Sony Xperia 1 III review: Checks all the Android boxes except price
Phones
Speaker 1: This is the camera bump on the new Sony Xperia one mark three. You see that large circle at the bottom. It houses a variable zoom lens with tiny lens elements that move to give you two different optical telephoto links. It's kind of like having two cameras in one, but does innovative camera hardware along with 5g support in the us and the first ever 4k high refresh rate display, make the Xperia one, mark three worth its $1,300 price. [00:00:30] Let's find out
Speaker 1: Among the exhaustive expanse of smartphones, the Sony Xperia one mark three positions itself as a tool for photographers, filmmakers, audio files, and gamers. This is Sony's third, take on a phone targeted at creative types and like a band on its third album. It's ambitions only succeed some of the time. Sony let me [00:01:00] a pre-production version into tests for about a week. I found it equal parts, impressive and full of wrinkles. Greeting you on the front of the Xperia. One, mark three is a 6.5 inch 4k display. It's pretty fantastic indoors and colors look amazing. It can be set to 60 Hertz or to 120 Hertz, which makes animations and get aiming. Look smooth. The refresh rates are fixed. So if it's set to 120 Hertz, it's always at that rate, which has a significant [00:01:30] impact on battery life. And as impressive as the 4k resolution is, it's hard to appreciate the screen.
Speaker 1: I mean, it's not dramatically better than a lower resolution screen with a high I refresh rate like the one on the galaxy S 21 ultra however, using the phone outdoors is where the display's weakness is revealed. It's not that bright. If it's sunny, it's almost impossible to make out. Clearly what's on the screen. Like the Sony Xperia [00:02:00] pro you can use the Xperia one, mark three, an external monitor for a dedicated camera. It doesn't offer everything the pro does, but it's nice to have. When I tested the external display app on the Erio one, mark three, it was buggy. When it did work, it was lovely. But after a while it only showed my cameras feed zoomed in with a queen overlay on the back are three cameras, a main 12 megapixel wide angle camera with a larger sensor for better low light performance, [00:02:30] a 12 megapixel ultra wide angle camera, and a 12 megapixel telephoto camera with a variable optical zoom lens.
Speaker 1: The variable telephoto lens is no doubt. A remarkable achievement, basically two lenses in one, but in terms of benefits, you actually noticed the dual Teleo lens remains a question mark. For example, despite taking up less room, it doesn't make the phone any cheaper. In fact, the experi one, mark three cost a hundred dollars more [00:03:00] than last year's Xperia mark two, in terms of versatility, it's nice to have the option of two telephoto cameras, but other phones like the galaxy S 21 ultra, keep something similar with two separate telephoto cameras. Fortunately the Xperia one, mark three zoom lens captures good photos, especially in terms of image, quality and detail. In fact, across the board, the rear cameras on the Xperia are closely matched in terms of image, quality [00:03:30] and color, but the standout feature, isn't the variable telephoto lens. It's eye auto focus. This is isn't new to the experie line of phones.
Speaker 1: In fact, it comes from Sony's popular line of alpha mirrorless cameras. Essentially when you open up the photo pro app to take a photo, the phone can identify people or animals in the view finder and lock focus on their eyes. There's even a green square to let you know that it's locked on. Even [00:04:00] if they move or look away, I auto focus follows them. You don't even need to tap the screen. Now for parents trying to grab that nice in focused photo of their kid or pet parents wanting a non blurry snap of their fur baby I auto focus is the answer you've been looking for. Overall, the experie one, mark three is capable of some wonderful photos. Take a look at some of my favorite ones that I've taken
Speaker 1: [00:04:30] The experi one, mark three retains the hardware shutter button, which is nice also instead of having a default Android camera app and two separate pro camera apps, the Experia has a photo pro app and a cinema pro app. I appreciate Sony simplifying things, but it's a little [00:05:00] odd how it's done essentially. Sony took what was the default Android camera app and put it inside the photo pro app under a mode called basic. And yes, that's actually what it's called Sony removed the camera app, but kind of created a little conundrum. It strange opening the photo pro app in order to record videos, access slow motion mode. There just has to be a better way. Also, when you record a video in basic mode, there's a long delay [00:05:30] between hitting the stop record button and the recording actually stopping. I end up thinking I tapped it and register.
Speaker 1: So I tapped a second time, which results in the first video stopping and a new recording starting. Ugh, it's just annoying. Also, when you record a video, you can't switch between cameras. You're limited to just digital zoom on the camera you started recording with. If you're into manual controls or taking a more cinematic approach to capturing videos with your phone, the cinema [00:06:00] pro app is for you on last year's Xperia one, mark two. I actually shot an entire short film with the app and like the Xperia five mark two, the cinema pro app on the Xperia one mark three. Now has the ability to record 4k 120 frame per second video with the main camera. Save it as a 30 frame per second video file and slow motion footage looks incredible. In fact, as with previous Xperia phones, the cinema pro app yields, some gorgeous looking videos, take a look at some of the ones [00:06:30] I recorded.
Speaker 1: The cinema of pro app does have some limitations, low like videos are bad and that's because the app is designed to shoot at a maximum ISO of 800. Also when shooting outdoors on a sunny day, it's easy to bottom out the ISO, which means [00:07:00] using a ridiculously low shutter angle to compensate. Now, if you're planning on using the Xperia and shooting with the cinema pro app outside, I definitely recommend finding a neutral density filter solution. Now there is a selfie camera and let's talk about when compared to the rear cameras, the selfie camera is just, okay. It has an eight megapixel sensor and photos are average when it comes to videos, it has this huge crop here. Take a look. [00:07:30] I took a selfie photo and then I didn't move my hand. And I went to go film a selfie video in the same position.
Speaker 1: Right? Okay. Look, I fact more from any phone aimed at photographers, especially one with a $1,300 price tag, I wish the selfie camera was closer and image quality to the rear cameras. And also it'd be nice to use the selfie camera to film yourself in the cinema pro act. The experi one, mark three is the first regular or Sony phone to [00:08:00] get 5g in the us. The $2,500 Xperia pro had 5g support in the us for sub six and millimeter wave 5g, the Xperia one, mark three supports mid band and low band 5g. I tested it on T-Mobile's 5g network here in Greenville, South Carolina. Now the indicator displays a 5g icon, but most of the time it's actually just LTE. And, and this happens on other 5g phones. I tested on T-Mobile's 5g network as well. Data [00:08:30] speeds were kind of all over the place, but calls sounded clear.
Speaker 1: The Experia has a Snapdragon 8 88 processor and 12 gigabytes Ofra, which trends the leads to solid performance, especially for recording videos and playing games. The only time I had an issue was taking photos and filming videos on a 92 degree day outside within half an hour, the temperature warning popped up. And then there's the battery, which is [00:09:00] more disappointing than the friends reunion and light use. I was able to mostly get through a day, but on days where I played games or, or did a lot of photography, I needed to top it off by dinner time in our CNET bad test with continuous video playback and airplane mode, it lasted 16 hours and 12 minutes with a screen set at 60 Hertz, which is an okay time and better than the Xperia one, mark two. When I ran the same test with the screen at [00:09:30] 120 Hertz, it lasted 10 hours and 45 minutes, which, uh, yeah, that's not even remotely good.
Speaker 1: And all of this raises the question is Sony trying to do too much and inadvertently mucking up. What would otherwise be a magnificent phone? The Experia is packed with features that check all of the Android flagship phone boxes and then some headphones, Jack expandable storage and L E D notification light on the front. I mean, get outta here, right? [00:10:00] But a nose bleeding, high price of $1,300 buggy software in a confusing way of organizing some standard photo and video features, make it hard to recommend the experi one mark three yet. I kind of wonder about the experience live mark three on paper. It seems like it could be a more balanced phone and a better well value. We'll have to test it and see if you are set on getting an Xperia one, mark three, check out the link in the description pre-orders [00:10:30] are live and we'll ship starting August 19th. Now Sony also has an offer until September 26th, where you can get the phone as well as Sony WF, 1000 XM, three wireless noise, canceling earbuds and 43,200 call of duty, mobile CP points, four $1,300, which, uh, lessen the sting just a bit, I guess. But now I wanna hear from you. What do you think about the Sony experie one, mark three. Do you think the features and compromises are worth the high price? [00:11:00] Throw your thoughts in the comments.
