The announcement of the new Sony Xperia 1 IV took place in pompous Huawei style: revolution here, revolution there, first in the world, etc. But what is there really to expect from Sony's new flagship? Sony itself showed us in official YouTube videos.
Photographic revolution?
Sony has a very long experience in the field of photography and components, including for smartphones. It is no mystery that so many of its mobile competitors have used and continue to use Sony lenses. Even quite old ones compared to those used by Sony in their smartphones. So why has it never taken off?
Sony Xperia 1 IV and software bugs
For about a decade now, Sony has had an immense problem with its camera firmware, thwarting all hardware improvements every year, in a kind of self-sabotage that the Tokyo-based group inflicts on itself. The following shots are taken directly from the Sony Xperia official channel. We invite you to visit it to also take note of the fake 4K (objective data) and the frame drops, also quite noticeable, in the videos. Kudos to Sony, however, for sharing what are undoubtedly real clips taken with the Xperia 1 IV.
It is quite clear from these shots that Sony has failed to solve its long-standing firmware problems.
Does this really look like a photo taken with a €1400 smartphone from 2022 to anyone?
But there's the optical zoom! First! World record!
We have an old saying here on RecensioniVere: «when the brand focuses all its marketing on the camera, it means that for the rest there will be crying». And Sony would not deny it.
One of the most credible sites for those who know how to read between the lines (i.e. net of the compliments that you are obliged to do not to break relations with the brand) is GSM Arena, which has reviewed here.
We learn from the review that the zoom has problems with focus:
Most importantly, it is revealed to us that overheat awfully even with the camera app:
Eh but then Sony will fix it!
The problems with focus, bokeh, camera firmware in general Sony has had for about a decade. Some people are still waiting for updates to the Z2. If Sony ever decides to work on firmware properly, it will obviously be something new for new hardware, in an upcoming smartphone. Not in those already produced, including this Xperia 1 IV.
Remember that when the problem is the firmware, using another camera app is not enough. The results will not improve.
The same goes for overheating: it has been carrying it around since the first smartphone that did 4K 60fps video. Ditto when activating augmented reality: an oven. With the latest smartphones, the oven has also baked everything gaming and the 1 IV continues to bake.
Can something that goes off while shooting 4K video be worth 1400 euros while still being a point-and-shoot for Instagram and Tik Tok? That is, platforms where a mid-range is more than fine? We continue to be convinced that it is not.
Sony tries many new things and often pioneers features that other brands then take up and succeed in making shine. The problem is exactly this: it fails to make any feature shine. It seems that the new device always comes out in a hurry, without sufficient testing, without conviction. Too bad.
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