General Features
The Sony Xperia Pro-I is a high-end smartphone equipped with an exceptionally large camera sensor (1 inch). The device has a solid, robust feel, with side-mounted buttons offering precisely calibrated pressure points. The back is made of matte Gorilla Glass 6, and the phone is rated IP68 for water resistance.>
The 6.5-inch OLED display offers a smooth visual experience thanks to its dynamic 120Hz refresh rate, delivering excellent brightness and contrast. The Xperia Pro-I is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Storage expansion via a microSD card is possible. The hybrid card slot allows users to choose between a second Nano SIM or a microSD card up to 1TB.
The USB-C port supports the fast 3.2 Gen 2 standard, capable of transferring a 10GB file in just eight seconds. Additional connectivity standards include Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. The sound module supports Sony LDAC, Dolby Atmos, and 360 Reality Audio. The 4,500mAh battery is modest, considering the high resolution and refresh rate, and the phone does not support wireless charging via Qi.
Camera System and Image Quality
The Sony Xperia Pro-I features a large 1-inch sensor, which originates from Sony's RX100 series of high-end compact cameras. However, the smartphone only uses the center portion of the sensor, corresponding to 12 megapixels. The overall camera system consists of four cameras:
- Ultra-wide: 12 MP, 1/2.5 inch, F2.2
- Wide-angle: 12 MP, 1.0 inch, F2.0 or F4.0, OIS
- 2x Zoom: 12 MP, 1/2.9 inch, F2.4, OIS + 3D ToF sensor
- Selfie camera: 8 MP
The main camera prioritizes large pixels over higher resolution to optimize image quality in low-light conditions. In contrast, other camera systems with 200 MP consolidate 16 pixels into one in standard mode, yielding 12,5 MP. The main camera lens has a variable aperture of F2 or F4. Stopping down to F4 in bright light provides an advantage in terms of resolution.
In daylight conditions, the camera produces high-quality images. Resolution is good, and smooth surfaces show virtually no noise.
The overall image appears balanced and not extensively sharpened. Fortunately, the sensor’s large pixels also deliver comparable quality in low-light indoor settings.
Daylight 2000 lx
Indoor 250 lx
Night 10 lx
The 2x telephoto camera doesn’t reach the level of the main camera. At 4x zoom (including digital zoom), the image quality significantly deteriorates compared to the main camera. Fine details become indistinguishable, and artifacts appear along edges. Color reproduction remains neutral at 2000 and 250 lux.
Zoom 2000 lx
Zoom 250 lx
Zoom 10 lx
Detailed comparison of main camera and zoom (4x)
Main
Zoom
Selfie 2000 lx
Selfie 250 lx
Selfie 10 lx
Autofocus delay is only average. On the plus side, the Xperia Pro-I performs well in stabilization tests, thanks to its optical image stabilization. Even with slight camera movement, images remain largely sharp.
Videos are recorded in 4K HDR at 24, 25, 30, 60, and 120 frames per second. The quality of the video images captured during the test sessions is poor – for the testing procedure uses the default session of the camera, which in case of the Xperia Pro-I is not the maximum resolution.
Conclusion
A smartphone with a 1-inch sensor in the camera module is quite unique. Even though the sensor is not fully utilized, image performance in daylight is excellent and remains stable in low-light situations. It’s only under night conditions that the quality visibly declines. The Xperia Pro-I lacks a long telephoto lens compared to other top-tier smartphones, which keeps it from securing a leading position.
Advantages
- Large 1-inch sensor
- Triple camera with dedicated shutter and focus button
- Excellent image quality from the main camera in daylight and indoors
- Very good 4K display with 120Hz refresh rate
Disadvantages
- No wireless charging
- Short battery life with 120Hz and 4K resolution
