We can’t blame you if you missed the announcement of the Sony ZV-E1 earlier this year. Aimed squarely at vloggers, the camera doesn’t appear, at first glance, to be all that interesting for underwater shooters. But this diminutive full-frame camera actually boasts some serious video specs: It has 5-axis image stabilization on-board, it can capture 4K/60p 10-bit 4:2:2 with no crop, and it offers a variety of pro video features, like S-Log3 recording and custom LUTs. Now, as promised at the time of the ZV-E1’s release, Sony has announced a free upgrade that allows you to record 4K/120p and 1080/240p. No wonder Ikelite and Nauticam have both recently released new housings for the ZV-E1.
“With this new upgrade, the ZV-E1 joins a roster of Sony cameras featuring 4K/120p video recording, including the Alpha 1 and Alpha 7S III, and the FX6, FX3, and FX30 from Sony’s Cinema Line,” Sony states. “This feature enables faster high-speed frame rate video recording, resulting in smooth slow-motion footage that is five times slower than standard 24fps, highlighting Sony’s commitment to providing groundbreaking technology for all creators.”
The 4K/120p recording option is only available with the ZV-E1’s Long GOP inter-frame compression mode, while the 1080/240p mode is available through the S&Q mode. Sony has not said to what extent the new modes generate heat that restricts recording times.
To upgrade the ZV-E1, the license must first be downloaded through Sony’s Creators’ Cloud platform. Once the license is issued, users can then download and install the update file into their camera.