Camera: The Aforementioned, But Better

The Xperia Z2's rear camera is identical to the Xperia Z1 from a hardware perspective, simply that's non to say information technology hasn't improved. The sensor is a 20.7-megapixel Sony Exmor RS 1/ii.iii" CMOS with ane.12 µm pixels, paired with a 27mm (in 35mm-effecive numbers) f/two.0 lens. On paper, the Xperia Z2 photographic camera isn't set up for low-light photography, as information technology lacks large pixels and optical image stabilization (OIS), simply results in these weather condition may surprise you.

On the front of the Z2, Sony has integrated a 2.2-megapixel photographic camera capable of 1080p video recording. Meanwhile, the rear photographic camera packs 4K Ultra Hd video recording, thanks to what Sony claims is increased camera IP block bandwidth provided by the Snapdragon 801. I'm sceptical of this claim, as the Snapdragon 800 institute in the Xperia Z1 has been used in a 4K recording smartphone before (the Galaxy Note three), but I'll accept the loftier-resolution recording regardless.

In many respects, the Xperia Z2'due south camera is top of the smartphone form. Not only does it bring large resolution images (5248 x 3936) to the table, which event in a stunning level of clarity and detail when y'all scale downwards the images it takes, just it also produces remarkably accurate photos.

I say accurate because, generally speaking, what yous come across with your eyes is what the photographic camera captures, no thing what the weather condition are. If it's a bright sunny day, the Xperia Z2 volition capture bright, vibrant images that are well balanced; if information technology'due south cloudy, the Z2 captures this through duller notwithstanding nevertheless accurate photos with an appropriate level of saturation.

Through striving for accuracy, sometimes the Xperia Z2 won't deliver photos with 'wow-cistron' like yous'd go with the Samsung Milky way S5 or Apple iPhone 5s. In that location's no overblown contrast or saturation, so not every image you take will look stunning: instead you'll view the photos you've taken and remark at how the scene actually did expect similar that at the fourth dimension.

Sony'due south accurateness-focused tweaks to the Z2 photographic camera's metering and processing have made it one of the all-time at tackling indoor photography. Historically a weak point for smartphone cameras, the Z2 is surprisingly good at taking photos when there'southward a moderate amount of calorie-free bachelor. Over again, nothing is oversaturated, and information technology does struggle when in that location's strong backlighting or lots of contrast, but you can get a expert photo out of the Z2 hither when you lot might not retrieve it's possible.

Accuracy is all well and good – typically something I prefer – merely there's no doubting that, in some situations, photos taken by the Xperia Z2'due south camera are a chip lacklustre in comparison to other flagships. This isn't an issue with the sensor or general hardware setup, which are very good, and then I feel that a few software post-processing tweaks could really make the Z2 camera smooth.

Click to see 100% crops of the above images

Viewing 100% crops of full-resolution images reveals a decent corporeality of zooming and cropping legroom. Particular at this level is skilful, although there are notable artefacts every bit a result of post processing, as well as visible grain. Downscaling to 1080p looks fantastic equally these blemishes disappear, although you could hands go away with a 2x or 3x crop without running into quality problems.

Low-light performance from the Xperia Z2 is hands the best I've seen from a camera lacking OIS and with small pixels in its sensor. The software stabilizer does a expert, just not perfect chore of removing blur from photos taken at dark, while post-processing manages to reduce grain while preserving details. Images come out looking sharp and detailed, which makes you lot wonder how much better they could exist if the Z2's photographic camera module packed OIS.

You're not going to get low-light results that are equally good as the HTC Ane M8 or Nokia Lumia handsets, but the Z2 captures a surprising amount of light for its hardware, making images await bright and accurate. In that location's an LED flash on the back of the handset, but I tend to avoid using it because information technology washes out images and isn't all that powerful.

Like with the Xperia Z1, there's still several bug with the Xperia Z2'south photographic camera software. Sony has continued to apply two main shooting modes: Superior Auto, and Manual. The former is a basic camera mode that does a great chore at selecting nearly every setting for you lot, but only captures images at a supersampled eight-megapixels. Manual, on the other paw, naturally gives you more command and allows you to capture full-resolution (xx.7 MP) images, but comes with some restrictions.

Past default the camera uses Superior Auto mode, and near people will be fine with its capturing of eight-megapixel 16:9 images that are substantially downscaled (aka. supersampled) from 20 megapixel shots. They wait very practiced and conserve disk infinite through a lower resolution. However if you lot are after full resolution images, which I'm sure many people are considering this phone has a big sensor, be wary of several restrictions.

Firstly, you tin't capture 20-megapixel HDR images with the Xperia Z2, which I find interesting considering information technology's not that much larger than the Galaxy S5's 16-megapixels, with that camera supporting full-resolution HDR. The Z2's HDR way isn't as skilful equally I've seen on other devices; nevertheless information technology's disappointing that it'southward locked out at full resolution.

There's besides a restricted ISO range, topping out at 1250 (or 800 if y'all manually select it), and a lack of any scene options. The skillful news is that the improved photographic camera software and firmware actually makes shooting low-lite images at ISO 800 feasible, peculiarly when the software image stabilizer is enabled. The bad news is that 8-megapixel images tin exist shot at up to ISO 6400 with not bad results – likely due to pixel supersampling – which makes Superior Auto photos look brighter and clearer in the darkest of atmospheric condition.

I'd love to see a Superior Auto mode that captures full resolution images without restrictions on HDR and ISO in a hereafter Xperia smartphone. For now, Sony is sticking with producing optimized viii-megapixel images from a 20.7-megapixel sensor, and I don't believe that's the right choice.

Aside from Superior Auto and Transmission modes, Sony has packed in a number of other shooting modes that are essentially applications, similar to what Microsoft has washed with Lenses in Windows Telephone. Some of the main ones include Artistic Effect, which applies live filters to images; Timeshift Burst, which captures burst shot images and allows you lot to select the best one, as well as use a few effects; and AR Effect is an entertaining simply ultimately stupid 3D augmented reality way.

Background Defocus is Sony's software attempt at producing results like HTC has accomplished with their Duo Camera on the One M8. Similar to the Galaxy S5's implementation, Background Defocus takes a burst shot at multiple focus points, and uses software edge detection to find the subject and defocus the groundwork. After the epitome has been taken, you lot can adjust the simulated bokeh using a slider, although information technology's not possible to select multiple focus points.

The Z2's implementation is more effective than the Galaxy S5's at producing a nice defocusing outcome, although it's nonetheless bound past limitations relating to the lack of a depth sensor. If the subject is too shut, Background Defocus doesn't function at all, and if there'due south too much going on in the scene, information technology'll struggle to correctly find the edges. The feature is cool to play effectually with from time to fourth dimension, merely can't match the One M8 on last results.

Moving on to the Xperia Z2's video modes, and this is the commencement flagship from Sony that tin shoot 4K Ultra Hard disk drive (3840 ten 2160) video through a dedicated video mode. I'm non sure why they didn't integrate Ultra Hd recording into Manual manner, which can record 1080p video at both thirty and 60 frames per second, although it could be to highlight the feature.

Ultra HD videos are recorded using High profile H.264 with a bitrate of 55 Mbps, meaning one minute of footage requires around 400 MB of storage infinite. As yous'd wait from such large frame sizes, 4K video looks fantastic, just as good as you'd get from taking 8-megapixel stills. Audio quality is too crisp and clear, while metering and focus occur somewhat quickly.

1080p30 (and 1080p HDR) is recorded with a bitrate of 17.5 Mbps, which isn't the highest I've seen from a smartphone, although quality is yet very good. Sony has bumped up 1080p60 to 30 Mbps, which is the best mode to employ if you desire polish motion, although it does use more storage space. HDR video is good, equally the Z2 makes utilise of the Snapdragon 801's real-fourth dimension HDR feature, although it can't match the Milky way S5 in bringing out the detail from shadows.

If yous desire to bank check out the 1080p60 video recording quality from the Xperia Z2, you lot can download a sample hither. Above is short a HDR video sample.

A split up shooting mode, called Timeshift Video, records 720p footage at 120 frames per second using High contour H.264 at 50 Mbps. This implementation of high frame rate video recording is interesting in that it firstly saves an original file with playback set to 120 frames per 2nd, and so it allows you lot to select which parts of the video you want to slow down using a slider. After you've made your selection, it renders the video and sets playback to 30 frames per second.

I similar this style of recording high frame rate footage considering it allows yous to create fantastic videos with a combination of both fast and slow movement. The Snapdragon 801 is more than powerful plenty for rendering 720p footage on the fly too, and then in that location'southward no need to await for a long time as the final video is processed.