I tested Sony’s successor to one of its most popular vlogging cameras, and it blew me away

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• Sony’s ZV-E10 II packages great build quality for $998.
• The higher bitrate delivers higher video quality.
• There’s a new 120fps slow motion video option.

Sony developed a great reputation with its ZV-E10 vlogging camera, and now it’s back with the ZV-E10 II. This camera is an answer for content creators (and vloggers) looking to improve their video quality above their trusty smartphone or point-and-shoot cameras, as well as get into a better image sensor and lenses. I got my hands on the ZV-E10 II to see if the updates are noteworthy, or if it’s an overhyped update we’ve seen from many of our favorite consumer tech brands touting minor updates as “the next big upgrade.”

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The prosumer community has been quite vocal about some of the latest offerings from tech giants being presented as “upgrades” when they’re merely “updates.” The Canon R5 II<!–>, for example, offered a new autofocus capability, but not much else that the original R5 didn’t already have.

So, what has Sony done with its vlogging camera? Updates or upgrades?

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Technical notes

The ZV-E10 II vlogging camera has a 26-megapixel APS-C image sensor now backed with an improved image processor (Bionz XR). This is great for still images. The primary audience for this camera is video creators, so the stills capabilities are most likely useful for grabbing great thumbnails.

Sony has also improved that autofocus thanks to the new processor. Like with the previous ZV-E10, touch autofocus (AF) is also available. Sure, the AF will lock on to human faces with ease, but if you’re working on a different photo composition where you would like to pull focus from a foreground subject to something slightly deeper in the field of view, a tap will lock on quickly for seamless focus pulling. I just used a video term (focus pulling) here, so I’ll just go ahead and get into the video specs.

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The ZV-E10 II can shoot video in 4K (UHD) up to 60 frames per second and 1080P (HD) up to 120 frames per second. The high 120 frames per second frame rate is great for capturing smooth slow motion footage. There are two caveats: sensor size and resolution (HD instead of UHD).

As with most vlogging cameras, the ZV-E10 II captures audio via an internal mic array. Sony factored in scenarios most vloggers encounter when capturing footage and audio by having the mic automatically adjust its focus between a few modes: front audio, rear audio, all directions, and auto.

I didn’t find the auto function to be spot on each time, but in most cases the audio was usable. Fortunately, it’s really easy to change the mode from front to rear or vice versa with just a tap on the touch LCD. Sony was even kind enough to offer a wind muff to attach to the camera’s mic array, which helped cut down on the low frequency wind rumble you might hear in a windy location.

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When shooting video, you have a few options to consider, just as in the previous ZV-E10L: standard Rec 709 display or S-Log3. S-Log3 is how Sony lets video creators shoot in a flat LOG profile, allowing for more flexibility in color correction and color grading in post.

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In addition to the S-log3 option, you can utilize creative LUTs (lookup tables) for recording video. In layman’s terms, consider a LUT as like a filter on Instagram. LUTs provide a certain creative aesthetic for video footage. The ability to import LUTs to the camera is similar to most upper-tier and more expensive video cameras on the market today. Sony offers several different LUTs and looks on its site to help you get started with your video’s look and feel.

What I like about the ZV-EV10 II

First off, the ZV-EV10 II feels much better in the hands than its predecessor. Sony updated the primary grip to be slightly deeper and a little more comfortable. The buttons and dials have the typical Sony quality, and feel great in their positions.

The image quality and video quality is also quite nice, but that’s something you can say about most cameras these days (even digital cameras that cost $500). The ability to shoot in LOG format for more dynamic range and creative flexibility in post is key.

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Also, being able to shoot in 120 frames per second on a camera that’s not an iPhone is always a pleasure. Just know that on this APS-C sensor, you’ll still need adequate lighting to cover the shutter speed of 1/250 seconds, and remember your resolution will only be in HD. Shooting stills on this camera is nice for street photographers looking for a light camera body that offers great image quality and dynamic range.

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The E Mount is helpful because there are many great lenses available for Sony APS-C camera bodies, including third-party lenses. This allows for even more creativity in composition if you want to shoot wide, tight, or even with a wide open aperture. Sony offers a kit lens with a 16-55mm focal length – it’s not bad, but there’s definitely better glass on the market.

What I’d like to see with the next model

The ZV-E10 II has a great sensor and an updated processor for better video quality (10-bit), but it still lacks when it comes to shooting in 4K. You’re faced with two compromises: if you’re shooting in 30 frames per second or less, your video is oversampled from 6K, but if you’re shooting in a 60 frames per second for something like a sports highlight reel, the video image is cropped by about 10%, offering 4K on a 5.6K sensor size.

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It’s nice that the image processor offers faster autofocus and 10-bit video, but I wish the full sensor was used regardless of the frame rate chosen. If you opt to turn on the digital image stabilization, you’ll get yet another 10% crop on your footage. The stabilization is ok, but the cropping can be problematic in certain compositions. 

Also, when vlogging in vertical format, I noticed that the LCD isn’t on the same plane as the lens. So, when you’re filming yourself, the LCD looks as if it’s tilted back slightly. Don’t try to adjust it, you’ll break the screen hinge. I kept trying to adjust it and had to stop myself.

From an audio standpoint, the mic automation is nice, but the quality of the audio is still no different from what you’d hear on a smartphone or an action camera. Do yourself a favor and purchase a standalone shotgun microphone that you can mount to the ZV-E10 II. It will sound much better. I’m not saying the audio is horrible on the standard mic array, but there are better options.

As for the micro HDMI, I wish all camera makers would ditch this port for a full-size HDMI port. It’s much safer and doesn’t take up that much more real estate on the camera’s motherboard. 

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My final issue isn’t as much of a Sony problem as it is an Adobe problem. Shooting raw images on the ZV-EV10 II (at the time of writing) is fruitless if you’re using Adobe Lightroom. You’ll have to shoot in JPG instead. If you’re just shooting street photography, JPG is fine. At any rate, open the raw files with an app such as Raw Therapee, for now.

ZDNET’s buying advice

The Sony ZV-EV10 II<!–> vlogging camera is impressive for both stills and video. Sony does a great job with its color science and making your subject shine. Is this camera $300 better than its predecessor? That’s a tough call. If you’re using this camera as a webcam for your livestreaming or day-to-day vlogging, then it may not be worth the additional $300.

If, however, you’re looking to get more creative by implementing quality slow motion or greater flexibility in post-processing for color grading, this is definitely worth it. 10-bit video is great and can go a long way in future-proofing yourself with a camera body that has the flexibility of E mount, APS-C, and high quality video capture to boot.