Since Smart-Phones were released, manufacturers have been duking it out to develop the best cameras and apps to attract photographers to keep snapping up the latest model. Apple has traditionally marketed their latest releases by a series of “shot with iPhone” ads all over the world showing off their cameras, and oh yeah, it’s a phone and does other stuff too! Well, it seems like Sony is ready to take the mantle of “king” with their latest offering.
Sony has announced the Xperia 5, it’s latest addition to Sony’s flagship series of smartphones. Bringing creative entertainment experiences in a sleek and compact design. Priced at $799, pre-orders started at 8am Eastern today (Friday), September 06, 2019. What’s impressive to me about this system is the “3rd” camera setup, the eye autofocus, and it’s Cinema Pro features. Could this be the mobile-photographer/cinematographer dream rig?
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Xperia excellence, in the palm of your hand. Join us September 5th for #SonyIFA #Innovation
The phone is built entirely around it’s triple-camera system, with a 16mm f/2.4 wide-angle lens, a 26mm f/1.6 lens, and a 52mm f/2.4 to top it off. Each camera/lens has a 12 Megapixel sensor with Sony’s Optical SteadyShot stabilization technology and the BIONZ X processor. All impressive on their own, but stacking them up together is something entirely new. So let’s get into the tech details on this phone and find out why it’s supposed to be so good!
Key Features
- Triple camera array with critically acclaimed Eye AF technology from Sony’s Alpha™ cameras, continuous burst shooting at up to 10 fps AF/AE tracking (Auto Focus and Auto Exposure) with increased calculations up to 30 fps
- 21:9 CinemaWide™ 6.1 inch Full HD+ OLED display with BT.2020 color accuracy
- Sleek and compact body with a sophisticated pocket friendly design
- Improved Game enhancer allows you to record your gameplay as well as change your voice
- Snapdragon 855 Octa-Core Processor
- RAW noise reduction, HDR mode, and Bokeh/Portrait mode for Photos
- GSM / 4G LTE Compatible
- MicroSD card Support
- 4K HDR Video
Additionally, the new Xperia 5 includes Sony’s acclaimed Eye AF technology, plus continuous burst shooting at up to 10 fps with AF/AE tracking (Auto Focus and Auto Exposure) calculations happening at up to 30 fps, allowing it to capture moving subjects with precision focusand optimal exposure. The main 26mm camera features a bright F/1.6 lens and Dual Photodiode image sensor with extremely large 1.4μm pixel pitch, enabling it to produce beautifully sharp low-light images.
For mobile cinematography, the new Xperia 5 features Cinema Pro “powered by CineAlta” application. Developed in partnership with engineers from Sony’s professional digital cinema camera division, Cinema Pro “powered by CineAlta” allows users to create multiple video projects with different settings or looks, as well as offering more flexibility and customizability for video shooting by adjusting white balance, manual focus and audio recording levels. Individual clips can also trimmed and merged together. These powerful capabilities compliment the ability of the Xperia 5 to record video in multiple high-resolution formats including full native 4K resolution.
Xperia 5 is also compatible with Sony’s ‘Imaging Edge™ Mobile application, for easy transfer and social sharing of images and video from compatible Alpha or Cyber-shot™ camera.
Experience superb content immersion with a 21:9 CinemaWide display and Dolby Atmos sound Xperia 5 brings the 21:9 cinematic aspect ratio to a smaller form factor, for a viewing experience that is true to creators’ intent.
The 21:9 CinemaWide 6.1-inch Full HD+ OLED display is powered by Sony’s award-winning BRAVIA® TV technologies with X1™ for mobile engine bringing HDR (High Dynamic Range) remastering technologies for more contrast, color and clarity.
Xperia 5 also has Creator mode inspired by Master Monitor color reproduction bringing precise color accuracy in your hands. As with Xperia 1, Xperia 5 also has 10-bit tonal gradation[ii] representing a myriad of colors and delivering deeper blacks, while colors appear more natural. The display, together with originally developed image processing, supports wide color space ITU-R BT.2020 as well as DCI-P3 with Illuminant D65.
The entertainment factor is further enhanced by Dolby Atmos, tuned in collaboration with Sony Pictures Entertainment, for an immersive entertainment experience that flows all around you with breathtaking realism when using headphones or Xperia 5’s built-in stereo speakers. While Sony’s audio technologies, Hi-Res audio for both wired and wireless[iii], DSEE HX and Stereo speakers empowers you to hear music in its purest form.
The expansive 21:9 display also takes mobile gaming to the next level by offering a deeper unrestricted field-of-view of all your gameplay, while Game Enhancer optimizes the performance and blocks unwanted notifications, as well as enables you to record gameplay and find game tips online. In addition, you can now power up your gaming with improved Game enhancer allowing you to record your gameplay with burst screen capture at 20fps and synthesize your voice with Game enhancer’s voice changer feature.
Advanced technology in a sleek and compact design
Xperia 5 brings the best of Xperia 1 into a smaller footprint while keeping the 21:9 CinemaWide display. The sleek metal frame is protected with the help of durable Corning® Gorilla® Glass 6 on the front and back, while Xperia 5’s IP68/IP65 certified water resistance[iv]guards against the elements. The device will have Android™ 9 Pie pre-installed.
Stay connected and entertained all day
Xperia 5 features ‘Smart connectivity’ to make sure you’re connected to the most optimal network. It uses Sony’s deep learning engine (Neural Network Libraries) to analyze Wi-Fi signals and predict near-future connectivity issues. Smart connectivity will automatically switch to LTE when it predicts any compromise in Wi-Fi connection to ensure you always have optimal connectivity.
Xperia 5 has the latest flagship Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 855 Mobile Platform with the integrated X24 LTE Modem for enhanced performance with gigabit LTE connectivity. It features 4 x 4 MIMO technology supporting all LTE bands, uniquely including low-bands, so you’re connected even in areas with weak signal coverage.
Xperia 5 also features Smart Stamina, USB PD fast charging and a 3140 mAh battery to keep your device running all day.
Sample Image Gallery
Final Thoughts
I’ve been an iPhone guy for as long as smart phones have been a thing, and honestly the only reason i’m _really_ staying is the systems like airdrop and iMessage are so ingrained into my day to day workflows that the thought of moving to a new system is…well…overwhelming. That being said, the stats on this phone have me considering jumping ship. Clearly i’ll be asking to get hands on first and testing out each of the phones capabilities first, but still i’m quite interested. I’ve never used any smartphone outside of the Apple lineup so i’d love to hear back from some Sony/Google/Android users out there and get a positive dialogue going. Let me know in the comments if you’ve used these systems before or are considering a switch like me!
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