Gael LEVEL’s YoloCam S3 review was so positive that viewers accused him of running a scam or an undisclosed ad. He opened his YoloCam S7 video by addressing that directly: the S3 was sent free, he has no YoloLiv affiliate code, and as an Elgato partner with Insta360 ties he would earn more recommending those brands. He then unboxed the S7 and, within minutes, concluded he should “stop calling this a webcam.” This article covers his unboxing, the YoloLiv 18mm f/1.4 lens, his software tests, and his honest take on price and audience.
Unboxing: 439 Grams of Aluminum
His first reaction was to the weight. At 439 grams, the S7 is heavier than his Sony ZV1 vlogging camera. The rear panel has HDMI out, USB-C data out, USB-C power in and a microphone input. On top is a hot shoe; on the bottom a 1/4-inch thread. The front shows the Micro Four Thirds mount and a small secondary sensor he assumed assists with tracking. Because YoloLiv builds gear specifically for live streamers and the body is fully aluminum, he predicted “no heating problems at all.”
The box included a robust, locking USB-C to USB-A cable, a USB-C to USB-C power cable, a wall adapter with European, British, UAE and American plugs, and an L-bracket so the side-threaded camera can sit on a tripod. The specs he read out: ISO 100 to 9600, M43 mount, 4/3-inch CMOS sensor.
The YoloLiv 18mm f/1.4 Lens
YoloLiv sent its own 18mm f/1.4 prime. As a former photographer, Gael noted that an 18mm f/1.4 is rare and usually expensive, and f/1.4 lets in a lot of light. Hands-on, he could not stop turning the focus ring: “None of my Canon lenses feel as great as this.” Mounted, the combination was “absolute professional” in appearance and heavier than any camera he owns.
First Image: “What Is Happening?”
Plugged in and running 4K60 in YoloLiv Compose, his reaction was audible shock at the quality and the bokeh from f/1.4: “I’m a little jealous. My main camera doesn’t have that.” He then worked through the settings.
Color style: switching to the V1 “cool colors” profile gave him a look he strongly preferred (“way, way better”).
White balance: auto did not convince him under his colored LEDs, so he used the manual’s white page to set a manual value and added slight warmth.
Aperture: Compose gives direct control of the lens aperture down to f/1.4; he settled at f/1.8 because it reminded him of his Canon nifty fifty. The blurring preset (low, middle, high) simply maps to aperture, which he called a good photography lesson for beginners.
Zoom: as with the S3, zooming in produced no visible quality loss, which he attributed to processing he cannot explain.
Focus speed: slow worked; medium was “way better than I thought”; fast was only marginally quicker than medium but clearly faster than slow. Face mode tracked him even when he leaned in close enough to “see all my pores.”
Exposure: auto stayed neutral without drastic swings; manual at ISO 640 and 1/160 shutter for 60 fps gave him a clean image, and he noted that the f/1.4 lens means ISO 640 is “basically good.”
Audio: the mic input adds volume, latency, automatic gain control and noise reduction controls.
Hotkeys and scenes: zoom hotkeys for a Stream Deck, a color tab that generates presets from a captured image, and saveable profiles for daytime versus evening streams or different focus setups for unboxings.
His one software criticism: he could see HDR-style tone processing happening and wanted more control over it.
YoloCam S7 vs. Sony ZV1
Placed beside his ZV1, he challenged viewers to guess which was the “professional” camera. He acknowledged the ZV1 is a wide-angle vlogging camera, not a sit-down camera, but the S7 was clearly the more cinematic image for a device that plugs into a computer for streaming.
Price and Who It’s For
He priced the body at $699 and the 18mm f/1.4 at $299, roughly $1,000 for a working kit, more than a ZV1. His verdict: not for the beginner or the kid streaming Fortnite. It is for streamers who have been doing it professionally for a couple of years and want a solid investment that will not overheat and shut off like DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, and for companies streaming conferences and events who need reliability and lens flexibility (a fisheye or ultra-wide for events, for example). The advantages he listed: guaranteed 4K60 with great autofocus, no heating problems, no capture card required, HDMI for a monitor or recorder, and a direct microphone input. He planned to keep using it.
One Warning About Field of View
Because the sensor is Four Thirds, the 18mm is not wide: at arm’s length it fills the frame at its widest. If your camera must sit close, he suggested looking at a 14mm or wider, and warned that a 24mm would be heavily cropped at desk distance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How heavy is the YoloCam S7?
439 grams body-only, heavier than a Sony ZV1.
What does the YoloCam S7 kit cost?
Gael quoted $699 for the body and $299 for the YoloLiv 18mm f/1.4, about $1,000 together (YoloLiv has since offered bundle pricing).
Can you control the lens aperture from the software?
Yes. Compose exposes aperture down to f/1.4, plus a blurring preset that maps to aperture.
Is the 18mm lens wide enough for a desk setup?
At arm’s length it is fairly tight; he recommends a 14mm or wider for close placements.
Who is the YoloCam S7 for?
Professional streamers with an established income and companies streaming events, not beginners.
This article is based on an independent review published by Gael LEVEL. Watch the full video for the focus-speed and ZV1 comparisons.
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Sharon, a member of YoloLiv, has a great interest in the live streaming industry and is learning to write articles related to live streaming.
