Nikon ZR vs Sony ZVE1: Which Camera Should You Buy for Professional Video?

Lately, I’ve been on the hunt for a worthy successor to my Sony ZVE1.

1. The price tag of 13,999 is incredibly appealing.
2. The Z-mount offers seamless compatibility with Sony lenses via adapters, making the system switch refreshingly straightforward.
3. The 6K Raw recording and 4K oversampling promise richer detail—though I have zero complaints about the ZVE1’s 4K. Setting aside storage considerations, the chance to experience 6K Raw with log3g10 is a huge draw.

Sony caps out at 4K120 h265 10-bit 422, and RED’s color science clearly outshines Sony’s.
4. 32-bit audio and the new hotshoe mic are seriously tempting—Sony’s hotshoe mic only manages 16-bit 48kHz.
5. The photo quality is a massive step up from the ZVE1, which is very appealing. Sony’s 12-megapixel sensor falls short with any cropping, often turning blurry.

6. A CFexpress Type B card slot! A 2TB card runs just over 1,000 RMB, a huge leap from the ZVE1’s single SD slot—highly praised. (For comparison, a 256GB V90 SD card alone costs about 1,000 RMB.)
7. No overheating despite being fanless—very attractive. While the ZVE1 does heat up, it’s never failed me.

8. Screen and stabilization—Sony’s screen and stabilization are disappointingly weak; it’s hard to imagine anything worse. Nikon’s bright screen and 7.5-stop stabilization are clearly superior.

So, will I make the purchase? Not right now, and here’s why:

1. RED’s cinematic log3g10 curve is exclusive to Raw. At full specs, 512GB only captures 18 minutes? That’s mind-boggling—even pro channels like “Film Storm” can’t justify that cost. I mostly record travel moments. The most accessible h265 still only offers the mediocre nlog (as detailed on @MangDacu’s channel).

Since I shoot h265 99% of the time, and slog3 outperforms nlog, oversampling isn’t a game-changer for me. I’ll stick with the ZVE1. If ZR offered h265 10-bit 422 with log3g10, even at a higher bitrate (I’d accept up to 500Mbps), it could be a hit—but that seems unlikely.
2. The ZVE1’s second-base ISO of 12,800 has truly spoiled me.

With an F4 lens, I can shoot indoors without even removing the ND filter, and at night, stopping down the aperture enhances image quality. The ZR’s 800/6400 likely can’t match that yet.
3. Dynamic range. With the ZVE1, I shoot exclusively at ISO 640/12,800, delivering nearly 15 stops of dynamic range.

But h265 nlog seems to max out around 13 stops, putting it on par with M43 sensors and struggling in high-contrast scenes like backlit portraits. The eagerly awaited nlog2/log3g10 is still far off.
4. 120fps recording, my second most-used format. Nikon imposes a 1.5x crop versus Sony’s 1.1x, and the ZVE1’s sensor remains top-tier.

5. The cost of switching systems. Including mics, cages, adapters, cards, and accessories, it would set me back at least 5,000 RMB, with performance gains likely minimal. For now, I’m staying with Sony. The ZR still has a way to go to win over the FX3 crowd.