD 4K video at 24/30 fps in XAVC S format, and in Full HD at up to 120 fps for expressive slow-motion. For advanced users, S-Log2 gamma is accessible, providing 8-bit, 4:2:0 sampling internally recorded. S-Log3 is also available, giving you an effective 14-stop dynamic range with increased grading control in the image’s shadow to mid-tone regions. For more demanding shoots, the ZV-1 Mark II offers a Micro-HDMI output for 4:2:2 uncompressed video to an external recorder.

Cinematic Vlog Mode. Cinematic Vlog mode, which you can activate with a single press of an onscreen button, instantly gives you a more cinematic look by giving you a 2.35:1 cinematic widescreen crop and 24 fps frame rate, although the footage is still output at 16:9 UHD. Cinematic Vlog mode also gives you the option to apply Moods—which adjust color response, and Looks—which adjust tonal response and contrast, in any combination to give your videos the exact vibe you want.

Additional Vlogging-Specific Video Features. The ZV-1 Mark II includes a few automated video modes meant to simplify the creation of high-quality, production-ready video for people creating content on their own. The My Image Style feature gives you onscreen camera-settings buttons labeled in non-technical, layperson’s terms, making it easy to get your image just right. The Product Showcase mode overrides face-detection autofocus and gives temporary focus priority to items held in front of the camera. The ZV-1 II supports instant time-lapse and hyper-lapse settings with fully customizable frame rates, recording, light, and interval parameters. When you’re using the XAVC S format, you can replay movies at up to 10x slow motion in Full HD resolution at 120 fps.

Fast Hybrid Autofocus. This on-sensor hybrid autofocus system has 315 phase-detection points for stills and 273 phase-detection points for video that cover 65% of the frame, while a 425-area contrast-detection system provides fast, accurate focusing in a variety of situations. It locks onto subjects quickly, and its Real-Time Tracking feature gives you AI-based tracking for moving subjects. Real-Time Eye AF gives you sharp portraits of humans and animals alike.

Side Flip-Out LCD and Audio Options. A rear 3.0-inch, 921.6k-dot touchscreen LCD features a side flip-out design that’s great for filming yourself and taking selfies with ease. The camera’s top plate incorporates a directional three-capsule mic built for forward-directional audio recording, and there’s a 3.5mm mic port and a Multi-Interface Shoe to accommodate external mics and accessories.

Vlogger-Friendly Controls. This camera offers control options optimized for content creators. There’s a giant Record button for ease of use when vlogging, and a dedicated function button that can be programmed to offer quick adjustments of several different functions, allowing users to forego menu diving.

Built-In Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Integrated Bluetooth and Wi-Fi let you instantly transfer images to your mobile device so that you can easily share them on social media, in email, and to the cloud. Once you’ve connected the camera to Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, it can display a live-view image on its screen. You can use Sony’s Imaging Edge mobile app to connect to a smartphone using a QR code.

User Flexibility. The ZV-1 Mark II records images/video to UHS-1 SDHC/XC memory cards (not included) and is powered by the NP-BX1 rechargeable lithium battery rated for roughly 290 shots or 45 to 75 minutes of 4K recording time per charge. A USB-C port lets you charge the camera on the go and enables direct AC power. Please note that 4K video capture in S-Log2 and S-Log3 requires a UHS-I Class 3 or faster memory card.