Sony's smartphone "Xperia PRO-I" scheduled to be released on 12/15 attracted a lot of attention for being equipped with the same 1-inch image sensor as the company's high-end compact digital camera RX100Ⅶ.
I was able to borrow the Xperia PRO-I before its release, so it is no exaggeration to say that it is equipped with the best camera in Xperia history, so I will review the camera performance.
1.0 type sensor achieves high image quality comparable to rivals
Although the Xperia PRO-I does have a 1-inch sensor, it only uses the central 12.2 million pixels out of the 20.1 million pixels it can take, and the effective image sensor size is about 1/1.3. in inches. This size is almost the same as the Pixel 6 and Galaxy S21.
That said, the Xperia 1 III's main camera had a sensor size of 1/1.7 inch. The sensor size is 1.3 times larger than the Xperia 1 III, so you can take clear pictures in low light without night mode.
In addition, one of the features is that it is easy to create optical blur due to the larger sensor. The bokeh produced by the F2.0 ZEISS lens is extremely natural and free from unpleasant noise.
It is also a point that the dynamic range has been widened by increasing the sensor pitch.
Xperia's camera is characterized by the same natural image creation as the company's single-lens camera α series, relying as little as possible on computational photography. Therefore, a wide dynamic range is required in scenes with large contrast.
Xperia PRO-I, which has a large sensor size, retains shadow data well, and the shadow color is natural and not strangely bluish like other smartphones. This true-to-life photorealistic photo is Xperia's strength, and the large image sensor greatly supports that strength.
Cropping the RX100VII's 1-inch sensor for a stress-free shooting experience
The reason why the Xperia PRO-I does not use the full 1-inch sensor is partly due to the thinness of the main body, but I felt that the main reason was to make the shooting experience more comfortable.
Xperia PRO-I is equipped with powerful AF inherited from RX100VII. The RX100VII has 357 focal-plane phase-difference AFs, but they are not located at the edges of the sensor. On the other hand, Xperia PRO-I makes it possible to use image plane phase difference AF anywhere by cropping the sensor.
The AF speed and accuracy are so comfortable that you wouldn't expect it to be a smartphone, and it is possible to keep perfect focus even on moving subjects.
Since the sensor size of recent smartphones is getting larger, photos are becoming more blurred. Among them, Xperia PRO-I was able to take pictures very comfortably because it kept focusing on the desired place by half-pressing the shutter button.
In addition, processing speed is improved by reducing the number of pixels by cropping, and the feeling of shooting with less lag during shooting and continuous shooting performance of up to 20 frames per second with AF/AE tracking has been improved.
This allows you to release the shutter at the timing you want, or shoot continuously without missing a momentary photo opportunity.
This area was a stress point that I felt was an issue with the AQUOS R6, which was also equipped with a 1-inch sensor and used a full 1 inch, but the Xperia PRO-I was a stress-free and truly "pleasant" shooting experience.
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Remaining pixels are used for electronic image stabilization, which greatly reduces camera shake during video recording. The Xperia PRO-I's 1-inch sensor is cropped but well utilized.
You can operate as you wish with the same UI as α
In addition, the "pleasant" shooting experience is not only improved by cropping the 1-inch sensor, AF, continuous shooting performance, and shutter feeling, but also by adopting a UI equivalent to α.
Xperia PRO-I utilizes Xperia's unique 21:9 cinema display to display various shooting menus on the screen. This gives you easy access to frequently used exposure compensation and ISO, giving you full control over your camera. It's more comfortable than you think
You can immediately perform operations such as,
Confirmation work such ascan be done easily with the same feeling as familiar α.
With other smartphones, I just take a picture and finish it with a good feeling, but with the Xperia PRO-I, I can control various values while thinking about what I want to express in the photo. , Xperia also responds to that, so you can take more subjective photos.
The combination of ZEISS T* coating and glass mold lens for the best transparency
Xperia PRO-I not only has an image sensor, but also a lens.
Xperia PRO-I's 24mm equivalent ZEISS Tessar lens is made of glass, not plastic. In addition, ZEISS T* coating is also applied, so you can take clear pictures.
This ZEISS lens is useful for backlit photography. The combination of the T* coating that prevents reflections on the lens surface and the glass lens makes it possible to take clear, high-contrast photos even in backlit situations where flare/ghosting can occur with ordinary smartphones.
Purple fringing does not appear even when shooting buildings and trees with backlight.
Even if you take a picture of sunlight filtering through foliage, you will be amazed at how good it is and how transparent it is.
The Xperia PRO-I's camera is sharp and high-contrast, and the bokeh is straightforward and beautiful, making it exactly the ZEISS image.
Summary: Xperia PRO-I is a product full of SONY
The strengths of the Xperia camera were the faithful color reproducibility inherited from α and the comfortable operation of AF and UI.
Until now, the Xperia had a narrow dynamic range due to its small sensor size, and the deep depth of field meant that high-precision AF was not necessary. had. However, with the Xperia PRO-I equipped with a 1.0-type image sensor, I feel that the strengths of the Xperia, which only SONY can do, have finally appeared in the photos.
Xperia PRO-I is not a smartphone that takes pictures that look good on SNS with a vague one-touch, like smartphones such as iPhone, Pixel, and Galaxy. However, they are honest and faithful to what they want to express, and they reliably output without stress.
The Xperia PRO-I is the best partner for those who understand the various settings, know what kind of photos they want to take in each scene, and know how to achieve their own expression (≒professional). I think it will be one.
Xperia PRO-I (Amazon)