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Sony ZV-E10 - another stump from Sony

In July 2021, Sony released another “blogger” undercamera from the APS-C line of models.
In fact, this is a slightly modified Sony A6400, without any fundamental improvements.

What's new in another under-camera from Sony?

The Sony ZV-E10 has slightly changed the buttons relative to the Sony A6400.

The build quality of the case is classically disgusting. No matter how much you pay for the next novelty from Sony (for example, the same Sony FX3), you will get the cheapest materials, the lowest reliability and the inscription Made in China familiar to such products.

The body has become even more compact. Now you have USB Type-C instead of micro-USB on other Sonys. There is a separate microphone input and headphone output.

Removed the useless viewfinder. It would be possible to do the same with the screen, because in the sun there is practically no use for it. Indeed, in the vast majority of undercameras from Sony (even in more expensive models), it is simply impossible to look there without blood from the eyes. The lowest quality viewfinders and screens in cameras are Sony.

The unique phenomenon of the Sony A6400 viewfinder is that on a sunny day you see nothing there just like on the screen. While I had the A6400, I marveled at how such a level of technological "perfection" could be achieved.

Screen Sony ZV-E10 made fully rotary. This is an incredible technological breakthrough for crops from Sony, because this happened to them for the first time. But it is not the first time that they have inserted a TFT screen with an aspect ratio of 4:3 into a modern camera of the traditionally lowest quality. You shoot 16:9 video and take 3:2 photos, but your screen is slightly cropped, its aspect ratio doesn't match what you're shooting. And, as mentioned above, you can hardly see anything on it when shooting on the street. Bloggers will appreciate it.

By the way, this "blogger" undercamera is available in 2 colors - black and white.

The menu is traditionally non-working. Sony ZV-E10 has the same set of unsystematized and illogically located menu items, like the A6400, A7-3 and other bottoms.

Since this next slag from Sony is positioned as blogging camera, then a directional capsule microphone was added to the case. This is good in theory, but knowing that, as a rule, nothing works normally in Sony cameras, you can not pay much attention to it.

The camera is equipped with the same 24,2 megapixel APS-C sensor as in other similar models.
On video, you will get high image detail with good dynamic range (provided you shoot in HLG or S-Log).

Movie shooting modes

4K up to 30fps with oversampling and correspondingly high detail.
Soapy FullHD from 24fps to 120fps. FullHD quality is the worst on the market among similar cameras.

The camera writes 8bit 4:2:0 into itself, via HDMI to the recorder 8bit 4:2:2. 10 bits here do not shine for users in any way. Although S-Log on Sony crops is very demanding. In fact, it is not working there due to high noise and posterization.

When recording video, the limit on the recording time has been removed (the same as in the Sony A6400). On most other cameras, you need to repeatedly press the record button every 30 minutes. This thing will write until the battery or memory card runs out. It's worth bearing in mind that Sony turns off overheat control in their cameras. There is no active cooling. That is, they heat up, it harms them, but they continue to shoot. Which inevitably leads to frequent breakdowns and failures.

Not in the chamber fabulous matrix stabilization, but there is electronic stabilization for video.

In the photo, this sensor is no different. ISO, detail, etc. similar to Canon crop, but inferior crop from Fujifilm.

The recommended price of this crap is 700 dollars, but you will hardly see it with such a price tag in stores.

Another under-camera Sony ZV-E10 was released in July 2021, in December 2021 its shipments were suspended due to a lack of semiconductors. The further history of this slag is in question.

Marketing

On the Internet you can find a bunch of reviews with titles "Sony ZV-E10 is a vlogger's dream" or "Sony ZV-E10 is the best mid-range camera" or "the best interchangeable lens vlogging camera" and so on.

Don't get fooled by paid ads - that's my advice. You can buy this slag and shoot on it. But among everything on the market, this will be the worst choice. Brands such as Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm produce much more suitable devices for the same purposes. If you want maximum image quality, then you need to think about coverage of, not about the camera model.

A detailed answer to the question "what's wrong with Sony?"
Sony RX0 II - one-inch undersize
Reasons for Sony's popularity
I recommend my comparison Sony A6400 vs Fujifilm X-S10

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Sony RX0 II - one-inch undersize

A brief overview of any camera from Sony: the camera is the bottom, but the sensor is large. Wow, how cool - give me two! The same applies to the Sony RX0 II.

The feature of another under-camera from Sony is in a relatively large sensor for a compact camcorder.

The Sony RX0 II has a 1-inch sensor. This is the same size as their once popular Sony RX100. Both cameras are very compact and lightweight. But if the RX100 is a compact camera, then the RX0 is an action camera in size (although it is not).

See the difference in device sizes. At the same time, the size of the matrix is \u1b\uXNUMXband there and there XNUMX inch. It sounds cool, and the whole marketing around this model is built on this. But as always with the poor devices from Sony, the question arises - and what to do about it?

Let's start with the general characteristics.

15,3 megapixel sensor
Recording modes 4K 30fps, FullHD up to 120fps. And super slowmo up to 1000fps, but at a resolution of 800 by 270 pixels and a duration of about 4 seconds.
ZEISS® Tessar T* 24mm F4 Lens
Lapel screen 1,5 inches
Classic signature menu from Sony
Eye Spot AF - photo mode only
Possibility of softening the skin Soft Skin Effect
3.5mm microphone input and microHDMI output (output video 8 bit 4:2:2). Intra-chamber 8bit 4:2:0.
There is an entry in S-Log2. Minimum ISO 1000.
Waterproof up to 10 meters underwater
Withstands up to 200kg load

For starters, why isn't the Sony RX0 II an action camera...or a blogging camera?

This camera does not have tracking autofocus. Wow, huh? Issue for 700 dollars. a device without a basic function for any video camera is a very greyhound step. But this isn't the first time Sony has spit on its customers, so they're no strangers to it. It happened in 2019, by the way. And we are talking about the second version of the RX0 II. The first one was in 2017. For two years, autofocus in video mode could not be done. Progress, what can I say.

There are the following modes for focusing: PF for shooting 1 meter and further and PF Near for shooting at distances of 0,5-1 meter. The problem is that a distance of 0,5-1 meter is already shooting with a selfie stick, and not just with your hands. Or you have to have very long arms. Plus, there is a focus mode at a minimum distance of 20cm. All this must be switched with a button.

The lack of autofocus already puts an end to Sony RX0 II for blogging and action camera use. But that's not the end of the story...

Touch screen - no, not heard. Screen diagonal 1,5 inches. The quality of the screen is the bottom, a classic for Sony cameras. When shooting in 4K, you can not raise the screen brightness, it is at a minimum. If full-frame expensive Sony cameras there are big problems with screens, here it’s just a mockery of the user - to fit the terrible menu from Sony on a dark microscopic screen with a diagonal of 1,5 inches.

In some reviews, the fact that this disgusting menu was shoved into the mini-camera is presented as an incredible coolness, because the user has a huge amount of settings available. And the menu is professional - from "adult" cameras. What kind of nonsense is not carried in sleek reviews. In that menu, the basic functions to set up are a hell of a pain. The non-touch microscreen only makes it worse.

24mm focal length and f4 aperture

The focal length and constant aperture of the Sony RX0 II create a lot of trouble in many ways.

f4 lets in less light than competitive f2.8 GoPro with a smaller sensor. As a result, this practically aligns these cameras in light sensitivity. Large sensor with a dark lens versus a smaller sensor with a brighter lens.

Focal length 24mm is more difficult to crop than fishye at GoPro. On the Sony RX0 II, you need to pay more attention to composition and framing more carefully. To do this, the Sony RX0 II has a disgusting miniature screen that is almost invisible in sunlight.

The focal length of 24mm, coupled with a sensor larger than the GoPro, implies the need for focus. But there is no autofocus. Gopro also does not have AF, but there the whole picture is in hyperfocal due to the focal length and a small matrix. Here the problem is created, but not solved.

Aperture is always f4 unchanged. In comparison, the GoPro can close the aperture. If the aperture cannot be closed, how to shoot in bright sunlight to maintain a cinematic shutter speed of 1/50? It is necessary to cling ND-filters. To attach ND filters, it is necessary to collective farm rig. And this is possible, of course.

We just started with the fact that we have a super-compact camera weighing 130g with all kinds of protection from anything and everything. When you collective farm a rig, it will no longer be possible to wet it and crush it with a tractor. Yes, and with compactness it comes out so-so.

By the way, the battery of the Sony RXo II is a complete bottom. Battery recording time: 1 hour in FullHD, approximately 30 minutes in 4K. So in the rig you will also need to harness an adult battery Sony NP-F. How it looks can be seen in review from Kai.

A pen is also sold separately for the camera for 80 dollars. But it is not stabilizer adapters, but just a pen / stand with record buttons. The handle is connected to the camera via a cord. Goodbye moisture-shock-protection. For the same $80, I highly recommend this one carbon mini tripod.

There is electronic stabilization. Added for show. In practice, it doesn't help much. Before GoPro, she is like heaven. The Sony RX0 II also has stabilization for post-processing using gyroscope data. Stabilization on post is available only in the application on the phone and the export is only in 1080p.

When shooting 4K video, the camera tends to overheat after 5-20 minutes (according to various reviews). When recording 4K video, control from a smartphone is not possible.

The Sony RX0 II has the wildest rolling shutter in 4K. For a blogging/action cam, this is a disaster. This is a handheld camera, not a tripod. In such conditions, the rolling shutter will manifest itself to the maximum. But you can of course write in FullHD, there will be fewer problems.

S-Log2 is also purely for show. You can't get a good dynamic range from such a small sensor, no matter what profiles you put in there. The minimum ISO for S-Log2 for the Sony RXo II is 1000. There will be a lot of noise. Even APS-C crop Sony Log profiles are not working due to noise. What can we say about a camera with an objectively tiny matrix.

What is it all for?

We have sorted out the pains of this under-camera, and now the question is - why endure all this? For the sake of the "huge" sensor, of course. Let's compare it with other devices to understand how "huge" the 1-inch sensor really is.

Crop factor from full frame 1x

1 inch sensor 2.73x
micro 4/3 crop factor 2x
APS-C crop factor 1,5x

Positioning trick. Everyone was told that there is a sensor from Sony RX100, and after all, after all, this is a camera. And here is a small action camera. Sounds cool, but it's not. I don't think the Sony RX100 is a worthwhile camera. By and large, we can talk about a normal sensor starting with APS-C. Anything less is a strong compromise. Especially for photography.

Even in the sycophant reviews of the Sony RX0 II, with the naked eye, you can see the embossed sky and poor dynamic range. Yes, GoPro's matrix capabilities are even worse, but it does not pretend to compete with cameras. The most important thing is that GoPro is really an action camera with simple controls, good stabilization, Slow-Motion, 4K 60fps working modes and a decent picture in good light.

Sony RX0 II does not go into another segment in terms of image quality due to a slightly larger one-inch matrix. She still needs a lot of light for a good picture. And there they also installed a dark lens ...

By the way, more about softening the skin Soft Skin Effect. On matrices with such a sensor size, the skin is already a clay mess without delimitation into semitones. There is nothing to soften - and so porridge. And this feature only works in photo mode.

Let's continue the comparison by the size of the matrices

iPhone 12 sensor 1/2.55″ = 5,76mm by 4,29mm
GoPro sensor 1/2,3″ = 6,17mm x 4,55mm
iPhone 13 sensor 1/1.7″ = 7.6mm x 5.7mm

1 inch sensor = 13,2mm by 8,8mm

Micro sensor 4/3 = 18mm by 13,5mm
Crop APS-C = 25,1mm by 16,7mm
Full Frame = 36mm by 24mm

As you can see, the 1-inch sensor looks just huge compared to the sensors in the cameras of top smartphones (which were not yet in 2019) and relative to the sensor in GoPro 8. By the way, in the iPhone 13 they put a matrix even a little larger than that of GoPro.

The GoPro sensor has a full frame crop factor of 5,64x. Focal length equivalent to 16,5mm, flue-equivalent aperture f15,8. Therefore, there is no need for autofocus, everything is already there flu.

If you look at the numbers, then the inch sensor in the camera looks even competitive. Only in fact, this is all digging in the sandbox. There is no fundamentally cool picture there due to that unfortunate one inch. By the way, iPhone 13 shoots better than RX0 II.

Talking about a 1-inch sensor in a separate photo / video camera is already in the past. The Sony RX0 II was released in 2019. We can say that it was a conditional milestone when this could still be sold. Now this niche is occupied by phones. Due to computational mechanisms (HDR, faux bokeh and more) it is much easier to shoot the same thing on the phone. And as an action camera there is a GoPro.

Sony RX0 II improvements over the first Sony RX0

Can write to itself 4K. The first version wrote only FullHD, and gave out 4K via HDMI.
The Sony RX0 has a minimum focusing distance of 50cm, while the RX0 II has 20cm.
Added a swivel screen.

In other reviews

I recommend to google and read what they write about this garbage from Sony in other reviews. Headlines alone are worth something:

SONY RX0 II. GOPRO KILLER. THE BEST VLOG CAMERA
Sony RX4 II 0K blogging camera
Sony RX0 II Review: Professional Action Camera
SONY RX0 II | BEST Compact Camera TRAVEL 2019
Excellent quality, AS FOR A COMPACT CAMERA.

You read all this and think how you can lie so brazenly. It takes a conscience...

Some seriously did reviews of "it" as a camera. There is even a RAW format there ... no comment.

This is from the same series when the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III and G5 X Mark II are called semi-professional compact cameras. Compact - yes, but talking about semi-professional tasks is nonsense. Just a way to sell something to newbies.

Today people either take crop/full frame or filmed with a phone. Time of "inch" and wretched micra gone.

What's wrong with Sony?

This review is a clear demonstration of whats wrong with sony. They sell expensively a non-functional device, and people eats ads and buys. That's the whole story. But in order to explain this, you need to delve into the details. They are all salt.

Now they sell the same Sony ZV-E10, but in fact - the same garbage. But the matrix is bigger. But it all started with the matrix ...

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Reasons for Sony's popularity

When I first took Sony mirrorless in my hands, I did not feel any delight. I described this experience in article about acquaintance with mirrorless cameras... And then it was difficult for me to understand WHY people generally pay attention not to THIS.

Additional experience brings clarity to the understanding of the situation. I talked to colleagues (commercial photographers) and shop assistants and got a big picture for myself.

I will introduce 3 basic concepts:

marketing
HYIP
ignorance.

Now let's combine them into one sentence:

A specific brand, with the help of competent marketing, plays on ignorance of the issue among uninformed people and creates a hype with the aim of increasing sales.

I'll tell you my stories.

Once I went to a photo store and asked the sellers what people are guided by when buying cameras. They answered me quickly and concisely. There are two main parameters:

brand name
year of issue.

All. Most people don't get into the question at all. They buy the newest cameras from a brand that they believe in for some reason. Although most often the considerations turn out not to be their own, but imposed from the outside. If a person does not understand the issue, he relies on external authority. A hypothetical buyer takes Sony because they have an opinion that these cameras are modern, technological, etc. But this is just a detail. Most importantly, he BELIEVES in the brand. Therefore, when a new model comes out from his chosen brand, he carefully monitors new items and takes it without looking, because he has faith in the name. Faith is often blind. This is not only about cameras, by the way.

The following stories deal with the formation of this faith.

Quite recently, a friend bought himself a Sony A7 III, and another thought to buy, but I brought him to his senses in time.

The first story about a photographer

I'll start with the latter. Man has been shooting with Nikons for many years. He does not follow the news, because more focused on filming and working with clients. But it so happens that someone wants something new. Not because the old camera shoots poorly (as people who are far from the topic naively think), but because you want variety and just boring. To be honest, the technological limit of what a photography client requires of you has already been reached in the full-frame cameras of 2008 and 2012. Canon 5D mark II / III already deliver excellent quality and already know everything that is needed. What comes next is bought for your comfort and pleasure. Not from objective necessity.

So that's it. I will write in the form of a dialogue. (Z) - Familiar; (I) - I.

(Z) - What buy me a mirrorless? Maybe Sony A7-3?
(I) - Why do you need A7-3?
(Z) - There is a focus on the eyes and in general they say cool.
(Me) - You need to buy Nikon Z6. Especially considering that you have a fleet of optics for this system.
(Z) - Does the eye focus work there?
(I) - Yes. If you don't know, now ALL mirrorless cameras can focus on the eyes. Sony is not unique.
(Z) - Will my lenses fit on the Z6?
(Me) - Yes, because there is an adapter for mirror optics. Without any loss in AF quality. And with non-native lenses it's even better.

The conversation ended approximately there. The man blindly wants to buy Sony because he was told it was cool. All marketing of this office is based on this. He doesn’t even know that the mirrorless Nikon can do all the same, but at the same time it is much more convenient and not buggy ... On my own account, Nikon Z6, Z7 are excellent cameras.

The second story is about another photographer

This man replaced the Canon 5D mark III with the Sony A7-III. I was very interested in what prompted him? Considering that he has been filming on Mark3 for about 10 years. The first argument was - all my friends switched to sleepyheads and say that it's cool. They even ask, are you still on the outdated Kenon, why? It was difficult for me to get specifics from him, except for the words "this is cool." However, later it turned out:

Sonya has a focus on the eyes
Sonya has a focus not only on the eyes, but also on the pupils
Sony have been producing mirrorless cameras for many years and they have more mature technologies than other brands (here I almost tore, but I restrained myself).

From the specifics, everything, then only repeated sony - cool.

Then I asked him which lens he wants to enjoy the pupil focus with? He bought himself a Tamron 28-75 f2.8. But in the long term, he might someday buy something from f1.4. If you do not understand what is the trick of this question, I recommend using grip calculator... The difference between focusing on the eye or on the pupil will essentially arise only in macro photography. I will even say that the difference between focus on the eyes or focus on the face with a 75mm f2.8 lens will be difficult to implement in practice.

Then I met this man after a while. He wore the 5D mark III and admired Sony's eye autofocus. The situation here is similar to the revelations of people who bought a new amateur Fuji or Olympus instead of the old Canon 5D. A sea of delight and contempt for the low-tech Canon. I ask such people a leading question: what year was your previous camera and what year did you buy your new camera? In terms of functionality, the 2008 camera and the 2018 camera are very different. Despite the fact that the photo quality is +/- the same, but the AF in the eyes is really a nice thing. But for some reason a person does not understand that it's not about the brandbut the fact that he bought a MUCH newer camera. I tell this friend, you could buy a Canon R with excellent focus on the eyes. But for him, Sony is already the best and no arguments work.

At the same time, a funny situation occurs when I point to outright Sony problems... I say, nothing that the viewfinder is inoperative from the word "in general"? Nothing that the menu can not be used? Nothing that the body and grip are just disgusting?

There is the effect of a new purchase - when a person has just laid out his money for something, he is psychologically unable to criticize this device. The initial euphoria forgives everything for the camera.

And then I can be with sonivods two scenarios:

In about six months, this stuff is sold at a flea market and is forgotten like a bad dream.
Over time, more and more glitches and flaws in the camera are revealed. But self-esteem and the surrounding acquaintances do not allow to openly admit to myself that I bought a piece of shit. Then the scenario will endure and fall in love. This is like buying expensive shoes that are tight. In public, we continue to say to everyone that Sony is cool. And the fact that it presses everywhere and is essentially non-working, one must be silent and endure.

However, there is still a third option. If the camera is used at 5% of its functionality. That is, you shoot in the same mode (ideally - full automatic), do not change anything in it and do not see any differences from normal cameras - well, that's good. Although, speaking of Sonya, even if you do not adjust anything ... a lousy body, a non-working screen and a viewfinder, how can you put up with it ...

Another seller

There was another story with one popular Kiev store, where Sony cameras are actively imposed on purchase. I told in detail in this video... I will only add that sellers most often "recommend" the cameras from which they get the highest percentage.

I'll add some fresh information. For sales of popular Sony models in some stores, sellers are paid not even a percentage, but a tangible fixed amount. Other brands don't. Not entirely fair competition from the outside.

Сonclusion

What did I want to say in this article? Don't fall for marketing. Form your own independent opinion. There is no need to buy according to the principle - 10 acquaintances said that Sony is cool, I will be the eleventh dummy. Try filming before buying. It is very important. Generally, I personally can recommend, depending on the tasks, any brands of cameras. But just don't sleepy.

I recommend that you familiarize yourself with such news about Sony A7 III (In English).

Read the review Sony ZV-E10 - another stump from Sony

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