Sony Xperia Pro-I is a digicam trapped inside a 5G cellphone’s physique

Sony is able to throw-down with a brand new camera-first 5G cellphone — the Xperia Pro-I — within the battle for smartphone digicam supremacy. Less than 12-hours after the Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro’s opinions began dropping on-line, and all of the digicam fans attempting to find out whether or not the Pixel 6 Pro or the iPhone 13 Pro Max has the perfect smartphone digicam, Sony desires to be within the combine with the Xperia Pro-I.

The “I” within the Xperia Pro-I stands for imaging, which pays homage to Sony’s common line of Alpha mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras {and professional} video cameras, quite than point-and-shoot digicam mannequin names just like the Sony RX100 VII (Mark 7). At least that’s what the Sony representatives who had been briefing journalists forward of this occasion instructed us. The star of the present is clearly this gadget’s digicam know-how, so it’s completely honest to consider the Xperia Pro-I as a digicam that occurs to come back with a cellphone connected.

After all, it’s notable for utilizing the same 1.0-type Exmor RS picture sensor with section detection AF (autofocus) that powers the RX100 VII, the popular point-and-shooter of vloggers and vacationers. This giant 1-inch digicam sensor permits “outstanding low light performance, high dynamic range, and beautiful bokeh,” in keeping with Sony. However, DPReview notes that whereas this 1-inch sensor is 20 megapixels in whole, the Xperia Pro-I solely makes use of a part of the sensor, that means it outputs a 12-megapixel picture on this gadget.

While uncommon, Sony isn’t the primary to incorporate a 1-inch sensor in a cellphone. Sharp’s Aquos R6 had one when it was introduced earlier this 12 months, as did Panasonic’s CM1 from 2014.

Sony’s Xperia Pro-I has a complete of three 12-megapixel cameras on the again (a most important, ultrawide, and telephoto) and one 8-megapixel digicam round its entrance. While these cameras appear low-resolution, the Sony consultant was very keen to elucidate that they comprise fewer however bigger (2.4µm) pixels, the place every pixel captures extra particulars, extra dynamic vary and better depth of area. The firm appears assured it doesn’t must chase larger megapixel counts like its rivals.

The Xperia Pro-I’s rear cameras use three glass lenses from Zeiss. Its most important 24mm lens has twin aperture (f2.0/f4.4) that permits you to change the depth of area extra rapidly to create “authentic bokeh,” quite than the digital software-created bokeh impact that different telephones produce.

Image: Sony

The Xperia Pro-I consists of the identical BIONZ X imaging processor present in Sony’s A9 skilled mirrorless digicam for sports activities, which permits it to take as much as 20fps in burst photographs much like Sony’s latest smartphones just like the Xperia 1 III. This is the uncommon smartphone digicam that’s quick at autofocus, and able to real-time eye monitoring (people and animals) in each stills and movies. Speaking of movies, Sony claims that the Xperia Pro-I is is the primary smartphone on this planet that may report 4K movies at 120fps and be capable to protect all 120 frames. While different smartphones can report 4K movies, they usually compress the frames right into a smaller file, which implies you gained’t have as a lot management in post-production.

On the cellphone aspect of the Xperia Pro-I, it has a 6.5-inch 21:9 3840×1644 OLED show, with 120Hz refresh charge, at a comparatively skinny 21:9 facet ratio. It’s powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G processor, and unlocked fashions ought to work on most 4G networks on this planet, in addition to sub-6GHz 5G. There’s 12GB RAM, 512GB of inner storage, a microSDXC card slot, and a 4,500mAh battery which will be fast-charged at 30W. Despite its premium and fashionable specs, the Xperia Pro-I nonetheless has a 3.5mm audio jack for creators who must plug in a mic, and a strap gap to slip in a wrist strap for safety.

The Xperia Pro-I’ll ship in December 2021 for a whopping $1,800 (£1,599). That’s the identical worth as Samsung’s flagship foldable, the Z Fold 3, and $200 greater than the 1TB mannequin of Apple’s iPhone 13 Pro Max, which prices $1,599. It’s additionally greater than a Sony’s $1,300 RX 100 VII, and the identical worth because the $1,800 full-frame Sony A7C. But Sony’s goal with the Xperia Pro-I is to supply a tool that may do all of it, combining the standard of a devoted point-and-shoot digicam with a skinny (0.35-inch) 5G cellphone.

Preorders for the Sony Xperia Pro-I’ll start October 28, 2021 at 10:00AM ET.