It looks like Sony is the only smartphone brand that uses the Pro name right, and that’s evident with the new Xperia Pro-I.
The “I” from the name Sony Xperia Pro-I stands for “Imaging”. It gets its name by having an impressive 1-inch sensor, the same one found on the popular RX100 VII compact camera, which has been optimized to fit a smartphone.
This lets the device produce 12-megapixel pictures with a 2.4µm pixel pitch. For a perspective, its pixels are 20% larger than the iPhone 13 Pro Max. This Exmor RS sensor is behind a 24mm optically stabilized ZEISS lens, which also features a variable aperture that can go from f/2.0 to f/4.0.
Sony also added two regular 12-megapixel sensors. One is sitting a 16mm ultra-wide lens, while the other has a 50mm glass for 2x telephoto. The only thing missing here is a periscope-style lens.
A couple of software features take advantage of the camera hardware. There’s the Real-time Eye autofocus that works on both humans and animals and in pictures and videos. It also has 315 PDAF points across 90% of the frame.
All of these were made possible by the dedicated Bionz X signal processor.
Clearly made for mobile photographers, the Xperia Pro-I boasts a two-stage shutter key. There’s also a dedicated button for the Videography Pro app for pro-level controls like exposure, focus, and white balance.
It also boasts Cinematography Pro which has Sony’s VENICE cinema color modes. This machine can shoot 4K slow-mo videos at 120fps.
Vloggers out there would love to hear that Sony made a special Vlog monitor for this device. It’s a 3.5-inch HD+ screen that you can attach to the back of the device and connect via the USB Type-C port.
Like real cameras, it also has a special hole you can attach straps to.
The rest of the flagship-level features staple its Pro status. It’s powered by a Snapdragon 888 processor, has 12GB of RAM, 512GB of expandable memory, 4,500mAh battery with 30W charger, and just like a lot of Sony smartphones, it has an ultra-sharp 4K OLED panel with a fast 120Hz refresh rate.
Select markets can get the Sony Xperia Pro-I for a price of EUR1,799 (around Php105,900). The vlog monitor costs EUR199 (around Php11,700), while the back cover attachment costs EUR89.99 (around Php5,300). Release details in the Philippines and other markets are yet to be known.
Sony Xperia Pro-I Specs
- Android 11
- Dual SIM (Hybrid)
- 6.5-inch 4K OLED display, 3840 x 1644 pixel resolution, 643ppi
- 120Hz refresh rate, 240Hz touch sampling
- ITU-R BT.2020, 10-bit
- 2.84GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G octa-core processor
- 12GB RAM
- Adreno 660 GPU
- 512GB UFS internal storage, expandable via microSD
- 8-megapixel front camera
- 12-megapixel (1-inch Exmor RS sensor, 2.4µm, PDAF, OIS, 315 PDAF points, 90% coverage) + 12-megapixel (16mm ultra-wide, Dual-Pixel PDAF) + 12-megapixel (50mm 2x telephoto, OIS) rear cameras, ZEISS optics, LED flash
- 4K@120Hz video recording, EyeTracking
- Triple mic array
- Cinematograpy Pro, Videography Pro
- Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
- Headphone jack
- Stereo speakers, HiRes, LDAC
- HSPA+, 4G LTE, 5G
- WiFi 6, dual-band
- Bluetooth 5.2
- dual-band GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDS
- NFC
- USB Type-C (DisplayPort support)
- Dimensions: 166 x 72 x 8.9 mm
- Weight: 211g
- IP68 water and dust resistance
- Colors: Frosted Black
- Corning Gorilla Glass Victus front, Gorilla Glass 6 back
- 4,500mAh non-removable battery, 30W fast charging