Following a brief teaser period, Sony has unveiled its latest flagship smartphone, the Sony Xperia 1 VII.
Designed and built in collaboration with Sony engineers who work on Alpha digital cameras, Walkman portable audio players, and Bravia televisions, the Xperia 1 VII combines diverse Sony technologies. Plus, like most contemporary smartphones, the Xperia 1 VII incorporates various AI features under the umbrella “Xperia Intelligence,” including AI to improve camera capabilities, audio performance, and content viewing.
The Xperia smartphone series has long focused on the camera experience, both for still photography and video, and the Xperia 1 VII is no exception. Sony promises a “totally new camera experience for smartphones,” propelled by AI and improved hardware.
Looking first at the software changes, a new “AI Camera Work” feature helps creators capture professional-quality, stable, and framed videos. This feature, like a similar one found on Sony ZV-series vlogging cameras, keeps the subject fixed in the center of the composition, even when recording while moving. This works through a combination of image stabilization and posture estimation technology.
A similar “Auto Framing” feature uses artificial intelligence to track the subject automatically and crop it to stay in the center of the frame. Auto Framing gives users the choice between two types of videos: one showing the whole scene and another cropped to provide a close-up of the subject.
Underpinning these automatic framing features are cameras. Like its predecessor, the Xperia 1 VII features three cameras. However, the ultra-wide camera has been upgraded with a new 16mm equivalent lens and a larger 48-megapixel Type 1/1.56 image sensor, which is about 2.1 times larger than the sensor on the Xperia 1 VI’s ultra-wide camera. The new ultra-wide system promises minimal distortion and macro capabilities — it can focus as close as five centimeters (just under two inches).
The 24mm wide-angle lens, which can also be used in a 2x mode for a 48mm equivalent field of view, features a Sony Exmor T for mobile image sensor, promising excellent low-light performance. The 48-megapixel sensor is a Type 1/1.35.
Like the main wide-angle camera, which is unchanged from last year’s phone, the telephoto is also identical. The 12-megapixel Type 1/3.5 sensor offers an optical zoom range from 85mm f/2.3 to 170mm f/3.5 (in 35mm terms).
Additional camera features include Zeiss-quality lenses, up to 30 frames per second burst shooting with full AF/AE, real-time Eye AF for human and animal subjects, and HDR photography modes.
As for video, the Xperia 1 VII records 4K HDR video at up to 120p, includes Sony’s S-Cinetone for mobile color profile, and offers Optical SteadyShot stabilization.
Concerning the Xperia 1 VII’s other features, the flagship phone packs plenty of punch. The device includes full-stage stereo speakers, a Bravia-infused 6.5-inch OLED with 100% DCI-P3 coverage and a 120 Hz refresh rate, and Qualcomm’s latest chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Elite.
Pricing and Availability
The Sony Xperia 1 VII offers many compelling features and promises a strong mobile photography experience. Unfortunately, not everyone will be able to enjoy it. The Xperia 1 VII is coming to Asia, Europe, and the United Kingdom — the United States and Canada are once again left out of the mix. The Xperia 1 VII is €1499/£1399 and comes in Slate Black, Moss Green, and Orchid Purple colorways.
Image credits: Sony
