Meet the Xperia PRO-I, a phone that Sony calls “The Camera”

Today Sony announced the Xperia PRO-I with a 1-inch camera sensor borrowed straight from the critically acclaimed Sony Alpha RX100 VII compact camera. The Japanese company is redefining the term “camera phone” with its new brainchild, and actually, the device is internally known as “The Camera.”

The Xperia PRO-I occupies a different spot in Sony’s smartphone portfolio, positioning itself vertically from the consumer-oriented Xperia 1, 5, and 10 devices. It’s not even a direct successor to the Xperia PRO, despite the similarities in the name.

Unlike the first Xperia PRO, which was geared toward live streamers, The Xperia PRO-I is offering a more complete package for photographers and videographers. The most important feature onboard is the aforementioned 1.0-type Exmor RS camera sensor with phase detection autofocus, sitting underneath a 24mm ZEISS Tessar Optics with dual F2.0/F4.0 aperture.

Sony has equipped the Xperia PRO-I with so many pro-level features and software tools that we’ll need to cover everything systematically. Let’s start with the still shots.

Xperia PRO-I photography specs and features

Some of you might be familiar with the Alpha RX100 VII and the capabilities of the 1-inch sensor inside. It features huge 2.4µm pixels, along with RAW 12-bit support and 315 phase-detection AF points that cover 90% of the frame.

To make the best of such a large sensor, Sony has opted for a dual aperture system on the main 24mm camera. The F2.0/F4.0 options further expand the capabilities of the main camera, allowing you to capture more light in difficult situations or change the depth of field and produce pro-level bokeh shots.

The phone comes equipped with three cameras on the back all of which feature 12MP sensors. The main 24mm lens is complemented with a 16mm ultra-wide lens, and a 50mm one, and there’s also a 3D iToF sensor to help with autofocus.

Speaking of autofocus, some of the features you’re already familiar with from the Xperia 1 III are present here - such as the Real-time Eye-AF in humans and animals and the 20fps AF/AE burst mode courtesy of the same BIONZ X mobile image processor.

Photography Pro is present on the Xperia PRO-I allowing users to tweak nearly every aspect while shooting, while also providing a no-frills Basic mode for quick snaps. The dedicated camera shutter button that has been a trademark of Xperia phones of late is present of course but it has been upgraded.

The button now features the same shutter switch module as Sony’s RX100 series cameras and requires similar pressure to operate AF and shutter release, so RX100 users will feel at home with the system. Long pressing the shutter button will launch Photography Pro even with a turned-off display, so you won’t miss a frame.

Another small improvement is the strap hole, it’s been a while since we saw such a feature on a smartphone but here it serves as an added security feature to help you protect your Xperia PRO-I from accidental falls. The phone itself is only 8.9 mm thick so it’s a nice feature to have on such a slim device.