Sony Xperia Pro-I
Announced December 10, 2021
PixelMeter The PixelMeter is our 1–100 aggregate of reviewer scores from trusted publications and creators. Weighted by source tier — not a raw average, and not PetaPixel’s own review.
Reviewer Consensus
Good
Sony Xperia Pro-I is a specialized mobile device that mimics the manual control and sensor-driven performance of dedicated cameras, yet its high price and lack of automated computational features make it a niche tool rather than a standard smartphone. While it offers unique imaging capabilities and professional-grade build quality, it requires a deliberate, expert-level approach to photography that may frustrate casual users.
Weighted from 32 reviewer scores
Pros
- High-quality 4K OLED display and robust audio features including a headphone jack
- Extensive manual photography and videography controls mimicking Alpha cameras
- Dedicated physical shutter button and professional-friendly hardware
- Expandable storage via microSD card slot
- Large 1-inch type image sensor with natural color rendering
Cons
- Absence of wireless charging
- Prohibitively high price point
- Incomplete utilization of the full 1-inch sensor area
- Lack of advanced computational photography and night mode features
- Thermal management issues during video recording
- Launch price $1,799.99 (USD)
- Main camera 12MP f/2 + 12MP Ultrawide + 12MP Telephoto
- Video 4K 120p
- Display 6.5-inch OLED 120Hz
- Chipset Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G 12GB
What the Reviewers Say
All 32 expert reviews, weighted into the PixelMeter score.
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- PetaPixel 6.5/10
The Xperia Pro-I is one of the best phone cameras you can buy, but at that price, you have to weigh the cost-benefit of keeping your current phone and buying an actual camera instead.
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Sorry, Sony, but the Sony Xperia PRO-I needs some serious improvement if it’s going to compete with other smartphones.
- Android Authority 8/10
The Sony Xperia Pro-I has a lot going for it, but the brutal price tag puts it out of reach for the bulk of smartphone users around the world.
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Sony has again made a phone with immense technical capability that lags behind when it comes to fire-and-forget reliability.
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The Sony Xperia PRO-I is the most capable smartphone for photography that we've ever tested, but it's also by far the most expensive - only you can decide if it fits within your own personal workflow.
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The Sony Xperia Pro-I is a phone made for photographers and video shooters. It includes a more sensitive camera sensor than its rivals, as well as software for those who like to take control over what they capture.
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The Sony Xperia Pro-I is an excellent camera phone for imaging enthusiasts. It takes natural-looking photos, and offers no less than three unmatched manual camera apps.
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The Sony Xperia Pro-I is a welcome addition to Sony’s smartphone line, and is the most meaningful marriage of Sony’s imaging and mobile divisions to date.
- Android Police 8/10
You could buy a top-of-the-line regular smartphone plus a decently nice used DSLR (and maybe even a lens or two) for that kind of scratch. And I'm almost positive you'd have a better experience going in that direction.
- PhoneArena 8/10
[...] I'm more than impressed with the Xperia Pro-I. As a phone, it's definitely raising the bar for Sony, but as a camera, it unlocks a whole new level of video and photographic capabilities.
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The Xperia Pro-I, on the other hand, is not an accessory, it's the main act - the phone is the camera.
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The Sony Xperia Pro-I is aptly made for photography and cinematography professionals, adding a killer camera to a powerful Android smartphone. But it’s more of a camera alternative than the camera-smartphone hybrid it sets out to be.
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Sony's getting better at what they're really setting out to do with the Xperia line, inject as much from their other departments as they can into one smartphone, but at some point it just makes for an experience that can be fun, but it's hard to recommend to people who just [...]
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If you want a phone with professional-grade tools for videography and photography then it's certainly worth considering. It's one of the nicest looking and best-equipped phones on the market, but it's still not perfect - and is undeniably expensive.
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If you like to zoom in on the action, then the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra wins hands down, while pretty much any flagship rival will give you superior ultrawide results.
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It’s arguably the best camera phone for photography and video purists, and enthusiasts who enjoy taking full control of their footage and stills. So while it isn’t going to be for casual photo-takers, the Xperia Pro-I will likely have a fanbase.
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The Sony Xperia Pro-I is a phone that expects you to treat it like a camera. It takes a bit more work to get your results, but it has the potential to be quite rewarding.
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Arriving with a dated chipset, limited software support and a sizeable price tag, the Xperia Pro-I isn’t for the faint-hearted.
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I got to say, I want one of these because it is super, super cool.
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After a few weeks with the Sony Xperia Pro-I, it's clear this phone is built for photographers who shoot with specific manual settings. It's extremely capable but also too advanced for typical smartphone users.
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It's really a phone for a professional phone-tographer, but why wouldn't you just get a mirrorless camera then? Likewise, you could probably spend a bit more to pick up the Sony A7C instead.
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This as a gen 1 product is amazing.
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Sony somehow catered to a very niche group of enthusiasts looking to have all the necessities of a mirrorless camera and packed them into a phone.
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I just feel kind of like this phone sits in between these two very distinct worlds that most people are used to and doesn't really pull you from either to want to use it, at least for the price.
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It's a really, really good smartphone camera, and I think this almost bridges the gap between a smartphone and a point-and-shoot.
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Ultimately, the Pro-I is one of those paradoxes. It's one of the most full-featured smartphones out there, but at the same time, it's also one of the most niche, most complicated, and most specific camera phones out there.
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If you want a flagship smartphone, Sony PRO-I fits the bill, but it’s not really meant to be that. It has a very narrow target group, and it provides them with tools that are not available on any other brand apart from Sony.
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[F]or $1,800, this phone is lacking severely in the camera department.
- KelbyOne Insider 80%
All in all, this is a camera with ultimate portability and massive performance.
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The ideal complement to the Sony RX series if you travel a lot and are annoyed by all the big cameras but don't want to compromise on image or video quality, this is a great solution for your pocket.
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And that's about it honestly because this thing is really good and I can easily recommend it still though.
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Do I think that this could completely replace compact cameras? The answer is a massive yes.
