Sony ZV-E10 II vs Panasonic S9: Certainly one of These is Clearly the Higher Deal

If we really helpful the Sony ZV-E10 II for a lot of newbie creators final week, why wouldn’t we do the identical for the Panasonic S9? At first look, it seems like an incongruous set of opinions.

Simply over every week in the past on the PetaPixel YouTube channel, we launched our preliminary take a look at the Sony ZV-E10 II, which I known as “wonderful worth for the greenback”. A month earlier, Panasonic dropped the S9, a digital camera Chris and I thought-about “baffling”, which had quite a lot of comparable omissions to Sony’s newest. The feedback for the ZV-E10 II assessment had a standard theme, that I used to be being inconsistent with my views on the 2 competing cameras. So let’s do a fast rundown of the place these two cameras excel and disappoint, the outcomes might properly reveal what’s the higher ‘creator digital camera’ for you.

Wait. “Creator digital camera”?

I feel the thought of a vlogging digital camera is considerably outdated at this level. The basic format of pointing a digital camera at your face whereas strolling round is turning into much less and fewer widespread, however many individuals nonetheless need a digital camera for recording YouTube and TikTok movies that provide improved picture high quality and performance in comparison with a smartphone. In case your chief curiosity is vlogging, seize a DJI Pocket 3. Need one thing with extra flexibility? The Sony ZV-E10 II and Panasonic S9 are each attention-grabbing choices. So let’s get to the comparability.

Interface and Dealing with:

I’ve lengthy liked Panasonic cameras for his or her embrace {of professional} video instruments, however the S9 is a little bit of a departure. I’m completely not a fan of the gripless, smooth design regardless of it wanting nice in hand. The elective SmallRig grip was given to reviewers at launch and I think about it a vital accent. The highest dial is good, however the rear dial is extremely fiddly. My main concern in regards to the S9 is that it clearly targets inexperienced persons, however the video interface has been carried over from higher-end Lumix our bodies. So whilst you have choices I recognize like waveforms, open gate recording and anamorphic de-squeeze, I believe it is going to be very intimidating to this digital camera’s core viewers.

The Sony gives a pleasant deep grip to accommodate the Z-type battery. I discovered it very comfy with smaller lenses, however bigger skilled optics don’t give your fingers a lot room to breath. Sony’s interface is clearly designed extra for inexperienced persons, with a number of touchscreen inventive controls in auto mode, and simply understood choices like a ‘Background Defocus’ button that may get customers experimenting with depth of discipline. Sony doesn’t supply the number of help instruments supplied on the Panasonic, nevertheless.

For the meant viewers, I feel Sony has executed a greater job of optimizing the digital camera so it’s simple for inexperienced persons to deal with. Actually.

Video High quality:

This can be a difficult one. The Panasonic has a full body sensor, however fairly an outdated one. It will provide you with extra dynamic vary and improved excessive ISO efficiency, in addition to a few of my favorite profiles, like V-Log and Like-709. Nonetheless, the gradual readout of this dated sensor means rolling shutter artifacts will typically seem when panning. As properly, 4K/60P is cropped 1.5X to an APS-C sensor area, and now not oversampled, decreasing element and low mild efficiency.

Talking of APS-C, the Sony sports activities a considerably smaller, however far more fashionable sensor. It might document as much as 4K/30P with out a crop, and 4K/60P remains to be oversampled, however requires a small 1.1X crop. Sony gives the versatile S-Log3 for optimum dynamic vary, and fairly good S-Cinetone for editors trying to reduce grading.

For primarily 60P shooters, I feel the Sony is the best way to go, however for almost all of shooters, the Panasonic will present a nicer picture in additional conditions. Panasonic wins right here.

Audio High quality:

Panasonic fully drops the ball right here. Whereas there’s a mic jack with good pre-amps, the shortage of a headphone for monitoring audio is a obtrusive omission. You possibly can’t even use a dongle within the USB-C port, like on many Fujifilm cameras. As properly, the highest shoe has no electrical connections, so that you received’t have entry to the incredible XLR adapters Panasonic produce, appropriate with most of their different cameras.

Sony gives a mic jack with a very good pre-amp, the all vital headphone jack, and a hotshot with assist for Sony’s many audio equipment. There’s a very good, 3 capsule mic in-built, that may prioritize a number of instructions, and a dopey wanting however useful windscreen included within the field. The one criticism I can supply is that the audio ranges are too small on display screen when recording, and supply no indicator of when they are going to clip.

That’s a small gripe although, Sony cleans up right here.

Battery Life:

The S9 makes use of Panasonic’s BLK22 battery seen within the newest S and G our bodies. It gives satisfactory battery life, at round little over an hour of document time.

The Sony makes use of the beloved FZ100 battery, which is now present in virtually all of their modern digital camera our bodies. Battery life is constantly over two hours, which could be very spectacular. Sony simply wins right here.

Picture High quality:

Panasonic has class-leading video stabilization at this level and the S9 has no compromises. The IBIS system works nice for steady photographs, with the oddly named ‘Enhance Mode’ (please name it ‘Static Mode’) or when transferring the digital camera. Extra digital stabilization can be utilized with the tradeoff of a crop, however I hardly ever discover it’s vital.

Sony ruffled loads of feathers with the unique ZV-E10’s lack of IBIS and so they’re holding sturdy to that call with the followup. Even with stabilized lenses, there’s loads of bounce within the footage till Lively Steadyshot is enabled. Even then, with normal, slower shutter speeds you’re going to get odd blurry frames continuously. This make it seem like the autofocus is struggling, however the entire body is blurry, which is even worse. With quick shutter speeds, the standard is improved, however now your movement seems jumpy.

Merely put, in case you plan to stroll with the digital camera, the Panasonic mops the ground with Sony’s providing.

Lens Lineup

The complete body L-Mount on the S9 gives house owners entry to a big library of video optimized glass from Panasonic, and a few extremely sharp, however extra photo-optimized lenses from Sigma. There are different small corporations becoming a member of L-Mount, however Panasonic and Sigma are far and away the primary gamers. The problem right here is that it appears nobody instructed Panasonic’s lens designers {that a} compact, funds physique was on the best way. Most choices are giant and costly, and the hardly useful 26mm f/8 guide focus, fastened aperture package lens feels slapped collectively to satisfy the S9 launch. The choice, very good 20-60mm lens seems big on the lovable S9 physique. Certain, the are small lenses within the system, like Sigma’s pretty modern primes, however these aren’t low cost or video optimized.

Sony, alternatively, has quietly fleshed out their APS-C lens lineup just lately. They’ve quite a lot of small, sharp large angle primes to offset the APS-C crop, and there’s wealth of fantastic third get together choices available for an inexpensive value. I like to recommend the lovable Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 C as a place to begin.

Merely put, if you would like a compact reasonably priced video package deal, there’s much more to like in Sonyland.

Autofocus

The S9 is the newest Panasonic physique to supply part detect autofocus, which eliminates the distracting ‘pulsing’ impact Panasonic our bodies had been recognized for. With a single topic, the AF performs simply in addition to the upper finish S5 II/X our bodies, which is to say very properly (take a look at our podcast on YouTube the place I take advantage of the S5 II to see it in motion). That mentioned, it may well change into simply confused with a number of topics, and might take some time to reacquire when it missteps.

The Sony ZV-E10 II makes use of Sony’s newest Bionz XR processor for auto focus, however lacks the ‘AI’ chip present in premium fashions. In my expertise, AF is great in most conditions, however the digital camera can often second guess itself and briefly snap to the background or foreground. It might actually be jarring. That mentioned, the ‘Product Showcase’ mode which is able to deal with the closest face until one thing is held as much as the digital camera works very properly, and can be extremely helpful for YouTubers and influencers demonstrating a product. Or showcasing a product. Which is why it’s known as ‘Product Showcase’.

I’m giving the Sony a slim win right here. The AF works higher for the target market.

Worth

The Panasonic S9 rings in at $1,500 physique solely, or $1,800 with the large however good 20-60mm package lens. Don’t fear in regards to the value on the 26mm pancake package, I actually don’t advocate it.

The Sony ZV-E10 II will set you again $1,000 for the physique and $1,100 with the uninspiring however small and power-zooming 16-50mm package lens. Merely put, it’s loads much less cash to rise up and working with the Sony package deal.

The Winner

The Sony has clearly received extra classes right here, however I feel it’s additionally vital to notice the competitors at each of those value ranges. There are only a few present choices on the $1000 vary for creators. Competing with the ZV-E10 II are cheaper but additionally far much less succesful cameras just like the Panasonic G100D and Nikon Z30. Nonetheless, the $1,500 S9 is competing in opposition to the far more succesful S5 II, additionally from Panasonic which is at present solely $1700, in addition to wonderful APS-C cameras just like the Fujifilm X-S20 for $1,300 and the Sony FX30 for $1,500 as properly. Merely put, I feel the Sony’s value and options make extra sense for lots extra video shooters than Panasonic’s providing. After this rundown, hopefully you’ll agree.