Say hello to Sony’s newest flagship smartphone, Xperia 5 – bringing the key technologies from Sony’s Xperia 1 in a sleek and compact  sophisticated design for all-day immersive entertainment.

Don’t worry if you missed out on the full announcement at IFA: we’ve compiled this handy post with everything you need to know about this striking smartphone, and the key differences between Xperia 1 and Xperia 5 to help you choose the handset that best suits you.

Redefining immersive viewing

Fancy watching your favourite movies and boxsets in home cinema-quality, all in the palm of your hand? Thanks to Xperia 5’s 21:9 CinemaWide 6.1-inch Full HD+ OLED display, you can enjoy truly immersive entertainment in the same aspect ratio that many top Hollywood blockbusters are filmed in.

Xperia 1 owners will already be familiar with the stunning display powered by Sony’s award-winning BRAVIA® TV technologies with X1 for mobile engine, and now Xperia 5 owners will be able to enjoy this technology too!

Diving into the tech specs, X1 for mobile remasters content to High Dynamic Range (HDR) for exceptional clarity, contrast and colour.

Its 10-bit tonal gradation* delivers deeper blacks and true-to-life colours while Creator mode, “powered by CineAlta” and inspired by Master Monitor colour reproduction, means Xperia 5 boasts consistent colour reproduction true to the creator’s intent. This is the same technology used by filmmakers at major studios, including Sony Pictures.

In short, this means you’ll be immersed in an unforgettable viewing experience, no matter what your content of choice is. Gone are the days of trying to make out the small details of your favourite thriller on a screen that simply can’t handle the output!

Whether you opt for Xperia 1 or Xperia 5, you’re in for incredible smartphone entertainment.

Capture content like a pro

Since 1988, Sony has been synonymous with incredible photography. Xperia 1 users will already be familiar with the professional-grade technologies inspired by the Alpha division that now come in a handy, smartphone-sized package, and now Xperia 5 owners can enjoy the benefits of these same cutting-edge technologies.

With its 16mm super wide lens, versatile 26mm lens and 52mm telephoto lens, combined with BIONZ X for mobile, the Xperia 5’s advanced camera is able to shoot in a multitude of situations and lighting conditions.

When we launched Xperia 1 at MWC, we introduced the world’s first Eye AF** in a smartphone, allowing you to focus on your subject to ensure your shots are perfect every time.

The Xperia 5 also brings an intelligent new feature call ‘Photography advice’. This handy function uses AI technology to detect photography challenges, whether that’s a finger in front of the camera, the subject closing their eyes at the moment of capture, or an issue with autofocus.

Level up your Android gaming

Whether you prefer tricky platformers or thrilling beat ‘em ups, Xperia 5 offers an unparalleled handheld gaming experience.

The Game enhancer feature allows you to store all of your games in one place, as well as offering you in-game tips to help you battle bosses and clear levels in record time. All new for the Xperia 5 is the ability to record gameplay at 20fps and synthesise your voice with Game enhancer’s voice changing feature. Showing off your pentakills to friends and family has never been easier!

Stylish design in a sleek body

Xperia 5’s design team didn’t ‘monkey around’ when deciding the material to use for the exterior. Not only does Xperia 5 house some of the best Sony Mobile technology, it’s all encased in a premium body. The sleek metal frame is made from durable Corning® Gorilla® Glass 6 on the front and back to help protect it from life’s bumps and drops. It’s also IP65/IP68 certified water resistant*** to guard it against the elements.

At 158 x 68 x 8.2mm, Xperia 5 is slimmer than Xperia 1 for an even more ergonomic feel in the hand, but the 21:9 screen still handles multitasking with two windows very comfortably.

Xperia 5 comes in four striking colours. Choose from Black or Grey for a bold handset with a classic feel, or opt for Blue or Red for a vibrant splash of colour.****

Hungry to find out more about the all new Xperia 5? Stay tuned to the blog for travel photography tips, media reactions to Xperia 5 and an interview with Mitsuya Kishida, President and Representative Director, Sony Mobile Communications.

 

*8 bit display with 2 bit software smoothing

** Xperia 1’s camera features Eye AF (autofocus) capable of identifying and keeping a human eye in focus. Verified by Strategy Analytics’ SpecTRAXService against the published camera specifications for over 14,000 smartphones. Correct as of the 16th May 2019 .

*** Xperia 5 is water resistant and protected against dust, so don’t worry if you get caught in the rain or want to wash off dirt under a tap, but remember all ports and attached covers should be firmly closed. You should not put the device completely underwater; or expose it to seawater, salt water, chlorinated water or liquids such as drinks. Abuse and improper use of device will invalidate warranty. The device has been tested under Ingress Protection rating IP65/68. For more info, see www.sonymobile.com/waterresistant. Note Xperia 5 has a capless USB port to connect and charge. The USB port needs to be completely dry before charging.

**** Timing and availability will vary by market

The post Everything you need to know about the new Xperia 5 appeared first on Sony Mobile Blog.

Source: Sony Mobile Blog
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It’s no secret that we’ve launched a brand-new smartphone at IFA – Xperia 5! Sony’s latest flagship smartphone is sleek and compact, and it doesn’t hold back when it comes to fantastic features, such as it’s 21:9 CinemaWide6.1-inch Full HD+ OLEDdisplay and impressive triple camera.

Keep an eye out for our Everything You Need To Know about Xperia 5 post right here on our blog, with information on its improved game enhancer feature and full range of colours.

But if you want to see what Xperia 5 looks like right out of the box, let journalist and tech expert Chris Barraclough let show you this incredible new device.

Commenting on the design, he says: “You get the same stylish stretch design as you do from Sony’s Xperia 1, but now in an even more sleek and compact form factor, so it’s super comfortable to clutch and to use.

“You get that gorgeous 21:9 CinemaWide display as well. Nice and punchy, it’s an HDR+ OLED so you get some gorgeous, beautiful, vibrant visuals. Perfect for your movies and also a bit of split-screen multi-tasking as well.”

But Chris isn’t just impressed with the flagship’s body, adding that the triple camera on the rear is “super, super flexible and packed with Sony’s Alpha smarts as well, so it’s great for your everyday shooting.

“You get a 16mm wide-angle lens, a versatile 26mm lens and also a telephoto 52mm lens. Xperia 5 boasts the same brilliant Eye Autofocus feature found in Xperia 1.”

He comments that Xperia 5 delivers “a breath-taking entertainment experience the way it was meant to be enjoyed.”

Source: Sony Mobile Blog
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Xperia 5 just launched to great fanfare at IFA in Berlin, and those who want to get their hands on this sleek, stylish device won’t have long to wait at all!

With its 21:9 CinemaWide^TM display and its advanced triple camera, Xperia 5 is set for release this October.

What’s more, Xperia 5 is available to pre-order from next week in select European markets, where it is being bundled with Sony’s industry leading and award-winning WF-1000XM3 truly wireless Noise Cancelling headphones.

The WF-1000XM3 headphones combine exceptional sound and noise cancelling with a compact, stylish design, much like Xperia 5! The all-day battery life is ideal for anyone who wants to lose themselves completely in their music.

Compatible with the Xperia 5 handset, WF-1000XM3’s dual sensor technology allows the surface of the headphones to catch ambient sounds, such as in-flight announcements, the rumble of city traffic or chatter in the office.

Alongside the Xperia 5’s Dolby Atmos® technology, the smartphone and headphones work in harmony to deliver an exceptional entertainment experience.

Xperia 5 brings many of the professional-grade technologies found in Sony’s Xperia 1, including a triple lens camera with critically acclaimed Eye AF technology from Sony’s Alpha cameras. What’s more, with Xperia 5 you can track the action with continuous burst shooting at up to 10fps AF/AE tracking (Auto Focus and Auto Exposure) with increased calculations up to 30 fps.

The handset is available in four stunning colours: Blue, Red, Black and Grey*.

To place your order or find out more information, visit sonymobile.com.

*Timing and availability will vary by market

The post Sounds like a deal: Pre-order Xperia 5 and get WF-1000XM3 headphones for free appeared first on Sony Mobile Blog.

Source: Sony Mobile Blog
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Want to be the first to know about the exciting new announcements at #SonyIFA 2019? You’re in the right place. The action gets underway at 13.00 CEST on 5 September with our press conference.

Watch the livestream here to make sure you’re the first to know about all latest news from Sony!

We’ll be live in Berlin to bring you all the updates you’ll need, so keep an eye on our Sony Mobile blog as well as our official Mobile Twitter feed, @SonyMobileNews and the Sony Electronics news room.

Source: Sony Mobile Blog
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From its seamless design and its perfect hand-fit to its eye-popping 21:9 CinemaWide display, Xperia 1 is a smartphone powerhouse that’s beautiful to look at, easy to hold in your hand and offers an upscale content-watching experience.

But when it comes to creating content, that’s where Sony’s latest flagship smartphone really comes into its own. Its triple camera offers creators the chance to record videography with professional-quality tools, and its triple  camera offers outstanding image quality in every photo.

What’s more, Creator Mode, “powered by CineAlta”, Sony’s digital motion picture camera team, allows creators to bring their content to life how they envisioned on a 4K HDR OLED screen.

A CineAlta spokesperson said: “Creator Mode offers colour accuracy, and it’s all achieved with the support of Sony’s professional team.

“It enables users to enjoy video shooting by exploring their creativity in cinema-like style. This new feature will open up new workflow possibilities, such as using Xperia 1 as a secondary handheld monitor while on set.”

Source: Sony Mobile Blog
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Finding it tough to serve up top portrait pictures and slow-motion videography on your smartphone? It’s something that lots of devices struggle with, especially when the subject is moving around at pace and not standing in the same spot, or you’re trying to capture someone who isn’t posing directly in front of you.

Luckily for you, Sony’s latest flagship smartphone, Xperia 1 and its epic triple camera set-up come equipped with professional-grade technologies, including the world’s first Eye Autofocus (AF) in a smartphone.*

To put Xperia 1 through its paces, we took to the tennis court ahead of this year’s US Open Championships. Between dodging balls coming towards us at bullet-like pace, we gathered some intel on how to use the triple camera to the best of its ability.

Lock on with Eye AF

Eye AF stands for Eye AutoFocus. It’s a feature inspired by Sony’s Alpha cameras, and it enables you to lock on to the individual’s eye, making sure that they are in focus for every shot.

When photographing tennis players, the technology hones in on the eye even as the racquet swings back and forth as the tennis player practices her groundstrokes.

Even if the subject is moving or is slightly covered (which will often be the case when shooting athletes), Eye AF can track the subject of the photograph for a professional-quality image.

How to use Eye AF

When you open the built-in camera app, you will see the Eye AF icon next to the gallery button. Make sure this is blue, highlighting that Eye AF is activated.

You will see a green square around the eye of the subject, indicating that you are ready to shoot.

That means the camera has locked onto the subject’s eye. Here, the feature helped ensure the subject was in focus, even when the tennis ball powered into the forefront of the shot.

Don’t be afraid to just open the camera and shoot! Your subject can move around quite athletically and your Xperia 1 will retain its focus on the eyes.

Of course, Xperia 1 is packed with other great features that help ensure your images are crisp, clear and blur-free. Sony’s Optical SteadyShot^TM combines optical image stabilisation and electronic stabilisation, meaning you’re safe to shoot on the run without the resulting pictures and video looking as hectic as the movement required to get them!

Capture every moment with burst shooting

When your subject is moving quickly, getting the perfect shot is very tricky. Motions that look fluid to the naked eye can seem awkward when distilled into one single image.

But with 10FPS AF/AE (Auto Focus and Auto Exposure) continuous shooting on Xperia 1, you can shoot clear, focused and balanced shots in burst mode to multiply your chances of capturing the moment. Here we’ve shown a variety of shots we captured by simply holding down the camera button. Of course, the camera doesn’t put all the subjects together for you, but it shows the speed at which the camera captures the tennis player.

Try Bokeh to bring to focus to the front

When using a normal camera, you would need a very low aperture to capture shots with the Bokeh effect, but on Xperia 1 the effect comes pre-installed, blurring the background to manipulate the depth of field.Here, we’ve singled out one of the doubles players to bring focus to the athlete closest to the camera.

Make your videos stand out with Super slow motion

Even lightning-quick serves can be captured with Xperia 1’s 960fps Super slow motion video. In this video the ball is blasted out of the shot in crystal-clear definition.

When it comes to slow motion video, patience is key. It’s best to practice your shot. Here, with such quick and volatile movement, we found it best to pre-empt the ball being hit.

Of course, it’s not just on the tennis court that slow motion excels (take a look at our videos of adorable pets if you want proof). Fast, dramatic movements of all kinds work well, just try to ensure you don’t move too much as you shoot as you’ll introduce unnecessary motion blur.

Have you been to any big sporting events this summer and captured some amazing photography or videography? Share them by tweeting us @SonyMobileNews or by tagging #TakenWithXperia on Instagram.

*Xperia 1’s camera features Eye AF (autofocus) capable of identifying and keeping a human eye in focus. Verified by Strategy Analytics’ SpecTRAXService against the published camera specifications for over 14,000 smartphones. Correct as of the 24th February 2019

The post Advantage Xperia 1! How to serve an ace with your smartphone photography and videography appeared first on Sony Mobile Blog.

Source: Sony Mobile Blog
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Festivals can be a magical place, albeit a little dusty or muddy depending on the weather. Most of us want to freshen up after dancing around to our favourite bands all day – but realistically, who wants to waste precious party time when you’ve spent all that money on a ticket?

Luckily, revellers at Benicàssim this weekend got the best of both worlds thanks to Xperia 1 and Sony’s XB32 speaker!

After loading the newly released Xperia 1 smartphones with all the best songs for singing in the shower, Sony hosted the world’s first shower rave in the festival’s open-air showers.

Punters at the Spanish music festival danced to EDM tunes from some of Benicàssim’s most hotly anticipated acts including Fatboy Slim, Project Pablo and Or:La, whilst being sprayed with foam from cannons hung from the ceiling.

The party was powered by music shared via Bluetooth from an Xperia 1 to Sony’s water-proof[1] XB32[i] speakers, providing a refreshing refuge from the blazing sun, which the festival is famed for.

With the live acts not kicking off until Thursday afternoon, the EXTRA BASS speakers were ‘party-chained’ together and enhanced by LIVE SOUND mode with lighting effects to get eager party animals warmed up for the weekend’s antics.

If you’re heading to a festival this summer, don’t forget to check out our top tips for festival-proofing your Xperia handset!

[1] Xperia 1 is water resistant and protected against dust, so don’t worry if you get caught in the rain or want to wash off dirt under a tap, but remember all ports and attached covers should be firmly closed. You should not put the device completely underwater; or expose it to seawater, salt water, chlorinated water or liquids such as drinks. Abuse and improper use of device will invalidate warranty. The device has been tested under Ingress Protection rating IP65/68. For more info, see www.sonymobile.com/waterresistant.  Note the Xperia 1 has a capless USB port to connect and charge. The USB port needs to be completely dry before charging.

[i] IP67 rating

The post Rave while you bathe: Xperia 1 powers the world’s first Shower Rave at Benicàssim appeared first on Sony Mobile Blog.

Source: Sony Mobile Blog
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