Vlogging and content creator market is booming and Sony is determined to dominate. The company has introduced the Sony ZV-E10, an interchangeable lens mirrorless camera that is targeting vloggers on a budget.
Some of the features that make Sony ZV-E10 an ideal video camera is a 24MP APS-C sensor capable of shooting videos up to 4K/24p without cropping. The live feed can be viewed using the fully articulating touch sensitive screen.
Sony ZV-E10 is equipped with a directional microphone with a port for an optional external microphone. The audio which is quite impressive can be monitored by connecting headphones through a jack input. You can also opt for a handgrip to easily hold your camera when shooting.
The above features are the key basic specifications that a good vlogging camera should have.
Now let’s dive into an in depth review of the Sony ZV-E10.
Body And Ergonomics
Sony ZV-E10 has a similar body design to Sony ZV-1 and is made of plastic material. However, Sony ZV-E10 is slightly bigger and has a bigger handle making it better in ergonomics.
Top Of Sony ZV-E10
On the top left side of the camera, there is a hot shoe where you can connect a Speedlight or an external microphone. You can also add a dead cat to cover the inbuilt microphone placed right next to the hot shoe. There is a video and stills mode button which is also a S&Q mode button. A dedicated record button is also placed at the top next to the on/off button. There is a C1 button which when pressed opens up the aperture although it can be programmed for other functions. The shutter button is somehow separate from the rest of the buttons at the top of Sony ZV-E10. Surrounding the shutter button is a zoom lever with 8 programmable zoom speeds.
Back Of The Sony ZV-E10
The most noticeable thing at the back of Sony ZV-E10 is a 3” (1.44M-dot) fully articulating touch screen. However, there is no electronic viewfinder (EVF) suggesting just how much this camera is vlogger dedicated.
Apart from the top control dial, Sony ZV-E10 has a second control dial at the back of the camera. This dial has clickable positions which can be customized to perform various functions.
Other dials found at the back of this mirrorless camera is the Menu, the playback button, the trash button and the Fn(Function) button which can also be customized.
Sides
On one side of the Sony ZV-E10 are the camera’s connection points. These ports include a 3.5mm microphone jack, 3.5mm headphone jack, a micro-HDMI port and a USB-C port.
As you can already guess, the microphone jack will be used to connect an external mic. Whether you are using Sony’s ZV-E10 in-built directional or an external microphone, the audio can be monitored by connecting the headphones. The USB-C can be used to charge the camera or during live streams.
Bottom Of The Sony ZV-E10 Camera
At the bottom of the Sony ZV-E10 is a NP-WF50 battery and the UHS-I speed memory card slot. The battery can shoot up to 80 minutes of video and has a CIPA rating of 440 shots per full charge. Both the battery and memory card are accessed by opening the door at the bottom of the camera.
There is also a baseplate which is used to connect to the Bluetooth grip or a tripod.
Video And Picture Quality
With a 24MP APS-C camera sensor, Sony ZV-E10 qualifies to be the best vlogging camera. Not only is the sensor 3 times bigger than most vlogging cameras but it also captures more details.
At its price range, you might think of a high-end smartphone as a competitor. But to set the record straight, the video and photo quality from Sony ZV-E10 is on a higher level.
The camera can record videos in 4K/24p without cropping while there is 1.23x cropping when you shoot at 30fps. One of the challenges you may encounter when shooting in 4K is overheating. The camera will keep turning off to cool down after less than 20 minutes of shooting.
Another video feature that entices the market is a full HD video quality (1080p) for up to 120fps. However, when using this mode, you might notice a slight cropping and a drop in the video quality.
Sony ZV-E10 has a face and eye detection which makes the camera good in autofocus. The camera also features a product showcase feature. This helps the camera to quickly focus on the object that the vlogger may be showing. The camera will then focus back on the face when the product is taken out of the frame.
Shifting the focus to stabilization, there is no sensor-shift image stabilization. However, Sony ZV-E10 has standard and active electronic stabilization modes. While there might be a little wobbling when using the standard stabilization mode, using the active stabilization will crop your videos more but will appear to be more smooth. You can also use camera lenses with optical image stabilization for more steady shots. Sony has also an added option of the Bluetooth shooting grip which may also be used as a small tripod.
In terms of image quality, you cannot compare Sony ZV-E10 with Sony ZV-1.This is all thanks to its bigger sensor which will capture better quality even in low light. The ISO range in Sony ZV-E10 ranges between 100-32000 but can be extended up to 51,200. At these high levels of ISO however, the image may lose quality and appear grainy.
Audio Quality
Sony ZV-E10 hosts an internal 3-capsule directional microphone. This microphone records good quality audio to match with your video. The internal mic is however limited to a hand-distance away. If you intend to shoot videos from a further distance than that, I would recommend buying an external microphone. When selecting the external mic, there are several options that Sony has. These include using a wireless mic, connecting via the hot shoe or using the 3.5mm mic jack port. This will however mean some more cash will be needed to buy the extra accessory.
Below is a Sony ZV-E10 microphone test done by Jason Video Tech;
Sony ZV-E10 Battery And Memory Card
On paper, Sony ZV-E10 offers the best battery life compared to most vlogging cameras in its price range. Sony ZV-E10 uses the same battery as the Sony A6100. With the advantage of being more compact, Sony ZV-E10 is more efficient with a CIPA rating of 440 shots per full charge(versus 420). Depending on the screen display brightness and the features being used, the camera may surpass the rated time.
In case you have fears of your battery draining halfway through your shoot, you can connect Sony ZV-E10 to a power bank or use the USB-C port to recharge your battery on the go.
A single memory card slot is placed next to the battery at the bottom of the camera. The card slot supports UHS-I speeds but can also read UHS-II memory cards. However, there will be no added advantage in speeds.
Conclusion On Sony ZV-E10 Review
Sony ZV-E10 is without any doubt a good vlogging camera for beginners. It is a simple camera to point towards you, press the record button and start vlogging.
Just like the Sony ZV-1, this camera is packed with features that will make life as a vlogger easy. However, it wouldn’t bite to add an electronic viewfinder at the back of the camera. With as good camera sensor as the one in Sony ZV-E10, this camera would also make it among the best cameras for photography beginners. An extra memory card slot would also save you a lot of anxiety when you know you have a back up.
Being an interchangeable lens mirrorless camera, you can upgrade from kit lens and buy some of the best Sony ZV-E10 lenses.
Overall, I think Sony ZV-E10 is quite a budget friendly entry level camera with a price tag of $800.
