Related
I just got the Z1 today and I have to say that im impressed with it, I was an xperia z user and loved it but the Z1 is on a whole nother level. For those of you wondering : The Screen is a drastic improvement over the old one, the Camera I haven't put to good use yet but the initial impressions are pretty good and the phone is blazing fast everything is silky smooth on it. The build quality is much better as well the phone is more rigid and it feels great in the hand, no more crummy quality nfc sticker on the back. However one downfall for this phone is the music quality (speaking in terms of line out, headphones etc,) , overall the quality is decent but the loudness levels are just appalling, my two year old htc sensation produced much louder and bassier tones than this phone. Is there anything I can do to increase the volume on this thing?
msurowka said:
I just got the Z1 today and I have to say that im impressed with it, I was an xperia z user and loved it but the Z1 is on a whole nother level. For those of you wondering : The Screen is a drastic improvement over the old one, the Camera I haven't put to good use yet but the initial impressions are pretty good and the phone is blazing fast everything is silky smooth on it. The build quality is much better as well the phone is more rigid and it feels great in the hand, no more crummy quality nfc sticker on the back. However one downfall for this phone is the music quality (speaking in terms of line out, headphones etc,) , overall the quality is decent but the loudness levels are just appalling, my two year old htc sensation produced much louder and bassier tones than this phone. Is there anything I can do to increase the volume on this thing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1.- Check the individual sound levers (settings -> sound -> volumes)
2.- Activate x-loud (settings -> sound)
.
use poweramp
msurowka said:
I just got the Z1 today and I have to say that im impressed with it, I was an xperia z user and loved it but the Z1 is on a whole nother level. For those of you wondering : The Screen is a drastic improvement over the old one, the Camera I haven't put to good use yet but the initial impressions are pretty good and the phone is blazing fast everything is silky smooth on it. The build quality is much better as well the phone is more rigid and it feels great in the hand, no more crummy quality nfc sticker on the back. However one downfall for this phone is the music quality (speaking in terms of line out, headphones etc,) , overall the quality is decent but the loudness levels are just appalling, my two year old htc sensation produced much louder and bassier tones than this phone. Is there anything I can do to increase the volume on this thing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Walkman -> Settings>-Sound enhancements->Settings->Surround Sount(VPT)->Studio
helps me on all my Xperia devices
Morlock O said:
Walkman -> Settings>-Sound enhancements->Settings->Surround Sount(VPT)->Studio
helps me on all my Xperia devices
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I already had those cranked I guess Ill have to wait for a mod or something, you know considering sony helped invent portable music players I really wish they did something nice with their phones
msurowka said:
I already had those cranked I guess Ill have to wait for a mod or something, you know considering sony helped invent portable music players I really wish they did something nice with their phones
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If using Walkman then turn off all sound enhancements like clear audio etc. (i.e default settings). It is loudest (and most neutral) sound via headphones to my ear!
First Impressions
Sony Xperia Z1 First Impressions!
Before the phone dropped on my mat (it really didn't, it was handed delicately to my wife), I didn't really know what to make of it. Early previews and reviews had been mixed, to say the least.
Was it going to be too big? Was the screen going to be a crushing disappointment? And, most importantly, was all that talk of a 20mp camera all hot air; all talk and no trousers?
First things first, the build is superb. It just feels nice to hold. That smooth aluminium frame, coupled with the plastic contouring and glass front and back scream premium. I thought the Xperia Z was good - this is on another level.
That said, it's big in the hand - no doubt about it, this is NOT a one handed affair - you're going to need both of your mitts. Oddly, however, despite it being longer, wider and thicker than the original Z, it feels smaller. It's the tapered and rounded edges that do it. It's more comfy in the hand, that's for sure.
The screen? Head on, it's outstanding. Colours are punchy without being artificial, fine detail is scalpel sharp, blacks are deep and brightness will sear your retinas. Outside visibility is also fine.
At an angle, however, there is no real improvement from the first Z. Turning it beyond 30 degrees washes out colours very quickly, though detail remains fairly strong. It's a real shame but livable, considering you'll be viewing it head-on for 90% of the time,... and when you do, you're in for a treat. Top drawer, if not back-of-the-net.
And finally, the biggie: "It's as good as a compact" shouted Sony. "It's behind the competition" lamented CNET. "The World's best camera in a waterproof smartphone" retorted Sony (see how they qualified that? Cheeky beggars.) "Camera not as far ahead as we'd hoped" chipped in Pocket Lint (GSM Arena are, wisely, awaiting a replacement unit before the come to any conclusions).
So, who to believe? I have to admit, after all that negative fuss, I was ready to be disappointed - Sony blows it again.
Wrong.
Never, ever get sucked in by early reviews. They're never running final software (mine was updated to new firmware 10 minutes after powering it on).
The camera detail on 8mp stills is superb in good light. Tests with my Xperia Z, shooting at 9mp to keep comparisons fair, demonstrate a very visible difference. As expected, the Z1 seems to be employing some form of Pixel Binning to draw more detail out of individual pixels, leading to a less blocky, smoother and higher-contrast image.
As good as a compact? Better than the competition? A bit early to say, but my initial tests are very promising.
BUT there is a fly in the ointment: Much like GSM Arena, my unit seems to have a lens aberration. There is a spot just to the left of centre that is noticeably indistinct and out of focus compared to the areas around it. if I'm shooting high-contrast detail, like the tree in my back garden, the software processing seems to adjust for it, but distant objects just become a blur.
It's a pain in the arse. I will be sending the phone back for replacement as soon as I am able. Hopefully my second unit will be perfect.
So, how do I feel? A mixture of relief and annoyance. Relief because the camera seems to live up to the hype (and I bought it for the camera) and disappointment that I'm going to have to replace it so soon. Why oh why don't Sony spend just that little more on quality control? Sigh,......
I have to agree with everything you said - this is a world beater, Sony has thrown a stake in the ground for all others to catch, I've had the Z ZU and now the Z1 it is simply awsume - funny after using the XZU for a few weeks the X1 feels rather small lol
Only issue I've had is that my 64gb Kingston SD card is not being recognised 16gb works fine - probably not the Z1 at fault but I still need to test the SD card in another device to prove it 100% - this card worked in my Z and XZU
Have now had my phoen since wednesday afternoon and it is fantastic the look and feel of it, the camera performance is fantastic much better than the s4 and the xz imo, battery life is just superb, I wish the loudspeaker was louder but atleast it is some what louder than the z, also phone calls are louder and audio in headphones is slightly louder all in all i am very happy and is well worth the upgrade from my z which goes down as my second favourite phone ever with the s4 in third.
Timaustin2000 said:
Sony Xperia Z1 First Impressions!
Before the phone dropped on my mat (it really didn't, it was handed delicately to my wife), I didn't really know what to make of it. Early previews and reviews had been mixed, to say the least.
Was it going to be too big? Was the screen going to be a crushing disappointment? And, most importantly, was all that talk of a 20mp camera all hot air; all talk and no trousers?
First things first, the build is superb. It just feels nice to hold. That smooth aluminium frame, coupled with the plastic contouring and glass front and back scream premium. I thought the Xperia Z was good - this is on another level.
That said, it's big in the hand - no doubt about it, this is NOT a one handed affair - you're going to need both of your mitts. Oddly, however, despite it being longer, wider and thicker than the original Z, it feels smaller. It's the tapered and rounded edges that do it. It's more comfy in the hand, that's for sure.
The screen? Head on, it's outstanding. Colours are punchy without being artificial, fine detail is scalpel sharp, blacks are deep and brightness will sear your retinas. Outside visibility is also fine.
At an angle, however, there is no real improvement from the first Z. Turning it beyond 30 degrees washes out colours very quickly, though detail remains fairly strong. It's a real shame but livable, considering you'll be viewing it head-on for 90% of the time,... and when you do, you're in for a treat. Top drawer, if not back-of-the-net.
And finally, the biggie: "It's as good as a compact" shouted Sony. "It's behind the competition" lamented CNET. "The World's best camera in a waterproof smartphone" retorted Sony (see how they qualified that? Cheeky beggars.) "Camera not as far ahead as we'd hoped" chipped in Pocket Lint (GSM Arena are, wisely, awaiting a replacement unit before the come to any conclusions).
So, who to believe? I have to admit, after all that negative fuss, I was ready to be disappointed - Sony blows it again.
Wrong.
Never, ever get sucked in by early reviews. They're never running final software (mine was updated to new firmware 10 minutes after powering it on).
The camera detail on 8mp stills is superb in good light. Tests with my Xperia Z, shooting at 9mp to keep comparisons fair, demonstrate a very visible difference. As expected, the Z1 seems to be employing some form of Pixel Binning to draw more detail out of individual pixels, leading to a less blocky, smoother and higher-contrast image.
As good as a compact? Better than the competition? A bit early to say, but my initial tests are very promising.
BUT there is a fly in the ointment: Much like GSM Arena, my unit seems to have a lens aberration. There is a spot just to the left of centre that is noticeably indistinct and out of focus compared to the areas around it. if I'm shooting high-contrast detail, like the tree in my back garden, the software processing seems to adjust for it, but distant objects just become a blur.
It's a pain in the arse. I will be sending the phone back for replacement as soon as I am able. Hopefully my second unit will be perfect.
So, how do I feel? A mixture of relief and annoyance. Relief because the camera seems to live up to the hype (and I bought it for the camera) and disappointment that I'm going to have to replace it so soon. Why oh why don't Sony spend just that little more on quality control? Sigh,......
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was going to give my initial impression of the Z1 after using it for almost 2 days, but your post sums it all ! The camera unit though is perfect on mine, no aberrations or smudging. Display is excellent, viewing angles only slightly better than XZ (worse than amoled or z ultra) but brightness seems higher than Z ultra or GS4. I personally have no complaints with the display as is (though off axis viewing could've been at par with ZU at least).
Like you, I too bought the device maily for it's camera & I'm not disappointed. I think the camera on this device is awesome. Didn't even play with all the features yet but took a few daylight shots & some indoors. Overall IQ is much better than XZ or GS4 (even at full 20mp). It's early to say but I don't feel a need to carry my good old canon powershot anymore !
One thing I'd like to add is that this device is blazing fast! Fastest & most fluid device I've used till date. The new UI is refreshing & I like the new subtle animations (improved over the XZ). All apps working great till now for me.
Overall very much pleased with my new purchase so far!
BTW, I'm on the latest 14.1.G.1.531 stock rom.
rpedroso said:
''Stop complaining''
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think he is complaining, just giving an opinion and asking for a solution... SMH..
Have mine for about a week now.
Pluses:
Beautiful device, sturdy and unique aesthetics
Wickedly fast!
Very impressive screen with vivid colours when viewed at an almost perpendicular angle*
Minuses
*The viewing angles (for a flagship product mind you) are for lack of a better word...atrocious. As soon as I tilt this at about 15 degrees the colours begin to loose intensity.
Placing the phone flat on the table forces me to strain my eyes (things get really washed out). There are of course very easy ways to circumvent this but dunno... I just feel that a phone costing ~600 quid shouldn't really have this issue...
Nevertheless, aside from the viewing angles thing I still believe that the Z1 is the device to beat this year.
there are bugs in this phone, more than XZ at release - the XZU which I owned for about a month was much more stable than the Z1, it doesn't really bother me because I think they rushed retail deployment and have released 2x updates in the last week, I expect this phone to be stable over the next 5 weeks, in the mean time expect a few glitches
Geoffxx said:
there are bugs in this phone, more than XZ at release - the XZU which I owned for about a month was much more stable than the Z1, it doesn't really bother me because I think they rushed retail deployment and have released 2x updates in the last week, I expect this phone to be stable over the next 5 weeks, in the mean time expect a few glitches
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haven't encountered any.
I never really understood why viewing angles matter, I mean I don't remember the last time I looked at my phone from the side I always look at it dead on, on a tv with a bunch of people on a couch I see why viewing angles matter but on a phone its irrelevant
Sent from my C6903 using xda app-developers app
i've owned the xperia z1 for a few weeks now and i absolutely adore it but theres things i don't like with it so i will list my wishes
first off the plastic all around inside the frame i hate it it kills the phone i don't see why it's even there it's pointing out why can't the frame reach over there instead or my wish is replace this plastic with a glass rgb light all around the entire phone when it's off you won't notice it's there but when it's on you do it would be able to light up certain parts pulse and other effects like moving allong the lines or mix colors like red at the top blue at the bottom etc (the rgb light it already has it muffled under something which makes it look bad but from a certain angle it's clear and amazing)
much better screen the best possible screen or amoled with sonys picture engine to make colors more life like best possible black level if a amoled couldn't be used
64 gb internal storage
xenon flash
completely black frame instead of titanium grey
no sony logo at the front and a olephobic coating (no anti shatter proof film)
4 speakers 2 at each side (not bottom but side) to create a surround effect
4.7 inch
as thin bezels as the xperia z or the zl
zzcool said:
i've owned the xperia z1 for a few weeks now and i absolutely adore it but theres things i don't like with it so i will list my wishes
first off the plastic all around inside the frame i hate it it kills the phone i don't see why it's even there it's pointing out why can't the frame reach over there instead or my wish is replace this plastic with a glass rgb light all around the entire phone when it's off you won't notice it's there but when it's on you do it would be able to light up certain parts pulse and other effects like moving allong the lines or mix colors like red at the top blue at the bottom etc (the rgb light it already has it muffled under something which makes it look bad but from a certain angle it's clear and amazing)
much better screen the best possible screen or amoled with sonys picture engine to make colors more life like best possible black level if a amoled couldn't be used
64 gb internal storage
xenon flash
completely black frame instead of titanium grey
no sony logo at the front and a olephobic coating (no anti shatter proof film)
4 speakers 2 at each side (not bottom but side) to create a surround effect
4.7 inch
as thin bezels as the xperia z or the zl
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
THe freaking useless Panoramic.
Pressing the shutter will make the camera try to focus, but if you wait for it to fix on a focus point, it's too late.
You have to pag right when you press shutter, while it's trying to focus, so it doesnt focus on **** when youre panning because youll have to do it fast, but not too fast.
I think that you're asking too much I would be pleased that there was an S-Master Audio Chip. I would also like to have xenon flash but it's just impossible with such tiny phone, the capacitor wouldn't fit. But there are people working on capacitors like a piece of paper, too bad that it's not in use yet.
Smaller bezels and a edge-to-edge screen like on G2 would be great but hey, the phone is waterproof! And it houses a large camera sensor, so I think that we can forgive Sony for the bezels.
The thing I would definitely change is most of the software. The fact that Z1 holds on battery almost as same as Z which has a 2300 mAh while Z1 has 3000 mAh, and the fact that LG G2 lasts almost double longer when web surfing is making no sense. Z1 should last at least 8-10 hours of web surfing. And the second thing; camera! Those large bezeles, al those rumours about cameraphone, large senzor, bionz, g lens and all other fancy words and for what? LG G2 and SGS4 can take the same or even better photos in some cases. I think that this is a big issue.
Other than that, everything is perfect Maybe a louder speaker would be great but again, it's a waterproof phone. That speaker is maybe louder than all other speakers on Samsung and LG phones, but it can't reach it's maximum loudness because of water protection on the speaker itself. It's a problem that Sony has been dealing with from the start. And more powerful speaker requires more space and stronger amplifier, which drains more battery.
My damn screen and back are all scratched for no reason..... what happened to anti scratch????
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
stealthj said:
My damn screen and back are all scratched for no reason..... what happened to anti scratch????
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is a screen-guard both on front and back glass. It's not scratch-resistant. You can take it off but you'll lose SONY logo. And what happened? You didn't take care for your phone enough. I never put my phone together with anything in my pocket and I'm using a case on my phones so they can't get scratched that easy.
1)I would change the place of usb slot to top so that it could be charged while its in the flip cover.
2)I would add 13MP mode in camera.
3)I would change the flash to xenon flash.
Sent from my C6902
stealthj said:
My damn screen and back are all scratched for no reason..... what happened to anti scratch????
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never mixed it with keys or anything. And some of these scratches are DEEP, like someone took a screw driver to them or something. Very disappointed. I don't think taking off the film you're talking about would take those deep ones away
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
stealthj said:
I never mixed it with keys or anything. And some of these scratches are DEEP, like someone took a screw driver to them or something. Very disappointed. I don't think taking off the film you're talking about would take those deep ones away
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How did you manage to do this? Are you sure that these are scratches? Maybe these are cracks; maybe your glass is broken? It wouldn't be the first time that this phone's glass got broken. If you keep it in your pants pocket it's very likely for the screen to get cracked when you sit down.
I have a 3 years old Xperia X10, without any scratch-protection and I don't have a single scratch. I dropped it hundreds of times but no scratch. So I don't get how you managed to scratch it. Maybe you're dealing with cracked glass.
z1
nothing to change, z1 have perfect design and most beautifull phone in the market. great cam for who to know how to use ..
Things to improve:
SCREEN:
1. make the front glass and back glass themselves shatter proof, scratch resistant and with oleophobic coating to make the front film ONLY optional.
2. don't make the film a mandatory thing, don't ship the units with it on.
3. do not print "sony" logo and any other logo on the front film - it's a cheap decision. either engrave it on the front glass itself or don't engrave it at all on the front.
4. 5.2 inch FHD highest quality IPS LCD available - dramatically improve the screen quality, especially the viewing angles to AT LEAST match the htc one/iphone 5s viewing angles. g2, iphone 5s and htc one screens are more impressive overall imo - all are higher quality IPS. i think that viewing angles are necessary for some and for others not. it's surely not good for a company to neglect those who care for viewing angles. i don't mean that the z1 screen is bad. i mean that higher quality IPS is the most balanced display and by that all users AND reviewers will be pleased because it's good in natural colors and it's good in viewing angles as opposed to the z1 screen - good in natural colors but bad in viewing angles.
5. gloves mode.
DESIGN:
1. consider all aluminum back and sides. less fragile then glass. i would say all sapphire design but the material still too expensive.
SOUND:
1. louder speaker or 2 speakers for a fuller and louder sound if possible.
2. higher quality audio - dedicated chip.
STORAGE:
1. 32gb as standard.
CAMERA:
1. better image processing to reduce noise.
2. OIS.
3. 4K ready.
4. dual LED.
OTHER:
1. IR blaster.
Things to improve:
SCREEN:
1. make the front glass and back glass themselves shatter proof, scratch resistant and with oleophobic coating to make the front film ONLY optional.
2. don't make the film a mandatory thing, don't ship the units with it on. if possible, make it also with "self healing" like in the LG g flex.
3. do not print "sony" logo and any other logo on the front film - it's a cheap decision. either engrave it on the front glass itself or don't engrave it at all on the front.
4. 5.2 inch FHD highest quality IPS LCD available - dramatically improve the screen quality, especially the viewing angles to AT LEAST match the htc one/iphone 5s viewing angles. g2, iphone 5s and htc one screens are more impressive overall imo - all are higher quality IPS. i think that viewing angles are necessary for some and for others not. it's surely not good for a company to neglect those who care for viewing angles. i don't mean that the z1 screen is bad. i mean that higher quality IPS is the most balanced display and by that all users AND reviewers will be pleased because it's good in natural colors and it's good in viewing angles as opposed to the z1 screen - good in natural colors but bad in viewing angles.
5. gloves mode.
DESIGN:
1. consider all aluminum back and sides. less fragile then glass. i would say all sapphire design but the material still too expensive.
SOUND:
1. louder speaker or 2 speakers for a fuller and louder sound if possible.
2. higher quality audio - dedicated chip.
STORAGE:
1. internal 32gb as standard.
CAMERA:
1. better image processing to reduce noise.
2. OIS.
3. 4K ready.
4. dual LED.
OTHER:
1. IR blaster.
More on board memory 16Gb of which 11.72Gb is user memory is not enough especially as you cannot run apps from the SD card
Camera should have a more resolutions in manual mode ie something above 8Mp in Widescreen mode would have been nice.
I would like to think that Sony can add camera resolution options with software, along with improving on the noise reduction.
Better codec support out the box, I know that we can install MX Player, but still with only 16Gb onboard every Meg counts!!
Improve the screen, as thanks to the tariff I am on with Vodafone, I get SkySports and watching football included on my 4G plan...
charging solar panel, ir blaster, removable battery, teamaker, time transpoter, oh yeah and walk the dog, okay sony lol. love my z1 as is anyways.
joecool666 said:
charging solar panel, ir blaster, removable battery, teamaker, time transpoter, oh yeah and walk the dog, okay sony lol. love my z1 as is anyways.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol, the last one with the dog made me laugh But there's no need for sarcasm. Some wishes are exaggerated, but there actually is a lot room for improvements. While there's no special need for hardware improvements, there are a lot software improvements which should be done in 4.3 or 4.4 KitKat updates.
xplod2841 said:
Lol, the last one with the dog made me laugh But there's no need for sarcasm. Some wishes are exaggerated, but there actually is a lot room for improvements. While there's no special need for hardware improvements, there are a lot software improvements which should be done in 4.3 or 4.4 KitKat updates.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i do agree with you no sarcasm was intended just in a good mood. z1 does need more mods and performance improvements as with all flagship devices.but still a cool phone,:good:
I'm really happy with the Z1. If I could change some things, it would only be two features:
- make the housing smaller (similar to the Xperia ZL)
- use WindowsPhone instead of Android (Android is okay, but WP is clearly the better system)
Future lottery numbers!
Wp better? That must be a joke, in my eyes wp is dead.
Anyways all I would love to change is: slightly bigger screen, 32/64gb built in space & z ultra alike screen. Other than that this phone is amazing.
Sent from my Xperia Z1 using Tapatalk
skycamefalling said:
I'm really happy with the Z1. If I could change some things, it would only be two features:
- make the housing smaller (similar to the Xperia ZL)
- use WindowsPhone instead of Android (Android is okay, but WP is clearly the better system)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only advantage of WP over Android is it's smoothness. And with Snapdragon 800 the Android is fast and smooth like iOS and WP on Xperia Z1 so there's not a single reason to put WP while Android is way better in every aspect. I do really like some Lumias but I would never buy any of them while WP is on it.
Overall I've been a pretty happy Z3C user. My two main beefs with the Z3C we're some build quality issues (screen on two devices would pop/flex) and I've never been crazy about the photos. They were just ok.
So here's my take on the Z5C:
First, the fingerprint sensor changes a lot in terms of how I interact with the device and how quickly I can access the device. I really like it. However, as reported elsewhere the scanner is not always completely reliable if my finger has recently been wet, cold, etc. I'm still exploring how to optimize my fingerprint readings, and it may also be a case that my fingerprints are a bit worn down and so fingerprint scanners in general may not work very well for me (this is the first one I've tried using). But overall it's an excellent addition and I love the location of it on the side.
Second, the speed of the 810 processor is phenomenal and makes the phone feel so much quicker. This is something I did not anticipate liking as much as I do, and it has been a real pleasant surprise. If you're a Z3C owner and on the fence about upgrading definitely do not use the Z5C unless you're ready to move up to it as I think you'd have a hard time going back to the relatively slower Z3C.
Third, the build quality has dramatically improved on the Z5C. It feels much more solid and sturdy; a firmer hold in the hand. Z3C was much more slippery, bigger risk to drop. In addition to the screen pop issues I had, my Z3Cs always had more flex and creaking than I liked. Really glad Sony did away with the second flap/compartment on the Z5C, which I'm sure helped reduce device flex. The new SD card/SIM compartment closure feels more solid. Making the USB waterproof was also a great move. I thought I might miss magnetic charging, but I'm not.
Fourth, the audio quality, in terms of both phone call quality and speaker music, is much improved. I can hear people much more clearly on this device than the Z3C. I also play music from the speakers when I jog, and the sound quality is much crisper. I want to also say that using my headphones (aptX Sennheiser Momentum wireless) that sound quality is also slightly improved, perhaps due to a better DAC? I'm not 100% sure about this and was already pretty happy with the Z3C headphone performance.
Fifth, battery life seems to be about the same, which is a relief. I had heard some people were experiencing worse performance, but I have no problems getting through the day with 30 to 40% still left after heavy use.
Sixth, the display seems to be improved. Slightly sharper and more vibrant. I didn't expect this and I'm not quite sure why this is the case because the resolution/spec has not changed much.
Seventh, the location of the volume button has not been a problem. Some early reviews complained about this, particularly on the bigger model, but I find its placement on the Z5C just fine.
Eight, I'm not a gamer or 4K video shooter, but I have not experienced the phone overheating or getting too hot, which was something that was a concern.
Ninth, I have not experienced any of the software stuttering that the Verge and others have reported. I'm wondering if some of the complaints here were on an earlier firmware.
Tenth, using the screen in the tub when the screen is wet, or with a wet finger, also works a lot better. I think Sony rolled out this improvement in the Z4/Z3+. Much appreciated.
I have not had a chance to thoroughly test the camera yet or do a side-by-side with the Z3C, but so far (especially after the 2.0 upgrade) I'm happier with the Z5Ccamera.
So overall, well done Sony!
Good to hear. Mine is coming in the mail today so it's good to hear this positive review.
The improved audio quality is something I've noticed. On calls or when connected to bluetooth headphones / headset.
I'm with you on the volume button position. Once you get acquainted with the change, it is no problem. Quite a few reviews made a big deal of this , but I have no problem adjusting volume on a call.
I have 2 of the z5c and have yet to experience even one issue regarding complaints from users and previous reviews, from battery life and buttery smooth performance to the blurring in the camera,
Everything works perfectly, and it's a fantastic phone.
I wonder if the issues were resolved with an update? I made sure to update before doing anything else once I first activated the devices .
I am coming from a Sony Xperia ZL (basically a Z1). I also had the Z1 Compact.
I've had mine for a week. Mine even came with headphones (which I saw most unboxing videos didn't)
I absolutely love my Z5C. A very beautiful phone (it's more grey than black which i love) and it feels very premium due to it's frosted glass back and weight. I have not had a single issue with it. No overheating and the camera (using 2.0) launches quickly. Picture quality is great (i use manual mode every now and then). Some videos out there show lag if moving through the menu to fast, i have not had this issue. Battery lasts an entire day (disconnect at 8AM connect at 11PM with over 50% of batt. with medium to heavy use and screen on brightest).
By far the best phone i have ever owned. I do not see myself changing anytime soon.
Thanks for this nice impression write-up.
Very clear to understand, and more and more I read about it, the more I get convinced to buy one too.(still using the first Z)
Though, what do u guys talk about with the "2.0 update"?
(Edit) never mind, just read some post beneath this thread. Looks good!
Maybe some of the issues you heard about, are "only" issues for certain people, but not the device in general?
I can agree with quite some stuff you mentioned, but for me:
2) or 9) It looks like the processing apps/devices is much slower than with my z1c. F.i. scrolling down through a page isn't as smooth, loading apps slows down my phone a lot, and some apps open way too slow. I'm still guessing this has something to do with my configuration, and I'm sure I'll figure it out one of these days.
11) The camera... I didn't read too many reviews but quite some people seem to be really happy about it. I can't figure out why. It's an ok camera to take snapshots in bright light, but apart from that it would rather make me cry. The delay between clicking to take a picture and getting the actual picture is gigantic, which make it (again: for me) impossible to take the cam serious. It's much more like a gadget-camera, it's hardly able to make sharp pictures and it's performance in low(er) light conditions isn't that well either...
What can you say about the plastic sides? I really like the metal sides of my z1c and z2, so I'm not sure if I will be satisfied with the plastic. After holding a z3c I wasn't very impressed. Unfortunately, no actual stores here carry the z5 or z5c so I can't test myself.
mmceorange said:
What can you say about the plastic sides? I really like the metal sides of my z1c and z2, so I'm not sure if I will be satisfied with the plastic. After holding a z3c I wasn't very impressed. Unfortunately, no actual stores here carry the z5 or z5c so I can't test myself.
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I will just say that the grey one looks very premium. And trust me on this. Hold one and you won't be disappointed. The other colours look plasticky to me though
What about how they feel in the hand while using?
mmceorange said:
What about how they feel in the hand while using?
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I love it. Has a very sturdy feel to it. The sides feel like aluminium. The back feels amazing and smooth in the hand but can be a little slippery.
Personnally, I wait Android M before giving my opinion about battery and average perfs.
Crappy Lollipop/launch rom/etc...
Besides that, I found the phone is really great and smooth.
And I like the brightness, enough to see outside, don't kill your eyes at night on lowest setting.
Just wondering what is the real utility of the camera button ?
mmceorange said:
What about how they feel in the hand while using?
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I came from Z, the feel is better because angles are rounded.
ninjy said:
Personnally, I wait Android M before giving my opinion about battery and average perfs.
Crappy Lollipop/launch rom/etc...
Besides that, I found the phone is really great and smooth.
And I like the brightness, enough to see outside, don't kill your eyes at night on lowest setting.
Just wondering what is the real utility of the camera button ?
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Click to collapse
To lock focus and to take the photo after that instantly. It actually helps in a lot of cases and gives you the "camera" feel. Also, it allows you to launch the camera from within any app.
Also take pictures under water
mmceorange said:
Also take pictures under water
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How could I miss that :|
1 of the big downsides that is also not talked about is the screen pixel quality, if you look closer to lets say a white icon on a black background you can see some ugly RGB bleeding if you watch carefully youll see the red subpixels bleeding out of the white icon on the right side of it, i have no idea why this is happening on z5 compact but it got me so upset that i ended up choosing for a galaxy s6 instead, which is a shame as i really liked z1 compact and wanted to "upgrade" rather than switch to another brand and such a big screen size.
TheWarKeeper said:
1 of the big downsides that is also not talked about is the screen pixel quality, if you look closer to lets say a white icon on a black background you can see some ugly RGB bleeding if you watch carefully youll see the red subpixels bleeding out of the white icon on the right side of it, i have no idea why this is happening on z5 compact but it got me so upset that i ended up choosing for a galaxy s6 instead, which is a shame as i really liked z1 compact and wanted to "upgrade" rather than switch to another brand and such a big screen size.
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Well it all comes down to what you want. For me a sd card is a must so a s6 wont do it for me. And hard to finjd a high end phone is such a small size with a awesome camera.
I had a Z3c, and the Samsung S6 Active. I returned the active and have the Z5c on the way!!! I agree with the expansion slot, that was a real killer with the S6. The camera on the S6 was not as good as my Z3c and the Z5c sounds AMAZING!!! I hope the speakers are better than the Z3c, the S6 was very loud and clear. Love the camera button too, hated the S6 for not having a dedicated button. Pulling it out of my pocket and snapping pictures or giving it to a passer-by to take a picture for me without having to unlock or explain buttons is great. S6 can do it with the home key, but then you gotta tap the screen to snap the pic, not as easy IMO.
Look forward to my YELLOW Z5c in two days!!!
Yellow... hahahahahahaha!
Huli13 said:
I had a Z3c, and the Samsung S6 Active. I returned the active and have the Z5c on the way!!! I agree with the expansion slot, that was a real killer with the S6. The camera on the S6 was not as good as my Z3c and the Z5c sounds AMAZING!!! I hope the speakers are better than the Z3c, the S6 was very loud and clear. Love the camera button too, hated the S6 for not having a dedicated button. Pulling it out of my pocket and snapping pictures or giving it to a passer-by to take a picture for me without having to unlock or explain buttons is great. S6 can do it with the home key, but then you gotta tap the screen to snap the pic, not as easy IMO.
Look forward to my YELLOW Z5c in two days!!!
Yellow... hahahahahahaha!
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Click to collapse
The speakers are better than those on Z3c once you turn Clear Audio on
RiTCHiE007 said:
Well it all comes down to what you want. For me a sd card is a must so a s6 wont do it for me. And hard to finjd a high end phone is such a small size with a awesome camera.
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Yep, i am really happy that so many people picked up a z5 compact, i really like powerfull compact phones, hopefully Sony will make more in the future when galaxy s6 is obsolete so i can switch back, and by then they probably will wake up and make physical buttons for the compact series as its silly to waste such limited screen space for some virtual keys, all in all z5 compact is the best compact phone out there
Not a thorough review here... just thought I'd put up some initial impressions;
1. Battery seems great so far, but I usually let these devices settle a week or so before judging. My general experience with other Sony's is that the battery performance is awesome.
2. Camera and video really look great.
3. I do have the issue with picture distortion, but it's insanely difficult to spot unless I take a picture of a box or my keyboard.
4. Videos I've taken thus far look awesome - most of my captures are on mountain bike trails, so good lighting.
5. The device size seems better for me to handle than smaller phones (came from an HTC 10), and I have small-ish hands. It seems counter intuitive, but that's my feeling thus far.
6. The one screen protector I've tried (tempered) doesn't cover the entire glass surface, so this is like every other phone out there... don't expect good looks with tempered sp's.
7. Audio sounds great so far - still playing. Speaker volume is lower than my HTC 10, which is a bit disappointing.
8. FP reader is super fast, and I love it on the side of the phone as opposed to the front. Much more natural spot IMHO.
I think you forgot the link or text...
Shnig said:
I think you forgot the link or text...
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LOL, sorry. I hit "enter" and it posted :silly:
charlatan01 said:
Not a thorough review here... just thought I'd put up some initial impressions;
1. Battery seems great so far, but I usually let these devices settle a week or so before judging. My general experience with other Sony's is that the battery performance is awesome.
2. Camera and video really look great.
3. I do have the issue with picture distortion, but it's insanely difficult to spot unless I take a picture of a box or my keyboard.
4. Videos I've taken thus far look awesome - most of my captures are on mountain bike trails, so good lighting.
5. The device size seems better for me to handle than smaller phones (came from an HTC 10), and I have small-ish hands. It seems counter intuitive, but that's my feeling thus far.
6. The one screen protector I've tried (tempered) doesn't cover the entire glass surface, so this is like every other phone out there... don't expect good looks with tempered sp's.
7. Audio sounds great so far - still playing. Speaker volume is lower than my HTC 10, which is a bit disappointing.
8. FP reader is super fast, and I love it on the side of the phone as opposed to the front. Much more natural spot IMHO.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the review. Aside from the volume and the distortion, do you have any other negative comments about the phone? Generally been a positive experience so far has it?
Even if you are generally happy with the phone I think it would still be wise to report the distortion. It's important that Sony know how widespread this issue is.
charlatan01 said:
Not a thorough review here... just thought I'd put up some initial impressions;
1. Battery seems great so far, but I usually let these devices settle a week or so before judging. My general experience with other Sony's is that the battery performance is awesome.
2. Camera and video really look great.
3. I do have the issue with picture distortion, but it's insanely difficult to spot unless I take a picture of a box or my keyboard.
4. Videos I've taken thus far look awesome - most of my captures are on mountain bike trails, so good lighting.
5. The device size seems better for me to handle than smaller phones (came from an HTC 10), and I have small-ish hands. It seems counter intuitive, but that's my feeling thus far.
6. The one screen protector I've tried (tempered) doesn't cover the entire glass surface, so this is like every other phone out there... don't expect good looks with tempered sp's.
7. Audio sounds great so far - still playing. Speaker volume is lower than my HTC 10, which is a bit disappointing.
8. FP reader is super fast, and I love it on the side of the phone as opposed to the front. Much more natural spot IMHO.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with everything you stated in your brief review. Especially about the camera. I am no camera expert (seems like everyone today is a professional photographer wannabe...) I guess if you need to take photos of keyboards or grids you may see some distortion, but for regular photos mine looks great!
I too wish the speakers were capable of being just a little louder, but I guess this has to do with being waterproof. I can live with them as they are. Then again Sony may provide a patch that helps with the volume??? I too think the battery is great, but then again I am not watching movies or playing games on my phone. If I want to watch a movie I have an 80" Vizio in a theater room for that!
I do wish that Sony would unlink the ringtone from the notification volume. I know it's an Android thing but there are other phones running Nougat 7.1.1 that do have them unlinked. Other than that this phone is great!
Shnig said:
Thank you for the review. Aside from the volume and the distortion, do you have any other negative comments about the phone? Generally been a positive experience so far has it?
Even if you are generally happy with the phone I think it would still be wise to report the distortion. It's important that Sony know how widespread this issue is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Generally, I think the device is awesome, so it's been a positive experience for me. I have reported the distortion to Sony, and am going to go through their steps to resolve, which first means a factory reset through the Sony app (ugh!!
For the record, I've gone through a bunch of devices, and I do have 2 Sony's in my history. I am buy no means a fan boy. My son now has my HTC 10, and as much as I liked that phone, it doesn't hold a candle to the XZP.
charlatan01 said:
Generally, I think the device is awesome, so it's been a positive experience for me. I have reported the distortion to Sony, and am going to go through their steps to resolve, which first means a factory reset through the Sony app (ugh!!
For the record, I've gone through a bunch of devices, and I do have 2 Sony's in my history. I am buy no means a fan boy. My son now has my HTC 10, and as much as I liked that phone, it doesn't hold a candle to the XZP.
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Can I ask in what ways you like it over the 10?
I've got the HTC 10 at the moment and have been holding out to see what the OnePlus 5 is like, but I'm really tempted by this.
What happened to double tap to wake/sleep?
Sent from my G8141 using XDA-Developers Legacy app
alexp999 said:
Can I ask in what ways you like it over the 10?
I've got the HTC 10 at the moment and have been holding out to see what the OnePlus 5 is like, but I'm really tempted by this.
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Hmm, let's see. These are just my feelings, no scientific method behind it.
Build quality - the Sony always has a strong feel in the hand.
Handling - the 10 feels harder to handle in one hand than the xzp
Screen - xzp looks ridiculous. 10 is no slouch.
Dual speakers on the xzp.
Wfi connections on 5ghz is waaayyy better
Water resistance - I mountain bike a lot, so my devices get wet.
Flat back, and the camera doesn't protrude.
does anyone else have a problem with slow mo camera being too dark and grainy or is that just me cannot do anything in good lighting condition at all
darkcroc said:
does anyone else have a problem with slow mo camera being too dark and grainy or is that just me cannot do anything in good lighting condition at all
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Click to collapse
I don't have this phone, but from my understanding on how camera works i think that you need a lot of light to not be dark and grainy. The faster is your shutter speed the more light you need. That is why who operates professional slo-mo cameras uses big lights to really brighten the scene. Try to make a slo-mo outside in a bright sunny day (with direct sun light on your subject) and you should see the difference.
charlatan01 said:
Hmm, let's see. These are just my feelings, no scientific method behind it.
Build quality - the Sony always has a strong feel in the hand.
Handling - the 10 feels harder to handle in one hand than the xzp
Screen - xzp looks ridiculous. 10 is no slouch.
Dual speakers on the xzp.
Wfi connections on 5ghz is waaayyy better
Water resistance - I mountain bike a lot, so my devices get wet.
Flat back, and the camera doesn't protrude.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm surprised you find it easier to handle, that's the one thing making me reluctant is how much bigger than the HTC 10 it is. One handed must be impossible...
Nice to see a positive review. Upload some camera shots
figo_rulz11 said:
Nice to see a positive review. Upload some camera shots
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Click to collapse
Thats what I thought too, but it's not as imposing as it looks. Additionally, it REALLY helps to have the FP reader on the side of the phone, It makes one handed operation easier IMHO.
Rate this thread to express how you think the feels in terms of quality. A higher rating indicates that it feels premium and high-quality (attention to detail is high, manufacturing defects don't exist, etc).
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!
Looks and feels premium. But the display came with a small blip in the side on the glass. Couldn't unsee it after finding it out so ended up with a tempered glass and the ungainly white border.
It feels very high quality especially coming from the Poco. I've used naked for a while but found the back and front glass scratches very easy compared to the metal body (aluminium?).
I suggest using at least the standard case and getting some sort of screen protection.
It's feels very nice in hand and not slippery at all. Overall for, sd855, pop up camera, amoled, fast charge, metal glass sandwich design the list goes on, I'm struggling to find where they cut corners or how they even made profit off this amazing phone.
Finish is good and I used the standard case from the start along with some screen cover. The hard screen cover is not very good as the phone's screen actually has a radius near the bevel and the hard screen cover does not conform to the curve..I will try a soft cover when (if?) I can be bothered.
I have since changed cover as I ordered it before I realised the phone came with one.. my after market cover covers the top and bottom of the phone more than the stock one and is softer.
When I first got the phone it felt heavy but is only about 50 grams heavier than my last phone with almost identical dimensions. But now I have grown to enjoy the extra weight.. it doesn't cause issues in my pocket.. all in all very satisfied with the ergos of this phone
A shame that they used that poor vibration motor that makes it feel as cheap as the redmi note 4x (only thing I could compare it to). They should've chosen haptic feedback motors instead.
The rest seems fine, apart from the design blunder of the camera setup, but it's not as big of a deal compared to an upside down screen (looking at you, oneplus 5).
Software wise, it's completely cr**, full of bugs and broken things, it just doesn't work well (miui 11). Thing is, I don't really want to move to a custom android rom as miui has some neat features, like the scrolling screenshot, the whole applock and apphide with the home page gestures. Most of those custom implementations just don't feel as good as stock, so I'm staying on miui 11 in the hope that the next update will bring a lot of fixes. I tried MiRoom, but that one is even worse, with apps partially being chinese, system launcher FC after a clean install, etc.
For that price it's great. Sandwich made out of glass and aluminium feels good and the screen is pretty good.
Build quality and screen quality when compared to OnePlus 6t?
suvam69 said:
Build quality and screen quality when compared to OnePlus 6t?
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build without any problems, screen is more than ok
I personally like the design and qualitybof this phone
How does the pop-up camera mechanism hold up to long term use? Any problems so far?
CaptainKnox said:
How does the pop-up camera mechanism hold up to long term use? Any problems so far?
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no problems yet.
verybdurable
very good phone, yesterday November 14, 2020 mine was one year old, and it's like the first day, fast, everything super good, excellent phone!