Rangefinder is a member of the Technical Image Press Association, which has contracted with Image Engineering for detailed lab tests of cameras. Here, the Sony ZV-E10 is lab tested and we digest the results for you, good and bad.

How many vloggers are out there in the universe? After a few minutes (okay, seconds) of Googling, we’re still not sure, but it seems like a lot. What we do know is that there’s enough enthusiasm around the medium that when Sony announced the ZV-E10 camera, they hailed it as “built from the ground up” for vloggers specifically.

In practice, that means Sony funneled its considerable video technologies and design chops into a camera that should appeal to video creators and filmmakers, particularly those not fully comfortable with their video skills.

[Read: What’s Inside My Camera Bag: Filmmaker Jordan Bunch’s Go-To Gear for Documentary Shoots]

The camera features a 24-megapixel APS-C-sized image sensor with an ISO range of 100 to 32,000 (expandable to 50 to 51,200). It uses a Sony E-mount.

The ZV-E10 can record 4K video (3840 x 2160) at up to 30fps and full HD video at 120 fps. There’s electronic stabilization for video with an Active Mode to compensate for handheld shooting. Its video-friendly features include a “Background Defocus” mode for video and a vary-angle LCD display for easily framing selfies while accommodating on-camera microphones, Fast Hybrid AF and Real-time Eye AF for video with Real-time Tracking. It supports live-streaming and can be used as a webcam. (A note about the display: it’s a touchscreen that supports touch focusing but you can’t actually navigate the on-screen menu via touch.)

For audio recording, the camera employs a three-way, on-camera mic and there’s a dead cat wind screen included in the package.

You can learn more about the ZV-E10’s features here.

The Sony ZV-E10: Resolution is Consistent as You Push ISO

At ISO 100, the Sony ZV-E10 can resolve 94 percent of its sensor’s theoretical maximum (tested using the Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM lens). That’s decent, but it trails competitive APS-C models like Nikon’s new Z fc, which can resolve 99 percent of its sensor’s theoretical maximum at base ISO, or Fujifilm’s X-S10 (104 percent).

The ZV-E10’s resolving power stays consistent through ISO 1600, where it dips to 89 percent. Notably, the camera continues at this resolving power through ISO 6400. At the maximum ISO tested by Image Engineering, ISO 12,800, the ZV-E10 slips to 83 percent. By contrast, Fujifilm’s more photo-friendly X-S10 is delivering 95 percent of its sensor’s theoretical maximum resolution at ISO 12,800.

[Read: Adobe Premiere Elements 2021: New Guided Video Editing]

Image Engineering found that the Sony  ZV-E10 applies mild sharpening along high-contrast edges. Sharpening will be strongest at ISO 3200, but the amount of sharpening remains generally consistent throughout the ISO values evaluated by Image Engineering.

The ZV-E10’s Noise is Under Control

Like many cameras tested these days, the ZV-E10 does a fine job controlling image noise, particularly when viewing output as small or large prints.

When viewing the ZV-E10’s files on a digital display at 100 percent magnification, the most challenging viewing condition, noise won’t be visible until ISO 800. That’s about on par with its aforementioned competitors. By ISO 3200, Image Engineering found that noise is “easier to see” and “distinct” by ISO 12,800 in this exacting viewing test.

[Read: Lecia SL2-S Test Results: A Sharp Shooter]

Noise is well under control when viewing the ZV-E10’s images as a postcard-sized print or a large print, where it rears its splotchy head at ISO 12,800. That’s not quite as good as the Nikon Z fc, which didn’t produce any visible image noise when viewing output as a print.

Dynamic Range & Color are Where the Sony ZV-E10 Really Delivers

Dynamic range, which is so important for both stills and video, was deemed excellent with over 10 stops when the camera is set to ISO 100 and 400 (shooting stills). That’s similar to what the Fujifilm S-X10 produced, and better than Nikon’s Z fc (9.3 stops of dynamic range at base ISO).

Color reproduction is equally solid, with the camera only showing four strong deviations from the reference target. The questionable colors were two cobalt blues and two deep purples. This is considerably better than the Nikon Z fc, which had 16 colors veer off strongly from their reference target. It’s not quite as good as the S-X10, though, which had zero (count ‘em) strong color deviations.

Sony’s ZV-E10 will also provide consistently accurate automatic white balance throughout its ISO range.

Video in the Spotlight          

Given its target audience of video content producers, Image Engineering had some good news: the video performance doesn’t disappoint.

The camera’s resolving power when filming in 4K was excellent at both low and high ISO values. Examining a still image extracted from a 4K video frame revealed that the camera is capable of resolving 107 percent of the theoretical resolution at low ISO and 102 percent at high ISO. That’s better than the performance when shooting stills.

Sharpening was found to be “fairly strong” and stronger still along low-contrast edges. By ISO 1600, the sharpening effect is less noticeable.

[Read: Sony A1 Review: A Furiously Fast Full Frame]

As far as visual noise is concerned, it wasn’t found in any viewing condition tested at ISO 100. At ISO 1600, a still frame extracted from 4K video and viewed at 100 percent would show some noise, but it wouldn’t be visible in a small or large print.

You’ll enjoy over 10 stops of dynamic range at ISO 100 and the dynamic range is fairly consistent throughout the lower ISO values. By ISO 1600, it’s still 9.6 stops. Image Engineering found the white balance to be decent. Color reproduction was also good, but it will show a bit more variance during video than the performance when shooting stills.

As far as autofocus tracking during video, it worked “without a hitch.”

Sony ZV-E10: Performance Results

The Sony ZV-E10 starts up at a rather stately 1.8 seconds, slower than both of its aforementioned competitors.

When set to burst mode, the ZV-E10 records 8 frames per second (either JPEG or RAW format) until the memory card is full. It’s not quite as fast as the Nikon Z fc, but it’s capable of continuous recording without stopping, where the faster Nikon will slow down after around 100 frames.

Autofocus was tested using the Sony FE 28-70mm. F/ 3.5-5.6 OSS lens. In bright light (300lx), the camera’s autofocus was clocked at a third of a second for a total capture time of half a second from shutter press to image capture. In low light (30lx) autofocusing was clocked at two-fifths of a second with a total shooting time of 0.6 of a second.

Price: $700 (body)

www.sony.com