Getting lobster-red faces is quite frustrating (but quite understandable if your model has been drinking since ten in the morning).
Colors are important, and nailing the perfect skin hue is a task that each brand tries to solve on its own.
Right now, the new Sony flagship doesn’t render skin hues particularly nicely and I’d avoid taking portraits with it.
The Apple comparison
Our Sony Xperia 1 VIII vs iPhone 17 Pro sample photos comparison is what shocked me mildly.Let’s start with the main camera; here’s a standard shot that is finely rendered by the iPhone.
The next three shots are in portrait mode:
Wow, it gets worse with each next example! On the first one, the Sony produces a super sharp photo, but the subject looks too cold, too yellow, too green (all at the same time). Meanwhile, the iPhone comes up with some rather pleasing skin shades.
The second and third examples are more of the same. Great bokeh effect from Sony, but it seems like our model will be fainting any moment now. Clearly not a fair representation of the scene.
What about the zoom?
Both phones lag behind Chinese competitors like Oppo in terms of extra zoom territory. Both have a different idea of what the white balance should be, so pick your favorite:
Where’s my ultra-wide?!
While the new Sony Xperia 1 VIII packs a larger sensor for its ultra-wide, the lens is only 16mm equivalent in terms of focal length. You’re probably used to a 14mm ultra-wide. You might think that 16mm is not that much of a difference from the iPhone’s 13mm ultra-wide. Yeah, no:
Just look at how much more you’re able to fit in your photo with Apple’s flagship:
This one is similar to what OnePlus has done with the OnePlus 15. Not very amusing…
Is it that bad?
No, not at all. Sony’s flagships are very interesting and if you want to stand out from the crowd, you’re welcome to do precisely that. I can pretty much guarantee you that you find other Sony users in your friend group. You’ll get a MicroSD slot and a 3.5mm audio jack and that’s simply great (the MicroSD slot, I mean).
The phone’s camera setup is impressive on its own. While I hope for a quick software update to fix those greenish skin tones, you’ll get cool photos nevertheless:
Just be aware that when it comes to night shots, the Sony doesn’t do HDR too much:
Instead, it prefers to keep things natural:
But I doubt that you’ll find such a natural take suitable for your Instagram account. Yeah, you’re probably better off with the iPhone.
