If you’re looking for a smartphone that offers unprecedented variety in the type of video and still shots you can capture, then Xperia 1 is the device for you.

Sony’s latest flagship – which has been getting glowing reviews – comes with an enviable triple camera set-up packed with Sony Alpha technologies and a host of built-in features to make the content you capture stand out from the crowd.

Xperia 1 handles low-light situations impeccably well with bright aperture and large pixel pitch, while the main camera’s 16mm, 26mm and 52mm lenses help you choose three very different shots from the same standing position.

To put the camera to the test, we travelled to God’s Own Junkyard, an immersive and colourful attraction that collects vintage neon signage and even makes new ones for Hollywood studios and private collectors! Among the signs on display are those featured in Marvel films such as Iron Man and Captain America.

So, it only seemed right to test the new cinema recording function Cinema Pro “Powered by CineAlta” towhile we were there. Developed with the help of Sony Digital’s motion picture camera engineers, Cinema Pro allows you to take still shots as well as capturing videos with eight different “Look” colour management pre-sets.

Here, we used the Soft Monochrome “Look” setting to give an Old-Hollywood feel to the shot.

By simply scrolling down the settings on the right of the app, we got a dramatically different shot with the Strong Blue “Look” setting.

And another, more gentle-feeling shot with the Cool Blue setting that captures more of the detail below the main signage, all in the glorious 21:9 aspect ratio to fill the CinemaWide^TM display when you show your best shots off to friends and family.

If you want to know how to shoot neon in the best way (perhaps on a trip to Las Vegas, or the bright lights of New York City), we’ve got some top tips for you.

Control the lighting

When shooting with neon lights, you’ll want to be able to control the other lights in the room. If you can switch these off, you will be able to make the neons look a lot brighter.

Use Manual settings

By changing the shutter speed on Xperia 1 you can make the lights brighter or darker. When you have a darker image you can make the scene look more moody and dramatic, while when the overall feel of the photo is brighter it gives off a softer “high key” effect for an upbeat mood.

Play around with the different lenses

When working with multiple subjects in a scene that could look cluttered, it’s good to use different lenses on the camera. Try out Xperia 1’s 2X optical zoom, drawing the eye to the object that you want to focus on.

Wide angle for the win

The built-in 16mm super wide-angle lens gives you such a wide-angle view that you can get some very unusual perspectives which is helpful when trying to shoot lots of things at once.

Blur-free images

To make sure you get a photo with no blur or movement you want to make sure the camera does not move and that the shutter speed is not too slow. Try to balance or rest the camera on a surface or lean it up against something stable. Because you have a live view on the Xperia 1 camera, you can see the end result when you change the shutter speed.

Change the focal point

With the following two images, we simply changed the focal point by tapping the area that we wanted in focus on the screen.

The two points were so far away from each other that the image changed dramatically using depth of field. This type of effect is very useful when shooting ‘through’ things.

Experiment with reflections

Use the items that you have around you to reflect the light. Here, we used a simple piece of clear plastic with a 90-degree bend to capture the bright reflection coming from the neon sign. Try to make your surroundings as dark as possible to get the full effect.

Play around with the positioning of the phone to get unique shots, such as this swirling effect.

While wandering around God’s Own Junkyard, where some signs and props date back to the early 20^th Century, we compared the “Look” settings of Cinema Pro, using the flickering lights to capture nine very different videos (eight with” Look”, and one in standard 4K HDR).

Why not try capturing different “Look” videos yourself? Tag us in your content on social media using #Xperia1.

 

The post Watts up! We took Xperia 1 to capture bright neon lights with Cinema Pro “powered by CineAlta” appeared first on Sony Mobile Blog.

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We’ve shown you everything from forced perspective toy photography to how to shoot captivating flower imagery, all using Sony’s Xperia 10 and 10 Plus. Now with Sony’s latest flagship Xperia 1, we’ve not only shown you incredible portrait photography, but also how to shoot professional holiday videos – all from the palm of your hand.

With a host of professional-grade technologies, including features such as a 21:9 CinemaWide display and a triple camera, Xperia 1 not only captures a cinematic experience but also allows the user more control, meaning that directing your own movie is easier than ever before.

The camera’s default rate is the cinematic standard of 24fps, generating a more professional result compared to the standard 30fps that is usually found on smartphones. This, paired with shooting in 4K HDR in the same 21:9 aspect ratio that a professional videographer would, delivers consistent and quality content, with hardly any post-production needed.

Now, with the Cinema Pro application, shooting video content requires barely any touch ups. The smartphone’s 10-bit equivalent tonal gradation* helps to deliver a myriad of colours without banding, while professional-grade display standards means it offers deeper blacks, natural tones and a wide spectrum of colours with BT2020** colour space – creating the ultimate cinematic experience, true to the creator’s intent.

Tell your story

When telling a story, it is vital that you choose the right lens for the scene. When you change focal length, it isn’t just about changing what you see in the shot but also the way your subject appears and how they relate to the environment they’re in. With Xperia 1’s triple camera, you can now switch between 16mm, 26mm and 52mm to suit the film you’re directing.

Take time to experiment with the different lenses in a variety of situations – don’t be afraid to stick to using the 16mm camera for landscapes and likewise, the 52mm for portraits. By playing around with the focal length you’ll find that each one brings a new perspective to what you’re capturing.

In Venice we experimented with the focal length, swapping between 16mm, 26mm to 52mm with the same model in the same location to create a series of different atmospheres and moods. For example, using 52mm allows the user to get a closer shot for a more dramatic effect, whereas when trying the 16mm the viewer feels more distant from the subject.

 

Stabilisation

Whilst shooting on the move, it can generally be difficult to film without your final content looking unsteady, distracting from the story you’re trying to tell.

However, Xperia 1 offers brilliant stabilisation through Optical SteadyShot – a Hybrid OIS/EIS video stabilisation with a unique algorithm that will help you capture shake-free, smooth videos for the ultimate keepsakes.

The below clip shows examples of Optical SteadyShot on and off, showing a clear difference in shakiness when shooting on the move.

 

Total Control  

The Cinema Pro application allows you to have free reign with your creativity.  Try altering the exposure manually, which prevents the camera changing the exposure automatically. Here you can see that as the gondola goes under the bridge, there is a change in the atmosphere of the clip.

 

Instead of the camera changing the brightness up and down to achieve what it believes is the correct exposure, here you can convey a more natural-feeling, compelling effect.

 

Fancy directing your very own movie? Check out these tips when put to the test in our recent professional holiday movies post.

*8 bit display with 2 bit software smoothing
**Xperia 1 does not cover the BT.2020 colour space in full.

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Pressing “Record” on a video while you’re on holiday is easy – anyone with a smartphone or camera can do it. If you want to produce something more professional, you can wind up spending hours on video editing software only to end up with content which doesn’t feel as slick as it should.

Fortunately for owners of Sony’s latest flagship smartphone, Xperia 1, shooting their own holiday movie to a professional standard has never been easier! It’s the world’s first smartphone with a 4K HDR OLED display¹, bringing true-to-life colour and crystal-clear content in 21:9 – the same aspect ratio as your favourite box office film. But it doesn’t stop there. The Xperia 1 is full of incredible features and video recording capabilities to ensure your holiday film keeps people watching until the very end.

Thanks to it’s professional-grade technologies, the Xperia 1 is proving to be a fan-favourite amongst cinema-buffs who fancy themselves as a bit of a film director – even if it is only while you’re exploring a new city! Inspired by the digital motion picture camera professionals at CineAlta, the Xperia 1 really brings your entertainment to life through two key features. In fact, the technologies that inspired these features are so widely acknowledged in the motion pictures industry that similar software is being used in the cameras which are currently producing James Cameron’s Avatar sequels.

Firstly, Creator mode “powered by CineAlta” brings content to life exactly how the creator envisioned. The smartphone’s 10 bit tonal gradation helps to deliver a myriad of colours with deeper blacks, more natural colour tones and a wide spectrum of colours with BT.2020² colour space and D65 White Point – perfect for capturing brightly coloured buildings against a summer backdrop.

What’s more, the Xperia 1’s colour reproduction, inspired by Master Monitor, means that the scenery you choose to film is reproduced on-screen with exceptional contrast and clarity. Your friends and family will feel like they were there too!

The other feature that will make your holiday videos truly pop is Cinema Pro “powered by CineAlta”. The capabilities of Cinema Pro will allow you to shoot footage of exotic wildlife or historical buildings with similar parameters and settings as the professionals.  The pre-installed app comes with a series of different “Look” colour settings which allows you to change the mood of the film. Next time you touch down in a new country, try capturing identical shots in the ‘Strong’ and ‘Warm’ settings – the former creates a cool, calm and almost eerie mood, while the latter offers softness, warmth and an element of romance. Visiting a forgotten fairground? Try changing the “Look” setting to make it feel eerie. Heading to the beach? “Look” will make your content stand-out with a warmer, happier mood.

When we took Xperia 1 to Venice, we put on our directorial hats and got creative with our shots. You can check out the end result of our trip through the winding canals of this historical city below:

 

We shot this exclusively using Cinema Pro and Venice CS “Look” setting on Xperia 1 creating a cinematic feel. Unlike other smartphones, using this function means we didn’t have to make as many amends to the camera’s settings as “Look” does it all for you! The default frame rate is the cinematic standard of 24fps which creates a much more filmic look compared to the smartphone standard of 30fps. Pair this with the flagship’s ability to shoot in 4K HDR at 21:9 aspect ratio makes the whole process as easy as pie!

If you want to find out exactly which settings and features can help you create you own professional-standard holiday movie, keep checking back here on the Sony Mobile blog.

¹Xperia 1 – Worlds First 4K HDR OLED display on a smartphone

Xperia 1 features a 6.5 inch Ultra Wide 4K (1644 x 3840px) OLED High Dynamic Range (HDR) display. The 21:9 CinemaWide screen allows you to experience a cinematic aspect ratio and colour accuracy to bring you a picture that’s true to the creator’s vision. Verified by Strategy Analytics’ SpecTRAX Service against the published display specifications for over 14,000 smartphones. Correct as of 24^th February 2019.

²Xperia 1 does not cover the BT.2020 colour space in full.

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They say a picture is worth a thousand words so we have worked with Mobile Photography Award winner, Dominika Koszowska, to bring the traditions and culture of Venice to life through imagery.

Working with Sony’s all-new Xperia 1, Dominika’s ‘Humans of Venice’ photo series captures the Italian city’s local trades, architecture and the people who make Venice the popular travel destination that it is.

With an impressive triple camera, Xperia 1 is the result of a collaboration between Sony mobile and Sony’s Alpha technologies, bringing features such as Eye AF to a smartphone for the first time[i]. Detailed against each picture is the feature or settings used for you to replicate these images yourself.

HUMANS OF VENICE:

A morning dip: A local resident is pictured making a splash off Lido de Venezia, following a morning walk down the long sandy beach.

The striking composition draws you directly to the movement of the water and showcases the cinematic capturing capabilities of shooting 21:9 imagery on Xperia 1. This particular type of photography is aided by the Xperia 1 camera’s burst mode, which allows you to take 10-fps. The Xperia 1 delivers continuous shooting with optimal exposure, so you’ll be sure to never miss a shot.

A trip to the bakers: Tenella and Debora are best friends who have worked together in a popular central Venetian bakery for over 12 years.

When capturing subjects as energetic as Tenella and Debora, it can be difficult to capture friends laughing and chatting whilst ensuring a focused image. Using Xperia 1’s Eye AF technology you can track the subject to ensure your image is precise and in-focus whilst still capturing a true representation of your surroundings.

A visit to the pasta makers: It is no surprise that on every street you go down in Venice you are sure to find fresh pasta hanging from local shops. At the heart of Italian cooking, this father and son duo run their pasta shop together, helping feed both the locals and the tourists of Venice.

This photo was taken in the Xperia 1’s standard mode but you can take your portrait photography to the next level by using the Eye AF with the ‘Bokeh’ effect. You can create a soft portrait image which softens the background and establishes focus on the subject.

Visiting the Greengrocers: Established in 1966, this local Greengrocers, Fare La Spesa, has seen all sorts of people come and go. Translated directly to, Do the Shopping, this friendly grocer shared his knowledge of all things fruit and vegetables, which he sells to local restaurants and families.

The Xperia 1’s impressive image quality picks out colours and details like never before, bringing images to life through the phone’s 4K OLED display.

A Gondolier on the go: As one of the oldest and most iconic trades in the city, it wouldn’t make sense to not capture one of these.  Most Gondoliers have descended from fathers and grandfathers who themselves were a Gondolier, inspired by the people they have met and the stories they have told. To be able to direct and control a Gondolier down the narrow twists and turns of the Venetian canals, Gondoliers must master the art of the Voga all Veneta, the Venetian way of rowing.

We captured a Gondolier on the go, showing the beautiful traditional details of the boat and the iconic uniform. The Xperia 1’s triple camera offers exceptional creative control due to three camera lenses with three different fields of view. With the 16mm super wide lens, 26mm lens and 52mm lens you can guarantee to capture everything in exceptional focus and clarity.

The Xperia 1 is designed to capture stunning portraits with precision, focus and vibrancy that photographers strive for. Why don’t you capture some holiday portraits and share them with us on Twitter?

[i]  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 The Baker, the Greengrocer and the Pasta Maker. A portrait photography masterclass: capturing emotion with the Xperia 1 appeared first on Sony Mobile Blog.

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When you’re visiting a place that millions of people have gone before, it’s always tempting to recreate ‘that shot’ we’ve all seen on our social feeds. But with the help of Sony’s latest flagship smartphone, Xperia 1, we captured some incredible, unusual images in the historic city of Venice.

Skipping Rialto Bridge and Piazza San Marco in favour of quiet backstreets and beautiful winding canals, we put Xperia 1’s remarkable triple camera through its paces to capture shots that are identifiably Venice while looking new and different.

Of course, the camera’s bright aperture and large pixel pitch can be relied upon to give you a helping hand in taking shots that attract plenty of Instagram likes – even in challenging low-light situations – but we’ve got some more handy tips for the budding travel photographers among you.

Choose your mood

The Cinema Pro app pre-installed on Xperia 1 not only allows you to capture professional-quality video, it also offers the chance to take still shots in glorious 21:9.

Using different ‘look’ colour settings, you can shoot imagery in your preferred mood. We took these identical shots in the ‘Cool Blue’ and ‘Venice’ settings – the former creates an almost sci-fi appearance, while the latter offers brightness and warmth.

Move Xperia 1 from head height

Most people shoot with the camera held directly in front of them at head height. Make your images look different by putting your Xperia 1 at low or high angles. This simple trick will make your images already look different from everyone else’s.

Use background defocus

Blurring a background, bokeh effect, is great for taking portrait images, but that’s not all it’s good for. Set it to maximum and try focusing on different parts of the image to create depth. It can be used creatively to reveal or hide different parts of the image.

Set yourself a project

Try shooting only with the wide angle or telephoto lenses for a day and see how it changes the type of images that you take. Or set yourself another challenge such as only shooting images above head height or from just above the ground. If you have a photo that you really like after the trip, then have it framed by a picture framing Sydney service.

In this series of images, shot by Mobile Photography Award-winner Dominika Koszowska, you can see the advantages of ‘looking up’ to capture the perfect shot.

Crop your images to frame your shot

Using the Xperia 1, with its RAW noise reduction inspired by Sony’s Alpha cameras, you can capture lots of detail in stunning clarity. But sometimes, it’s a good idea to edit your shots to frame them in clever ways.

Here, Dominika visited the island of Burano, where the streets are full of colourful houses abundant in character. By focusing on individual windows and doorways, she captured stunning shots.

Play and experiment

With a powerful triple camera system, Xperia 1 allows you to play around with your images. Use the cameras, use your feet, move around and experiment. You will soon find you develop your own style. Below, Dominika captured land, sea and air by finding the perfect vantage point.

Look out for patterns

When capturing architectural shots, look out for patterns in doorways, arches and the small details of each building. Often this is more effective than presenting your followers with a shot of the building as a whole.

Still on the lookout for more inspiration? Check out what happened when we took our Xperia smartphones to Barcelona and London.

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The post Going, going, gondola: how to take incredible travel photography in one of the world’s most-visited places appeared first on Sony Mobile Blog.

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The Xperia 1, which was unveiled for the first time at MWC this year, launched with two smartphone world-firsts.

It’s the first smartphone with a 4K HDR OLED display¹, bringing true-to-life colour and crystal-clear content in 21:9 – the same aspect ratio as the modern blockbuster film. What’s more, the Xperia 1 also boasts the world’s first Eye AutoFocus (AF) in a smartphone², meaning that capturing stunning portrait photography is easier and more spontaneous.

Smartphone innovation has always been at the core of Sony Mobile engineers’ design philosophy, but you probably don’t realise just how many of the features that Xperia users take for granted were world-firsts that changed the way we use our phones.

When the Xperia Z launched, it boasted the highest level of smartphone water resistance³, while the Xperia XZ2 arrived on the market with the world’s first 4K HDR Movie recording in a smartphone⁴. The Xperia XZ2 Premium, meanwhile, offers users the chance to watch their films and videos with a 4K HDR display, as well as being the first smartphone with Gigabit-class download speeds⁵.

We’ve created this handy infographic telling you everything you need to know about Sony Mobile smartphone innovations. Take a look and let us know your favourite Xperia feature in the comments below.

 

¹Xperia 1 – Worlds First 4K HDR OLED display on a smartphone

Xperia 1 features a 6.5 inch Ultra Wide 4K (1644 x 3840px) OLED High Dynamic Range (HDR) display. The 21:9 CinemaWide screen allows you to experience a cinematic aspect ratio and colour accuracy to bring you a picture that’s true to the creator’s vision. Verified by Strategy Analytics’ SpecTRAX Service against the published display specifications for over 14,000 smartphones. Correct as of 24^th February 2019.

²Xperia 1 – Worlds First Eye AutoFocus in a smartphone

Inspired by Sony Alpha technologies used by professionals, Xperia 1’s camera features Eye AF (autofocus) capable of identifying and keeping a human eye in focus. Verified by Strategy Analytics’ SpecTRAX Service against the published camera specifications for over 14,000 smartphones. Correct as of 24^th February 2019.

³Xperia Z – Highest level of water resistance in a smartphone

As of 4th February 2013 (outside of Japan). In compliance with IP55 and IP57, Xperia Z is protected against the ingress of dust and is water resistant. Provided that all ports and covers are firmly closed, the phone is (i) protected against low pressure jets of water from all practicable directions in compliance with IP 55; and/or (ii) can be kept under 1 meter of freshwater for up to 30 minutes in compliance with IP 57.

⁴Xperia XZ2 – first 4K HDR movie recording in a smartphone

Xperia XZ2 captures and stores 4K HDR video with a colour depth of 10-bit in HLG format. Verified against the published video specifications of over 11,800 smartphones by Strategy Analytics’ SpecTRAX Service. Correct as of 25th February 2018. For more information on Strategy Analytics’ results go to: https://www.sonymobile.com/gb/legal/testresults/

⁵Xperia XZ Premium – 4K HDR display / gigabit-class download speeds / Super slow motion in a smartphone

Xperia XZ Premium features a 4K (HDR) display, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 2.45GHz octa-core processor with downlink speeds of up to 1 Gbps, a memory-stacked image sensor for 5x faster image capture. Verified by Strategy Analytics’ SpecTRAX Service against the published display, processor and camera specifications for over 11,000 smartphones. Correct as of 31st August 2017.

The post Smartphone Innovation: the evolution of Xperia smartphones appeared first on Sony Mobile Blog.

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Regular readers of the Sony Mobile blog will be familiar with how fantastic the new Xperia smartphones’ displays are. On the newly landed Xperia 10 and Xperia 10 Plus, the gorgeous 21:9 Wide Full HD+ displays offer an immersive entertainment experience and allow you to see more of the on-screen action.

However, the Xperia 1 offers even more exciting gaming features. Its 4K HDR OLED 21:9 display – a smartphone world first – offers an unrestricted view of your gameplay, and under the hood the new flagship is packed with some incredible features to really optimise your gaming experience. But don’t just take our word for it…

Tim Sweeney, computer game programmer and the founder of Epic Games, said: “Mobile gaming has arrived as a platform on par with consoles. Playing Fortnite on the Xperia 1’s wide 21:9 screen – especially at 60 fps – is an amazing and immersive experience. With their strengths as an entertainment company and hardware manufacturer, Epic is firmly committed to Sony’s entire product line from PlayStation to Xperia.”

Game Enhancer is a new feature on the Xperia 1 allowing users to access all their mobile games in one place. Combined with the improved power efficiency from the latest Qualcomm® Snapdragon 855 processor, Game Enhancer boosts both performance and speed in your Xperia 1 device by allowing you to dial up and release RAM depending on your needs. What’s more, this smartphone powerhouse is able to handle processor-intensive apps and games with ease. Users will be able to race through spectacular locations in Ashalt 9: Legends or ‘loot and shoot’ in Fortnite’s dynamic battle royale PvP maps like never before!

Tired of pesky notifications distracting you from drawing First Blood in Arena of Valor? Game Enhancer will block any unwanted notifications! You can even select certain apps to continue sending alerts while others are blocked.

Game Enhancer also enables gamers to record their gameplay and share with friends on social media. You can also find tips for your chosen title online without halting gameplay! The intelligent Xperia 1 knows which games you are playing and displays relevant tips on the left side of the display.

If that wasn’t enough, the expansive 21:9 display gives you enough space for in-screen video chat so you can battle more collaboratively with your friends to defeat your enemies.

In addition to the impressive quality of the screen and the Game Enhancer feature, the new Xperia 1 is packed with Sony’s High-Resolution Audio, DSEE HX, Dolby Atmos® 3D surround sound and LDAC technology, ensuring top sound quality that puts you right in the middle of the action.

Which game are you most looking forward to playing in 21:9? Let us know if the comments or Tweet us your action-packed screenshots @SonyMobileNews.

*Xperia 1 features a 6.5 inch Ultra Wide 4K (1644 x 3840px) OLED High Dynamic Range (HDR) display. Verified by Strategy Analytics’ SpecTRAX Service against the published display specifications for over 14,000 smartphones. Correct as of the 24th February 2019.

The post Achievement unlocked: Level up your smartphone gaming experience with Xperia 1 appeared first on Sony Mobile Blog.

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