Sony Xperia 1 VII: A professional camera smartphone not suitable for everyone

Sony is positioning its current flagship smartphone, the Xperia 1 VII, as a camera pro for photo enthusiasts and content creators alike. The 6.5-inch premium phone has been significantly upgraded compared to its predecessor. True to its target audience, the cameras have received the biggest upgrade.

Triple camera with large focal length range

Like the Xperia 1 VI, the Sony Xperia 1 VI solely uses Sony Exmor camera sensors with Zeiss optics. However, the ultra-wide-angle camera no longer has a resolution of 12 MP, but rather 50 MP (Sony Exmor RS for mobile), of which 48 MP is effectively used. The new ultra-wide-angle camera also increases the focal length range of the rear camera trio from the previous 24 to 170 millimeters to the current 16 to 170 millimeters (f/2.0 to f/3.5).

The 52 MP main camera (Sony Exmor T for mobile, also effective at 48 MP) and the 12 MP telephoto camera (Sony Exmor RS for mobile) with its variable 3.5x to 7.1x optical zoom remain unchanged from the Xperia 1 VI. The selfie camera retains its 12 MP resolution. The Xperia 1 VII can record videos at up to 4K at 120 frames per second.

Better photos only in Pro mode

In our tests, Sony's premium smartphone scores highly with consistently good to very good photo and video quality. The main and ultra-wide-angle cameras perform best, delivering strong performances even in low-light conditions. The 12 MP telephoto camera doesn't quite match up to either of these, but still takes solid shots with decent sharpness.

One thing you should definitely know about the expensive Xperia 1 VII: In automatic mode, it ultimately doesn't take better pictures than its high-end rivals, such as the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Point-and-shoot photographers won't be happy with the Sony smartphone.

The Sony smartphone's camera suite truly shines in the Pro Video and Pro Photo modes of the camera app. There, all parameters can be optimized down to the smallest detail, allowing for results that are significantly better than rival smartphones.

Cameras aside, the Xperia 1 VII ranks as a very strong high-end smartphone, boasting a Snapdragon 8 Elite, Android 16, Wi-Fi 7, long battery life, a bright 120 Hz OLED and a premium feel. For more details, read the full review of the Sony Xperia 1 VII here.