I remember trying a full-size speedlight on my compact Sony and it basically felt like the camera was gonna tip over!! For your situation, I highly recommend:

• Godox TT350S Mini Thinklite TTL 2.4G Wireless Flash for Sony
• Meike MK-320S TTL Speedlite Flash for Sony MI Hot Shoe The Godox is amazing because it has a GN36 rating and supports HSS too. Honestly, dont go cheaper or you lose that crucial TTL automation... lesson learned the hard way haha! peace

Just saw this thread and honestly, I gotta disagree a bit with going the third-party route if reliability is your main concern. While the cheap third-party units are popular, the Sony Multi Interface shoe is notoriously fragile because of those tiny electronic pins right at the front edge. I have seen way too many people jam third-party feet into that shoe and end up with bent pins or inconsistent TTL communication, which is a nightmare to repair. If you want something that actually fits the ZV-1 profile and wont risk damaging your gear, look for a used Sony HVL-F20M. It is way slimmer than a traditional speedlight and it is basically designed for these compact bodies. It is a much better long-term investment for a beginner who needs things to just work.

• It folds flat when not in use, making it way less top-heavy than those blocky mini flashes.
• It uses the native Sony protocol so you get 100 percent TTL reliability every single time.
• You can still bounce the light off the ceiling which is gonna make those family photos look way more professional. So basically, skip the bulky third-party stuff. Tbh, buying a used OEM flash is gonna give you much better peace of mind regarding the safety of your cameras electronics.

> I’ve looked at a few options like the Godox TT350S, but I’m not sure if there are better or cheaper alternatives Late to the party but i actually had a pretty rough experience trying to go even cheaper than the Godox. I picked up a Neewer NW400S TTL Speedlite for Sony thinking it would be a bargain, but it was honestly such a letdown. The recycle speed was painfully slow and the build quality was not as good as expected... it felt like flimsy plastic that might snap my hot shoe if i bumped it. Unfortunately, i missed a bunch of shots at a birthday party because it just wouldnt fire fast enough. If you want something even smaller tho, maybe check out the Godox Lux Junior Retro Camera Flash though just a heads up that one is manual and lacks the TTL you're looking for. Quick tip: regardless of which one you buy, always bounce the light off the ceiling or a wall. Direct flash on the ZV-1 looks super harsh but bouncing it makes everything look pro. Good luck!

Building on the earlier suggestion, it really seems like the debate is between saving cash with third-party gear or playing it safe with the official stuff to protect those tiny pins. Honestly both sides make so much sense! My own experience with this kind of compact setup was such a learning curve... I remember getting my current setup and being so frustrated because the light felt way too harsh for portraits. Since I was broke after buying the camera, I went totally DIY!! I spent a whole evening messing around with white plastic milk jugs and rubber bands to create a makeshift diffuser. It sounds crazy but it actually worked amazing! It softened everything up so much and I didnt have to worry about the weight of a huge professional softbox. That DIY spirit is honestly the best part of photography... you dont always need the most expensive gear to get a fantastic result! Just gotta get creative with what you have around the house. Love seeing everyone's input here!

Saved for later, ty!

I'm totally with Michele on being careful with the shoe. Those pins look so tiny I'm literally scared to touch them lol. If you want something that's guaranteed safe for the Sony MI shoe but wont break the bank like the big pro units, you might want to look for a used Sony HVL-F20M Flash. It's super thin and folds down when you arent using it, so it keeps the ZV-1 feeling like a compact camera. It's way lighter than the Godox ones and since it's native, you dont have to worry about the fit being slightly off or the TTL failing. I spent a lot of time on the DPReview forums and the Sony Support compatibility tool before I bought anything because I was so paranoid about breaking the mount. You can usually find these used for under $100 and it basically takes all the guesswork out of the settings. Definitely worth checking out some YouTube tests by guys like Jason Vong who specialize in Sony gear... they usually show exactly how the weight sits on the body. Better to be safe than sorry with such an expensive camera!