We went hands on with Canon's V1 vlogging compact to answer your questions
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission. Photo: Mitchell Clark A while back, we asked our forums for questions about Canon's V1 vlogging compact. Now that we've gotten it into the studio and have been able to spend a little time with it, we can get you some answers. Let's get right to it. Your questions The number one question we got regarded EVF compatibility – people wanted to know: Will existing EVFs work with the PowerShot V1? Canon has made external viewfinders for other EVF-less cameras like the PowerShot G3 X and EOS M6. Those units plugged into those cameras' hot shoes. However, the PowerShot V1 uses Canon's multi-function shoe, which is a different design. According to Canon, the EVF-DC viewfinders will not work with the PowerShot V1. There will also not be a firmware update to make them compatible, again because of the two different shoe designs. Are other frame rates available in the 1.4x crop mode, or is it just 60p? Currently, you can only use the 4K crop mode with 50/60p. What can you map the rear command dial to? Not much, it seems. The only mode I found where it does anything is Manual, where it adjusts shutter speed. The only option for it in the "Customize control dial/ring" menu is "Std" or "Off." Is there a setting for minimum shutter speed in aperture priority mode? Yes - you can set the minimum shutter speed manually, but there are also 7 steps of "auto" mode. You can leave it at default, or have it be faster/slower. It's not strictly enforced, though – the camera will choose a shutter speed below your limit if it's at max ISO, rather than just underexposing the image. For what it's worth, this is also how it seems to work on the EOS R5 II as well. Will it work with Canon's Camera Connect app for remote shooting? I can't currently add it to Camera Connect, but the camera has a QR code prompting you to download it. Does the lens have filter threads? Not as far as I can tell. Does the screen dim while recording 4K? I just let it record for around six minutes, and the screen didn't dim. I'm in a relatively cool room, though, so it's possible it'll act differently on a hot day in direct sun. Is there a 1:1 pixel mode when recording 4K 25/30 for added reach? Not that I could find. There's a "digital zoom" mode available for 1080p, but it's not enabled when you're set to record in 4K. Can the battery door be removed? I don't see an obvious way to take it off. Does the ND have any automatic modes? Yes, but only in video mode, where you can set it to off, on and auto. In photo mode, it's just off or on. What are the maximum recording times for 4K and 1080p? Canon has a chart explaining this on its website, but here's the short(ish) answer: with the standard Auto power off temperature setting, you can get up to 55 minutes of 4K 30, and up to 45 minutes of 4K 60. If you set the auto power off temperature setting to high, though, Canon promises "No restrictions due to the overheating" in either mode. There also isn't a record limit on 1080p footage, up to 60fps, no matter what your auto power off settings. Does the included fuzzy microphone cover hide the power button? It genuinely took me a minute to find the power button. Okay, no one actually asked this. But the answer is yes, which I think is kind of funny, and that's why I'm including it here. Remaining questions We'll need a bit more time with the PowerShot V1 to answer some of your questions, especially ones around image quality. For example, questions like: How is the dynamic range performance? How does the digital video stabilization compare to that of other cameras? How does the photo IQ compare to other cameras? We plan on putting the camera through its paces in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for answers to those questions and more.
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| Photo: Mitchell Clark |
A while back, we asked our forums for questions about Canon's V1 vlogging compact. Now that we've gotten it into the studio and have been able to spend a little time with it, we can get you some answers. Let's get right to it.
Your questions
The number one question we got regarded EVF compatibility – people wanted to know:
Will existing EVFs work with the PowerShot V1?
Canon has made external viewfinders for other EVF-less cameras like the PowerShot G3 X and EOS M6. Those units plugged into those cameras' hot shoes. However, the PowerShot V1 uses Canon's multi-function shoe, which is a different design.
According to Canon, the EVF-DC viewfinders will not work with the PowerShot V1. There will also not be a firmware update to make them compatible, again because of the two different shoe designs.
Are other frame rates available in the 1.4x crop mode, or is it just 60p?
Currently, you can only use the 4K crop mode with 50/60p.
What can you map the rear command dial to?
Not much, it seems. The only mode I found where it does anything is Manual, where it adjusts shutter speed. The only option for it in the "Customize control dial/ring" menu is "Std" or "Off."
Is there a setting for minimum shutter speed in aperture priority mode?
Yes - you can set the minimum shutter speed manually, but there are also 7 steps of "auto" mode. You can leave it at default, or have it be faster/slower. It's not strictly enforced, though – the camera will choose a shutter speed below your limit if it's at max ISO, rather than just underexposing the image. For what it's worth, this is also how it seems to work on the EOS R5 II as well.
Will it work with Canon's Camera Connect app for remote shooting?
I can't currently add it to Camera Connect, but the camera has a QR code prompting you to download it.
Does the lens have filter threads?
Not as far as I can tell.
Does the screen dim while recording 4K?
I just let it record for around six minutes, and the screen didn't dim. I'm in a relatively cool room, though, so it's possible it'll act differently on a hot day in direct sun.
Is there a 1:1 pixel mode when recording 4K 25/30 for added reach?
Not that I could find. There's a "digital zoom" mode available for 1080p, but it's not enabled when you're set to record in 4K.
Can the battery door be removed?
I don't see an obvious way to take it off.
Does the ND have any automatic modes?
Yes, but only in video mode, where you can set it to off, on and auto. In photo mode, it's just off or on.
What are the maximum recording times for 4K and 1080p?
Canon has a chart explaining this on its website, but here's the short(ish) answer: with the standard Auto power off temperature setting, you can get up to 55 minutes of 4K 30, and up to 45 minutes of 4K 60. If you set the auto power off temperature setting to high, though, Canon promises "No restrictions due to the overheating" in either mode.
There also isn't a record limit on 1080p footage, up to 60fps, no matter what your auto power off settings.
Does the included fuzzy microphone cover hide the power button?
 |
| It genuinely took me a minute to find the power button. |
Okay, no one actually asked this. But the answer is yes, which I think is kind of funny, and that's why I'm including it here.
Remaining questions
We'll need a bit more time with the PowerShot V1 to answer some of your questions, especially ones around image quality. For example, questions like:
- How is the dynamic range performance?
- How does the digital video stabilization compare to that of other cameras?
- How does the photo IQ compare to other cameras?
We plan on putting the camera through its paces in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for answers to those questions and more.
