Hello to Sony Xperia Pro, sub-concept phone, part Xperia 1 II with a specific purpose – to collaborate with Sony’s pro series of cameras and stream video over mmWave 5G.
The Sony Xperia Pro is basically an Xperia 1 II with a structured plastic frame instead of aluminum and glass, an additional HDMI port, mmWave 5G and one comes in a single 12 / 512GB version, priced at $ 2,500.
That kind of price tag might suggest a lavishly packed box, but that’s far from the case. The Xperia Pro comes with an 18W charger and USB cable, and that’s it – no case, no camera-related accessories like a mount, not even an HDMI cable for that camera connection phone. Not a good start.
The back of the Xperia Pro is plastic and textured. While it looks like the finish of a Sony camera, it does more to improve 5G signal reception and grip.
Xperia Pro is all about the micro HDMI port and what it unlocks. It allows for up to 3840×2160 at 60p video feed and is intended for connecting the smartphone with a Sony interchangeable lens camera. Being an Android phone, Xperia Pro will also connect to almost any HDMI-compatible device – both ways, so you can e.g. Can connect it to an external monitor.
We connected the Xperia Pro to a Sony a7S III and mounted the phone on top of the camera. Using the preloaded external display folder, the 6.5-inch 4K OLED screen on the Xperia Pro successfully becomes a mirror viewfinder on the camera.
You can zoom in or out to control focus, adjust screen brightness, but you do not get full control of the camera, and the 21: 9 aspect ratio of the screen format does not fit perfectly with the 16: 9 feed of the camera screen.
The Xperia Pro is also designed to stream over mmWave 5G, but should not be confused with an external recorder – they open up more control over the camera with focus-peaking, waveforms and higher quality video recording, but are also expensive.
Using the Xperia Pro as a Camera Screen
However, it is difficult to stream footage from the camera using the Xperia Pro. First, you need a third-party app. Second, you stream the feed from the phone screen, not the actual stream from the sensor itself.
It’s a good concept, but for $ 2,500 you’ll find an external recorder or a more capable external monitor for your camera. You will also find a smartphone with current 2021 hardware that the Xperia Pro is not, with its Snapdragon 865.
We are not really sure what to do with the Xperia Pro, but suffice it to say that it will not be a complete review. Still expect to hear more about it from us soon.
