Skip to main content

Sony Xperia Z1 review

Sony Xperia Z1 review: A smartphone with a camera-sized sensor

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

Introduction

The Sony Xperia Z1 was launched in September at the IFA consumers electronics trade show in Berlin and replaces the Xperia Z, which itself was only launched at CES in January as Sony's top-of-the-line smartphone. The new model comes with the same impressive build quality and waterproof body as its predecessor and with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800 processor and a 5-inch 1080p screen, the Z1 offers top-end specs all around.
For photo-centric users the really big news is the Z1's camera. The 1/2.3-inch sensor in the Sony's camera module is the same size as you would find in most consumer level compact cameras and therefore larger than the 1/3-inch sensors common in the current crop of smartphones. 
The comparatively large sensor is combined with a high pixel count of 20.7MP, a fast F2.0 lens and a physical shutter button, all of which demonstrate that Sony, like other high-end mobile device manufacturers, has identified camera performance as a key differentiator in the highly competitive smartphone market.
We've put the Sony Xperia Z1 through our rigorous testing regimen. Read on to find out if the impressive specs translate into top-level image quality.

Key Photographic / Video Specifications

  • 20.7 MP 1/2.3 Exmor RS CMOS sensor
  • F2.0 lens
  • 1080p/30 fps video
  • HDR video

Other Specifications

  • Snapdragon 800 quad-core 2.2GHz processor
  • 5-inch 1080p Sony TRILUMINOS display (441ppi)
  • Android 4.2
  • 2GB of RAM
  • Waterproof body (IP55/58)
  • 16 GB internal memory
  • microSD up to 64GB
  • 3,000 mAh battery, non-removable
  • Available in black, white and purple

Our 11-page review

We've considered every aspect of the Sony Xperia Z1 camera, with the photographer in mind. We examined the user interface of the native camera app and its special features. We experimented with the camera's performance when taking stills and video, and had a play with the device's many special feature modes.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Apple iPad Pro 9.7-inch Review

Apple iPad Pro 9.7-inch Review Introduction This is the part where we normally introduce our readers to the device being reviewed, but seriously, does the iPad need an introduction? Not really. Six years ago, it single-handedly defined what a modern tablet should look and feel like. Today, it is the only tablet that matters in a segment of the mobile industry clutched by stagnation. And the  iPad Pro 9.7  – the newest member in the lineup – further solidifies Apple’s position as a leader on the tablet scene. Bearing a “Pro” in its name, the iPad Pro 9.7 adopts most of what we loved about the 12.9-inch model from last year – the duet of productivity-oriented accessories, the outstanding 4-speaker sound setup, the performance of Apple’s most powerful mobile processor, to name a few examples. With this new model, it all comes at a size that’s more manageable, more portable, more familiar to users, sprinkled with a few extra bits we’re going ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 camera review

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 camera review DPReview smartphone reviews are written with the needs of photographers in mind. We focus on camera features, performance, and image quality. The Note 4 is the latest iteration of Samsung's top-end line of so-called 'phablets'. In terms of design the new model is very close to its predecessor, the Galaxy Note 3, including a similar faux-leather material on the back cover. Under the hood, however, things have been upgraded significantly. In the camera department the Note 4 has gained an optical image stabilization system which makes it the first Samsung smartphone with this feature. With a 1/2.6-inch 16MP BSI CMOS image sensor and F2.2 maximum aperture the rest of the rear camera specification is identical to the Galaxy S5. At the front you'll find a 3.7MP camera with a fast F1.9 maximum aperture for selfie-shooting and video chats. It comes with a selfie-panorama mode.  Howe...
Post a Comment
Read more

LG G5 vs Samsung Galaxy S7 edge

LG G5 vs Samsung Galaxy S7 edge Introduction In the world of Android devices, Samsung and LG are the two giants that make some of the most recognizable products. The smartphone philosophies of both companies have recently undergone some huge changes: Samsung did much of the changing last year with the radically new design on the  Galaxy S6 , while LG is doing it this year with the  LG G5 . The G5 tries to bring something different to a mature market: a phone with modular design and a brand new metal look. How does it compare with the curved-screen  Galaxy S7 edge , and is that modular design something that brings meaningful change? And then, what about the new, dual-camera system on the G5 with its secondary wide-angle lens? A gimmick or genuinely useful? We compare two of the best Android phones at the moment: the 5.3” G5 with all its bells and whistles against the more familiar yet still modern, 5.5” Galaxy S7 edge. Let’s see which one c...
Post a Comment
Read more