My camera software update wishlist

[PanFin]

I produce visual content for my employer every week. My workhorse is naturally a smartphone camera, and a while ago I switched from iPhone 8+ to Xperia 1. I was convinced by the camera's natural colour output and clarity. However, I was also worried about the camera issues many reviewers had pointed out. After playing with the Xperia photo samples, I decided to give it a try. I chose it over Samsung S10 and OnePlus 7 Pro and wished the best.

So am I satisfied after real-world usage? Yes and no. I indeed find the Xperia colours and clarity great. This phone is clearly capable of excellent photography results. However, like many reviewers have said, the poor camera software loses much of the potential. I know that Samsung and OnePlus have topped their flagship camera game with software updates, and I'm sure Sony can do the same!

Here comes a list of the camera issues I have noticed. These all can be corrected with a software update.

1. The overall slowness of the camera app. For someone coming from an iPhone, the lag in the camera app feels so frustrating. The iPhone was always blazing fast in its camera app, but the Xperia camera is just slow, like a much cheaper phone. Something must be done for this.
2. Slow bokeh mode and bad bokeh rendering. I'm disappointed with the bokeh mode of the Xperia 1. It works really slow and any movement is like kryptonite for it. But the worst thing is the boked rendering itself. Often it just looks inferior compared to my old iPhone 8+. As bokeh can really make a difference when it comes to photography, this area cannot be forgotten. Again the boked mode feels like borrowed from a much cheaper phone, and currently it's not on the same league with some other flagship phones. 
3. Give a bokeh mode for the main camera too. This would make the Xperia 1 a real beast. The S10 has a working bokeh mode both in its main and tele cams (it got it via a software update). Sony, please do the same!
4. Add HDR toggle to the default auto mode. The manual mode has a well working HDR, and everyone wants it to the auto mode. So please just add it.
5. Add HDR toggle to the bokeh mode as well. Its clearly needed as the Xperia 1 tends to blow out highlights without the HDR.
6. Fix the yellowish auto white balance of the front camera. 
7. And finally, the most important thing: correct the EIS+OIS 4K video stabilization. This one is a real bug, and I wonder why it hasn't been fixed yet. 

What do you think about my list? Are these things relevant to you?

[Gilgameshuk]

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@RottenFoxBreath wrote:

Learn to shoot in manual mode, and/or shoot RAW, and edit somewhere else.

And again, to reiterate what GilgameshUK says, you seem to have faulty phones, so replacing them is the better option.

Seems the ones who complain about soft pictures, are the ones who use Samdung, and their artificial sharpness algorithms.

And lastly, read the small print on your contracts/receipts, etc, when the phone goes back, the headphones are supposed to go back also.

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You also forgot Spamsung's Chernobyl radiation over saturated colours.

Manual mode is the way to go.

For those who want to shoot in raw

Adobe Light room is great

Camera FV5 is great too (paid version)

[RottenFoxBreath]

This is my first phone in recent years that I've actually bothered getting my finger out and recording some video, due to it's features and camera.

Just bought Lightroom, and Filmic Pro for Android, and bought a DJi Osmo 2 mobile Gimbal.

Loving it.

Plenty viewing in those videos..Thanks to the OP 

[Gilgameshuk]

Yeah I would buy filmic PRO-IF it filmed in 21:9

I am spoiled by CinemaPro's 21:9 film aspect ratio.

[Jon.Hidden-Coley]

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@RottenFoxBreath wrote:

This is my first phone in recent years that I've actually bothered getting my finger out and recording some video, due to it's features and camera.

Just bought Lightroom, and Filmic Pro for Android, and bought a DJi Osmo 2 mobile Gimbal.

Loving it.

Plenty viewing in those videos..Thanks to the OP 

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How are you finding Filmic Pro? I have it for iOS (and the Cinema Kit) and I've been tempted to get it for Android, but I don't as yet see a need for it on the Xperia 1 because of Cinema Pro and also as @GilgameshUK has said, there is no 21.9 option. Do you also have the Cinema Kit?

[RottenFoxBreath]

Im enjoying what I've seen of it so far.

Initially I bought it as I just had credit on the Play Store, and splurged on it on a whim.

Yeah no 21:9 was a bit of a let down, but it does work quite well, and as I delve deeper, the Cinematographic pack I might buy in the future.

I've looked at the videos and information on it, but Cinema Pro is the one I've been falling back on.

It does seem to be an excellent app, and I'm surprised that in the video showing off the pack, just how that girl with her always moving shaky hands, is able to shoot such clear and concise video, with amazing results, so there's hope for me yet..

@GilgameshUK, have you got a Gimbal yet?

I bought the DJi Osmo mobile 2 refurb on that auction site for £60.

The only thing missing was the official manual, but I did get a an a4 printed one, and it does appear it will last the whole 15 or so hours, and charges my phone when not on, so alls well.

[Gilgameshuk]

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@RottenFoxBreath wrote:

Im enjoying what I've seen of it so far.

Initially I bought it as I just had credit on the Play Store, and splurged on it on a whim.

Yeah no 21:9 was a bit of a let down, but it does work quite well, and as I delve deeper, the Cinematographic pack I might buy in the future.

I've looked at the videos and information on it, but Cinema Pro is the one I've been falling back on.

It does seem to be an excellent app, and I'm surprised that in the video showing off the pack, just how that girl with her always moving shaky hands, is able to shoot such clear and concise video, with amazing results, so there's hope for me yet..

@GilgameshUK, have you got a Gimbal yet?

I bought the DJi Osmo mobile 2 refurb on that auction site for £60.

The only thing missing was the official manual, but I did get a an a4 printed one, and it does appear it will last the whole 15 or so hours, and charges my phone when not on, so alls well.

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No as i tried to get one second hand, but EBAY people can be foolish at times, someone paid £79 for a Smooth 4 SECOND HAND, when you can buy them new at £80. Will get one next pay day and I was HOPING the Sony would have got themselves together and sorted out the 4k stability issues, but alas even on the August update not a chance as its just  a security patch.

So I have kind of given up on Sony EVER fixing the 4k stability issue, so gimbal it is for me, as I shoot film all the time and being an IMDB credited actor also I need video stability. Sony's lack stability out and Smooth 4 Gimbal Stability in!

[RottenFoxBreath]

I've just received this from Filmic support, regarding the 21:9 issue:

Hi,

21:9 Aspect Ratio support is something we will be looking at as we continue to debug our Xperia 1 test devices. If we can find a viable way to include this precise aspect ratio as well as optimize our UI for the Xperia1 screen, we'll certainly take a run at it in the future. For now, you should be able to adequately capture comparable cinemascope resolution by using our 2.39:1 aspect ratio option. Furthermore, we do support the use of Anamorphic lenses and the option to desqueeze the preview can be found in FiLMiC Pro's hardware menu.

Please let me know if you have additional questions and I will be happy to assist.

Hopefully, they do continue with their work, it would be an awesome step in the right direction.

[Jon.Hidden-Coley]

Pretty much the same as they told me apart from the anamorphic lens bit. Not really likely to buy an anamorphic lens for an Xperia 1 considering!

[blegs]

For 4k video try using hevc format and uncheck stablity..

More smoth than using video stabilization

[Gilgameshuk]

already tried that as you can see on my sony xperia fan channel-it doesnt work.

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@blegs wrote:

For 4k video try using hevc format and uncheck stablity..

More smoth than using video stabilization

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