Forgive a little indulgence in pixel-peeping results from two similar phones, but I'm genuinely trying to fine tune a recommendation. 2020's Xperia 5 ii ticked so many boxes for the 'All About Audience' and along comes a successor with bigger battery, faster processor, quicker charging and... a whole new zoom arrangement. Which is where I'm going to focus (pun intended) for much of what follows.
Here are the imaging specs of the two Sonys, with the differences in bold:
| Sony Xperia 5 ii (2020) | Sony Xperia 5 iii (2021) |
| Dedicated camera shutter button and launch key, main specs:
12 MP, f/1.7, 1/1.7", main camera, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS |
Dedicated camera shutter button and launch key, main specs:
12 MP, f/1.7, 1/1.7", main camera, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS ISP from the Snapdragon 888 |
As usual on this site, most photos were taken on full auto and handheld, as a regular user would do. No tripods or RAW editing sessions needed!
I did need to make a decision about which Camera software (and possibly change in algorithms) to use in each case. Trying to match like with like, I used the default Camera application on the 'ii' and the 'Basic' mode in the new, all-in-one 'Photo Pro' app on the 'iii'. There are also some illustrative comparisons below of the new periscope zoom set against the full frame, so that you can test the capability and quality.
Let's pit the results against each other, using our Famed Interactive Comparator (FIC). All 1:1 crops are at 900x500 for comparison, though I've put up the originals, for you to download if you want to do your own analysis.
| Note that the interactive comparator below uses javascript and does need to load each pair of images. Please be patient while this page loads, if you see a pair of images above each other than you've either not waited long enough or your browser isn't capable enough! You ideally need a powerful, large-screened tablet or a proper laptop or desktop. This comparator may not work in some browsers. Sorry about that. On Windows 10 Mobile, use the 'AAWP Universal' UWP app, which handles the comparator very competently (see the tips in the app's help screens) |
Test 1: Sunny landscape
Well, almost sunny. Hazy sun. It kept coming and going during the tests below. Here is the overall scene:
You can grab the original photos from the Xperia 5 ii and Xperia 5 iii, for your own analysis.
To look at the images in more detail here, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, from the 'mark ii' and then the 'mark iii', just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:
For all the praising I gave the Xperia 5 ii in recent articles on these sites for photo purity, the mark iii here lets the side down here. I'm pretty sure the focus claimed to be on the crane/boats, but something's clearly not right here in terms of algorithms - just look at the trees behind. Plus fine details have jaggies.
So a couple of points lost here for the newer device, but a) remember that this is the very first firmware for this phone, and b) maybe it's a rogue data point, so let's keep going.
Xperia 5 ii: 10 pts; Xperia 5 iii: 8 pts
Test 2: Sunny landscape, 3x zoomed
The same scene, using the 3x telephoto on the 'mark ii' and the lower zoom setting, 2.9x, on the 'mark iii'. You can grab the original photos from the Xperia 5 ii and Xperia 5 iii, for your own analysis.
To look at the images in more detail here, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, from the 'mark ii' and then the 'mark iii', just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:
It's clear that the image processing on the new 'mark iii' is again heavy handed - everything is edge-enhanced and contrast-enhanced. But the shot is comparable and some people might even prefer it - so let's call this one a subjective win for the older 'mark ii' and keep the points level.
Xperia 5 ii: 9 pts; Xperia 5 iii: 9 pts
Test 3: Sunny landscape, 5x zoomed
The same scene, using the 3x telephoto on the 'mark ii' with a suitable helping of digital zoom on top (the UI doesn't let me pick an exact zoom factor, so I had to guess - and ended up at around 5x, I reckon), while the 'mark iii' has its 4.4x zoom factor available as a preset in its periscope system and UI. So a little less than 5x, but you get the idea.
You can grab the original photos from the Xperia 5 ii and Xperia 5 iii, for your own analysis.
To look at the images in more detail here, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, from the 'mark ii' and then the 'mark iii', just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:
An obvious win here for optics over interpolation - even with imperfect image processing for the former. The real question that we have to answer here and in the examples below is "are the 4.4x zoomed photos clear and crisp enough?", since the (in theory) same unit produced slightly disappointing results in the Xperia 1 iii. So let's press on.
Xperia 5 ii: 7 pts; Xperia 5 iii: 9 pts
Test 4: Zoom test no.2 - church tower, x3
Let's skip straight to zoom tests this time. Here is the overall scene (the verticals are angled partly because I was shooting upwards towards the tower's top):
Again using the 3x telephoto on the 'mark ii' and the lower zoom setting, 2.9x, on the 'mark iii'. You can grab the original zoomed photos from the Xperia 5 ii and Xperia 5 iii, for your own analysis.
To look at the images in more detail here, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, from the 'mark ii' and then the 'mark iii', just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:
These are very close, as you might expect, given the zoom factors. Look closely and the Xperia 5 ii's shot is a little cleaner, with less artefacts. But they're close enough for equal points here.
Xperia 5 ii: 9 pts; Xperia 5 iii: 9 pts
Test 5: Zoom test no.2 - church tower, x5
Again using the 3x telephoto on the 'mark ii' plus some digital zoom, but the higher zoom setting, 4.4x, on the 'mark iii'. You can grab the original zoomed photos from the Xperia 5 ii and Xperia 5 iii, for your own analysis.
To look at the images in more detail here, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, from the 'mark ii' and then the 'mark iii', just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:
It's clear the Xperia 5 ii had a major focussing problem here - and I've no idea why, since the church tower was the only thing in the frame. I've been generous at 6 pts, partly because I'm pretty sure that trying again would lead to a much better result.
So an easy win for the 5 iii, though I'm still not 100% happy with the pixel-level details - clearly there's a little work needed from Sony to refine imaging results from this new zoom system - on both this 5 iii and the larger Xperia 1 iii.
Xperia 5 ii: 6 pts; Xperia 5 iii: 9 pts
Test 6: Zoom test no.3 - speed boat, x3
Let's skip straight to zoom tests again, we need more data points. Here is the overall scene:
Again using the 3x telephoto on the 'mark ii' and the lower zoom setting, 2.9x, on the 'mark iii'. You can grab the original zoomed photos from the Xperia 5 ii and Xperia 5 iii, for your own analysis.
To look at the images in more detail here, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, from the 'mark ii' and then the 'mark iii', just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:
Again, as expected, the two are very close, but this time I'm going to dock the 'mark iii' a point because its image processing again errs on the side of enhancement rather than letting the image speak for itself. Still, you have to look very, very closely (as here) to notice an issue.
PS. Don't worry about slightly blown out features in both features, I was snapping a bright white boat and it would have been trivial to knock down the exposure in each camera UI by a couple of notches if this had been an issue in real life.
Xperia 5 ii: 10 pts; Xperia 5 iii: 9 pts
Test 7: Zoom test no.3 - speed boat, x5
Again using the 3x telephoto on the 'mark ii' plus some digital zoom, but the higher zoom setting, 4.4x, on the 'mark iii'. You can grab the original zoomed photos from the Xperia 5 ii and Xperia 5 iii, for your own analysis.
To look at the images in more detail here, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, from the 'mark ii' and then the 'mark iii', just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:
Again the physical 4.4 telephoto produces genuinely crisper results, as expected, though I'm still not completely happy (though do see some of the other examples below - the 'mark iii' does redeem itself overall).
Xperia 5 ii: 6 pts; Xperia 5 iii: 8 pts
Test 8: Low light
Away from zoom, let's compare the image processing algorithms from the two camera apps in each generation, in tricky low light. Here is the overall scene:
You can grab the original photos from the Xperia 5 ii and Xperia 5 iii, for your own analysis.
To look at the images in more detail here, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, from the 'mark ii' and then the 'mark iii', just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:
There's not much to choose between the two, but look closely and you can see an edge in precision and detail from the older 'mark ii', again down to the relative immaturity of the software in the 'mark iii'. Sony has only just, in the last six months, managed to graft a 'normal' camera UI into its Photo Pro application, and it's clear that tweaks are required to get higher quality images. But Sony managed this with the 'mark ii', even if it did take the company the best part of a year, so let's stay optimistic.
Xperia 5 ii: 9 pts; Xperia 5 iii: 8 pts
Test 9: Close-up, indoors
Just varying the test subject, here's a remote control at about 15cm. Here is the overall scene:
You can grab the original photos from the Xperia 5 ii and Xperia 5 iii, for your own analysis.
To look at the images in more detail here, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, from the 'mark ii' and then the 'mark iii', just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:
A definite win for the newer device and software, partly because of greater control over focus - the DSLR-like focussing spots are available even in the BASIC mode, and partly because of better colour handling - the stool the remote was on was deep blue and not purple.
Xperia 5 ii: 8 pts; Xperia 5 iii: 10 pts
Test 10: Night time moon challenge
OK, I'm asking a lot here, but the moon hung red in a dusk sky. Let's zoom in and see how far we get. Here is the overall scene:
You can grab the original photos from the Xperia 5 ii and Xperia 5 iii, for your own analysis.
To look at the images in more detail here, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, from the 'mark ii' and then the 'mark iii', just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:
The moon is a notoriously tricky subject to snap and this is borne out here. I allowed each phone camera several tries and I played with the exposure settings to get the results shown. Leaving aside the slightly different cloud patterns in front of the moon's surface, the 4.4x zoom on the Xperia 5 iii does win out here by a nose, at the expense of a few jaggies and low light artefacts.
Always an interesting experiment anyway. And if you think shooting the moon should be easier than this, then you go ahead and try on your phone camera and see how many hoops you have to jump through!
Xperia 5 ii: 6 pts; Xperia 5 iii: 7 pts
Scores on the doors
For the record, the scores add up as:
- Xperia 5 iii (2021): 86 pts (/100)
- Xperia 5 ii (2020): 80 pts
Which sounds about right - the extra flexibility of being able to go up to 4.4x zoom (nominally) losslessly is terrific, even if I don't think Sony's quite tuned its algorithms fully yet (this will happen in the monthly updates through the next 12 months). The Xperia 5 mark ii's imaging improved by five or six points in my tests on this site over the course of a year and I fully expect the mark iii to experience the same. Which would take it near the top of the phone imaging tree.
Add in the other benefits of going down the Sony route, in terms of audio, jacks, and haptics, and the Xperia 5 mark iii should evolve very nicely indeed in terms of being an all-in-one powerhouse.
As a demonstration of what the upper zoom limit is capable of, here are a few more examples, presented standalone, with comments. In each case, the full image is linked below, if you want to grab it for your own analysis.
River scene
A cruiser at about 50m... Here's the regular 1x view:
And here's the 4.4x telephoto view (original file):
And finally a 1:1 crop from the zoomed photo:
Which is pretty impressive if you look above to see how far away the boat was across the river.
Human interest on the river(!)
People ask why I rarely include humans in my shots - it's because I'm trying to compare shot with shot, taken 20s apart quite often on different phone cameras - and people tend to move! But I was having fun trying out the 4.4x zoom on the Xperia 5 iii and these came out very well:
And another. I just left the telephoto at 4.4x and snapped away:
Which are... pretty impressive. Regular Phones Show Chat listeners and Phones Show viewers will know that I've been using the Xperia 5 mark ii as my primary phone for much of 2021 and despite a little initial imaging hesitancy, the mark iii seems set to take over duties. At least once Sony has got an imaging update or two under its belt.
Comments welcome!