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Posts Tagged ‘Xperia’

The Xperia 1 is Sony’s first triple-cam phone and comes with a 21:9 display

26 Feb

Sony has unveiled the Xperia 1 at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and the new flagship is the Japanese manufacturer’s first device to offer a triple-camera setup. The rear camera comes with three 12MP modules. The primary camera uses a 1/2.6” image sensor and fast F1.6 lens with OIS and Dual-Pixel autofocus. There are also a tele-module with 1/3.4″ sensor, F2.4 aperture and 52mm equivalent focal length, and a 16mm ultra-wide with 1/3.4″ sensor and F2.4 aperture.

Eye autofocus, which tracks the eyes of a human subject in the frame, has been ported from Sony’s stand-alone cameras and the 1 is also capable of recording Raw image files.

In video mode the camera records 4K HDR footage in a 21:9 cinema aspect ratio. The new Cinema Pro App, which is based on technologies from Sony’s pro video division, allows manual control over some video parameters, such as color depth, aperture and focus. 24 fps recording for a more cinema-like look is on board as well.

In line with the new video mode the 6.5-inch CinemaWide display comes with a 21:9 aspect ration and offers a 3,840 x 1,644 pixel resolution as well as HDR support. Stereo speakers are coupled with Dolby Atmos sound.

The Android OS is powered by Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 855 chipset and 6GB of RAM. Either 64 or 128GB of built-in storage are expandable by up to 512GB via microSD card. The 3,330mAh battery and all other components are built into a IP68 waterproof body with Gorilla Glass 6 at front and back. No pricing information has been revealed yet.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sony launches the Xperia XZ3 high-end smartphone

31 Aug

Sticking to its usual 6 months cycle, Sony has launched a new model in its high-end XZ smartphone line. The Xperia XZ3 follows on from the XZ2 which was released earlier this year. The new device is more evolution than revolution and the major differences to the XZ2 are an updated screen, a bigger battery and a slightly modified body design.

The new 6-inch OLED display supports HDR and comes with a 2880 x 1440 pixel resolution. It is protected by Gorilla Glass 5 that is curved at the edges to integrate smoothly with the aluminum body. The bezel dimensions have also been reduced, allowing for an improved display/body ratio.

Probably thanks to the marginally larger device body Sony has been able to use a beefier 3330 mAh battery which, compared to the XZ2’s 3180 mAh unit, should deliver a slightly improved battery life. Sony has also improved the S-Force front speakers, offering better base and treble as well as a 20% increased overall volume.

At 1/2.3″ the sensor is comparatively large for a smartphone camera and is combined with a 25mm equivalent wideangle lens and F2.0 aperture

Other specs include a Snapdragon 845 processor, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, all wrapped up in a IP68 water and dust resistant body. At least on paper the rear camera specification has not changed for the new model and the XZ3 comes with the same 19MP camera module as the XZ2. At 1/2.3″ the sensor is comparatively large for a smartphone camera and is combined with a 25mm equivalent wideangle lens and F2.0 aperture. Predictive PDAF, laser AF and 4K video recording are on board as well.

The front-facing unit has been updated, however, and now comes with a higher 13MP resolution and faster F1.9 lens. The Xperia XZ3 will b available from October 17 for $ 900. More information is available on the Sony Mobile Blog.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Xperia XZ3 likely to come with Sony’s new 48MP Quad-Bayer sensor

27 Jul

Only a few days ago Sony announced its latest smartphone sensor, a 1/2″ stacked 48MP beast with Quad-Bayer design for improved low light performance at 12MP output size. And if rumors turn out to be true, we won’t have to wait long before the chip is available in a production smartphone.

Renders of the upcoming Sony Xperia XZ3 flagship smartphone that are floating around the internet show the new device with just one rear camera, as distinct from the dual-camera setup used by the Xperia XZ2 Premium.

This one-camera design has been confirmed by a benchmark listing, showing only one rear camera sensor with a 47MP output size. As those benchmark listings are created using pre-production models some of the specifications could still change before the launch but it’s highly likely we are looking at Sony’s new IMX586 sensor here.

We’ll know more on August 30 when the Xperia XZ3 will be officially launched at IFA and we’re looking forward to evaluating camera performance when the device is available for testing.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sony Xperia XZ2 brings 4K HDR video to smartphones

26 Feb

Sony Mobile’s contribution to the Mobile World Congress 2018 comes in the shape of the Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact smartphones. With a 1/2.3″ 19MP image sensor and F2.0 aperture the basic camera specs remain unchanged from the predecessors, but the cameras in the new models offer a couple of improvements that will be especially welcome by mobile videographers.

The Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact are the first smartphones capable of recording 4K HDR video footage, using the Hybrid-Log-Gamma (HLG) standard. This means 4K HDR clips shot on the XZ2 will be playable on most HDR-capable TVs and can be processed by Youtube.

The phones are capable of processing the massive amounts of data that is recorded for HDR video thanks to a built-in DRAM buffer in the imaging chip. The same technology also helps drive Sony’s motion-eye super-slow-motion mode that was first introduced last year. The 2017 Sony flagships could record 960 frames per second at HD resolution for 0.2 seconds, resulting in 6 seconds of playback time – the same as on the brand new Samsung Galaxy S9.

The new models come with an 18:9 aspect ratio display.

On the new XZ2 Sony has taken things one step further and offers the same frame rates at 1080p Full-HD resolution. On the downside, recording time is cut in half, to 0.1 seconds, resulting in 3 seconds of playback time. Super-slow-motion clips can be embedded in standard video, though, so there is plenty of opportunity to get creative with the super-fast frame rates.

Both new devices are powered by Qualcomm’s latest top-end chipset, the Snapdragon 845 and come with Full-HD displays with 18:9 aspect ratio – 5.7″ in size on the XZ2 and 5″ on the Compact model. The latter remains pretty much the only option in the market that combines a compact form factor with high-end performance.

The Xperia XZ2 (left) next to its smaller cousin Xperia XZ2 Compact

Apart from display size the XZ2 and XZ2 Compact differ in several ways: the smaller model does not offer Qi wireless charging nor the new Dynamic Vibration function that translates sound, for example when watching videos or playing a game, into vibrations for a more immersive media consumption experience. It also comes with a smaller battery (2870 mAh vs 3180 mAh) than its larger cousin.

More information on the new Sony Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact is available on the Sony website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sony Xperia XA2 and XA 2 Ultra put high-end camera tech in mid-range phones

10 Jan

Most mobile manufacturers tend to unveil new flagship smartphones at or around MWC in February or IFA in September, but occasionally interesting mid-rangers pop up at CES as well. That’s the case with the Sony Xperia XA2 and XA2 Ultra devices, which were just launched this morning at the Las Vegas show.

Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 630 chipset and sporting 1080p Full-HD displays, the new devices fit squarely in the mid-range bracket of the market, and yet they boast a lot of camera technology from the Japanese manufacturer’s high-end Xperia XZ flagship models, making them an appealing option for mobile photographers who can do without the most powerful processor or highest screen resolution.

Both models feature 1/2.3-inch 23MP Exmor RS sensors in the rear camera. The imager chip is coupled with an F2.0 aperture and the camera offers a 24mm equivalent focal length, phase detection autofocus, LED flash and 4K video recording. There’s also a 120 fps slow-motion mode; however, XA2 users will have to make do without the XZ models’ unique 1000 fps ultra-slow-motion feature. In typical Sony fashion, optical image stabilization has been omitted as well.

While the main cameras are identical on the standard XA2 and the Ultra model, there is a difference at the front. The XA2 features an 8MP camera with a 120° field of view, while the Ultra model features an additional stabilized 16MP camera with a 80° field of view, allowing users to easily switch between solo and group selfies. Other differences between the two models are pretty much limited to screen size (5.3-inch on the XA2 vs 6-inch on the Ultra) and battery (3200 mAh on the XA2 vs 3500 mAh on the Ultra).

The XA2 models will be available from February, and will retail at 350 Euros (~$ 420 USD) for the standard XA2 and 450 Euros (~$ 535 USD) for the Ultra—no word yet on official US pricing. To find out more about these phones or check out some image samples shot with the XA2 and XA2 Ultra, visit the Sony website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sony releases short film showing off Xperia XZ Premium super-slow motion mode

12 May

Sony Mobile has released the first super-slow-motion short movie that has been completely recorded on a smartphone. All of the movie’s scenes were recorded by 120 amateur videographers from 21 countries on the Tróia peninsula near Lisbon, Portugal. The footage was shot under the direction of award-winning director Chris Cairns and using the new Motion Eye mode of the Sony Xperia XZ Premium smartphone that is capable of capturing moving images at 960 frames per second.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sony Xperia XZ Premium features 960 fps slow-motion and 4K display

01 Mar

Sony has today announced two new high-end Android smartphones, the Xperia XZ Premium and the Xperia XZs, which both use a 19MP 1/2.3 image sensor that is based on Sony’s recently announced 3-layer stack technology for smartphones. The camera, which Sony calls Motion Eye, also features a 25mm equivalent lens, F2.0 aperture, laser-assisted AF and an RGBC-IR sensor for natural color rendering. In video mode it can record 4K footage and comes with Sony’s very efficient SteadyShot 5-axis digital stabilization. Sony also says it has improved the panorama mode which is now capable of capturing higher resolution images. 

Thanks to the 3-layer sensor’s fast readout times the camera’s highlight feature is a 960 fps slow motion video mode that can record 720p footage. The new sensor technology also reduces the rolling shutter effect in both still images and video. The two new models also the same front camera which comes with a 13MP 1/3.06” sensor and 22mm equivalent focal length. 

While the camera looks impressive the Xperia XZ Premium offers the best of the best in all other departments as well. The Android 7.0 operating system is powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 835 chipset and 4GB of RAM. Images can be viewed and composed on a 5.5” display with 4K resolution that also supports HDR technology. The phone is completely wrapped in Gorilla Glass 5 and waterproof (IP68). The 3,230mAh battery supports Quick Charge and the power button doubles as a fingerprint reader. 

The Xperia XZs comes with the same new camera as the XZ Premium but, with a 5.2″ 1080p screen and Snapdragon 820 processor, is otherwise more or less identical to the current XZ. The Xperia XZs will be available early April at approximately $ 700. The XZ Premium will launch later in spring. No pricing information on the higher-end model has been released yet. 

Sony Xperia XZ Premium key specifications:

  • 19MP 1/2.3 CMOS sensor
  • 25mm equivalent lens
  • F2.0 aperture
  • ON-sensor phase detection and laser-assisted AF
  • RGBC-IR sensor
  • 4K video
  • 5-axis digital stabilization
  • 960fps slow motion at 720p
  • 13MP front cam with 1/3.06” sensor and 22mm equivalent focal length
  • Android 7.0
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset
  • 4GB RAM
  • 5.5” 4K display
  • Waterproof (IP68)
  • 3,230mAh battery with Quick Charge

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sony image sensor sales increase, camera and Xperia sales drop

04 Feb

Sony has announced its financial results for Q4 2016 and the numbers show that the Japanese company’s image sensor division has performed well. Within the semiconductors segment, image sensor sales have increased by 40% year-on-year which is largely due to significantly increased sales of image sensors for mobile devices.

Digital camera sales have slightly decreased from 1.8 to 1.6 billion units, resulting in a 9.6% revenue decrease. On the plus side, the company has noted a continued improvement in terms of product mix, with a shift to high value-add models.

Sony upped its forecast for the financial year but the new figures would still mean a 34% fall in sales volume and a 17% fall in sales by value, compared with 2015.

Things don’t look quite as good in the phone division. The company shipped a total of 5.1 million Xperia phones in the quarter, which is down by around 33% year-on-year. Total mobile revenue for the quarter was ¥249bn ($ 2.2bn). Sony blames lower than expected sales in Europe for the decrease. The forecast for the fiscal year, which ends in March, was also lowered from 17 million to 15 million units.

You can find all of the details at Sony’s investor relations site.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sony Xperia XZ scores 87 in DxOMark Mobile testing

24 Dec

It seems the DxOMark test engineers have been very busy in the run-up to Christmas. After the results for the LG V20 and Huawei Mate 9 they have now also published the test report for Sony’s current flagship, the Xperia XZ. The XZ combines Sony’s own 23MP 1/2.3” CMOS sensor with a 24mm-equivalent F2 lens but, unlike most of its direct rivals, has to make do without an optical image stabilization system.

When testing the device the DxOMark team were particularly impressed by the XZ’s AF-system that is fast and accurate in all conditions. They also liked the target-exposure, color and reliable white balance system. However, the Sony scored low for photo artifacts, such as haloing, ringing, and over-sharpening and lacked dynamic range in some situations. Overall photo score was 87 points.

Thanks to its efficient video stabilization and exposure adaption the XZ could achieve an even better 88 points for its video mode. However, like the still images, video clips lack dynamic range and show some noise in low light scenes. The Sony’s overall score of 87 points puts it on the same level as the Xperia Z5 and just behind the Samsung Galaxy S7. You can find the full report on DxOMark.com or read our own review here at DPReview.com.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sony Xperia XZ camera review

25 Nov

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The Xperia XZ is the top-of-the-line model in Sony’s Xperia X series and comes with some of the latest technologies implemented in its camera module. A Sony IMX300 1/2.3” 23MP image sensor with on-sensor phase detection is accompanied by a laser that measures distance to its subject to improve AF speed and accuracy in low light. Also on board is an RGBC-IR sensor that measures the color values of a scene in order to fine-tune the white balance system. The hybrid AF-system is also predictive and can track subjects in motion.

The Sony G lens comes with a 24mm equivalent focal length and an F2.0 aperture. In video mode, the camera can record footage in 4K resolution and the Xperia XZ is also the first device on which Sony has implemented 5-axis electronic video stabilization. At the front there is a 13MP 1/3″ sensor with F2.0 aperture and 1080p video – specifications that would have been worthy of a main camera not too long ago.

Processor and other components match the high-end characteristics of the camera and all the technology is wrapped up in an 8.1mm thin metal body that is water and dust tight (IP65/68). The Sony is also one of only a few smartphones to come with a dedicated camera button, making it an interesting option for any photography-oriented user.

Key Photographic / Video Specifications

  • Sony IMX300 1/2.3” 23MP BSI CMOS sensor
  • 24mm equivalent focal length
  • F2.0 aperture
  • AF with on-sensor phase detection and laser-assistance
  • Subject tracking
  • RGBC-IR sensor
  • Manual control over shooting parameters
  • 4K video at 30 fps
  • 5-axis electronic video stabilization
  • 13MP front camera, F2.0, 22mm equivalent focal length

Other Specifications

  • 5.2-inch 1080p IPS screen 
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset
  • 3GB RAM
  • 32/64GB storage
  • MicroSD support
  • 2,900mAh battery
  • Environmental protection  (IP65/68)
  • Fingerprint reader

DPReview smartphone reviews are written with the needs of photographers in mind. We focus on camera features, performance, and image quality.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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