TechPhonesiPhonesiPhone 14 Pro Max vs Sony Xperia 1 IV: does Android still have the best camera?Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro Max is a huge upgrade for Apple. How does it compare to Sony’s pro performer, though?When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
TechPhonesiPhonesiPhone 14 Pro Max vs Sony Xperia 1 IV: does Android still have the best camera?Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro Max is a huge upgrade for Apple. How does it compare to Sony’s pro performer, though?When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro Max is a huge upgrade for Apple. How does it compare to Sony’s pro performer, though?
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Apple)
(Image credit: Apple)
TheiPhone 14 Pro Maxfeatures the best camera system in anyiPhoneto date. It’s a huge upgrade, increasing the resolution from 12MP to 48MP as well as increasing the sensor size and the apertures – and that’s beforeAppleworks its computational photography magic on your shots.
Sony’sbest Android phoneflagship, theXperia 1 IV, on paper looks more of a photographer’s camera, though, with software that’s much closer to a DSLR than Apple’s Camera app. It’s a monster of a smartphone camera system, offering its owner elite-tier photography and videography capabilities.
So, does the iPhone 14 Pro Max beat the Sony Xperia 1 IV’s camera system? That’s what this feature is designed to explore. Read on for the knowledge.
iPhone 14 Pro Max vs Sony Xperia 1 IV: price and availability
The iPhone 14 Pro Max launched in September 2022 with pre-orders beginning 9 September and shipments from 16 September. As with the rest of the iPhone 14 range, prices have increased in the UK. The 128GB model is now £1,199, rising to £1,749 for the 1TB model. US customers will pay $1,099 for 128TB, rising to $1,599 for the maxed-out 1TB model.
The Xperia 1 IV is £1,299 in the UK and $1,599 in the US. UK customers were treated to a hefty price cut that took the price to nearer £1,000, but that promotion has ended and the price has gone back up again. The Xperia 1 IV launched in July 2022.
iPhone 14 Pro Max vs Sony Xperia 1 IV: key Sony specs
The Xperia has an unusually wide 21:9 aspect ratio (3840 x 1644) on its 6.5-inch, 120Hz OLED display and a very sober, slab-like design that makes us think of the obelisk from 2001: A Space Odyssey. But while it’s a perfectly nice phone, it’s really a camera with a phone attached to it, and the software is very reminiscent of Sony’s Alpha cameras. It’s capable of 4K 120fps recording on all three lenses, and the tile lens camera is capable of up to 20fps AF/EG in HDR. The telephoto lens has a true optical zoom of 85-125mm, equivalent to around 5x optical, object tracking to keep your subject in focus when shooting video, live streaming directly to compatible video services and real time Eye AF on all lenses for great portrait shots. The front camera is 12MP with a f/2.0 aperture and HDR.
Sony’s image sensors are larger than rivals for better low light performance, and that means the Xperia delivers sharper shots than you might expect from its 12MP image sensor.
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
The cameras here are backed with a whopping 12GB of RAM and 256MB of storage, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor andAndroid12. It’s a powerful device but it’s known to run hot during sustained shooting in warm weather.
iPhone 14 Pro Max vs Sony Xperia 1 IV: key Apple specs
The iPhone 14 Pro Max has a 6.7-inch always-on OLED with a resolution of 2,778 x 1,284 at 460ppi. It’s a ProMotion display with a 120Hz refresh rate, 2,000,000:1 contrast and max HDR brightness of 1,200 nits, and it has True Tone and P3 Wide Colour gamut.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max cameras are a significant upgrade over the iPhone 13 Pro Max. The main camera has been boosted from its previous, Sony-matching 12MP to a whopping 48MP, and that’s a quad-pixel sensor that uses pixel binning to create “superpixels”, clusters of pixels that act as one to capture more light. That enables the iPhone to use four pixels to create a single pixel that delivers an effective resolution of 12MP – albeit 12MP with much more detail and sharpness than the iPhone 13 could manage. That 48MP resolution is also available for ProRAW shooting, enabling photographers to reframe their shots post-shoot without a significant loss in quality. The new iPhone also gets a redesigned LED flash that’s up to two times brighter and that adjusts itself according to the camera’s focal length.
Apertures for the iPhone 14 Pro Max are f/1.78 on the main camera, f/2.2 on the ultrawide and f/1.78 and f/2.8 on the 12MP 2x and 3x telephoto respectively.
For video there’s an improved Cinematic Mode that enables you to use 4K at 30fps, and there’s also 24fps to match moviemaking standards. And the new Action Mode promises gimbal-style tracking of action shots without an actual gimbal.
iPhone 14 Pro Max vs Sony Xperia 1 IV: early verdict
These two flagships are very different kinds of phones for very different kinds of people, and that’s particularly apparent when you use their camera apps: Sony is clearly thinking of photo and video pros and provides all the controls you’d expect from a Sony Alpha DSLR, while Apple relies much more on its computational photography to do the hard work on your behalf. That means to an extent the iPhone 14 Pro is a point-and-shoot with superpowers, whereas the Sony is one for pros who know exactly what they want and what settings they need to achieve it.
We’re not going to pick a winner here because while we’ve extensively tested the Sony, we haven’t had the chance to put the new iPhone 14 Pro Max through its paces. But on first impressions, we’d say that the Sony is a really good camera with a pretty good phone attached to it, but the iPhone – with its stock Camera app, at least – is a better option for those of us who want great results without having to put too much work in. It’ll be interesting to see if a long term test confirms that impression, and what third party app developers come up with too.
Build bigger arms in just 30 minutes with this 5-move dumbbell-only workoutIt’ll leave the biceps and triceps popping!
It’ll leave the biceps and triceps popping!
OMEGA puts the moon on your wrist with its new Speedmaster Moonphase MeteoriteOMEGA adds two new Moonphase Meteorite watches to its Speedmaster line-up
OMEGA adds two new Moonphase Meteorite watches to its Speedmaster line-up
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs iPhone 14 Pro Max: which flagship is best?The flagship battle between Android and Apple – but which device is the best option?
The flagship battle between Android and Apple – but which device is the best option?
Want an iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max for Christmas? Better order nowSupply problems mean delays on Apple’s best iPhones are getting longer
Supply problems mean delays on Apple’s best iPhones are getting longer
Your iPhone 14 Pro just got even more useful with this excellent iOS upgradeLive Activities are already proving popular among app developers – and they’re even better on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max
Live Activities are already proving popular among app developers – and they’re even better on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max
The iPhone 14 Pro Action Mode is incredible, here’s whyAction Mode gives the iPhone 14 Pro a huge advantage for video, all but eliminating the need for a gimbal
Action Mode gives the iPhone 14 Pro a huge advantage for video, all but eliminating the need for a gimbal
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max review: unrivalled power and performanceThe iPhone 14 Pro Max provides more than just a Dynamic Island, bringing huge advances in its screen, camera and processor to the new flagship model
The iPhone 14 Pro Max provides more than just a Dynamic Island, bringing huge advances in its screen, camera and processor to the new flagship model
iPhone 14 confirmed to deliver incredible Android schooling power upgradeiPhone 14 schools every Android phone flagship with world’s fastest-ever mobile benchmark scores
iPhone 14 schools every Android phone flagship with world’s fastest-ever mobile benchmark scores
Best iPhone 14 deals for January 2025The best deals for the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max
The best deals for the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max
Apple Event 2022 recap: everything released from the iPhone 14 and Apple Watch 8 to the AirPods Pro 2The bumper event included the launch of the Apple Watch 8, Apple Watch SE, Apple Watch Ultra, AirPods Pro 2, iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max
The bumper event included the launch of the Apple Watch 8, Apple Watch SE, Apple Watch Ultra, AirPods Pro 2, iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max
