Professional timelapse photographer and Sony Artisan Drew Geraci had the opportunity to use the new Sony ZV-E1 camera, focusing on testing its in-camera timelapse mode. “Now you have the ability to shoot and have a fully produced 10bit 4k video that’s all ready to go straight from the camera,” he says. “This reduces the processing time you would normally need with the still photos, but now you get the results instantly and the quality is honestly quite amazing! When it comes to the Product Showcase?, I was amazed by the smoothness of the focus breathing from subject to product and vice-versa without losing focus on what I wanted in the scene, but being able to change focus on the fly as well. The tracking capabilities are next level.” See more on his test below and learn more about the new Sony ZV-E1 HERE.

Professional timelapse photographer and Sony Artisan Drew Geraci tests the in-camera timelapse and product showcase features for the latest in the ZV series.

Sony ZV-E1 Timelapse Test

To test its timelapse feature, Geraci wanted to shoot a landscape scene with a beautiful and soothing sunrise. The new Sony ZV-E1 makes it easy by producing a video file that saves you time in post-processing (and looks great). “One of the things I really liked about it was that I would shoot in S-Log3, S-Gamut3, and was able to have all the information stored in the timelapse when I bring it back to post. I don't have to do any actual post-production with the footage.”

Geraci continues, “I was really surprised at how beautiful the shot actually turned out compared to even just a standard 4K still frame. For me, the evolution of using timelapse in that essence is going to be huge for different types of productions, especially ones that don't want full on timelapse work. It’s for those who just want something that's going to be seen quickly and is available quickly, but that's also high quality. The camera was able to, in Aperture Priority Mode and with Auto ISO, to ramp that exposure from day to night in the actual timelapse with absolutely no flicker. It just looked buttery smooth. That's a huge win for shooting in this regard.”

Consistent Focus With Product Showcase Mode

While using the new Sony ZV-E1, he also tested its Product Showcase Mode that gives you the ability to focus from your subject to your product and back to your subject without the focus breathing as it seeks for focus.

“Utilizing the product feature mode I'm able to register who my subject is and the product, and I get this beautiful, smooth focus back and forth as I pan the camera,” he says. “This is something that's very difficult to do with a lot of cameras because they'll go into that jittering mode. It's going to allow people to be more creative in that sense and look more professional because it's going to have that beautiful slow roll off with the focus on your subject and then back and forth if your product comes back in the shot.” He adds how great this consistent focus is for those creating YouTube videos.”

Overall Geraci calls the camera that perfect medium ground between a professional grade camera and a consumer grade camera. “Because really it's an APS-C-sized body with a full frame sensor inside of it.”

Learn more about the new Sony ZV-E1 HERE.