It’s become a norm to want a webcam that can do more than just video conferencing. Razer started its journey in the webcam with the original Kiyo and Kiyo X webcams. However, with their releases, they’ve realised that current users, and in particular, streamers have unique requirements for their cameras. With that in mind, they ventured to bring DSLR-like quality to their already powerful webcam series with the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra.
Source: Razer
The Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra comes equipped with the large 1/1.2-inch Sony STARVIS 2 sensor. The sensor is able to capture even more light and detail with its large 2.9 μm pixel size. It also comes with a large f/1.7 aperture lens which allows four times more light into the sensor for crisper details even in low light conditions. There’s even a manual shutter to physically block the sensor.
The Kiyo Pro Ultra comes with a processor that powers its high-resolution capture. The processor converts raw 4K 30fps or 1080p 60fps footage into 4K 24fps, 1440p 30fps or 1080p 60fps directly into your stream. The AI-powered face-tracking autofocus also allows you to focus on creating content while the camera keeps your shots on point and in focus. It also gives artfully blurred bokeh while keeping key details in focus and crisp.
The webcam is also able to dynamically adjust and refine lighting for better picture quality. The Kiyo Pro UItra also corrects over or under-exposed areas. It also supports HDR at 30fps bringing better detail and more vivid colours when streaming. Razer’s Synapse app provides users even more control of the webcam with the ability to fine-tune and tweak settings like ISO, shutter speed, pan, tilt and more. The webcam is also simple to use with its plug-and-play capabilities needing only a USB 3.0 connection.
Pricing & Availability
The Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra will be available starting on January 5, 2023. It will retail for USD$299.99 (MYR1,312.05) or EUR 299.99 (MYR1,408.69).
Android 13 will be available soon to Sony smartphones according to a leak from Reddit.
Android 13 rollout begins for Sony Xperia devices. Image source: Sony
A post on r/SonyXperia has named at least five flagship Sony devices to be receiving Android 13 thought no dates have been specified. The devices are Xperia 1 IV, Xperia 1 III, Xperia 5 IV, Xperia 5 III and Xperia Pro-I. The availability of these updates for the devices are also confirmed on update tracker website Xpericheck.com. No specific dates on availability have been mentioned yet. As pointed out by 9to5Google, these updates are region-limited by Sony, so expect different varying arrival periods.
New features for Xperia with Android 13
A new Quick Panel feature improves management of apps and functions. Image source: Sony
Sony themselves have announced the release of Android 13, highlighting some of the new features it brings. The update features a new Quick Settings panel is to manage running apps, helping to improve efficiency and battery life. There is also a dedicated button on the panel to access the QR code scanner. Customization is also diversified with color theming now available to change your icon colors to match your wallpaper.
Use your Xperia as a viewfinder and now stream with it on the External Monitor app. Image source: Sony
A new livestreaming feature is now available to the External monitor app too, allowing you to share live video from your compatible Sony camera. With the Bluetooth LE Audio feature, you can share audio wirelessly to multiple compatible headphones and receive audio from another Bluetooth LE enabled device. Language settings have also been simplified with a unified language settings option that applies immediately to all Xperia apps. No more changing the language individually for each app. While not as feature packed as expected, the new Android 13 update brings good quality of life improvements for Xperia devices.
God of War is coming to life thanks to a deal between PlayStation Studios, Sony and Amazon Prime. Amazon Prime broke the news in a single tweet which read “God of War is coming”. The announcement comes barely a week after God of War won six awards at the Game Awards.
According to Deadline, Prime Video has been in negotiations with Sony and PlayStaion to bring the critically acclaimed game to the silver screen since its first report in March. It appears like negotiations have gone well with some of Hollywood’s best TV Fantasy talent coming onboard. The God of War series is apparently going to be helmed by Rafe Judkins who has worked on titles like Amazon’s “The Wheel of Time”, “Agents of SHIELD” and “The 4400” to name a few. He’ll be working with the creators of “The Expanse” Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby. The series has already been in production since March according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Fan of the series will definitely be excited to see where the series takes its inspiration as God of War as a franchise has a rich library of tales to tell. According to the report from Hollywood Reporter, the story will be taking its queue from the game after Kratos hangs up his blades and retires to the Norse realm of Midgard. Of course, if the game is any indication, we’re in for loads of adventure and thrills as Kratos and Arteus discover that his late wife’s last wish was a quest in disguise. The father and son duo will be facing the minions of Hel and take on new gods and mythical creatures as they seek to save the world.
God of War is the latest game in Sony’s library to get the Hollywood treatment. It joins the ranks of Unchartered and, most recently, The Last of Us. There’s no indication when the series will be released nor any news of the cast just yet.
Sony has broken ground in chipset manufacturing by announcing its new, ultra-low power ALT1350 Chipset.
CEO Nohik Semel is confident the ALT1350 satisfies increasing demand for IoT chipsets
Developed by Sony Semiconductor Israel (Sony), the new ALT1350 chipset is the world’s first cellular LTE-M/NB-IoT solution which enables both LPWA communication protocols and satellite connectivity. CEO Nohik Semel believes the ALT1350 is a game-changer and satisfies increasing market demand for multiprotocol, ultra-low power IoT chipset.
Sony claims the ALT1350 asthe most advanced IoT solution available and addresses service providers main concern; power consumption. The platform features an optimized standby mode (eDRX) that reduces power consumption by 80% compared to the current generation. This can improve battery life by up to 4 times, allowing additional functionality and smaller form factors for future devices.
A feature-packed chipset with innovative power saving and connectivity features
The ALT1350 brings new innovation to connectivity too. It’s sub-GHz and 2.4GHz integrated transceiver enables hybrid connectivity. This reduces power consumption and costs when connecting to smart meters, smart cities, trackers and more, while enhancing coverage. To benefit trackers further, there is both cellular and Wi-Fi-based positioning along with power-optimized concurrent LTE and GNSS. Furthermore, the chipset will operate with 5G networks and contains an additional LPWA radio transceiver with targeting operation in <1GHz and 2.4 ISM bands for truly universal connectivity.
As summarized expertly by Nohik Semel himself, the ALT1350 is “…the game changer we’ve been waiting for, which will enable IoT deployments, utilizing universal connectivity on edge processing and multiple location technologies”.
When Sony announced and released the WH-1000XM4, or the fourth generation of their most premium noise-cancelling headphones, we were excited about it. It featured the same design as before, nothing wrong with the folding design, it is perfect for travelling. It is a more comfortable headphone to work with. Thanks to the improved processor, noise cancellation is better than ever, and sound quality improved. We liked the WH-1000XM4.
Then there is their fifth-generation premium noise cancelling headphones. The architecture of the headphone has changed alongside new materials. There is a new driver, which is lighter and smaller than before. There are now two processors within the headset, one more than before. All this should make Sony WH-1000XM5 the best noise cancelling headphones money can buy today.
Is it though? Is it worth MYR 1,799? Should you buy the older one instead? We find out.
Design
The new WH-1000X flagship headphone looks different from before. There is no more folding the headphone to fit a more pocketable case or shape. The adjustable headband is now smooth and quiet. It is slimmer now than before, which is good. They also made it longer to relief some clamping pressure.
The ear cups are also larger than before. They say there are eight mics on the headphone, four on each ear cup. We could identify six of them by a quick visual inspection. We suspect the other mics are inside the ear cups.
The WH-1000XM5 feels like a much larger headphone compared to its predecessor. The larger ear cups wrap your ears and seals them better. Strangely, it is lighter than before.
The carrying case is also larger now. Inspired by Japanese origami, it can be folded flat for storage. It is oddly shaped, like a flattened bell. We think that the older headphone package is easier to pack since it takes up less space in your bag compared to the new one.
Because there is more space in the case, packing the cables and airplane adapter is rather simple. You can simply put everything in the magnetically sealed compartment within the case.
The Most Comfortable WH-1000X Headphone Ever
There is a benefit to its size. Since it weighs no more than the older headphone, and with less clamping force, you can wear it for longer periods of time. They say that they used more composite materials to make it even lighter than before.
The cushions on the ear cups are a little thicker than before, but somehow airier too. The larger ear cups also mean better passive noise cancelling. Of course, you might want to think about using it indoors where there is active cooling.
Hardware
While the overall size of the headphones is larger, the drivers are smaller than before. The driver in each cup is now 30mm, 10mm smaller than before. It is made with carbon fiber composite to ensure they still offer powerful bass.
Bluetooth 5.2 Active Noise Cancelling DSEE Extreme Beamforming Mic Adaptive Sound 360 Reality Audio 360 Spatial Sound Dolby Atmos Multipoint Connection Speak-to-chat
Features
Sony spares no expense at equipping their flagship noise cancelling headphones with even more features this time. These features can prove useful in a lot of situations too.
Two Devices, One Headphone
There is a caveat, as per warned by the Sony Headphones app when turn on multipoint Bluetooth connection. Choosing to connect your headphone to two devices at once voids LDAC support, but you can still prioritize sound quality. You also might not be able to tell the difference unless you concentrate hard
Speak-to-Chat
On the WH-1000XM5, activation delay is much better than before. You get a little ping to tell you that it has detected your voice and cut the music. The headphone goes into ambient mode almost immediately when you start a conversation. Once it activates, it will stay on for 15 seconds by default.
Via the app as well you can change how sensitive the algorithm works according to how it works for you. You can extend it to 30 seconds, indefinitely, or reduce it to 5 seconds. We find that 15 seconds and normal sensitivity on the function is good enough for our use case in most cases.
Touch Control and Quick Control
Like before, the right side is where all the touch sensitive controls are. Your music controls start with a double tap to pause or play music, then swiping left (forward) or right (backward) to go back and forth between your favourite songs. To control volumes, you swipe up and down. A double finger tap-and-hold switches the Speak-to-Chat function on or off. A single button tap-and-hold brings you to voice assistant of your choice via the Headphones App. Every input comes with a ping so you know the headphone registers them. There is an additional Noise Cancelling Ambient button that can also be programmed to respond to double or triple taps that you can set up yourself via the app.
To quickly get into Ambient Noise mode temporarily without speaking, you simply place your palm over the right ear cup for a quick conversation. If not, just take off your headphone to pause the music. Once you put it back on, your music starts again.
Sony Headphone App
We always maintained that the Sony Headphone App is one of the best control apps for wireless headphones. The interface is still familiar to any users of Sony Headphones. For the WH-1000XM5, there is now a “Services” tab that allows the headphone to connect to a variety of apps and add certain functionality for the app. For now, that service is limited to quickly launch Spotify.
The app is also how you update your headphone. Once the headphone gets connected and app launches, the firmware gets updated. You can also choose not to update your headphone immediately.
Geotagging
Through your smartphone, the headphone detects your location and sets its Noise Cancelling/Ambient Noise levels to your preference, turns speak-to-chat on or off, and even changes its equalizer to your liking in different geotagged areas. Via the app you can add locations and set up your headphone however you like in all your saved locations.
Fast Pair but No NFC – Wait What? Why?
We love that new Bluetooth devices now come with Fast Pair and Quick Connect. We only need to turn the headphone on and our Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra picks it up immediately and prompts the pairing sequence. Everything was done within a few seconds, and we can use it immediately after. To tailor our experience, we took a few extra minutes fiddling through the Headphones app. No NFC to be found on the headphone though, bummer.
You Might Want to Keep it Dry
The WH-1000XM5 does not come with any IP rating or any assurance from Sony that it is water resistant. In that case, you might want to refrain from getting it too wet in any situations. We think that the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphone is mostly made to be used in the likes of airports and malls or even at home.
Performance
While improvements are made everywhere else, the most important part of a headphone is how it sounds.
Picking up the Phone
The WH-1000XM5 offers crisp and clean voice in calls. At the same time, because there are more mics than ever now and thanks to Sony’s clever voice pick up technology, we are reported to sound better than ever in calls.
Sound Quality
As expected from Sony, the maker of some of the best audio gears in the industry, the WH-1000XM5 is still one of the best sounding headphones in its class. The bass response is deep on the WH-1000XM5. The low-frequencies pack a lot of details and punch, but it also feels like the mid-range and high-end frequencies are slightly muddled compared to its predecessor. You still get clean high-end frequencies and detailed mid-range tones, albeit a little on the warm side.
Thing is, we still prefer the audio reproduction on the WH-1000XM4 over this pair. The WH-1000XM4 somehow sounds a little more balanced and just a tad cleaner. Again, this is something you’d only pick up if you pay enough attention.
Noise Cancelling with Two Processors
Instead of just using one QN1 processor to handle both audio and noise cancelling work, the new headphone features two processors. You get the QN1, and you also get a V1 integrated processor from the WF-1000XM4 earbuds.
The WH-1000XM5 has something they call Auto NC optimizer that is supposed to adapt the noise cancelling algorithm to suite your environments better. They also say that the new algorithm and added microphones are supposed to cancel mid and high-frequency sounds better than ever.
With eight mics for working together with the processors, you get arguably the best noise cancelling experience from a Sony headphone. The WH-1000XM5 seems to filter noise a little better than before all-around. Even in a crowded café, putting on the headphone is like transporting yourself into a different place. You still hear some noise, but it is a lot less. Even the coffee machine is less intrusive.
Ambient Noise mode
One of the biggest improvements on the WH-1000XM5, we think, is its ambient noise mode. We find that extremely useful even on the previous headphones when someone is trying to get your attention to have a quick conversation with you. It responds much faster and accurately now.
You can turn it on by pressing the NC mode button also on the right earcup or cover it with your palm. That button can also turn of your Noise Cancelling/Ambient Noise functions completely. If you turned your Speak-to-Chat function on, it turns on the moment it detects your voice.
Ambient noise mode on the WH-1000XM5 does not sound natural. But it is closer than ever, we think. Having conversations with the headphone on feels more natural than before and voices are picked up a little better, if you prioritize voice.
Out and about, having the ambient noise mode on is important to at ensure spatial awareness. We recommend having ambient noise mode on in the public for your own safety. Of course, in the airports or train stations, you want to be able to hear announcements with ambient noise mode.
DSEE Extreme
DSEE Extreme is simply audio upscaling technology that upscales regular audio from the likes of Spotify. It turns your regular Spotify quality to CD quality by filling details due to compressions.
The result, if you pay attention, is quite a significant boost in details in your music. There are plenty of added details in music you listen to, very comparable to what you are get from CDs if you can remember. You get a better result if you are working with Spotify, though Tidal and Deezer offers better audio experiences.
360 Reality Audio
The only way to really experience 360 Reality Audio without spending a fortune on a Sony Bravia XR TV is to get a subscription to Tidal. We do not own a Bravia XR TV. In that case, we have to put a disclaimer here that our 360 Reality Audio experience will not be representative to what you get from a Sony Bravia XR TV.
On Tidal, 360 Reality Audio works only on songs that are produced specifically with 360 Reality Audio in mind. You want to keep in mind that 360 Reality Audio is not Spatial Audio. It is a music-first proprietary technology that supports up to 64 audio channels aimed to put you in the middle of a concert hall or recording studio.
Listening to audio with 360 Reality Audio changes your music listening experience. Most of the time, you really feel like you are listening to music being recorded right in the middle of the studio with instruments and singers all around you. We recommend you listening to Alicia Keys’ “3 Hour Drive” featuring Sampha and compare it to the regular “Master” version.
Battery Life Champ
To be fair, there is nothing to shout about here. It still features the same battery life as before at 30 hours of music playback time despite working with two processors. If you want to use it for calls, it can for up to 24 hours, and you are not going to be on the phone for 24 hours at a time.
We have never used it beyond 20 hours without charging the headphones, so we will not be able to fully confirm its 30 hours battery life. But it does about 20 to 24 hours with little to no issue, and we take Sony’s word for it. We used the headphone mainly for music and connected to a single source, our smartphone with about 70% volume and Noise Cancelling all at all times.
The Sony WH-1000XM5 – Something is Missing
The WH-1000XM5 looks like a completely different product compared to its predecessors. We assure you that it is not though. It is still very much a Sony product; it feels like a quality product built to last. Instead of poorer build quality, the weight savings are obtained through new material sciences and innovative technologies.
There are a few things we feel that makes the WH-1000XM5 a small step back compared to the Sony-WH-1000XM4. The audio quality took a slight hit due to the smaller drivers. The WH-1000XM5 cannot be folded to be as compact as before, which is rather annoying since the package is rather bulky. It is also MYR 200 more than the previous headphones at MYR 1,799.
There are still a lot of positives on the WH-1000XM5. The headphone is more comfortable than before with a near perfect clamping force, allowing extended use cases. The lightweight construction also means that there is less strain to your neck too. The noise cancelling is better, and voice is picked up better, especially when you need to make calls. Functions like Speak-to-Chat also respond more accurately than before, which makes it a lot more intuitive.
It is hard to justify a purchase decision for this one. In terms of noise-cancelling capabilities, this is the best you can get your hands on currently, only marginally. With ANC, its predecessor sounds slightly more balanced too, albeit with a slightly less punchy bass. If sound quality is your focus, there are better sounding headphones too.
We think that the MYR 1,799 price tag is steep for the entire package. You are paying for some new interesting innovations on the headphone though. In our opinions, the slightly better sounding WH-1000XM4 is now a bargain. Sony’s headphones go on sale all the time too, so you can get your hands on Sony’s headphones for less than its retail price tag.
Is it worth replacing your WH-1000XM4 with this one? We do not think so. Although it is an upgrade everywhere, you also take minor hits in key areas. The trade-off is not enough to justify an upgrade from the already stellar WH-1000XM4. If you come from even older platforms, it is worth the upgrade.
In the past few months HONOR has been doing plenty to sort of distance itself from its previous parent company, HUAWEI. There is a good reason for that. It now means that HONOR can work with Google and get Google’s very crucial Play Store on their devices. The direct result is that their devices can really run on Google’s Android too and Qualcomm’s System on a Chip (SoC).
They have just released their latest device in Malaysia, the HONOR 70. They call this their “imaging flagship”. It is not really a flagship on paper. It only packs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 778G+ with 5G capabilities, a mid-range processor. It also does not pack more than 8GB of RAM paired to 256GB of internal storage.
There is a reason why they call it their “imaging flagship” though. It packs a second processing chip. It is a proprietary, independent chip that handles all things imaging. They call it the HONOR Image Engine that also powers the device’s camera AI.
The image processor works with Sony’s IMX800 sensor. This is technically the first device to feature Sony’s latest large format smartphone camera sensor. It measures 1/1.49-inch in size to make it the largest smartphone imaging sensor currently fitted to a consumer grade smartphone. The sensor is a 54-Megapixel sensor, because you do not need anything more than that in a smartphone. At the same time there is a 50-Megapixel Ultra-wide/macro camera that you can work with as well. Video-wise, they also added a feature to simultaneously track and record another subject in your video at 1080p Full HD resolutions.
The display is quite fascinating too, at 1080p Full HD resolution. It refreshes at 120Hz, a flagship level hardware this. It also displays up to 10-bit colours with up to 1920Hz PWM dimming for the best looking and immersive looking display in its class.
The Magic UI 6.1 device also features flagship level battery life. It packs a large 4,800mAh battery that can last you days. If not, you can quickly charge it at 66W speeds.
The HONOR 70 is now available for pre-order at MYR 1,999. You can get your hands on one from HONOR’s authorised retailers, their own e-commerce platform, and their flagship stores on Shopee and Lazada. More information on the HONOR 70 can be found on their website.
If you ask for a recommendation for a personal listening gear; some sort of earphones or headphones for general purposes, more often than not we will tell you to go for Sony. There is a good reason for that. They make decent listening gear for all kinds of purpose in all kinds of price range. More importantly, if you have the budget to spare, they make some of the best personal listening solutions in the market.
Sony is also the maker of the most successful gaming console series the world has seen thus far. Technically, they are one of the biggest names in the modern gaming industry. They make some of the best gaming gears in the industry too. But that is only limited to their PlayStation gaming platform.
Because they have been so focused on releasing gears for their console platform, the PC gamer race have been quite neglected and left wanting. They could get their hands on Sony’s high-end Wh-1000X over-ear platform, to be fair. They do not get the taste of what Sony can really do for their games though. That stops now with Sony’s INZONE peripherals.
INZONE H9 – Wireless Gaming Headset at its Best
We want to compare this INZONE H9 to the Sony WH-1000XM5, but we realised that it is a completely different beast. It is a pure wireless gaming headset, which also means the only way you are going to get it to work is with either Bluetooth or an included USB dongle. The USB dongle even has a switch for you to switch between PC and PS5, depending on where you use your H9 on. Of course, for the best experience, you want to use the dongle.
Either way (Bluetooth or Dongle), you get access to the INZONE Hub PC software that gives you control over the INZONE H9 headset. You can control its eq, its noise cancellation levels, and more. Speaking of noise cancellation technology, you can expect the best-in-class noise cancelling experience with Sony’s knowhow in making the best noise cancelling headphones in the industry.
The INZONE Hub on your PC also activates Sony’s brilliant 360 Spatial Sound to precisely recreate environmental sound of any game. It is really like a virtual 3D audio or surround sound experience for your games. That way, you can precisely tell where your enemies are in within the game too, as per intended in most competitive games today.
The Sony INZONE H9 is also designed to ensure that you get the best audio experience you can get in whatever conditions. Its diaphragms are designed with a unique shape to accurately re-produce high-frequency sounds. Alongside the unique diaphragm is also some cleverly placed and designed portings to ensure you get highly accurate and powerful low-frequency sounds as well. The headset’s design should put you right in the center of the action.
It is also designed with comfort in mind obviously. Its soft cushions used on the earcups, and the headband is made with long hours in mind. To ensure that you can game with the headphones on for hours on end, the earpads are also designed to minimise clamping pressure on your head, just to ensure that you can game even longer than before. The INZONE H9 can last up to 32 hours on a single charge, you would want to have comfort on your side. You can even charge it while its being in use, just so that you can continue gaming even when the battery gets low.
Of course, it is always nice to game with your friends, it is always nice to chat with your friends during a gaming session. In intense situations, communication with your teammates becomes more important than ever. The H9 comes with a built-in mic that should allow you to communicate with your teammates seamlessly and precisely.
INZONE H7 – Long Battery Life, Precise Placement, Still Wireless
The INZONE H7 is everything its more premium brother, the H9 is. There are some things missing though. It does not come with dongle, for example. With Bluetooth 5.0 though, latency should be kept at a minimum, not wireless dongle minimum still though.
It also does not pack noise cancelling technology. Still, the passive noise cancellation should be good enough with clever synthetic materials that seals your ear properly, as long as you place it correctly but soft enough for you to game with for extended periods. It is the same material you can find on the INZONE H9.
It features even longer battery life than the H9. The INZONE H7 boasts 40 hours in battery life, longer than any other headphones of its kind in the industry. You can credit its rather long battery life to the fact that it does not have noise cancelling.
Still, you get the same drivers the high-end H9 does. With INZONE Hub on your PC, you also have access to Sony’s clever 360 Reality Audio algorithm to make your games as immersive as they can be. It also features the same sort of porting from the H9 to ensure that you get the most accurate low-frequencies as possible on the headphones for more precise placements of your opponents and teammates in the game.
INZONE H3 – The Wired Option
If you prefer something more traditional, with the least latency possible, you want to game with a wired headphone. INZONE has that solution in the H3 as well. With a wired connection, battery life is not an issue as well. There are some things that you must give up though.
First, there is the cable management you might have to do. Other than the cable mess that you might have to think about, the H3 does not feature noise cancelling like the H9. Because the headphone relies on its cables to power the drivers, you cannot use it with most smartphones today unless you get a dongle.
Still, it is a rather powerful set of headphones though with a 40mm Neodynum drivers contained within the earcups, the same ones you can find on the H7 and the H9. While it does not look like it, there are some clever porting on the headphones to ensure that your low frequencies are perfectly and precisely produced.
It still works with INZONE Hub too. With INZONE Hub on your PC active, you get to experience Sony’s 360 Reality Audio at a fraction of the cost o the H9 and even the H7. Again, it is not a wireless headset, so it is as simple as it gets.
Price and Availabiliity
The All the INZONE headphones comes in white colour option. There are no other colour options for the headphones, because Playstation. The INZONE H9 will set you back MYR 1,299. The INZONE H7 that does not come with noise cancelling technoly will set you back MYR 1,099, while the most budget friendly option of them all, the INZONE H3 will set you back MYR 439. You can get your hands on one from any of Sony’s authorised retailers and concept stores nationwide. More information on the INZONE headphones can be found on their website.
Before Samsung came with their 108-Megapixel behemoth of a camera sensor that is their ISOCELL camera sensor you find on the Samsung Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S22 series, Sony was the go-to people for smartphone camera sensors. Their IMX sensors proved to be some of the versatile and best camera sensors for all kinds of mobile photography needs. Of course, not everyone feels like the sensors from Sony is adequate for them and their purpose. HUAWEI, for example came up with their own Red Yellow Yellow Blue (RYYB) sensor for more natural colours on their photos.
Samsung snagged the king of smartphone photography sensor title when they introduced the new sensor that went above 100MP for their flagship smartphone. Earlier this year, Samsung made another breakthrough in their mobile photography technology. They have introduced their ISOCELL HP1 200MP sensor, a sensor that hits 200-Megapixel. If estimations are correct, the sensor could make its way to the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra model next year.
Sony is not backing down though. They are reported to be working on their own version of a smartphone camera sensor that is supposed to shoot at 100-Megapixel, rivalling the current Samsung ISOCELL sensors found in the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra and Galaxy S22 Ultra. Currently, reports points to the sensor as a part of the IMX8 series of sensors that are designed for mid-range and high-end smartphones. The sensor could also be larger than the ½-inch 64-Megapixel sensor that Sony already makes, currently found in the Samsung Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22+ smartphones.
The idea of cramming more pixels into your smartphone camera is something that manufacturers have toyed with several years ago. Sony was the manufacturer of choice too when it comes to high-resolution sensors. For several years, the highest pixel count for a smartphone camera was 64-Megapixel until Samsung introduces their Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra last year with a behemoth of a 108-Megapixel sensor lodged in its body. We thought the Megapixel race was over, looks like we were wrong.
Sony announced the Xperia 1 globally a little over a month ago. Their new flagship smartphone is doubling down on its camera functions and also the ethos of being an exceptional creator’s device. It continues Sony’s minimalistic design and also still features some of the best when it comes to the company’s imaging technologies.
The smartphone is now available in Malaysia for pre-orders. It will be retailing for MYR6,099 – a very hefty ask in the current market. However, Sony is sweetening the pot by throwing in their popular WF-1000XM4. The true wireless, wireless earbuds retail for MYR1,099 by themselves. The earbuds have been lauded for their impressive audio quality and also their fit. You can get our take on them in our full review.
Packed with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and 12GB of RAM it’s definitely got the makings of a powerful device. With 256GB of internal memory and support for up to 1TB of additional storage with a microSD card, you wouldn’t be too hard-pressed for space when you shoot your content. The large 6.5-inch 4K HDR OLED screen will be able to show you everything in vivid detail.
On the optics side of things, the Xperia 1 IV comes with a triple sensor setup for its main camera. The main sensor is a 12-megapixel 24mm wide camera. This is complemented by a 12-megapixel 16mm ultrawide sensor and a 12-megapixel 85-125mm telephoto sensor for that telescopic zoom. There’s a lot more to the cameras than just the hardware, you’ll be able to get all the details in our coverage of its international launch.
The pre-order in Malaysia will be happening from 10 June 2022 until 10 July 2022. So, don’t miss your chance to get both the Sony Xperia 1 IV and the Sony WF-1000XM4.
Whenever you go about choosing a camera system to buy for yourself. You are always stuck in a dilemma of some sorts. You must choose between the full frame format or the APS-C cropped sensor format. Generally, cropped sensor cameras are way cheaper because the sensor is smaller (hence, cropped sensor), and therefore the materials required to cocoon the sensors are less. There are differences and compromises for both APS-C sensors and full frame sensors, obviously, but we are not going to get into that for today.
There is plenty of reason why you want to go for an APS-C sensor other than its cost. Because they tend to be smaller and more compact, they are more versatile in different conditions. Even their lenses can be made smaller and more compact because APS-C sensors technically capture less light than full frame sensors. Thanks to that, APS-C specific lenses are cheaper to make and purchase as well. Of course, if you are into film making, the APS-C sensor size is perfect for Super 35mm film format.
There is a problem, however. Because everyone is so focused on bringing in more lenses for the full frame format option, the APS-C cameras get a little less attention. Sure, you can technically use full frame lenses with APS-C cameras, but they tend to get a little expensive. Sony has not forgotten that they offer a variety of APS-C mirrorless cameras too, thankfully. They have just announced three APS-C lenses that videographers and landscape photographers can enjoy.
E PZ 10-20mm F4 G
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Yes, it is a G Lens. How do you tell? There is a ‘G’ behind the name, obviously.
It is a very short lens though at 10mm-20mm. For photographers, this is quite perfect for wide-angle photography. It allows you to capture more in an environment than regular lenses, perfect for landscape photography. Sure, you can capture portraits too, you do have to move rather close to the subject though. That said, a good selfie never hurts anyone.
At 35mm, the lens becomes a sort of 15-30mm lens, which is still rather short and wide. For video work, this is the perfect lens when space is a constraint, and you need to move rather close to your subjects. It is also a perfect vlogger camera in a lot of sense. The short focal distance allows you to use the camera at an arm’s length and you still get to capture the large canvas behind you.
It is also the lightest lens of its kind in its class. It weighs just 178 grams, 20% lighter than the SEL1018 lens it replaced. Thanks to internal zoom and focus mechanisms, there should not be any focus breathing while the camera changes its focus too.
E 15mm F1.4 G
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
The F4 offered by the 10-20mm zoom lens may not offer very deep ‘bokeh’ for your photos and videos. For that, you need a fast lens with large aperture. You need a 15mm F1.4 G lens.
Wide lenses are known to have some distortions on the outer edges of the images they capture. Sony’s know how in lens making though effectively compensates the distortion. At the same time, the three aspherical elements in their optics also allow the corners to be captured in detail reducing blurs and resolution loss at the corners.
Of course, F1.4 aperture allows photos to be taken with beautiful ‘bokeh’ in the background, especially in low-light photography or film making. With a focusing distance at just 170mm away from the subject, your ‘bokeh’ can really shine.
For video work, it is important that the focal length does not change even when the camera is focus hunting. Like the zoom lens, the internal focus mechanism allows the 15mm lens to focus hunt while eliminating focus breathing effects.
It is a heavier prime lens over the zoom 10-20mm. It weighs in at 219g, which is still technically not a lot of weight. It is still perfect for vlogging if you just want one focal length and be done with it. It is also wide enough for you to capture most of what you see in the background as well, so your vlogs get a little more flavour from the background.
E 11mm F1.8
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
If 15mm is not wide enough for you though, you can get your hands on an 11mm lens instead. It features all the same construction feature as the 15mm, which also means you get less focus breathing. The same aspherical elements also eliminate distortion and improve resolution in the corners of the photos taken with the 11mm lens.
At 35mm, you are shooting at 16.5mm focal length, which is still quite a perfect distance as a vlogging lens. At the same time, it is the perfect lens when space is an even bigger constraint in shoot locations. It is lighter than the 15mm as well at 181g, perfect for a quick ‘run-and-gun’ shoot condition.
While the aperture is not as large as the 15mm lens at F1.8, it is still quite a significant opening. The large opening allows the lens to capture plenty of light in low-light conditions and still produce beautiful looking ‘bokeh’. You can go even closer to your subject too at a minimal focus distance of 120mm.
Price and Availability
The three lenses that Sony has just announced are now available in Malaysia via Sony’s authorised retailers and concept stores nationwide. The E PZ 10-20mm F4 G will set you back MYR 3,299, the E 15mm F1.4 G will set you back MYR 3,299, while the E 11mm F1.8 will set you back MYR 2,399). More information on the new Sony lenses can be found on their website.
