This Smartphone Makes Pet Photography Easier Than Ever
The Sony Xperia 1 II makes it easier than ever to capture forever memories of your fur babies.
Pet photography is increasing in popularity all the time. We all love capturing forever memories of our pets, but sometimes we just don’t want to drag out all our pro gear. Well, what if we told anyone can create pro-quality pet images with a smartphone? It’s true. You can. Smartphone camera technology is pushing boundaries these days. The Sony Xperia 1 II is the most traditional camera-like smartphone we’ve put our hands on. After the break, we’ll show you how the Xperia 1 II can be used to create stunning shots of your furry friends that can then be shared instantly with the world.
This post is presented by Sony. Experience the power of the Sony Xperia 1 II from Amazon, Adorama, or the Sony Store. You can learn more about Xperia Trade-In offers here.
The Sony Xperia 1 II Can Do It All Thanks To the Pro Camera App
If you use Sony Mirrorless cameras, you’ll feel at home with the Sony Xperia 1 II. The Pro Camera app gives you all of the controls you need in a familiar-looking interface. The UI looks the same as the interface in Sony Alpha cameras. The controls are well laid out, and the gorgeous screen makes using the phone easy. Let’s take a quick look at the camera specs of the Sony Xperia 1 II:
- 16mm f2.4 12MP, 24mm f1.7 12MP, and 70mm f2.4 12MP cameras with Dual Phase Detection AF
- 0.3 MP 3D depth camera
- LED Flash
- HDR Mode
- Eye-tracking
- 8MP f2 Front-facing camera
- Dedicated shutter button
- All of the lenses feature optics from Zeiss
- 1/1.7″ sensor that’s 50% larger than the one in the previous Sony Xperia 1
- 20fps with autofocus and autoexposure when shooting in JPEG mode
The Sony Xperia 1 II is chocked full of features that will make your photography life easier. We’ve already shown you how you can use this phone for street photography. Now we’ll show you how you can utilize all of this power to create lasting memories of your furry friends.
The Xperia 1 II Shoots DNG RAW and JPEG
We all know the importance of being able to shoot in RAW formats. Being able to manipulate the RAW files from the Sony Xperia 1 II gives you so much freedom. The best part is that you can use image processors like Adobe Lightroom Mobile to edit your images instantly on the phone. As you can see, I was able to bring back quite a lot of detail in the shadows, and the highlights were nicely tamed.
The resolution and color reproduction of the screen means you’ll be able to take care of the smallest details while keeping your image color accurate. The JPEGS produced by the Xperia 1 II are also excellent. So, if you don’t want to spend time editing, you can shoot, save, and share images of your pets instantly.
Make The Most Of Manual Mode and Animal Eye Focus
The Xperia 1 II has program and shutter priority modes. Still, manual mode is where I wanted to be. I used a simple setup to take some of these images. I used plain backdrops. After that, I placed some constant lights to illuminate my dogs. Then, all I had to do was choose which of the three lenses to use, adjust the ISO and shutter speeds, and I was ready to go. The only way you can change apertures is by switching to different lenses. No matter which lens you use, though, you’re going to get sharp images.
If you turn on the face and eye detection, the phone will instantly track your pet’s eyes as well. This is tech lifted straight from the Sony Alpha line of cameras. It’s fantastic!
The on-screen histogram is a nice touch as well. It helped me make sure my exposure was correct. Hi-burst modes (while shooting JPEGS) helped me freeze the action, and continuous focus (AF-C) made the phone track my dogs. These features made everything very easy. It really was just like using a Sony Alpha camera.
Once I got my dog’s attention, all that was left to do was use the dedicated shutter button. Being able to half-press to lock focus, track, and then being able to wait for the perfect moment was a Godsend.
The Sony Xperia 1 II Makes Mobile Photography Fun
Photography is all about having fun. So, of course, if you want to use the Xperia 1 II to capture more candid pet moments, you can do that easily too. Whether you want studio-style portraits or candid images, this phone can do it all.
Thanks to the Sony Alpha-inspired feature set in the $1,099 Xperia 1 II, I had tons of fun! Finding out that eye AF worked on my dogs was a treat. The images look great thanks to the focusing and tracking system, and editing them was a joy. If you’re looking for a phone that can nicely complement your camera, check out the Sony Xperia 1 II.
This post is presented by Sony. Experience the power of the Sony Xperia 1 II from Amazon, Adorama, or the Sony Store. You can learn more about Xperia Trade-In offers here.