Sony has officially announced it’s next-generation’s Xperia 1 IV flagship model during a high-profile global launch event which was livestreamed across social media platforms. The latest model expectedly brings along several key upgrades including a revamped camera system which now includes a telephoto unit that’s able to support continuous optical zoom – an elusive feature that we don’t see among smartphones, even the most expensive models from Apple and Samsung.
Unlike those telephoto lens which we typically see among high-end devices, the telephoto camera on the new Sony Xperia 1 IV allows users to shift between a focal length of 85mm to 125 mm which equates to 3.5x to 5x optical zoom. This certainly helps to capture photos of higher quality as opposed to other devices that rely on digital zoom when moving between different focal length (zoom factor).
Interestingly, all three cameras at the back offers the same 12MP resolution with the main camera having a large 1/1.7” sensor size, while the ultra-wide and telephoto units settle with a 1/2.5” and 1/3.5” sensor size respectively. Also, it’s noteworthy that the main and telephoto cameras also feature OIS stabilization for smooth video footages.
Speaking of videography, all three cameras are able to support 4K recording at 120 fps. To sweeten up the deal, Sony also equipped it’s rear cameras with an advanced Eye AF as well as real-time object tracking and autofocus system – something similar to what we saw in it’s full-frame mirrorless camera such as the Sony Alpha A7 IV (Review).
Under the hood, the device is powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset which was also found among other flagship models like the OPPO Find X5 Pro (Review) and Xiaomi 12 Pro (Review). This will be paired with 12GB RAM and up to 512GB built-in storage in the memory department.
Over on the front side, the Sony Xperia 1 IV also packs a high-end 6.5” AMOLED display which offers an ultra-sharp 4K screen resolution topped with a buttery-smooth 120Hz refresh rate. Most importantly, the screen is now able to produce 50% more brightness than it’s Xperia 1 III predecessor – ensuring it to remain visible even within an environment with strong ambient light.
Rounding out it’s impressive hardware is none other than a respectable 5,000mAh battery with 30W fast-charging that’s capable of refilling a flat battery up to 50% in just 30 minutes. Also, let’s not forget that the Sony Xperia 1 IV is the only recent flagship model which retains the much coveted 3.5mm headphone jack for wired earphones.
Pricing for the Sony Xperia 1 IV starts from €1,400 in the European market for it’s 12GB+256GB trim, and goes up to €1,600 for the highest-end model featuring a hefty 12GB+512GB configuration. At the moment, Sony Singapore has yet to announce the local pricing, though it did confirmed that the device will be available at selected retail shops and online stores from June 2022.
