Sony Xperia 1 II, the phone for real photographers and videographers
Sony Xperia 1 II.
The smartphone market is a tough place to be right now with so much competition at every entry point but despite a tiny market share, Sony continues to churn out handsets and the Xperia 1 II (mark 2) is the best I’ve tried from them yet.
Ever since Sony decided that it was a good idea for their imaging division to assist their mobile division, we’re seeing the fruits of their labours in devices since the Xperia 1.
The Xperia 1 II is a true flagship with 5G, a stunning 4K OLED display and it’s powered by the Snapdragon 865, with 8GB RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.0 storage (my review model). There’s the triple rear camera system with Zeiss lenses. The mark 2 offers pro-level camera features which are typically only seen on their Alpha and CineAlta cameras.
Sony didn’t venture too far from their design template. It has the same rectangular shape and ultra-tall 21:9 aspect ratio, which makes it easier to hold but harder to reach the corners.
My review unit was the all-black model which is sleek at 7.6mm thick and hefty enough at 181g not to feel flimsy. It’s great to see that Sony has managed to retain a 3.5mm headphone jack and even better, there’s no notch of any sort on the display.
Above the display is the 8MP selfie shoot, the earpiece that doubles as the second speaker for stereo sound.
For security, there’s a fingerprint sensor built into the power button which works well but I didn’t find I had to feel for it sometimes.
The Xperia 1 II features IP65/IP68 water and dust resistant which is always welcome. I also love that the sim tray doesn’t require a special tool to eject but rather a good fingernail. There’s the obligatory USB-C port but also a dedicated camera shutter button that acts like a real camera where you half-press to focus and fully press down to take the shot. Wireless charging is also present and accounted for along with Dolby Atmos, 360 Reality Audio, LDAC/aptX HD and DSEE Ultimate.
The Xperia 1 II features a near 4K 6.5-inch OLED display with a resolution of 3680 x 1644px. I really don’t see the need for 4K or even 2K for that matter as most people can’t see the difference, but pixel density aside, this is one of the best displays around. Viewing angles, contrast and colour reproduction are all top-notch. Choose the standard mode for colours that pop or creator mode for pro-grade colour accuracy.
The 21:9 aspect ratio is great for watching movies that support it, but a lot of YouTube and other media content doesn’t and you end up with large black bars either side of the image.
The standard camera app isn’t as smart as the likes of Pixel, Huawei, Samsung or Apple’s software wizardry. To really leverage the power of the excellent sensors in the Xperia 1 II, you have to use the Cinema Pro and Photo Pro apps.
The main shooter is 12MP (24mm) featuring a large 1/1.7-inch sensor with an incredible burst rate of 20fps with eye and face detect autofocus. It also features dual-pixel phase-detect autofocus (PDAF), an f/1.7 aperture and optical image stabilisation (OIS).
The 12MP ultrawide (16mm), has a 1/2.55-inch sensor with dual-pixel PDAF and an f/2.2 aperture lens without OIS. The third lens is 3x optical (70mm) and a smaller 1/3.4-inch sensor with PDAF and an f/2.4 aperture lens with OIS.
In terms of video, the Xperia 1 II can capture video at up to 4K 60fps with HDR on the main camera, up to 4K 30fps with HDR from all three cameras and up to 1080p 30fps using the front camera.
The standard camera app can yield excellent photos most of the time. The app is what I’ve come to expect from Sony phones in recent times and missing features like a night mode seem a little puzzling.
I love the Photo Pro app because it looks and acts a lot like my real Sony Alpha mirrorless camera. However, if you’re not interested in pro features and just want a great point-and-shoot experience then you’re better off sticking to the standard camera app. However, if you care more about image quality and creative options it’s hard to look past the fantastic hardware of the Xperia 1 II’s cameras.
Autofocus is mostly excellent and features both human and animal eye autofocus. This means the camera software is intelligent enough to detect and lock onto the eye and keep it in focus. It does this automatically when you half-press the shutter button. It had no problem finding my dogs and cats eyes or the humans in my household either.
The Cinema Pro app is comprehensive and clearly designed by the experts in Sony’s digital imaging department. It‘s easy to use, yet full of professional features with manual controls over shutter speed, ISO and colour including Sony’s iconic Venice colour science. Although aimed more towards pro users, these apps offer outstanding quality for those who are willing to venture and learn a little more about both photography and cinematography.
Video quality is exceptional and can look incredibly professional if used correctly. Features like focus pull and the ability to colour grade can make a massive difference to how well the final video will look. However, if you just want a point-and-shoot experience it can be hit or miss. The Xperia 1 II’s camera system is pretty decent overall, but it doesn’t stand out among today’s flagships.
Despite the 4K display, you should get a full day of use from the 4000mAh battery. The wired charger is quick enough at 21w and you also have up to 11W wireless charging.
The Sony Xperia 1 II is a phone for those who love their real cameras and care about getting great results and don’t mind editing and post-processing. In terms of hardware, it’s a true flagship although at least 90Hz on the refresh rate would have been nice but not essential.
Available now currys.ie €1,319.99
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