Robert Triggs / Android Authority
We had to wait a bit this year, but the Sony Xperia 5 IV is officially here. Sandwiched between the ultra-premium Xperia 1 IV, which costs an extraordinary $1,599 in the US, and the affordable Xperia 10 IV, the Xperia 5 IV is as close to “everyone” as possible for Sony’s slightly deeper-pocketed enthusiasts. pick up. It retails for £949 in the UK and will cost around $1,000 when it launches in October, according to Sony it’s still not exactly cheap and again not more expensive than last year, but it’s not the cost that I’m a bit disappointed with. No, Sony’s variable focal length periscope camera is lacking.
For the uninitiated, Sony’s variable focal length camera eliminates the reliance on optical zoom between 85mm and 125mm between 3.5x and 5.2x. Not only does this improve image quality, but it also takes advantage of natural bokeh and compression as you move through focal lengths, closely matching the experience you get from high-end cameras. You can see some examples below and more in our Xperia 1 IV review.
This is a notable omission, as the camera hardware has always been a key part of the Xperia 5 brand identity. Going back to the original Xperia 5 and Xperia 1, Sony came up with the same package for both phones, giving users a choice of form factor without compromising on quality.
True optical zoom was a great way to add more flexibility to a compact phone.
A more basic switchable focal length on both the Xperia 1 III and Xperia 5 III brought more flexibility to Sony’s flagships, both small and large, without the gargantuan quad-camera setups found on other phones. I was a big fan of the feature last year, and the Xperia 1 IV’s adjustable optical zoom takes this idea to another level. The feature was the perfect way to fit more flexibility into a compact form. Unfortunately, the 5 IV only has a limited focal length, so we’re back to smaller phones being slightly less impressive, photographically, than their larger counterparts.
According to Sony, optical zoom camera technology was sacrificed at the altar of larger battery capacity and form factor. Some may find this a worthwhile trade-off. The 5,000mAh battery, which is 11% larger than last year’s 4,500mAh cell, is a definite improvement. However, we had no problem getting all-day battery life, and then some, from the Xperia 5 III, so this wasn’t exactly an area that needed improvement. After all, the Xperia 5 IV still lacks the wireless charging capabilities of its older sibling, so it’s also among the best fast-charging phones out there.
Would you sacrifice camera features for a bigger battery?
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Of course, the Xperia 5 series has always had its fair share of compromises – it’s a less expensive phone. But you can forgive the low-resolution display – you definitely don’t need 4K at 6.1 inches – and wireless charging helps keep the price down. Otherwise, though, the Xperia 5 series still had all the key features you’d find in the Xperia 1: fast performance, Sony’s signature style, IP65/68 rating, and the company’s best camera hardware. Thankfully, much of the mainstream Xperia experience still carries over to the 5 IV.
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
All that said, the Sony Xperia 5 IV is another powerful photography package that features the same core and general shooting options as the Xperia 1 IV. Sony is still packing in 4K/120fps HDR slow-mo and automatic eye tracking on all three lenses. Most of it Its best-in-class technology to 5 IV. The 60mm telephoto focal length should still serve well for portraits, although the 2.5x zoom factor isn’t quite as good for long-range shots, and there’s also an improved selfie snapper. So, plenty for Xperia photography enthusiasts to sink their teeth into.
Unfortunately, Xperia fans have to choose between size and Sony’s absolutely excellent cameras.
Still, at £949/€1,049, the Xperia 5 IV is expensive even by the standards of the best camera phones. Without Sony’s absolutely great camera suite, it’s hard not to be tempted by the regularly discounted Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra for its comprehensive package. Or, you can easily fork out the extra €250 for the Xperia 1 IV, at least outside the US, where the price jump isn’t quite as huge. Of course, if you use a compact smartphone, this is not a good solution. Unfortunately, Xperia fans now have to choose between size and Sony’s absolutely excellent cameras.