Sony’s annual flagship Xperia 1 VIII has finally been officially released. This phone also has a highly recognizable Japanese aesthetic design, and the mineral texture gives it a unique beauty. The new machine has introduced a smart AI photography assistant in photography, and the algorithm has been upgraded again. This time, we were the first to get the new machine. Although we were not yet able to conduct a benchmark test, we still quickly conducted a round of real shooting.
Sony’s annual flagship Xperia 1 VIII hands-on shooting: AI photography assistant makes taking photos more convenient
Appearance and hardware specifications
The Corning Victus glass on the back of the Xperia 1 VIII has an irregular surface treatment with ORE mineral texture. The mineral texture makes it faintly shine with a metallic luster like star points. It is available in four colors: mineral black, cold mineral silver, dusk mineral red and raw mineral gold, and the official launch of matte protective cases in matching colors. Equipped with Qualcomm Snapsragon 8 Gen 5 Elite, to enhance performance and stability, it is also equipped with a graphene cooling VC vapor chamber inside.
The front is equipped with a 6.5-inch 19.5:9 FHD+ display protected by Corning Victus 2 glass. Both the front and back of the fuselage are equipped with light sensors, which can more accurately sense ambient lighting conditions and automatically fine-tune the screen brightness. With the help of AI calculations, it can restore more realistic and full images. Xperia 1 VIII focuses on portable entertainment. It is equipped with dual stereo speakers, with fuller bass and clearer treble. Compared with the previous generation, Xperia 1 VIII has better playback sound effects.
The SIM card slot at the bottom adopts a pin-free design, so there is no need to look around for a card ejection pin. It is compatible with physical SIM cards, eSIM, and can be expanded with Micro SD cards, giving you greater communication flexibility. It is equipped with a 5000mAh battery that supports 30W fast charging. According to official data, it can maintain standby for two days. Together with the two-pronged software, it can ensure the health of the battery for 4 years. The top has a 3.5mm connection hole reserved for music enthusiasts, and the gold-plated material interface makes sound transmission more refined.
The frame is the same color as the body and is also treated with irregular surface mineral texture. All buttons are concentrated on the right side. It is equipped with the iconic fingerprint recognition + power unlock button and a shutter button with a special diamond pattern, as well as a volume adjustment button.
Cameras and real shots
In terms of camera specifications, the three-lens configuration is as follows:
- 48 million pixels 16mm (1/1.56″) F2.0 ultra-wide-angle lens
- 48-megapixel 24mm (1/1.35″) F1.9 omnidirectional main lens (can support lossless 48mm 2X zoom)
- 48 million pixels 70/140mm (1/1.56″) F2.8 telephoto lens
Since the telephoto sensor of this generation is enlarged and is 4 times more magnified than the previous generation, a protective cover is also added to the camera design to match.
The most noteworthy thing this time is the introduction of the “AI Camera Assistant” into the photography function. This function is enabled by default and can identify scenes based on artificial intelligence and provide different shooting style suggestions. This AI function does not require an Internet connection or cloud computing. It is not generative AI and can be performed on a mobile phone. Specifically, the AI photography assistant can learn user preferences and integrate information such as scene, weather (color temperature), distance, etc. to recommend the most suitable parameters. After selecting the suggestions, you can manually make fine adjustments, and a set of values will be memorized so that you can quickly apply them the next time you shoot.
All lenses support the new “RAW stacking algorithm technology”, which enables clear and detailed images to be captured regardless of telephoto zoom or low light conditions.
Let’s take a look at the simple actual photos below:
Conclusion
From the flat-panel design of the fuselage to the cube concept of this generation, the appearance of Xperia 1 VIII not only continues the Japanese aesthetics, but the details are as meticulously crafted as ever. The raw ore texture of the fuselage is amazing and feels very good in the hand. Many aspects have been adjusted together, such as the widening of the top of the back lens module, which provides a more comfortable holding space when shooting horizontally, and the notch-less front 12-megapixel lens, which maximizes the integrity of the full screen when you are watching and listening.
In terms of shooting, you can clearly feel the upgrade of the algorithm. Compared with the past, the performance of colors and details has improved. If you are unfamiliar with adjusting parameters, hues, etc., the ready-to-use AI photography assistant is a good helper for the general public. It can provide suggestions for shooting composition, color temperature, etc. based on comprehensive conditions, making the images you shoot more stylish. The biggest feature is that it can remember the user’s preferences and put your favorite style first in the AI photography assistant, making it faster and more convenient to use.
Source: KOCPC Chinese