After spending 30 days with the RX1R III—a compact full-frame camera that costs over $5,000—I picked up the ZV-E10 II expecting to feel like I was downgrading. Instead, I’m genuinely surprised.
The Weight of Expectations (Or Lack Thereof)
First thing that hit me: this camera is tiny. Not just smaller than the RX1R III, but lighter too—even with the kit lens attached. After a month of carrying what’s supposedly a “compact” full-frame camera, the ZV-E10 II feels like I forgot to put the camera in my bag. It’s there, I just can’t feel it.
Zoom: The Forgotten Luxury
I’ve been locked at 35mm for an entire month with the RX1R III. Don’t get me wrong, 35mm is fantastic, but having that 16-50mm zoom range feels like breaking a fast. The old saying “variety is the spice of life” hits different when you’ve been on a single focal length diet. Being able to zoom from wide to portrait-length? It’s like I’ve been on a juice cleanse for 30 days and just got to taste meat again.
The Little Things That Matter
The articulating display flips around effortlessly. This afternoon, while shooting around the yard and grabbing photos of our dog, I flipped the screen and snapped a quick selfie with my wife. No awkward guessing, no failed attempts—just flip, frame, shoot.
This is what Sony got right: the ZV-E10 II isn’t trying to be a professional camera. It’s designed to capture life as it happens, whether that’s content creation, vlogging, or just documenting moments with family. Sometimes that’s exactly what you need.
Autofocus Reality Check
After 30 days with Sony’s latest AI autofocus in the RX1R III, I expected the ZV-E10 II to feel sluggish. Nope. The autofocus is snappy, accurate, and honestly more than sufficient for anything I’ve thrown at it today. Sure, it’s not bleeding-edge AI processing, but it nails focus where I need it, when I need it.
Looking Ahead
I’m genuinely optimistic about the next 30 days. The plan is to shoot exclusively with the kit lens for the first couple of weeks—really understand what beginners get out of the box. Then I’ll experiment with other Sony E-mount lenses, because unlike the fixed-lens RX1R III, this little camera opens up an entire ecosystem of glass.
Day 1 verdict: I’ve confirmed that this is the camera I should be recommending to beginners. But let’s see what happens when the honeymoon phase wears off.
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