When it comes to the world of online content, a genre that has steadily gained traction over the years is vlogging. Video hosting platforms like YouTube and Instagram have contributed to a generation of vloggers, who document anything and everything in their lives.
This is reflected in the focus that camera manufacturers have placed on vlogger-centric cameras such as Canon‘s G7X series. Sony‘s RX100 VII compact camera has been a solid performer in this regard, and the company could now be building upon that with a new compact camera: the Sony ZV-1.
Sony Alpha recently tweeted a tantalising-looking teaser that promises a new compact camera on the 26th of May 2020, which is just under a week away. The Tweet doesn’t actually have any information on the camera beyond “new compact camera”, but leaked images have already been surfacing online in the past few days.
According to Sony Alpha Rumors, the mysterious camera referred to in the Tweet is the Sony ZV-1. The site also lists down the expected specs of the camera, which include an integrated ND filter, Sony’s EyeAF feature, a 20MP 1-inch sensor, as well as a 24–70mm f/1.8 –2.8 lens.
What’s interesting is that the ZV-1 is referred to as “an RX100 VII successor made for vloggers” by the site. This emphasis upon vlogging means that we could see a flip screen that folds out sideways, as well as a larger-than-normal recording button for easy access. The flip screen, in particular, should come in handy for vloggers who plan to use external microphones and accessories that usually block conventional flip-up screens.
Additionally, a leaked press release from Nokishita claims that there will be a “Bokeh Switch”, which basically allows you to blurred background effects. It isn’t clear if this will be software or hardware-based at this point. Plus, there’s also going to be something called the “Soft Skin Effect”, where the camera will remove your wrinkles and blemishes on your skin without losing the natural tone of skin.
Here’s an excerpt from the press release, which you can read in full here.
“The Sony ZV-1 is a 20.1MP digital camera specifically designed for vloggers and content creators. It features a 1.0-type stacked CMOS sensor and super-fast AF for high quality images and 4K video. The 24-70mm zoom lens is perfect for both portraits and wide-angle shooting. The Image stabilisation helps to keep your photos and videos blur free. It has an ergonomic, comfortable grip plus a 3-inch vari-angle LCD screen with recording lamp, which makes selfie-shooting very easy.”
Lastly, some of the leaked images also reveal a gimbal or grip with the Sony ZV-1. The grip in the images look a lot like Sony’s GP-VPT2BT Bluetooth grip, so it’s unclear if this is an updated version, or if it will be included as some sort of a package with the ZV-1.
For now, we’ll have to wait and see. No pricing or availability details have been revealed just yet, but we’ll officially find out on the 26th of May—probably.
