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The Sony Xperia 1 VII is here, and it's Sony's latest grasp at relevancy in a modern smartphone market that has seemingly left the Xperia lineup in the past.
With modest upgrades on board, the new Xperia comes with a new higher-res ultrawide camera, but still relies on the same 48MP main camera and 12MP telephoto with variable focal length that can provides optical zoom at 3.5 and 7.1X zoom levels (85 to 170mm in 35mm film equivalent).
Sony Xperia 1 VII
Sony Xperia 1 VI
Main camera
48MP F1.9
Sensor: 1/1.35" Exmor T
1.12 μm pixel size
Main camera 48MP F1.9 Sensor: 1/1.35" 1.12 μm pixel size
Telephoto camera
12MP, 3.5x to 7.1x optical zoom (85-170mm)
Sensor: 1/3.5" Exmor RS
1.0µm pixel size
Telephoto camera 12MP, 3.5x to 7.1x optical zoom (85-170mm) Sensor: 1/3.5" 1.0µm pixel size
Sony has put a new 48MP ultrawide in its latest Xperia flagship, an improvement over the 12MP one available on the older Xperia 1 VI flagship phone. However, the other two cameras are pretty much identical to their predecessor, but Sony has shaken up the image-processing algorithms in order to get closer to some of its bigger competitors, which are also using Sony's sensors.
And don't get fooled by Sony's naming scheme: the Exmor T and Exmor RS sensors here are equivalent to the new LYTIA ones that are making the rounds on pretty much any high-profile flagship out there at the moment.
How does this all pan out for the Sony Xperia 1 VII?
Sony Xperia 1 VII
PhoneArena Camera Score
BEST 158
136
PhoneArena Photo Score
BEST 165
142
Main (wide)
BEST 87
74
Zoom
BEST 29
25
Ultra-wide
BEST 26
22
Selfie
BEST 30
22
PhoneArena Video Score
BEST 155
130
Main (wide)
BEST 83
66
Zoom
BEST 27
24
Ultra-wide
BEST 24
18
Selfie
BEST 28
22
Well, with a total score of 136, the latest Xperia isn't really doing great. Broken down, this result is made of a mostly okay still photo result of 142 points, but a disappointing video score of 130 points. That's in the ballpark of the old Xperia flagship, but slightly lower in comparison, which isn't the way camera evolution is supposed to go.
Sony Xperia 1 VII compared to its rivals
Photo
Video
Phone
Camera Score
Photo Score
Main (wide)
Ultra Wide
Selfie
Zoom
Sony Xperia 1 VII
136
142
74
22
22
25
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
158
165
87
23
27
28
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
151
159
84
23
26
27
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
154
158
82
24
28
25
Sony Xperia 1 VI
138
144
73
20
27
24
Phone
Camera Score
Video Score
Main (wide)
Ultra Wide
Selfie
Zoom
Sony Xperia 1 VII
136
130
66
18
22
24
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
158
150
75
21
28
26
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
151
142
76
20
25
21
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
154
150
76
23
27
24
Sony Xperia 1 VI
138
131
64
20
24
23
Find out more details about photo and video scores for all phones we have tested on our PhoneArena Camera Score page
Now, compared to most of its direct rivals from the midst of the Big Three––Samsung, Apple, and Google––the Xperia 1 VII isn't doing particularly good.
It achieves a significantly lower score than more capable cameraphones that are also significantly more affordable, like the Galaxy S25 Ultra, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max. While this isn't great for Sony, what's actually concerning here is that the Xperia 1 VII fares slightly worse than last year's Xperia 1 VI in our tests. This is indicative that the changes in the image-processing aren't in the correct direction, which is sad to see.
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Let's delve deeper and take a look at some camera samples.
Sony Xperia 1 VII camera spider chart
Pros
Decent zoom quality with the telephoto camera
Well-performing ultrawide camera
Natural colors
Physical shutter
Cons
Processing artifacts in some scenarios
Lackluster detail and some oversharpening
No HDR preview in the viewfinder
Unimpressive selfie camera
Lackluster camera app
Main camera
The main camera delivers images with true-to-life colors and dynamics that look very realistic. Details are okay, but you can notice some oversharpening artifacts here and there. Auto exposure leaves something to be desired, as it has some issues with nailing the correct exposure level. The dynamic range is okay, but sometimes highlights tend to burn out. There are also some nasty HDR artifacts here and there.
The telephoto is good, delivering good detail at both the native 3.7X and 7.1X optical zoom levels. There is minimal oversharpening and good sharpness at both zoom levels.
Ultrawide camera
The ultrawide camera here is a noticeable improvement over the one on the Xperia 1 VI, so at least we have palpable improvements here. The detail and corner sharpness have been improved, but some oversharpening tends to creep in now as well.
Front-facing camera quality
The front-facing camera is just okay. It sometimes struggles to determine the correct exposure setting, leading to slightly overexposed facial features. Detail is lacking in comparison with most of the phone's direct rivals.
Video main camera
The main camera delivers decent exposure, good dynamic range, and okay details with minimal amounts of oversharpening. Still, most rivals of the device deliver better footage with their respective main cameras.
Zoom video quality
3.7X
At the shorter 3.7X zoom level, videos are perfectly usable, with decent quality.
7.1X
At 7.1X, a general loss of quality and worse detail can be observed.
Ultrawide video quality
While the ultrawide is great in photos, it's so-so in videos. Corner-sharpness leaves a lot to be desired, and the exposure errs on the side of overexposing the image.
Front-facing camera quality
The front camera delivers lifeless videos that lack both character and detail. Definitely among the worse front-facing cameras we've tested this year.
Conclusion
The Sony Xperia 1 VII will easily feel like more of the same to seasoned Xperia fans. It offers nothing groundbreaking in the camera department, doesn't stand out with any particularly intriguing new feature, and you could even make the case that the overall image capabilities of the camera have deteriorated in comparison with the previous model as well as the direct rivals.
While the camera will do fine in most situations you may find yourself, it will rarely excite or inspire you to create more.
While Sony definitely has a galactic level of know-how when it comes to camera sensors, this knowledge fails to translate well to the real-life camera performance of its flagship phones.\
The Xperia 1 VII's rivals easily beat it in the camera department, while carrying significantly lower price tags.
Peter, an experienced tech enthusiast at PhoneArena, is captivated by all things mobile. His impartial reviews and proficiency in Android systems offer readers valuable insights. Off-duty, he delves into the latest cryptocurrency trends and enjoys sci-fi and video games.
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