The Xperia 1 IV, a new smartphone from Sony, has just been launched, and it’s a game-changer. The firm is well-known for its expertise in camera sensors, having provided excellent camera phone sensors to a number of OEMs. The new phone, however, tries to address one major issue in smartphone photography: the lack of optical zoom.
With a conventional camera, you can zoom in and out by rotating the lens or pressing a lever without losing resolution. There is an issue with smartphones. Fixed focus lenses are included in almost every smartphone. Digital zoom (which soon degrades picture quality until it’s virtually useless) or several lenses are the only solutions to avoid the issues associated with this.
Full resolution is only feasible on each camera’s native focal length, thus even the multiple lens approach has restrictions.You’re back in the digital zoom region after adjusting that.
As a result, Sony’s new phone is a game-changer. The new phone includes three cameras, one of which has a changeable focal length of 85-125mm. That means it has the equivalent of a 3.2x zoom when compared to the primary 24mm lens, but it can be adjusted to slightly over 5x.
Because a 3x optical zoom is standard, the jump to 5x will be noticeable, and being able to do it without sacrificing image quality is incredible.
It is not inexpensive. The phone will cost $1,599 (£1,299 in the UK) when it is released (September in the US, June 16 in the UK).
Evaluation:
The new Sony Xperia 1 IV is an evolutionary upgrade of last year’s cult-favorite Xperia 1 III, meaning you’ll get the same 4K, 120Hz OLED screen as well as a triple-lens camera system with additional manual options. Obviously, there are enhancements here, like a better zoom lens.
Advantages:
- Clear screen with powerful front-facing speakers
- A dedicated shutter button adds to the tactile nature of the photographic experience.
- The burst shooting option and 120 frames per second footage are fantastic.
Disadvantages:
- If you’re not familiar with photography, this phone may not create photographs as well as others.
- A 4K display consumes a lot of power.
- When recording videos on a hot summer day, it overheats.
On all three 12MP cameras, you can record slo-mo video in Ultra HD resolution. Another Sony feature is real-time eye autofocus, which ensures that your subjects’ faces are in razor-sharp focus. The 5,000mAh battery will keep the phone running for a long period, and unlike other manufacturers, Sony includes a 4K display on its premium phones. Sony’s chosen widescreen (21:9) screen ratio is used on this 6.5in monitor. It definitely fits better in the hand as a result of this. Oh, and it’s powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon Gen 1 CPU.
The optical zoom alone makes this a very enticing option, and while it’s not cheap, Sony’s usual impeccable build quality and exquisite design are quite appealing.
