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My main needs are:
1. Excellent GPS - Samsungs are universally crap and TomTom/Sygic/CoPilot always had me jumping around roads, forgetting where it was/which way the car was pointing when stuck in a jam etc. I just use TomTom now on my iPhone and whilst I hate iPhones their GPS/GLONASS implementation is excellent. Anyone used TomTom on a Z2? How did it fare? Both in dense urban situations and on highways and both on clear and cloudy days.
2. Loudspeaker - I do like to listen to radio in the shower and whilst I have no intention of ever taking a phone in there with me a good loudspeaker is a must. I heard the Z1 and possibly the Z2 had crappy loudspeakers due to waterproofing. Is this true? I'm not after a ghettoblaster but a good speaker is fairly important.
3. Camera - The iPhone 4S has a good camera. It opens quickly, HDR mode can cope with a moving toddler (my son rarely is still enough for other phones to cope with) and the camera can cope with shots where there is a window in there without just whiteing out the window area (l don't know the technical name for it but it's when the camera doesn't cope with light and darker areas well such as with the HTC One M8).
These are my main criteria and I'd like to know if the Z2 will meet my needs. It will be a big purchase for me and I can't afford to spend and lose money on a phone which doesn't do these functions well.
Everything else on the Z2 looks absolutely fantastic, just like the M8 and a Note 3 I had recently did except the M8 camera was truly awful (what were they thinking with that ultrapixel nonsense) and the Note 3 was terrible at GPS (five years on since the original Samsung Galaxy and the GPS was still like using a phone from 2005 when some phones didn't have true GPS).
I'd really value some honest opinions guys and gals!
Joe
joebongo said:
My main needs are:
1. Excellent GPS - Samsungs are universally crap and TomTom/Sygic/CoPilot always had me jumping around roads, forgetting where it was/which way the car was pointing when stuck in a jam etc. I just use TomTom now on my iPhone and whilst I hate iPhones their GPS/GLONASS implementation is excellent. Anyone used TomTom on a Z2? How did it fare? Both in dense urban situations and on highways and both on clear and cloudy days.
2. Loudspeaker - I do like to listen to radio in the shower and whilst I have no intention of ever taking a phone in there with me a good loudspeaker is a must. I heard the Z1 and possibly the Z2 had crappy loudspeakers due to waterproofing. Is this true? I'm not after a ghettoblaster but a good speaker is fairly important.
3. Camera - The iPhone 4S has a good camera. It opens quickly, HDR mode can cope with a moving toddler (my son rarely is still enough for other phones to cope with) and the camera can cope with shots where there is a window in there without just whiteing out the window area (l don't know the technical name for it but it's when the camera doesn't cope with light and darker areas well such as with the HTC One M8).
These are my main criteria and I'd like to know if the Z2 will meet my needs. It will be a big purchase for me and I can't afford to spend and lose money on a phone which doesn't do these functions well.
Everything else on the Z2 looks absolutely fantastic, just like the M8 and a Note 3 I had recently did except the M8 camera was truly awful (what were they thinking with that ultrapixel nonsense) and the Note 3 was terrible at GPS (five years on since the original Samsung Galaxy and the GPS was still like using a phone from 2005 when some phones didn't have true GPS).
I'd really value some honest opinions guys and gals!
Joe
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Click to collapse
1. Sorry dont really have much use for gps n only got phone this morning so untested
2. Right then, while i wouldnt say the speakers are crap they aren't the loudest, they do sound good tho.... im no audiophile but to me they sounded clear they just didnt go loud enough (altho i wouldnt rule out some form of volume increase app coming along for rooted users at some point) I havent tested the noise cancelling headphones yet but have heard they are very good. On a side note i received a free sont srs btx300 speaker, if you can get one thrown in then its well worth it. Maybe worth noting that altho the low volume may be caused by waterproofing you could keep it closer in the shower so it may not seem that quiet
3. dont know about hdr, ive yet to look at all the camera settings... but there is something called time burst while will 60 shots in 2 seconds, not tested it but read about it, apparently it starts shooting when you open it and it saves the 30 pics from 1 second before pressing shutter and 30 from 1 second after, you then pick the best one(s), should be perfect for capturing a toddler
I have to say I'm pretty disappointed by the speakers, thought they would be a lot louder.
The noise cancelling headphones are brilliant though, very clear, and good amount of bass.
A first I did think the speakers were pretty awful in comparison to the M8 however, once I enabled xLOUD from the Sound Enhancement settings it became very comparable!
As for the photos, I regularly take photos of skateboarding and the Timeshift Burst feature on the Sony phones is brilliant for moving shots. Like the other guy said, it constantly buffers the first 30 images while the app is open and then takes another 30 after you press the shutter, you'll always get a handful of great shots at the perfect moment!
As for GPS, I don't drive, but my phone is used as the sat nav whenever I'm in a friends car. I've only ever used Google Maps but I have to say it works flawlessly. Always accurate and very easy to use.
Sent from my D6503 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
The speakers are just fine. Only the m8 beats it for loudness and quality. It's louder than the m7 which was all the rage last year so can't see what the problem is. The speakers on the z2 get the job done and pretty well too especially while watching videos and gaming.
As for the camera, it's to put it simply, only bettered perhaps by the lumia 1020. It takes the most amazing 8mp shots with so much detail it's hard to accept they're actually 8mp snaps. Colour reproduction is frightfully accurate with excellent dynamic range. Crank up the resolution and things noticeably degrade in quality in every respect mostly focusing. The shots are still to notch but just not as good as the truly incredible 8mp snaps.
Never had any problems with gps on any Sony device but the z2's seems better than that on the z. The weather app picks up my location exactly while that on the z was more general.
Sent from my D6503 using xda app-developers app
joebongo said:
My main needs are:
1. Excellent GPS - Samsungs are universally crap and TomTom/Sygic/CoPilot always had me jumping around roads, forgetting where it was/which way the car was pointing when stuck in a jam etc. I just use TomTom now on my iPhone and whilst I hate iPhones their GPS/GLONASS implementation is excellent. Anyone used TomTom on a Z2? How did it fare? Both in dense urban situations and on highways and both on clear and cloudy days.
Joe
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Click to collapse
Since when do samsungs's GPS's suck?!
All the notes, S s, and even some of the budget phones I handled NAILED GPS co-ordinates/Google maps etc!
I travel..off-road too...and heavily rely on GPS.
How have you arrived at such a conclusion or your just a hater?
In regards to Sammy gps, I had galaxy s 1 2 & 3, and found the gps took a long time to lock on to satellites but when they did they were very accurate.
Sent from my C6903 using xda app-developers app
How is the Z2's volume when the phone is in your pocket? Just asking cause I work in a loud environment, also, how does the antenna perform when in a building ( like in the middle of a warehouse or basement of shopping centre or department store)? Thanks for the info guys :good:
Pre- ordered on 8/3 and still waiting lol....
The samsungs I've had (the first galaxy and a note 3) were terrible with gps and had me in fields or parallel roads and generally were unusable. Maybe I just had two duff units but looking on the web there were also many people having gps accuracy issues for driving on both models.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
cyneverdie said:
Since when do samsungs's GPS's suck?!
All the notes, S s, and even some of the budget phones I handled NAILED GPS co-ordinates/Google maps etc!
I travel..off-road too...and heavily rely on GPS.
How have you arrived at such a conclusion or your just a hater?
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Click to collapse
One of my friends got his Note 3 a couple months ago (he's a long time iPhone user) and we were headed out to meet someone. We were using the GPS on his Note, and for some reason the damned thing was off by a 1-2 intersections! I whipped out my Xperia Z Ultra, and it was spot on for our location.
Dunno what was going on with his Note 3, but damn it sucked. He mentioned that he had run into similar problems with it in the past, so it wasn't a one-off thing either.
vivftp said:
One of my friends got his Note 3 a couple months ago (he's a long time iPhone user) and we were headed out to meet someone. We were using the GPS on his Note, and for some reason the damned thing was off by a 1-2 intersections! I whipped out my Xperia Z Ultra, and it was spot on for our location.
Dunno what was going on with his Note 3, but damn it sucked. He mentioned that he had run into similar problems with it in the past, so it wasn't a one-off thing either.
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Click to collapse
Hmmm...never heard that before. The Note 3 rocks!
I assure you that his phone has some serious issues....it should be pin sharp accuracy.
Dying for a Z ultra 2 btw....
With a damn flash/torch!
Does the videos get recorded in mono or stereo? What's the fps while recording in 720p?
Sent from my HTC Desire HD using Tapatalk 2
joebongo said:
The samsungs I've had (the first galaxy and a note 3) were terrible with gps and had me in fields or parallel roads and generally were unusable. Maybe I just had two duff units but looking on the web there were also many people having gps accuracy issues for driving on both models.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
Remember that map apps use an algorithm where it assumes you are continuing on the road it's telling you to go on, assuming that any deviation between the position from the GPS and the real location is due to drift. So it might not be as bad as you think.
I've also had regular problems with my note 3 gps. So sketchy and unreliable. Anyway here's hoping the z2's is better. Hope this thing hurries up and releases in the states!
Hello there,
After much inquiry, I've become undecided about this phone. I have been looking for a 4.7-5in phone with a good and snappy camera, battery, USA bands, and micro sd support, and the z5 compact seems to fit the bill. However, I keep reading problems about this device mainly concerning its software and camera. I really like the device given all it has to offer but I'm just not inclined to dish out $500+ on a device that has a problematic camera i.e. blurred edges caused by software or hardware, no warranty (here in the USA), over-heating, sony ui, etc. I currently have an LG G4 which absolutely meets my needs but like I said, I'm looking for a smaller phone for traveling and one hand handling.
So my question for those who own the Z5c, is it really THAT bad and will the firmware update fix the purported problems of this device? I'm concerned about the blurry edges being a hardware issue and perhaps Sony is just covering their tracks by saying that an "update" will fix that problem. If you have updated your device, could you post a sample of the fixed camera or at least let us know here?
Really appreciate your time and input!
Coming from the z1 compact and z3 compact, although I loved those phones I did find the camera sub par, and the external speaker volume too low and muffled, the front and back screens were finger print magnets and easily scratched.
But I love the compact series and put my hope and money back into the z5-compact.
Had mine for 2 weeks now (Arctic white) and I love the new design, the no finger print frosted rear glass and the front screen also just doesn't seem to attract finger prints either!, improved and much louder external speakers, the camera has improved dramatically. I have none of the reported issues of blurred edges, slow camera opening etc it's all good. Oh and the fingerprint scanner is awesome!
I love this phone to death it's perfect in my eyes. It will be hard to part with this when it comes time to upgrade to the z6 compact ☺
Woza72 said:
Coming from the z1 compact and z3 compact, although I loved those phones I did find the camera sub par, and the external speaker volume too low and muffled, the front and back screens were finger print magnets and easily scratched.
But I love the compact series and put my hope and money back into the z5-compact.
Had mine for 2 weeks now (Arctic white) and I love the new design, the no finger print frosted rear glass and the front screen also just doesn't seem to attract finger prints either!, improved and much louder external speakers, the camera has improved dramatically. I have none of the reported issues of blurred edges, slow camera opening etc it's all good. Oh and the fingerprint scanner is awesome!
I love this phone to death it's perfect in my eyes. It will be hard to part with this when it comes time to upgrade to the z6 compact ☺
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does the software seem good and fast? No stutters or lag?
Thanks
Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk
Notchr302 said:
Does the software seem good and fast? No stutters or lag?
Thanks
Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
There were stutters and lags, but since the last update they all are gone.
Drakorcarnis0 said:
There were stutters and lags, but since the last update they all are gone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm so confused because some say there is still lag after the update. Ugh lol
Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk
I am one of those who would say that the lags are gone after the update. And whatever that guy said, I agree wholeheartedly. This phone is a beast. I also come from a Z3 Compact and I am loving the Z5c. Especially the camera
It was a little stuttery straight out of the box but I downloaded Sony PC companion (just googled it) and then downloaded the latest firmware 32.0.A.6.152 (it took a couple of hours, which by all reports is normal) then updated my phone.
Happy to report it is buttery smooth with no stutters or lags all super fast.
Interesting to see that the pre installed photo analyzer app (Sony) which was reportedly causing some lag, had disappeared in the latest firmware.
I hope this has helped you with your decision.
Cheers
Do you still have the blurry edges or has it been fixed?
moist_line said:
Do you still have the blurry edges or has it been fixed?
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Click to collapse
99% sure it's good. You be the judge. Just a quick picture, tried to place items on every edge/corner.
I'm sitting at the park, it's dusk and a little cloudy. No flash, superior auto, 8mp.
I've had the Z5C for a week now and I can't comment too much on certain details because this is my very first Android phone - I am coming straight from a Nokia 808. The phone is compact, slick-looking, seems incredibly fast to me and I am liking the Android experience as a whole, although a few things Symbian had were simpler and more elegant (changing phone profiles, searching for contacts under phone, for instance).
The one issue I have, and that is a big one and it is so big of an issue that I registered today on XDA to ask for help, is the extremely poor photo/camera quality. I cannot understand what is going on here. This is a $600 2015 brand new release phone. Something must be wrong either with the software or hardware on my phone, which sucks since I purchased it for US operation (no warranty). I do not know how to express in words how disappointed I am with the camera. Let's just say that my 2012 Nokia 808 takes photos comparable to my SLR system. I was expecting at least equivalent photo quality from a modern/newer phone.
OldSkewler said:
I've had the Z5C for a week now and I can't comment too much on certain details because this is my very first Android phone - I am coming straight from a Nokia 808. The phone is compact, slick-looking, seems incredibly fast to me and I am liking the Android experience as a whole, although a few things Symbian had were simpler and more elegant (changing phone profiles, searching for contacts under phone, for instance).
The one issue I have, and that is a big one and it is so big of an issue that I registered today on XDA to ask for help, is the extremely poor photo/camera quality. I cannot understand what is going on here. This is a $600 2015 brand new release phone. Something must be wrong either with the software or hardware on my phone, which sucks since I purchased it for US operation (no warranty). I do not know how to express in words how disappointed I am with the camera. Let's just say that my 2012 Nokia 808 takes photos comparable to my SLR system. I was expecting at least equivalent photo quality from a modern/newer phone.
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What are your thoughts on the quick photo I posted? All standard settings in quite average light? Do you see any of the issues you are experiencing on your phone?
Woza72 said:
What are your thoughts on the quick photo I posted? All standard settings in quite average light? Do you see any of the issues you are experiencing on your phone?
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Click to collapse
For the resolution posted, I dont see any issues. What I see on my photos is some sort of sharpening which causes details to be lost when zooming in. And believe me, I am not even remotely pixel-peeking, just basic cropping for creative purposes.
I'll try to post some sample photos to illustrate what I am facing here.
Cheers,
BB
OldSkewler said:
The one issue I have, and that is a big one and it is so big of an issue that I registered today on XDA to ask for help, is the extremely poor photo/camera quality. I cannot understand what is going on here. This is a $600 2015 brand new release phone. Something must be wrong either with the software or hardware on my phone, which sucks since I purchased it for US operation (no warranty). I do not know how to express in words how disappointed I am with the camera. Let's just say that my 2012 Nokia 808 takes photos comparable to my SLR system. I was expecting at least equivalent photo quality from a modern/newer phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you haven't already, you might want to check the main Xperia Z5 subforum about this issue, specifically this thread where they talk about the camera, and the best settings for particular lighting. It could be you have a defective camera though, and if so, I feel for ya since I also imported my device.
Adrift98 said:
If you haven't already, you might want to check the main Xperia Z5 subforum about this issue, specifically this thread where they talk about the camera, and the best settings for particular lighting. It could be you have a defective camera though, and if so, I feel for ya since I also imported my device.
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Click to collapse
Exactly how my photos look like! Thanks for linking me to this thread, even though what I learned from it is not exactly great news!
OldSkewler said:
Exactly how my photos look like! Thanks for linking me to this thread, even though what I learned from it is not exactly great news!
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Same problem for me. It's a very expansive phone and you have to read pages of forums to understand how to make the most of it.
But still, the camera to me is a complete disaster. The app is cheap, very laggy, menus are terrible and the most improtant part, it takes poor photos.
Oversharpened and zooming in a tiny bit on a 23Mp pictures is just horrible.
The photo shared a few post back in the park is just awful too, sorry bro no offense, but it's not a defective camera it's just what is sold.
When you come from other brands, you are automatically disapointed.
P.S. videos are quite amazing though, especially in 60fps and the management of the edit app of videos is very good too.
I just switched to the nexus 5X, and there are no comparaison. Much much simpler, you don't need to test every little setting to take a good pic and zooming in is incredible, the best.
Yet I really loved the compact shape and overall build quality of the z5 device.
Comments non related to the camera is : the system is quite good as it is very similar to stock android but a little disappointed too by the performance.
I don't speak about lags and everything as it is quite fluid, but it just takes time to open or reload apps compared to my other devices.
I am still keeping the device to see if there will be improvement (there should be a major camera app update this month) but i don't believe in miracles, i don't think that will solve the pictures quality.
If you know how to use it (8mp at SA for darker scenarios, 23mp manual for bright daylight) it's been reviewed in a number of places as the best camera currently on the market. It's interesting to me how polarizing the camera is for people though. People either think it's the second coming, or the antichrist. I imagine that the improvements to the software promised with the Marshmallow update will go a long way to getting a lot of naysayers to give it a second look.
Adrift98 said:
If you know how to use it (8mp at SA for darker scenarios, 23mp manual for bright daylight) it's been reviewed in a number of places as the best camera currently on the market.
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That is a very interesting perspective on the topic; so basically it boils down to misuse by users! And I suspect this is from someone that has never even tried the phone!
Let me propose the exact opposite, and I suspect a portion (if not majority) of people complaining about the imaging performance on these Z5 phones are actually far from amateur photographers and do understand what is achievable and should be expected in terms o quality. There is no way to slice this or put a twist on it, and I don't care about DXO ratings.
OldSkewler said:
That is a very interesting perspective on the topic; so basically it boils down to misuse by users! And I suspect this is from someone that has never even tried the phone!
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Click to collapse
No, it's certainly been by those who've tried the phone. By the looks of it you didn't get too far into that thread I previously recommended, but Timaustin2000 and a few others in that thread really turned the tone around with their investigations on the ability of the camera, and comparison shots. They've even had an influential effect on reviewers. So for instance, it wasn't till TimAustin pointed out to the reviewers at Android Authority that they were crippling the phone by using the 23mp in low light scenarios that they took into consideration the supersampling of the 8mp default settings. From there a number of other reviewers, bloggers, vloggers, and the like took a second look at the camera in the phone and tested appropriately with often very very positive results (many of these reviews and videos are also mentioned in that thread).
Let me propose the exact opposite, and I suspect a portion (if not majority) of people complaining about the imaging performance on these Z5 phones are actually far from amateur photographers and do understand what is achievable and should be expected in terms o quality. There is no way to slice this or put a twist on it, and I don't care about DXO ratings.
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From the recent reviews that I've been reading and watching, that doesn't appear to be the case, but of course, you're free to come to your own conclusions.
Haven't had much experience with the Z5C camera yet, only had it for a week.
But one thing, it takes so long to open. This is my 1St Android phone, been an ios user for around 4.5 years & the iPhones were just easier to access their camera. Slide up, click camera & it opened. On the Z5C, you press & hold the camera button, feel it vibrate, let it go... & wait.
After a second or so, the screen goes black, then the camera opens, then the screen starts to set itself up.
Just tried then & it was around 4 seconds.
I love the phone so far, but it seems to really struggle with normal usage.
By normal usage, for me, I mean it lags. Playing YouTube videos, it lags, I'm in Oz & we have an online streaming movie/TV service called Stan.... It doesn't work on the Z5.
Switching between tasks can give the phone a heart attack. For example, I was playing Clash Of Clans & some one tried to call me, the box popped down, I clicked answer & nothing happened.
I clicked answer two or three more times, before clicking back to the home screen, the phone call went to message bank while my phone locked up, went black & I had to wait around 30 seconds for it to sort itself out.
Even typing this it lags every now & then.
8 Ball Pool is laggy... If messages pop while playing, it gets even worse.
I do love the phone, I am enjoying Android (I miss a few ios advantages), but I just wish that the phone didn't feel like it was made with enough Ram to run the OS & one app at a time.
Oh... The audio is quiet, it doesn't go as loud as my iPhone 4 did, with my Bose head set & it lacks the same bass, but does sound alright.
The included Sony ear plugs are uncomfortable, have no sound advantages, have annoying different length ear cords & no volume control.
No supplied quick charger.
The back of the phone tends to get quite hot.
Sid3wayz said:
Haven't had much experience with the Z5C camera yet, only had it for a week.
But one thing, it takes so long to open. This is my 1St Android phone, been an ios user for around 4.5 years & the iPhones were just easier to access their camera. Slide up, click camera & it opened. On the Z5C, you press & hold the camera button, feel it vibrate, let it go... & wait.
After a second or so, the screen goes black, then the camera opens, then the screen starts to set itself up.
Just tried then & it was around 4 seconds.
I love the phone so far, but it seems to really struggle with normal usage.
By normal usage, for me, I mean it lags. Playing YouTube videos, it lags, I'm in Oz & we have an online streaming movie/TV service called Stan.... It doesn't work on the Z5.
Switching between tasks can give the phone a heart attack. For example, I was playing Clash Of Clans & some one tried to call me, the box popped down, I clicked answer & nothing happened.
I clicked answer two or three more times, before clicking back to the home screen, the phone call went to message bank while my phone locked up, went black & I had to wait around 30 seconds for it to sort itself out.
Even typing this it lags every now & then.
8 Ball Pool is laggy... If messages pop while playing, it gets even worse.
I do love the phone, I am enjoying Android (I miss a few ios advantages), but I just wish that the phone didn't feel like it was made with enough Ram to run the OS & one app at a time.
Oh... The audio is quiet, it doesn't go as loud as my iPhone 4 did, with my Bose head set & it lacks the same bass, but does sound alright.
The included Sony ear plugs are uncomfortable, have no sound advantages, have annoying different length ear cords & no volume control.
No supplied quick charger.
The back of the phone tends to get quite hot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Previous iPhone only user here too. Have you updated to the latest firmware? My camera takes about 2 seconds to come up pressing the side button since the update. Further improvements are expected with the Marshmallow update.
Also, I have no lag since the latest firmware, but I'm also using the Nova Launcher which you can get for free in the Play Store (not sure if that makes any difference or not).
I also have a problem with the volume, especially from the front speakers. Thought having two speakers instead of one, as I did on my iPhone 2G, 3G, 4S. and 6S would make it louder, but it's not. Still, honestly, I don't find it much quieter than those devices either. the 6S was maybe a tick louder, but not by much. I still want more punch from the front speakers, and I'm hoping that's something I can fix by doing some sort of ROM tweak. If not, I suppose I can live with it, but its the biggest disappointment about the device for me, not because its so much quieter than my iPhone devices, but because it doesn't stand head and shoulders above them.
I don't know about you, but my Sony ear plugs are way way wayyyyy more comfortable than my iPhone headphones. In fact, they're the most comfortable in-ear headphones I've ever worn. The different length on the cords I don't really have much issue with, since I usually drape the longest cord behind my head to my right ear (which is how I'm assuming they're meant to be worn). I will admit that they seem slightly cheap-ish, and I was hoping that where the volume button was (which I DO have on my pair) also had a mic so I could answer in-coming calls, but overall, I think they're pretty okay. Again, they're much more comfortable than the headphones that came with my iPhones. As far as loudness in the headphones is concerned, they're loud enough, but I definitely wouldn't mind if they were louder. I'll probably end up getting some sort of thin amp/dac like the dragonfly or the Aqua to boost the volume. Shame I have to do that, but oh well.
Again, its interesting to me how varied people's reactions are to this device. I'm FAR more happier with this device than I am my previous iPhones. Its not perfect, but it hits so many of the checkboxes for me that its hard to complain.
Edit: Oh, also, I got a quick charger with my device, but I bought the Taiwan version, so maybe that accounts for the difference in headphones and charger.
Lastly, after the initial setup, and especially after the update, my phone doesn't get very hot. Maybe I'm not using the same intensive programs that you are, though. The phone gets a little warm with Candy Crush and Asphalt 8, but my iPhone 6S also got pretty hot just using the camera (which is something my mother noticed when I handed her the phone to see some pictures).
... the price! Those phones can't possibly be twice as good as the Axon 7 to justify such a price. I for one can't wait to see what the Axon 8 will look like. My wish list:
A screen a little bit bigger.
(Having used a 6.4" Z Ultra for a long time, I find the AX7's display rather limiting. And the trend is towards bigger displays anyway, as the S8 and S8+ demonstrate.)
Illuminated hardware keys.
(For ****'s sake how hard can that be?)
A camera a little bit better.
(A flash on the front camera and a dedicated camera button - like on Sony's phones - would not be bad ideas either).
Keep the speakers and sound quality!
(Absolutely don't mess with that, ZTE, it's absolutely perfect as is.)
Waterproof.
(I know speakers are hard to waterproof but the rest of the phone shouldn't die if it gets dropped in water.)
A bigger battery!!
(The battery is never big enough.)
That's about it! The rest of the AX7 is pretty close to perfection.
The only thing I agree with is the camera although the one in the Axon 7 is okay.
Illuminated buttons I don't like. I always kept them disabled on the Note 4.
What I'd improve is the vibration motor, which sucks and makes the phone feel cheap every single time I type a letter... It's too strong and makes an annoying audible sound.
Way overpriced.
How is this related to forum?
ГАСООП said:
How is this related to forum?
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It's not, but also not forbidden.
Should be moved to general I think.
On topic now:
Seems like the actual improvements in the smartphone industry have decreased over the years, and so, most companies do whatever they brainstormed at the labs, and call it revolutionary and try to reinvent the wheel, year after year.
I don't like the S8, I personally think it's pointless.
Not to mention the fact that it's overpriced as hell.
Negligible differences over the S7.
Nothing major going for it really.
aLexzkter said:
Illuminated buttons I don't like. I always kept them disabled on the Note 4.
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To each their own. If the illumination can be turned on and off, then everybody's happy.
I probably wouldn't consider touching the new Samsung devices with a ten foot pole.
As for the Axon 8, I agree with you about needing illuminated hardware keys, a (much) better set of cameras with their own dedicated flashes, the same or better audio quality, and waterproofing (because why not). I would also like an updated SOC, a screen with better viewing angles, and less proprietary crap going on. It kills me that this phone is handicapped on custom ROMs because ZTE wanted to use their own stuff rather than going with standard APIs (e.g. camera software).
Oh, don't get me wrong, the S8 looks like a nice (and gorgeous) device. Samsung always seems to do hardware right. Bixby might be good, but I generally assume most people I'll replace it with Google's offerings.
For $750? Fat chance. No way is a phone worth that. Hell, a person could spend just a bit more than the price on the Plus' tag to get any number of great computer components, the greatest laptop of the year, or something else actually worth close to one grand. I don't understand how these expensive phones continue to sell.
I also couldn't willingly choose a phone without official support for an unlocked bootloader.
Here's to hoping the next best thing comes along and actually fulfills the requirements of that title.
aLexzkter said:
The only thing I agree with is the camera although the one in the Axon 7 is okay.
Illuminated buttons I don't like. I always kept them disabled on the Note 4.
What I'd improve is the vibration motor, which sucks and makes the phone feel cheap every single time I type a letter... It's too strong and makes an annoying audible sound.
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Click to collapse
You can turn down the vibrate in Gboard settings it doesn't suck it's too powerful
gtshiftin6 said:
You can turn down the vibrate in Gboard settings it doesn't suck it's too powerful
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I turned it all the way down and it's still way too powerful. And it makes a high-pitched sound like the phone is not well constructed.
PiArc said:
I would also like an updated SOC, a screen with better viewing angles, and less proprietary crap going on. It kills me that this phone is handicapped on custom ROMs because ZTE wanted to use their own stuff rather than going with standard APIs (e.g. camera software).
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Click to collapse
You don't know what you're talking about. The camera software can be used on LineageOS, first phone I have that can do that (LG G2 and Galaxy Note 4 couldn't)
Better viewing angles? It has the same display as the Galaxy S7, an amazing AMOLED screen, which have the best viewing angles possible. And this is not even a TV anyway so it's not a crucial thing.
I've never felt like the viewing angle needs improvement. But a few times while using the phone outside in broad sunshine I found myself wishing for more brightness.
aLexzkter said:
You don't know what you're talking about. The camera software can be used on LineageOS, first phone I have that can do that (LG G2 and Galaxy Note 4 couldn't)
Better viewing angles? It has the same display as the Galaxy S7, an amazing AMOLED screen, which have the best viewing angles possible. And this is not even a TV anyway so it's not a crucial thing.
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Click to collapse
By no means am I saying the device is a bad phone or anything. In fact, this honestly is probably my favorite device ever.
Still, I would greatly appreciate DNG support, which the device would have if ZTE had used Google's camera API 2. Unfortunately --as far as I know-- raw photos are only supported through the ZTE's own camera in manual mode. That bugs me. I don't like being forced to use things I wouldn't otherwise in order to get the experience I want.
If you use Lineage you know the camera is not the sole or even the most apparent place in which ZTE's awkward implementation of software and drivers has caused trouble for development. I only chose it as my example because it affects me the most, but issues such as the one any non-stock based ROM has with audio distortion are only present because ZTE either didn't stick to standards or chose to complicate their drivers and stuff.
Customizability is Android's core selling point for me, so being unable to use whatever I want exactly as I want it detracts from a device's appeal. I should be able to use whichever camera app I want with DNG support. I should be able to listen to good quality music in a non-stock ROM. ZTE made it harder for developers to give users those options than they should have.
As for the SOC and the screen, I'm just adding stuff to a wish list for an updated phone. Again, by no means are either the screen or the chip poor. Quite the contrary, they were perfect last year. However, there's no point in the 8 having anything other than the best of this year's silicon if it is to be marketed as another flagship killer. There are people who would choose not to buy the phone just because the number 835 looks greater than 820. The Axon 8 deserves just as much consideration as every phone that comes out, and not choosing to upgrade the SOC would unfortunately place it at a disadvantage (despite the fact that the 820 is a magnificent beast in it's own right).
The viewing angle thing is literally the world's slightest grievance. I spend a lot of time reading on my phone because I haven't got a dedicated e-reader anymore. If I'm lying on my stomach with the display pointed a bit away from my face there is a very slight blue tinge. It is extremely minor and no worse than what I've seen on any phone (much better than many). Just, moving forward I'd rather see the screen further refined rather than changed to something bigger or with a higher resolution or something else unnecessarily showy just for the hell of it (as will likely have to be the case for marketing purposes).
Sure a phone isn't a TV, but they're being used increasingly for media consumption and the like (hence the push for fancier aspect ratios and all that this year). There's no reason to leave a display that will be used for media consumption with an inaccuracy due to narrow viewing angles that will widen a bit by simply using a more recently manufactured screen.
On another note, I wish the 2.5D glass were just flattened so that tempered glass screen protectors could be properly compatible. I tried to get my nephew to upgrade to an Axon 7 rather than an iPhone and the only thing that kept him back was his bad luck breaking devices and the tendency to slap on a tempered glass protector that emerged from the same. That basically completes the list of what would make this phone perfect for me, if not necessarily for other people.
None of that is to say the device is bad. With some very slight refinement, the Axon 8 should once again be a serious contender for the best phone of the year.
I mean painted and button, camera swap, battery cover and top bottom speaker. actually I have only seen mix n match on battery covers but i do remember some people painted theirs. I can't seem to find it anywhere on the site or through google search.
I don't know if this is allowed, but anybody with a v20 they don't want, even broken want to trade a working htc m8, if working well a note 4. it can't be titan as i already have that. i wanted to play around with painting and sanding the inside of the battery cover down to see if i can fit one of those perfine batteries when i get one. just pm me, but it likely won't happen because i'm in a restricted situation so mailing out for me would be challenging until the restrictions are lifted, so this could be for future use if you have a broken v20, in mint (rather not too beat up so i can paint and swap) condition i can use the externals for external customization since my interest in it as a DAP has been severely renewed.
I haven't been on in awhile but damn the v20 is still rocking it, sound wise, not the best screen but can watch videos or browse while listening, brilliant DAP with battery life on par with dedicated duties. i've been using it in black n white when i watch videos when listening to music. it's kinda cool and i don't know why... retro and modern colliding? most daps android based have terrible battery or engineered workarounds to beat android's shortcomings.
i wish lg would redo the v20 but with their TOTL pOLED, minus the second screen. 2 camera don't have to be TOTL, but definitely be on par with flagships, preferably a totally flat back for aesthetics and minimize camera lens contact. the lgv20 is top 3 most comfortable phones without a case i've held and the v20 is pretty wide. it was underrated in 2016 and it is still underrated in 2020. i don't know if the newer models like v30 and v40 sound better personally, but i am just a wannbe audiophile and prefer listening to music and not hardware most of the time. blabbering off.
I love the phone concept and phone elements of the Sony phones: the wrist strap, the real camera, the micro-card memory, the screen, the size, the build, blah blah blah. The battery life and heating issues are fatal flaws. Screen brightness is probably a flaw for me here in Indonesia. I lived with a Sony travel camera for a few years where I learned to accurately estimate what I was shooting, because I couldn't see the shot on the screen in the sunlight. When Sony solves battery life, heating, and screen brightness... count me in.
I could agree partially on battery life and heating.
I have none of those issue or at least they are not fatal to me.
I end the day around 20% battery with 6 hour screen on time (and playing some CPU/GPU intensive game) and i have no overheating issue. I feel more heat only when charging during play with the option to bypass battery when you play and charge.
the sunlight issue is a common issue, and it can't be solved. Even pretty much every pro Reflex and mirrorless have visibility issue of the display if you use it in sunlight.
Thanks for the intelligent reply. I am encouraged to continue with your response. I am quite exacting in my needs this purchase. On the other hand, is it too much to ask of 1 phone? I don't game and am very careful to manage battery draining apps. But I do want to be able to spend time long periods on Goofle maps for nav, 40 K bike trips, video & photo, and WhatsApp for communication in Bali without carrying 2 phones and lots of gear with me . I also listen extensively to classical music concerts that I collect. I'll take a look at the phones in Singapore in Jan-Feb but I do want to be able to see what I am shooting on the camera / video apps. I do have a predisposition for the Sony as I must say though, poor battery life and over heating is boring. Do the engineers real life test the pre-production builds? The other thing is that time is on my side. I would expect large sensors be a big part of 2022 offerings. I temper that grass is greener 2022 thought though. I don't care for the processed photo/video looks of other manufacturers.
If they managed to solve all those with a perceptible increase in the already hard to swallow price, will you still go for it?
The heat is all Qualcomms fault. The only thing Sony can do is install a more effective heatsink, at the cost of higher price and thicker body. it is well know that Qualcomm is not caring about heat management at all in the last few generations of their socs and this wont change anytime soon seeing they have an effective monopoly. You simply have no other choice if you want a soc for a flagship camera phone.
The screen is hard to say. The only way to fix this is that they should stop using their 4k screens. I believe the main issue is that this is a very small niche. There are some people that maybe can enjoy such a high dpi screen to its fullest. Because they are the only brand buying up supplies of such small 4k screens, they can't really pour in that much money into RnD to their screen supplier. They have to take whatever their supplier offers them. The supplier will demand alot more RnD money compared to other screens, seeing that once they invest time and money into improving their tech further, in the end the only customer is Sony, they have to recoup all their costs somehow.
Losing their 4k screen however loses their niche market attraction, which is what Sony is riding on now. I doubt they'd abandon it and just slowly accept whatever minor improvements they get from newer 4k screens, if they get any. Without catering to this niche, why would you buy a Sony?
Lastly, the battery life. This is mainly tied to Sonys choice of 4k screen. And I'm not just talking about the resolution or the fact it only runs a fixed 120hz. Im talking about the overall power consumption of the entire screen system. There are many other components that make up a screen, contributing to its power consumption. As mentioned above, without pouring more money into RnD to improve power consumption of the screen, Sony is stuck with whatever they are supplied with.
All this can of course be remedied faster with money. Are you willing to pay for an even more bigger price increase when such an improved phone comes? So many of Sonys advantages mentioned above, you notice they are not available on nearly all other flagship phones. Being a niche, means they have less power to dictate the prices of those components. The other option is to drop all those Sony niceties you mentioned, which will give more RnD money, more chassis space for a bigger battery and better cooling, as well as getting better power efficient components that are mass produced to perfection.
edit:
I for one, will still buy a Sony phone when the time comes even though those same disadvantages are there. They are not fatal. It is something we deal with. I rather deal with those and keep all the nice things Sony still have on their phones, rather than deal with the lack of those things on other phones, which for me is a real deal breaker.
Thanks for the very detailed and intelligent comments. Chips: Yah, SDragon deosn't give a rat's ass about heat generation. Let's see if Sony responds in coming iterations with a heat sink and if SDragon can breath less fire. But, didn't Apple, Goofle, and reportedly other phone makers design their own chips. Certainly Apple has killed it with their new chips. Goofle I think is demonstrating that less power and performance are possible with some of their recent and phones.
Niche phone: Yes it is. And they are assembling components like many other makers. I don't know their unit numbers, but the numbers probably break fractions below 1%.
Fatal: OK. Not fatal. You have a point and all the comments have been moving me that way. So I have taken the moved Sony off the fatal list and back to the living choices. I probably won't get to the Sony store in Singapore until late January or early February. And who knows with the pandemic travel rule changes. Maybe Sony will put out another iteration to really confuse me! Best. Thanks again.
marcus01432 said:
Thanks for the intelligent reply. I am encouraged to continue with your response. I am quite exacting in my needs this purchase. On the other hand, is it too much to ask of 1 phone? I don't game and am very careful to manage battery draining apps. But I do want to be able to spend time long periods on Goofle maps for nav, 40 K bike trips, video & photo, and WhatsApp for communication in Bali without carrying 2 phones and lots of gear with me . I also listen extensively to classical music concerts that I collect. I'll take a look at the phones in Singapore in Jan-Feb but I do want to be able to see what I am shooting on the camera / video apps. I do have a predisposition for the Sony as I must say though, poor battery life and over heating is boring. Do the engineers real life test the pre-production builds? The other thing is that time is on my side. I would expect large sensors be a big part of 2022 offerings. I temper that grass is greener 2022 thought though. I don't care for the processed photo/video looks of other manufacturers.
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Click to collapse
Same here. I really don't want photo processing made by the camera application. The less processing made before saving the photo the better. I usually take photo with manual with only RAW file when photo quality matter. I use basic/auto with jpeg only when i have to photograph documents or other stuff for work.
Btw yeah, this SD with the 4k display are an issue when using phone a lot. I was used to keep BT and GPS off when not using it but i imagine that if someone use a lot gmaps that's a problem. screen always on plus GPS could kill your battery juice very fast.
Real life test? NOPE, never. That's the same of MPG or KPL on cars. I NEVER, and i say NEVER drived a car that is coherent with carmakers declaration XD
Same for phones. Probably they all think that people use phones something like 2 hours per day XD
Evil_Sephiroth said:
Same here. I really don't want photo processing made by the camera application. The less processing made before saving the photo the better. I usually take photo with manual with only RAW file when photo quality matter. I use basic/auto with jpeg only when i have to photograph documents or other stuff for work.
Btw yeah, this SD with the 4k display are an issue when using phone a lot. I was used to keep BT and GPS off when not using it but i imagine that if someone use a lot gmaps that's a problem. screen always on plus GPS could kill your battery juice very fast.
Real life test? NOPE, never. That's the same of MPG or KPL on cars. I NEVER, and i say NEVER drived a car that is coherent with carmakers declaration XD
Same for phones. Probably they all think that people use phones something like 2 hours per day XD
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Click to collapse
Hahaha... I carefully learned to restrict applications unless I am using the app on the first 3 Goofle phones I owned. I don't think those phones had any battery at all. That brings us to the big takeaway here. Xperia gives us many legacy items that never should have been taken away: the. 3.5 audio jack, micro catd memory, audiophile listening camera button.... Why not a replaceable battery in the next iteration?
marcus01432 said:
Hahaha... I carefully learned to restrict applications unless I am using the app on the first 3 Goofle phones I owned. I don't think those phones had any battery at all. That brings us to the big takeaway here. Xperia gives us many legacy items that never should have been taken away: the. 3.5 audio jack, micro catd memory, audiophile listening camera button.... Why not a replaceable battery in the next iteration?
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Click to collapse
replaceable battery are TOP, but with all the "new" recent features like water resistant, wireless charging and aluminium/glass body it's a problem.
A removable rear could lead to lot of problem for normal user in opening the device to change battery, the same go for removing the display to access the battery, too many possibility to tear the flat cables.
Another issue is that people want slim phones and a removable battery, even if a little could lead phones to be a little thicker.
I will exchange a little more thickness with a swappable battery anytime, but that's just me.
Jesu Krikey. You are an engineer's worst nightmare. Don't over think this. You obviously never had a phone with a removable battery.
You peel the back off and chuck the live charged replacement cells in for the dead ones then put the back on again. Then we can make money selling waterproof cases for the stupid phone and a charging case. It's a slam dunk. We can also sell crap replacement batteries so the punters have to keep ordering more. I already made up at leat 2 new businesses. Like I say, "slam dunk." Shouldn't we talk to marketing about this?
marcus01432 said:
Jesu Krikey. You are an engineer's worst nightmare. Don't over think this. You obviously never had a phone with a removable battery.
You peel the back off and chuck the live charged replacement cells in for the dead ones then put the back on again. Then we can make money selling waterproof cases for the stupid phone and a charging case. It's a slam dunk. We can also sell crap replacement batteries so the punters have to keep ordering more. I already made up at leat 2 new businesses. Like I say, "slam dunk." Shouldn't we talk to marketing about this?
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Click to collapse
Ahahahahah i work in the repair business for computer and phones as an ACIT and ACMT certified technician for Apple now and before for Dell. When off work i just make the same work for friends and people willing to pay a little less, and that's why i'm overthinking about this (Brain burned from disambly and assembly hardware all day from 18 to 34 year right now.
Mmmmh i think that some (Famous) company already arrived before you on crap replacement to earn more Ahahahahhaha
All this tech stuff needs a Saturday Night Live subsidiary. We take it all too too seriously. And the companies take our money too easily. Going to sleep here in Bali. We're all ways at least 13 hours ahead of you punters. Stay in touch. Best.
hi everyone,
i need to know about mobile signal and downloads, using 4g or 5g please
as we know sony xperia 1 ii had lots of mobile signal issue
thanks
alleshi said:
hi everyone,
i need to know about mobile signal and downloads, using 4g or 5g please
as we know sony xperia 1 ii had lots of mobile signal issue
thanks
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Click to collapse
In Italy no signal problem with the main operator under 4G. 5G lack signal coverage in lot of area then i can't help you on that
Evil_Sephiroth said:
In Italy no signal problem with the main operator under 4G. 5G lack signal coverage in lot of area then i can't help you on that
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thank you my friend
marcus01432 said:
I love the phone concept and phone elements of the Sony phones: the wrist strap, the real camera, the micro-card memory, the screen, the size, the build, blah blah blah. The battery life and heating issues are fatal flaws. Screen brightness is probably a flaw for me here in Indonesia. I lived with a Sony travel camera for a few years where I learned to accurately estimate what I was shooting, because I couldn't see the shot on the screen in the sunlight. When Sony solves battery life, heating, and screen brightness... count me in.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True all you have said.
Sadly, sony is not interested in solving the problems. Same problems are with xperias since years and I can tell you they did literally NOTHING to fix it. Poor screen brightness and battery life is something Sony is known for in mobile industry. They also decided to cut the costs on software hence removed almost all the apps we loved.
Nowadays not that much is still "xperia". It's rather chinese random device with ugly stock Android and "sony" name glued to it.
They still are not able to add 21:9 mode in pictures which is their screen sie lol! So you have to take shots with huge black bars on the left and right. That's really stupid...
Brightness there were rumors mark 3 will be 1300nits brightness. Ended with little over 600 that is one of the worst results in industry.
If you add huge price all together will result in sales and tell you where sony is positioned in global market share. I think it is 0.2%?
Not all is bad with these devices but for sure there are better options. Especially in software. It degrade each year more and more.
In past they copied new iteration of Android from google to their flagship device in December, before year end. And this year where is it? December ending and there's no any word on it ...
marcus01432 said:
Hahaha... I carefully learned to restrict applications unless I am using the app on the first 3 Goofle phones I owned. I don't think those phones had any battery at all. That brings us to the big takeaway here. Xperia gives us many legacy items that never should have been taken away: the. 3.5 audio jack, micro catd memory, audiophile listening camera button.... Why not a replaceable battery in the next iteration?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
3.5 audio? I tried to use it with older sony headphones that has jack a d it does not work at all. Stating "device not compatible". Why? Because new mark 3 degraded audio jack and it no longer supports noise cancelling hence any headphones that has additional pin for noise cancelling will not work... Hence it's useless. You can throw away all your noise cancelling jack headphones into garbage.
All of this thank's to sony!
marcus01432 said:
Thanks for the intelligent reply. I am encouraged to continue with your response. I am quite exacting in my needs this purchase. On the other hand, is it too much to ask of 1 phone? I don't game and am very careful to manage battery draining apps. But I do want to be able to spend time long periods on Goofle maps for nav, 40 K bike trips, video & photo, and WhatsApp for communication in Bali without carrying 2 phones and lots of gear with me . I also listen extensively to classical music concerts that I collect. I'll take a look at the phones in Singapore in Jan-Feb but I do want to be able to see what I am shooting on the camera / video apps. I do have a predisposition for the Sony as I must say though, poor battery life and over heating is boring. Do the engineers real life test the pre-production builds? The other thing is that time is on my side. I would expect large sensors be a big part of 2022 offerings. I temper that grass is greener 2022 thought though. I don't care for the processed photo/video looks of other manufacturers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Large sensors?
Don't you know sony cannot make a good camera that takes best pictures?
They included physically 1" sensor in xperia Pro-I and geuess what? They failed again as they packed it with 12MPx only which means camera can only make use of part of entire 1" sensor ... Entire world is laughing. What a shame such a flop.
They constantly make flops here and there, many old issues not fixed. A lot of advertising on their cameras used in Xperias and results are still worse than those made by shamesung or apple. And Pro-I has no any proper zoom. But does it hurts? For some for sure. But looking how poor is max 4.4x zoom from mark III not sure it is worth. They should use proper zoom as huawei does with mirrors. Old P30 Pro still has better camera and zoom than mark 3 :/
They had their great 960fps memory stacked camera that was great, only xperia gad it with 1080p. Instead of packing it with software that can combine each of those short videos into one with nice transitions between they did what? Removed it from next xperia...
Sad but true.
decomposed said:
They still are not able to add 21:9 mode in pictures which is their screen sie lol! So you have to take shots with huge black bars on the left and right. That's really stupid...
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Click to collapse
The Cinema Pro system application creates 21: 9 images
Great, you need to start recording video in separate app that in order to take a "screenshot" of 21:9. Not to mention all possibilities / adjustments available in Photo Pro are not available there...
Thank's but that's not what I need.
Looks like it is a huge challenge for sony devs and business to make such decision to add 21:9 ratio to Photo Pro app... + ...
Pathetic.
no need to start recording a video