Sony’s Xperia Z2 smartphone looks like the previous model but has some new features that will appeal to users who love taking photos with their smartphone.
Onboard is a 20.7-megapixel camera that’s also capable of capturing 4K video that’s four times the resolution of full HD.
And the Xperia Z2 is still fully waterproof so there’s no worry if you accidentally spill a drink on it or decide to take it with you in the shower.
DESIGN
The Xperia Z2, which is running the Android operating system, has a 5.2-inch screen and has retained its monolithic design with glass front and rear panels with curved aluminium edges.
It has real feel of craftsmanship and gives off a sense of quality when you hold it in your hand. It is just 8.2mm thick and weighs in at 163g.
Along the left side is a special docking/charging port that can be used with accessories and a door that conceals the microUSB charging/sync port and the SIM card slot.
On the right edge is another door that covers the microSD card slot, the power button, the volume up and down switch and the dedicated camera button that can open the camera when needed and also activate the shutter.
Along the top is the 3.5mm headphone jack. On the audio side there are also two stereo speakers positioned on the top and bottom edge of the screen that utilise Sony’s ClearAudio+ technology for crisp and clear sound.
From a usage perspective the position of Sony’s buttons can interfere with the natural way you hold the device.
Because the device is sealed, the SIM card, microSD card slot and charging port have to be on the edges behind watertight doors.
As a result, the volume buttons and power button are located right in the centre of the right edge where your fingers sit when you are holding it.
This meant we sometimes turned down the volume or locked the screen when we didn’t mean to.
It would have made sense to have the doors towards the centre which would not be affected with a user’s fingers in that position.
The 5.2-inch screen is excellent and utilises Sony’s Triluminos technology so images, videos and apps are crisp and clear.
It also has X-Reality for mobile so that what ever you’re looking at on the screen has been optimised to look its best.
FEATURES
There are a plethora of features aboard the Sony Xperia Z2 including NFC, screen sharing and digital noise cancellation but we’re going to focus (pardon the pun) on the device’s camera and waterproof design.
We think the user that is considering the Xperia Z2 as their next smartphone will be seeing the 20.7-megapixel camera as one of the main attractions.
Simply put, the camera is stunning and produces remarkable images.
It does this thanks to the Exmor RS sensor that can capture clear lifelike pictures that are full of detail.
Throw in the 27mm wide-angle G Lens that means more light gets to the sensor even in lowlight conditions.
Also coming in to play is the Bionz for Mobile image-processing engine that looks after exposure and gets the white balance and colours right.
There are number of shooting modes including Auto, Manual, Background De-Focus, Timeshift Burst, Panorama and cool Augmented Reality effects.
If you are using the Sony Xperia Z2 you don’t need a dedicated compact digital camera – the Xperia Z2 is better.
And one thing the compact digital definitely can’t do is shoot 4K video.
The video side of the Xperia Z2 offers so many possibilities. Firstly users can capture 4K resolution (3840 x 2160) video – four times full HD resolution.
And while the video quality will amaze users it is hard to appreciate if you don’t have a 4K or Ultra High Definition TV.
The video also takes up a lot of space so you’ll need to invest in some decent sized microSD cards that have fast enough read/write speeds to capture and playback what you’ve shot.
You can also choose to shoot full HD video as well but it’s good to know 4K is literally at your fingertips if you wanted it.
Other video modes include Timeshift video so you can record at a high frame rate and then use slow motion effects.
There’s also a Vine mode to shoot six-second looping videos that can be shared with the Vine app and on Twitter.
Another standout feature for the Xperia Z2 is the fact that it’s waterproof to a depth of 1.5m.
And it can not only withstand a dip and a spill, the device’s camera can also be used in fresh water for up to 30 minutes.
PERFORMANCE
The Sony Xperia Z2 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 2.3Ghz quad-core 801 processor and has a generous 3GB RAM.
These not only provide speed and performance but also uses the power on your device more efficiently to make your battery last even longer.
Speaking of the battery we got plenty of time between charges with the Xperia Z2 easily lasting a full day and into the next day before we had to reach for the charger.
The Battery Stamina Mode helps budget the Xperia Z2’s power and automatically turns off the functions you’re not using as well as keeping apps running in the background under control.
VERDICT
The Sony Xperia Z2 is an impressive smartphone that has numerous features plus a standout camera that will appeal to the photographer in you.
Throw in Sony’s excellent display, access to excellent content and a sleek and waterproof design and you have a device that will appeal to a wide range of users.
Sony Xperia Z2
Price: $759
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