Sony's Xperia 1 VII Might Have a More Impressive Zoom Shooter
Sony's new Xperia 1 VI flagship did not sell as much as the Galaxy S24 Ultra (review) or Pixel 8 Pro (review), but it largely remains one of the best camera phones to date. While it was only launched last month, we're now receiving leaks about its successor, which is the Xperia 1 VI or 7th gen 'Mark' device.
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Purported Sony Xperia 1 VII rear camera setup
According to a leaker on Weibo, the Sony Xperia 1 VII will sport a larger telephoto sensor with the size of 1/2.3-inch, which is a sizeable departure from the current 1/3.5-inch telephoto sensor in the Xperia 1 VI. The new sensor is said to be coupled with an extended focal length of 200 mm, up from the peak 170 mm (7x) found in the current shooter.
A wider sensor would likely result in a higher megapixel count, too. Sony has relied on the same 12 MP telephoto for a few years now, so it's not a surprise if they are going to boost the number of pixels in it.
Moreover, the use of a bigger module will also result in the Japanese brand rearranging the rear camera layout. As seen in the schematics, the telephoto will occupy an entire small elliptical island while the main and ultra-wide lenses will be placed on the right side along with a new 3D ToF (time of flight) sensor.
The leaker added the ultra-wide snapper will receive a slightly larger sensor from 1/2.5-inch to 1/2.3-inch. By the looks of it, its resolution could be carried over from 12 MP. Likewise, both telephoto and ultra-wide cameras are believed to continue featuring CMOS sensors with stacked pixels, giving it an edge over the conventional sensors.
Unfortunately, the main 48 MP wide camera is not expected to be changed or upgraded next year. Hence, we're looking at the same 48 MP with a 1/1.35-inch sensor.
Having said this, we still suggest taking this rumor with a pinch of salt considering the leaker doesn't have a proven track record. Regardless, it is not a major surprise if Sony will indeed include better cameras in next year's Xperia 1 VII.
Do you think the Xperia 1 VII is worth the wait or are you planning to pick up the Xperia 1 VI instead? Let us know in the comments.
