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Sony Xperia PRO-I: Smartphone receives 1-inch sensor from the RX100 VII

Oct 26, 2021

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Sony transplanted a 1-inch sensor into the housing of a smartphone, as in the compact camera RX100 VII, and calls the result the Xperia PRO-I (“I” for imaging). 2.4 µm pixels are said to represent a quality previously unattained by Sony, especially in low light. Sony is planning the market launch in December for 1,799 euros.

The niche within the niche is the new home of Sony smartphones. Most recently demonstrated with the Xperia 5 III (test), Sony is now following it up with an even more exotic smartphone, the Xperia PRO-I. The new model follows in a product class that recently brought to light the Xperia Pro, which Sony regards as an alternative to a professional video monitor and is selling it for 2,499 euros. In comparison, the Xperia PRO-I is downright cheap at 1,799 euros.

1 inch sensor almost like in the RX100 VII

Where the Xperia Pro was supposed to replace a video monitor, the Xperia PRO-I should be able to compete with top-class compact cameras. According to the press release, Sony is said to have used exactly such a camera in its own portfolio in terms of sensor and rely on an Exmor RS sensor with 1 inch for the primary wide-angle camera with 24 mm focal length, as it is in the RX100 VII for 1,299 Euro can be found. Sony explains that the Xperia PRO-I is the world's first smartphone with a 1-inch sensor and phase-detection autofocus (PDAF). The emphasis here is on the PDAF, because there is also a 1-inch sensor in the Sharp Aquos R6, which was presented in Japan in May of this year.

The RX100 VII uses the whole sensor

The sensor of the RX100 VII may be in the Xperia PRO-I, but Sony only uses a section of it, so that the resolution is 12 instead of 20.1 megapixels, while the pixel size is identical at 2.4 µm. In the smartphone there are 315 points for the PDAF, which cover 90 percent of the image area, in the RX100 VII, however, there are 357 points to 68 percent, but supplemented by 425 points for the AF via contrast detection.

PDAF for all three cameras

The smartphone is equipped with three cameras, the optics of which are coated with a T * anti-reflective coating from Zeiss and which are supplemented by a 3D iToF (Time of Flight) sensor that calculates the distance between the camera and the subject and supports the autofocus of the sensors. All three sensors work with PDAF, which is seldom found on the market, especially for ultra wide angle cameras.

Telephoto and ultra wide angle with smaller sensors

The primary camera comes with a focal length of 24 mm and can be operated with a two-stage variable aperture f/2.0 or f/4.0. An optical image stabilizer (OIS) is supposed to compensate for movements with a restless hand. The telephoto with 50 mm focal length also comes with OIS and uses a 1/2.9 & quot; large sensor with a resolution of 12 megapixels as well. The third is an ultra-wide-angle camera with another 12 megapixels at 1/2.5 & quot; with 16 mm focal length.

Eye AF also for video recordings

Sony's so-called eye AF, which works on humans and animals, enables serial pictures to be taken at 20 frames per second including AF and AE, with only 10 frames per second for the 16 and 50 mm lenses. An “anti-distortion shutter” should also prevent fast-moving objects from being caught in a distorted manner. In addition to classic photos in JPEG format, the Xperia PRO-I can also use the “Photography Pro” mode to take photos in RAW format with 12-bit color depth.

figure> Sony Xperia PRO-I

For the first time, Eye AF can also be used for video recordings in up to 4K with up to 120 FPS. Slow motion recordings can be made at up to 5 times reduced speed. SteadyShot with FlawlessEye, which Sony combines with the increased reading speed of the image sensor and the algorithm for optical image stabilization, in order to obtain non-blurred video recordings, should ensure stabilized video recordings. Analogous to the Pro mode for photos, there is “Cinematography Pro” for video recordings, the functionality of which is based on the professional cinema cameras and there in particular the Sony Venice.

Vloggers get new accessories

There is a not quite so extreme pro mode for videos with “Videography Pro”, which still offers quick access to all creative settings such as focus, exposure and white balance, but is designed for vlogging in addition to video recordings. Vloggers are part of the target group for whom Sony offers a vlog monitor as an accessory for 199 euros, which is attached to the smartphone and with the help of which the rear main camera has its own viewfinder so that it can film itself better. The 3.5-inch LC display offers a resolution of 1,280 × 720 pixels and a 3-pin 3.5 mm microphone socket for connecting external microphones. The smartphone itself offers stereo microphones and a third mono microphone right next to the camera, which is designed for voices. Another accessory is a Bluetooth handle (GP-VPT2BT) for 199 euros to start and stop recording without having to press the buttons on the smartphone. On the smartphone itself there is again a dedicated two-stage trigger button for focus and shutter release as well as a 3.5 mm jack connector.

High-end smartphone with Android 12

Apart from the special camera setup, the Xperia PRO-I is a high-end smartphone comparable to the Xperia 1 III. At 72.0 × 166.0 × 8.90 mm and 211 g there is a 6.5-inch OLED display with 4K resolution and 120 Hz, a Snapdragon 888, 12 GB RAM, 512 GB expandable memory and a battery with 4,500 mAh. The housing is certified to IP68 and is protected on the back with Gorilla Glass 6, while the screen uses the somewhat newer Gorilla Glass Victus. For the operating system, Sony relies on the new Android 12, known from the Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro (test).

Sony Xperia PRO-I Sony Xperia 1Sony Xperia 1 IISony Xperia 1 III ✔Sony Xperia 5Sony Xperia 5 IISony Xperia 5 IIISony Xperia 10Sony Xperia 10 IISony Xperia 10 IIISony Xperia PRO-I ✔ Sony Xperia 1 III Sony Xperia 1Sony Xperia 1 III ✔Sony Xperia 5Sony Xperia 5 IISony Xperia 5 IIISony Xperia 10Sony Xperia 10 IISony Xperia 10 IIISony Xperia PRO-I ✔ Software:
(when released) Android 12.0 Android 11.0 Display: 6.50 inches, 1,644 × 3,840 or 643 ppi, 120 Hz
OLED, HDR, Gorilla Glass Victus Operation: Touch, fingerprint sensor Touch, fingerprint sensor, status LED SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
1 × Cortex-X1, 2.84 GHz
3 × Cortex -A78, 2.42 GHz
4 × Cortex-A55, 1.80 GHz
5 nm, 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
1 × Kryo 680 Prime, 2.84 GHz
3 × Kryo 680 Gold, 2.42 GHz
4 × Kryo 680 Silver, 1.80 GHz
5 nm, 64-Bit GPU: Adreno 660
840 MHz RAM: 12,288 MB
LPDDR5 memory: 512 GB (expandable) 256 GB (expandable) 1st camera: 12.0 MP, 2160p
LED, f/2.0, AF, OIS 12.0 MP , 2160p
LED, f/1.7, AF, OIS 2nd camera: 12.0 MP, f/2.4, AF, OIS 12.0 MP, f/2.2, AF 3rd camera: 12.0 MP, f/2.2 12.0 MP, f/2.3, AF, OIS 4th camera: no 12.0 MP, f/2.8, AF, OIS 5th camera: no 1. Front camera: 8.0 MP, 1080p
display flash, f/2.0 8.0 MP, 1080p
f/2.0 2. Front camera: No GSM: GPRS + EDGE UMTS: HSPA +
↓ 42.2 ↑ 5.76 Mbit/s LTE: Advanced Pro Advanced Pro
↓ 1,200 ↑ 150 Mbit/s 5G: NSA/SA NSA/SA
↓ 4.00 ↑ 0.54 Gbit/s WLAN : 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
Wi-Fi Direct Bluetooth: 5.2 Location: A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS Other standards: USB 3.2 Type C, NFC, 3.5- mm jack USB 3.1 type C, NFC, 3.5 mm jack SIM card: Nano-SIM, dual-SIM battery: 4,500 mAh
permanently installed 4,500 mAh, 30.0 W
permanently installed, Wireless charging Size (W × H × D): 72.0 × 166.0 × 8.90 mm 71.0 × 165.0 × 8.20 mm Protection class: IP68 Weight: 211 g 187 g Price: € 1,799 from € 1,249 €