Xperia Pro-i with "1 inch sensor".The most notable point is to use the sensor!

A large camera and a ZEISS logo appeal to the camera Xperia Pro-I

Equipped with the latest generation 1 sensor

Unlike ordinary smartphones, the Xperia Pro Series, the first model "Xperia Pro" appeared in February this year as a model assuming the use of professional fields.

The Xperia Pro has appeared as a model for video production sites and a model that supports workflows using HDMI input as an external monitor of the camera.It was also attracting attention as a high -end SIM -free Xperia, including the first Xperia corresponding to 5g millimeters.

The second one is the Xperia Pro-I this time.As a product for a different professional from the Xperia Pro, the name "I" in "IMaging" was named.In other words, it is a Pro series that emphasizes photos.

The base is the latest Xperia 1 III.One of the changes that has changed from the base machine is that it is equipped with a large type 1 sensor.By installing a high -end compact digital camera class sensor, we are aiming to improve the quality of photos.

Speaking of smartphones equipped with type 1 sensor, Panasonic's "LUMIX DMC-CM1", which was released globally in 2014, is reminiscent.This product was exactly a camera called "Communication Camera", which was not positioned as a smartphone, but it was a product that could use a smartphone with Android OS and also equipped with communication functions.

The times flowed in 2021.Sharp is equipped with a type 1 sensor with "AQUOS R6".It was clearly positioned as a smartphone, and it felt like a rainy day.Then, in collaboration with Sharp and SoftBank, that German Leica entered the smartphone business."Leitz Phone 1" with a type 1 sensor based on AQUOS R6 has been introduced.

And this time, Xperia Pro-I also joined the smartphone with a type 1 sensor.Considering the development period, the development was progressing at the same time as the "AQUOS R6", but in any case, the smartphone equipped with a 1 -type sensor increased by 3 in 2021, and the options expanded.I did it.

The sensors installed in PRO-I are installed in the "Cyber Shot RX100VII" released in 2019.The generation is the latest generation and uses a memory -integrated CMOS sensor.Aquos R6 and Leitz Phone 1 are mounted on the same generation as RX100III.

The RX100 series is equipped with a memory -integrated CMOS sensor with an RX100IV, and has reduced rolling shutter distortion by anti -dystros shutter by high -speed processing of sensors.The next RX100V is equipped with an image plane phase difference AF.By adopting such high -speed processing and high -speed AF sensors, the conventional weakness has been eliminated.

Even if you have a type 1 image sensor, the actual situation is not in type 1?

When the sensor is larger, the lens unit, which contains AF actuators, will be larger, and the entire camera will be larger.Aquos R6 and Leitz Phone 1 can be seen from the appearance of the camera part, but the PRO-I camera does not seem to be so large.

This is because Xperia Pro-I adopted a mechanism that uses only a part of the type 1 sensor.The total number of sensors to be installed is 21 million pixels, but the effective pixels used for the record are 12.2 million pixels.Only about 60 % are used.

As a result, the lens design may be covered with 12.2 million pixels, and the lens unit is miniaturized.The smaller the processing can speed up, and the AF cover area has also expanded from about 68 % of RX100VII to about 90 %.

Despite these advantages, the pixel pitch, which should be quite large if it is 12.22 million pixels with a type 1 sensor, stops 2.4 μm because the sensor size is equivalent to 1/1.31 type.There is no sensor of 12.31 pixels in the 1/1.31 type, and the pixel pitch can be enlarged so much because it is equipped with a type 1 sensor, but there is a aspect that is not clear.

In fact, if the number of pixels is different, there is also a 1/1.31 type sensor.Samsung's "ISOCELL GN1" is exactly this size.This sensor is said to be a device mounted on Pixel 6 / Pixel 6 Pro, and the number of pixels is 50 million pixels.The pixel pitch is small as 1.2 μm, but the "tetrapixel" technology, which combines 4 pixels and used as one pixel, has achieved almost the same specifications as 12.5 million pixels / 2.4 μm.

Although it is more and more unconventional, this mechanism may have been adopted in consideration of the cost of creating a new sensor and the negative effects of increasing the size of the camera unit.The RX100VII generation sensor has sufficient performance, and can be said to be a 1/1.31 type pixel sensor with excellent performance, such as high -speed AF, 20 -frame/AE tracking copy, real -time tracking, such as real -time tracking.Conversely, it can be said that the same performance as Xperia 1 III was realized while installing a type 1 sensor.

The problem is that it is appealing that "type 1 sensor is installed", but it is not a mistake because the sensor is type 1.There are some opinions that the mechanism that combines the adjacent pixels to become one pixel, which affects the image quality, but does not affect the image quality by using a part of the type 1 sensor.The image quality does not change.

Originally, Sony used the same mechanism with Cyber Shot RX0.At that time, the use of only 15.3 million pixels of the 1 -inch sensor was realized, but this time, the area used for the sensor was further narrower.

However, 12.22 million pixels are the number of pixels used to record still images.In the case of a video, it seems that the aspect ratio of this 1,2.2 million pixels is not cut out, but it is cut out from a wider range.In addition, for electronic camera shake correction, this also uses the outside range than 12.2 million pixels.

In any case, it can be said that such a room has become possible by cutting out the type 1 sensor.

It is normal that there is a difference between the total number of pixels and the number of effective pixels, but it has not been so that 40 % has decreased.The image quality is simply unable to tell the image quality with pixel pitch alone, and I think that it is a good way to use the pixel pitch of the type 1 sensor while achieving compactness and light movement, but there seems to be room for discussion at the time of promotion.is.

The difference from Xperia 1 III is the focus on variable aperture

By the way, such Pro-i.Other specifications are generally the same as Xperia 1 III, and the difference is that it does not support 5g millimeters and is not compatible with wireless charging.It is a disappointing point for those who need it, but the point is that it is a SIM -free dual SIM, and that the shutter sound can be erased.

As for the hardware, the shutter buttons are larger than the camera, and the Google Assistant button has moved to the vicinity of the shutter button as a customized key that can be assigned to function.

The biggest difference is the camera.As mentioned above (although there is a discussion in the expression), it is equipped with a 12.2 million pixel sensor.For the first time, Xperia has a lens with a ZEISS lens inscription on the main camera.

The TESSAR T*lens is installed.It is similar to the RX0 lens, including the lens configuration with a 35mm format of 24 mm, but is newly developed.It is equipped with a variable aperture, and it is also a new point that it can be switched between F2.0 and F4.0 (RX0 is fixed of F4.0).

The variable aperture was adopted in Galaxy S9 + in 2018, but after that it was no longer seen.DMC-CM1 is equipped with physical aperture with aperture feathers, but PRO-I adopts two-stage variable aperture.The approach is different from Galaxy S9 +, and it is two stages, F2.0 and F4.0.

The variable aperture of Galaxy S9 + was two stages, F1.5 and F2.4, and was designed to be F1.8, which can be taken brighter in the dark place for the main F2.4.Conversely, Pro-I is a form that uses F4.0 to deepen the depth of the subject so that the background is not too blurred.

Even if you actually try it, it will blur moderately blurred if it is a 24mm wide -angle lens, but if it is F4.0, the depth of the subject will deepen and the blur will be reduced.The smartphone camera has become large, the F -number is getting smaller and smaller, and the background is too blurred, but with F4.0, it can focus on the background even if it is a proximity shooting.

F4.0, which is not too blurred, is effective, especially when taking food.Conversely, if you want to blur the background, use it properly with F2.0.There is not much blur because it is a 24mm focal length, but in the proximity it is blurred as it is, so it is possible to control the shooting by squeezing.

It seems good to say that it is equivalent to the depiction of the focus.It may have been better to have a difference of about F5.6, but this time the image quality may be reduced due to the diffraction.Even if the sharpness was lost, it was good to be able to select it, but it would be nice to be able to select it, but that would require multiple stages, and it seems that space and cost problems will come out.

When tested with DMC-CM1, F5.6 had a slight effect of diffraction, and in F8.0, a decrease in resolution that seemed to be a small aperture blur.In that sense, it seems that F4.0 has a good balance with image quality.

In any case, by using the aperture properly depending on the scene, you will be able to take pictures according to your sensitivity more than ever.In addition to controlling the background blur by squeezing, the shutter speed can be controlled, and the range of shooting expands.

High resolution to the surrounding area with a tesser lens

There is no problem with the image quality of pure cameras.The output image quality is not only the ability of the sensor because all of the sensors, lenses, and image processing are combined.

The installed lens is a Zeiss tesser lens.The focal length of 24mm in the 35mm format is F2.0.T*coating is also applied.This is the first time that Xperia has a Zeiss lens inscription, and it will be a lens suitable for the name of "Pro-I".

Since the imaging area has been narrowed by the cut out of the type 1 sensor, the lens area is more compact than other type 1 sensor -equipped smartphones.At first glance, it looks like a normal smartphone camera, and the design that emphasizes the surrounding lenses is also special.

Regarding the depiction, it is clearly resolved to the surrounding area, and a clear depiction.The sharpness is affordable and the details are clearly depicted.There is a feeling that the number of pixels of 1,2.2 million pixels is somewhat unsatisfactory, but conversely, it can be said that there is room.As a lens ability, you can withstand higher pixels.

The effect of T*coating is sufficient, and flare and ghosts are well suppressed.Even in scenes that occur with other smartphones, they will depict them properly.

Depending on the background, it is worrisome that the two -line blur appears, but if you squeeze it to F4.0, it will be better.This is one of the features of Pro-I that can be "squeezed".If you squeeze to F4.0, the amount of blur will be reduced, but the range of focus will be expanded, especially if it is a proximity shooting.

To change the aperture, the switching button is provided under the lens switching button on the left side of the Photographhy Pro.I guess it was summarized because it was an operation related to the lens.Personally, the current camera setting is displayed at the bottom of the live view screen, and it seems easy to understand if you can change it directly by touching it here (in fact, the new application VideoGraphy Pro is such a UI.)

The concept of switching is simple.At the time of Galaxy S9 +, it was used to open the aperture to shoot brightly in a dark scene against the standard aperture, but PRO-I is mainly open aperture, and when you want to control bokeh, you can use it.You should switch as needed.

The advantage of cutting out the sensor is speed.If the sensor becomes larger and the lens is larger, the AF drive will be slowed down, but by cutting out, you can speed up without becoming larger.In fact, PRO-I supports high-speed continuous shooting called "AF/AE following 20 frames/seconds", which exerts the sensor's ability without regret.The calculation performance is also 60 times a second, high.The moving subject can be tracked by continuous shooting.

The tracking performance due to the eyes AF and real -time tracking will also be difficult with the contrast AF type 1 sensor.Although the accuracy is inferior to the lens replacement camera, it is often tracked, including 12.2 million pixels.

As mentioned above, the expression "type 1 sensor" in Pro-I is a division of judgment, but there is also a sense of convincing, given the image quality, high-speed performance, and compact body that resolved to the surrounding area.It can be said that the same performance as the small -sized sensor was realized because of the large pixel pitch of 2.4 μm.

This time, a new app "VideoGraphy Pro" was installed, and "VLOG Monitor" was also prepared as an accessory, but this is a good idea to use a high -quality camera to take your own shooting.It is easy to use because it uses a cable.The operation will be performed from the main unit, but you can also use Sony's camera shooting grip, so it can be used effectively.However, unlike still images, the video may have been a little more flashy image quality setting.

The specifications of "type 1 sensor" appear in front, but if you think of it as a "smartphone camera with the largest class pixel pitch", it can be used as a sub -machine for a lens replacement camera.In particular, smartphone -like computational photography is suppressed, and because it is a straightforward depiction, I feel that it is compatible with the camera.

Personally, I feel like I could stick to the camera thoroughly at the expense of size and waterproofing performance.For "CM1 refugees" like me, I would like to wait for a camera equipped with a 1 -type sensor that can be operated like a 5G -equipped smartphone.