Sony Xperia 1 VIII official: the Camera Phone changes style, with a new design

The Japanese company has unveiled its new Camera Phone: Sony Xperia 1 VIII is official and changes style radically. This time the company has decided to aim for a refreshed aesthetic, with a new camera module and extremely elegant colorways, without sacrificing performance. Of course we’re still talking about a Camera Phone, and in this case Sony has introduced a new telephoto lens.

Sony Xperia 1 VIII: everything you need to know about specs, price and release

The most visible change of Sony Xperia 1 VIII is certainly the styling. The usual vertical capsule camera module gives way to a square space, which houses a trio of sensors, the LED flashes and the manufacturer’s logo (along with the ambient microphone).

The four color options shown – Graphite Black, Iolite Silver, Garnet Red and Native Gold – add an extra touch of refinement to a design that already looks decidedly stylish. An official cover with an integrated stand (usable both horizontally and vertically), made from a translucent material resistant to yellowing, has also been announced.

The other novelty concerns the camera system with the addition of a new sensor of 1/1.56″ for the telephoto, four times larger than the solution on the predecessor. However this time there is no continuous optical zoom: Sony has opted for a single focal length of 70 mm with 2.9x zoom.

The other sensors are the same as Xperia 1 VII, i.e., a 48 MP main lens (1/1.35″, 24 mm, f/1.9 with OIS) and a 48 MP ultra-wide (1/1.56″, 16 mm, f/2.0). Frontalmente c’è una selfie camera da 12 MP (1/2,9″, 24 mm, f/2.0).

According to Sony, the integration of RAW multi-frame processing across the entire camera lineup enhances dynamic range and reduces digital noise in low-light conditions. This advanced system protects the image, preventing loss of detail in blown-out highlights and in too-dark shadows.

The news continue also on the hardware front with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset: this is a processor that needs no introduction, now present on board all major Android flagship devices.

The AI capabilities of the Qualcomm SoC are used for Camera AI Assistant (based on Xperia Intelligence): this is an advanced feature able to analyze a scene in depth (subject, weather conditions and more) to suggest which settings to modify. It is possible to use directly the AI’s suggestions to take the photo or try to intervene manually.

Remember that Sony Xperia VIII is the only flagship on the market today with a 3.5 mm mini jack for headphones. Among other features we have a 6.5″ LTPO OLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate, a 5,000 mAh battery and wireless charging support.

As for price and availability, the Camera Phone is already in pre-order in some countries at a starting price of €1,500 (for the 12/256 GB version). The 1 TB model (Native Gold) rises to €2,000; in both cases shipments will start from June. At the moment there are no details yet for Italy.

Sony Xperia 1 VIII – Technical Specifications

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