Sony has announced the launch of the latest generation of its Xperia 5 smartphone. The Sony Xperia 5 V features the same camera sensor as Sony’s flagship Xperia 1 V.
The Sony Xperia 5 V’s camera sensor
The Xperia 5 V uses the latest “Exmor T for mobile” camera sensor. Sony says that this captures more light than previous sensors so should be good for night and low light shooting. The smartphone also has two lenses to deliver three focal length options: 16 mm, 24 mm and 48mm. In addition, the Xperia 5 V also has an improved bokeh mode to blur the background in your photographs. With the Creative Look feature you can select from a choice of color presets without the need for any post-editing.
What about the Sony Xperia 5 V’s video capabilities?
Sony has packed the Xperia 5 V with tools for vloggers so you can also easily live stream and chat with your audience. The smartphone also has Optical SteadyShot with FlawlessEye image stabilization so you can record smooth stable videos when you’re walking. In addition, the smartphone comes with S-Cinetone for mobile to deliver great skin tones. You can even shoot videos in slow motion up to 4K 120 fps. When it comes to watching movies, the smartphone has Sony’s TV Bravia X1 image quality engine for mobile so videos should look good.
Audio
This smartphone has a pair of stereo microphones to capture audio for your videos. There is also a third microphone which is dedicated for voice recording. Sony says this will prioritize the voice of the person you are recording above other sounds. In addition, the Xperia 5 V features an intelligent wind filter to help capture clear audio and reduce background noise. Unlike many other manufacturers, Sony has included a 3.5 mm headphone jack on the Xperia 5 V so you can use wired headphones.
Video Creator app
The Sony Video Creator app is designed to create short videos with music and images. You simply select the clips you want to include, set a duration, and choose some music. The app then automatically cuts the clips to match the music and your desired run time. You can also add text or use filters and effects to make your videos even more eye catching. Once you are happy with the result you can export your video in the resolution and aspect ratio that you want.
Other features
The Xperia 5 V has a 6.1 inch OLED display with a wide 21:9 aspect ratio. The smartphone is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile processor and thermal management has been improved to boost performance. The Xperia 5 V also has a 5000 mAh battery which Sony says will allow you to watch videos for more than 24 hours on a single charge. Gamers haven’t been forgotten either with features such as L-γ (low gamma) laser, audio equalizer and voice chat mic. There’s even a screen recording function so you can capture and share content online.
What we think
The Sony Xperia 5 V smartphone comes with a lot of features for vloggers and gamers. The smartphone also benefits from having the same sensor as the Xperia 1 V. It’s a shame that the flagship smartphone’s more advanced Videography Pro and Cinematography Pro movie making features didn’t make it onto the Xperia 5 V. However, for social media content creators who want to make great looking videos quickly and easily, the Video Creator app is ideal. The only real downside of the smartphone is the price tag, which is a little more expensive than smartphones with similar features from Sony’s competitors.
Pricing and availability
At the time of writing Sony has only announced the launch of the Xperia 5 V is the United Kingdom and Europe. It will cost £849 and €999 in those regions respectively, which equates to about $1,075 at today’s exchange rates. The new smartphone will be available at the end of September. Sony is also running a launch offer with free WH-CH720N headphones between September 28 and October 26.
