Night imaging capabilities of Xperia Z shown off against Galaxy Note 2 and Nexus 4

by XB on 11/02/2013

in Imaging, Videos, Xperia Z and Xperia ZL


Want to see the beautiful city of Paris captured by the Sony Xperia Z at night? Well check out the video below. It shows how well it fares against some of the competition, including the Galaxy Note 2 and Nexus 4. The video also switches audio between the phones so you can see how each compares. It’s best to view this one in full screen in 720p or 1080p so you can really tell the difference between them.

There is also a similar comparison during the daytime if you’re interested:

Thanks @3lwee!

Tagged as: Camcorder, Videos, Xperia Z

  • azmadu

    Interesting comparison, but are we comparing apples with apples? If they all had HDR technology (do they?) then that would definitely be a good test worth doing. In any case it’s still interesting to compare to show how much a difference HDR does make.

  • electrash

    Xperia Z have superior cam, but i must admit, for me, galaxy note 2 somehow have better sound record.

    Im a sony fanboy after all :)

  • http://twitter.com/rency0722 Clarence Alvarado

    I think it should be pit against a Galaxy device under Low Light mode, since Xperia Z is in HDR mode, and also with HTC device with a low aperture (f/2.0) camera.

  • Nabil

    Even when HDR was not activated, the Xperia Z had a much brighter and crisper image (0:40, 1:42, …).

  • http://rikigusma.blogspot.com/ Rikigusma

    If HDR is off, the video quality much better than HDR is ON….

  • http://www.facebook.com/ghareeb.saeed Ghareeb Saeed Alta’aeb

    How come? LMAO

  • DrazenDodig

    if you watch the whole video, note 2 has some terrible sound artifacts… Z is far superior here in both video and audio compared to both.

  • Keon Fraites

    Thats because with HDR on in a night scene the phone captures both highly over exposed imagry and low exposure to bring more light into camera. It’s a great concept but HDR video is more for daylight purposes due to it betters when there is a very bright backlight

  • hans

    I’m not sure how can you say that, to me it seems that the Xperia Z has the clearest sound of them all, the Note II is louder, but at the same time is noisier, and the Nexus 4 sound is gobbled up.. the image quality is definitely on Sony, so definitely Sony wins for me :)

  • kurtdean

    Yea HDR works better in daylight where strong backlight occurs

  • feres13

    In the same channel there’s a comparison between screens on the note II one x nexus 4 and xperia Z and it shows off that the xperia Z’s screen is way too washed out and that viewing angles and pretty bad when compared to the one x and even color reproduction i’m pretty dissapointed.

  • Bluerain

    So what’s the big deal about the washed angle of Xperia Z? Do you look at your phone screen on an angle while surfing, playing games, reading ebooks etc? What a weird comment. . I prefer it to be washed out to prevent someone from seeing the display on my screen.

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  • feres13

    I said that it’s washed out even when the camera is right on top of the screen, and viewing angles are essential to me, when i see a phone sideways i want to be able to see it well or when i want to show something to somebody too, you’re not necessairly steering at your phone in one angle, so yeah viewing angles are important, a good screen needs to have good viewing angles, a screen with bad viewing angles is a bad screen

  • rickiking

    I agree with you @Bluerain. Most people even install filters to reduce the viewing angle of their phones. I want wide viewing angle on my TV, not on my phone.

  • http://twitter.com/rency0722 Clarence Alvarado

    Not all screens with a bad viewing angle is GENERALLY a bad screen. That’s a shame idea.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Carl-Johan-Nilsson/664148428 Carl-Johan Nilsson

    Videos of screen quality are useless. They do not show what your eye will se. Go check out the Xperia Z once it’s on display in stores in your country and compare it with your own eyes against it’s competitors.

  • feres13

    Apart from viewing angles, according to this video color reproduction on the xperia z is BAD when compared to the one x and nexus 4, black levels are terrible

  • goosetool

    Looks good. Though its a shame the comparison doesn’t include the Lumia 920, S3 and iPhone for a more complete review.

  • feres13

    your comment is stupid, it’s like saying i prefer to have poor black levels (witch the xperia z has) than deep blacks because black is ugly

  • gregosor78

    Most of the videos and reviews are based on test units not calibrated.
    If you don’t know how to search videos based on production units, i do it for you :
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=N6Tz95i-HSE#

  • rickiking

    All review sites and blogs are praising the phone… except you. No offence but i’m still buying the phone even if the viewing angle is bad and the 13Mp Camera with HDR Video and Full HD screen is washed out.

  • feres13

    Yeah sorry i heart the same crap last year when early reviews came out about the xperia s and everybody was complaining “it’s a prototype”"not final software” and guess what?? it’s still the same crap

  • http://twitter.com/rency0722 Clarence Alvarado

    I’ve never said anything about black levels, even though you’re citing it as an example. What I reiterate is it’s a shame idea of judging screens with bad viewing angle are bad.

  • Nabil

    This isn’t about the screen, is it ? It is rather positive that the blacks are brighter on the Xperia Z.

  • Nabil

    You’re right, it feels a lot more premium with good viewing angles, like on the last iPod Touch or iPhone 5. The viewing angles on it are amazing and blacks are really deep, and that is what makes it look so beautiful.

  • http://twitter.com/3lwee Mr.Alawi

    your welcome my beloved blog !! :D

  • doraemonboi

    Hello, from this video, you can clearly see that Xperia Z is able to see the people when the sky is dark. The Nexus 4 is so black that you can’t see a thing.

  • feres13

    It makes the pictures real, like a sticker on the glass, the pictures pop and the screen is even more georgeous, i bet the M7′s screen is gonna be perfect, with the quality of the one x and a full HD resolution, i have seen the droid dna’s screen and it is just AWESOME

  • http://twitter.com/rency0722 Clarence Alvarado

    Yeah right, it’s not easy to judge this phone at this point unless you’ve seen it in your naked eyes.

  • feres13

    A good screen means that whites are bright and blacks are deep, the blacks on the xperia z look like dark grey

  • Mazin Hanna

    well done Sony, but still it is very close, don’t worth to replace Note II of decent price with Xperia Z that will eat the budget of it is price !! for those interesting, wait little bit and you will get the Z with less $100-150 next 2 months.

  • TheLoyalist

    NOT true…The mistake Sony has done is putting a greyish wallpaper on, they could’ve put a black wallpaper on and you would see a fantastic screen. It is, without doubt one of the best screens I’ve ever looked at. I’ve used both Z & ZL, One X and have an iPhone 5.

    Yes the viewing angle is not the best, but still good. The deep blackness on this screen is amazing even though it’s not AMOLED. You will be amazed by the blackness. http://i.minus.com/ix1BXiTuk5jIg.jpg

    It’s absolutely pin sharp and not washed out.

  • TheLoyalist

    That’s called low-light-technology. You can’t re-produce blackness in full because you wouldn’t see anything. I’d rather have a rather greyish low-light than not being able to film at all.

  • TheLoyalist

    Bad blackness? http://i.minus.com/ix1BXiTuk5jIg.jpg

    BTW, that’s the setup screen, not a removable sticker.

  • http://www.facebook.com/anukul.bodile Anukul Bodile

    so one conclusion is that don’t use hdr in night and does that nexus even have a microphone on place?

  • Sagar

    Sony XZ outperforms the other two.

  • EnglandFlick

    Hey, shut up, if your so poor both in money and comprehension don’t spread your idiotic advocacy to destroy and bash a wonderful device like this, if your jealous then suck all the iphones and all the colors of black screen you could,, if its satisfies you. Not one cares for your crooked ideas. I wonder is someone paying you to troll here? Then your such a low life

  • dan

    Yes you peoples are right the black Is good on the other phones cause that’s all you can see, you must be blind xperia z is the best

  • Herman

    Don’t forget the Nokia 808 PureView to view the scene as it should be.

  • Coolkid

    Seriously, Feres, look at the black level on Xperia Z on this video & then speak….
    http://youtu.be/AvtQLVZl_hc?t=58s

    There’s nothing wrong with the black level, it looks greyish cos of the greyish wall paper used by Sony… It starts @ 1:01…

  • Arie

    Actually I agree with feres13, viewing angle is poor. If viewing angle not that essential why every company try hard to improve it? Why there are such ips lcd, slcd, super amoled, etc.
    And yes there is no big difference between prototype and final unit…

  • feres13

    Did i ever mention the word iPhone?? I’m just saying the truth, i owned an xperia s and it was pretty dissapinting, i alwas pick sony for a tv, i love my PS3 and my ms vita, i own a RX100 witch is the best compact camera ever (although i like nikon more for true DSLRs, so yeah, i’m a sony fanboy, the thing is i LOVE SONY, but i am dissapointed with xperia the xperia s, that’s why i switched to the one x, but i still want a killer sony smartphone, and i had high hopes for this one, i said in my first comment ” i am pretty dissapointed” not “SONY SUCKS”, so yeah i have every right to be here hoping that someone would correct me, but still. And if i was poor in money, i wouldn’t be able to buy all this stuff, and if i was poor in comprehension, i wouldn’t have proof to show that i’m wrong. So yeah maybe you’re the poor uncomprehensive sony fanboy here.

    And if you didn’t notice, i am verry picky when it comes to devices especially smartphones, so i always point out the worst about it even if i am convinced that there’s alot of good in them.
    FYI : D-8 for PS4

  • Nabil

    I was talking about the blacks on the video, not on the screen itself. You’re right though.

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  • arcwindz

    lol, you should check the 2 video on the reply comment, the viewing angle is good and the black is deep.
    you shouldn’t trust the review that goes saying the viewing angle is bad when they put the brightness to 100%, it’s not fair since the max brightness for xperia devices tend to be higher (which also the case for most lcd)

  • Nabil

    That’s on a picture.

  • feres13

    source?? seems like a sticker for me, if it was the setup, there would be a notification bar

  • TheLoyalist

    Well since I’ve used both phones myself and will use a ZL again this weekend I can only referr to myself. But here’s the source if you want it:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvtQLVZl_hc

    Check from 0:42 and forward

  • TheLoyalist

    That’s the downside with good low-light capabilities, you can’t have both extreme blackness in the video you shoot whilst getting visible, you have to choose. If you play a video with really black info you will have great blackness.

  • http://twitter.com/BunasArtem Artem Bunas

    Listen to the sound! LG is a totally trash. XZ has a true hq stereo. Cool!

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  • Quark Gluon

    I guess many people here have been living so long with pros and cons of such screen characteristic. And I guess, they love the pros and accept the cons. Or maybe I’m just full of assumptions. But, I would love Xperia more if it has better black without losing details and colors. In other words, I’m waiting for IPS-LCD screens from JDI.

  • Mazin Hanna

    at the end you will not get mobile with this high price because of it’s camera, otherwise, you could have Nikon/Canon/or even Galaxy camera. The overall outcome of the mobile is where the speed/ram/screen resolution/camera/software support/etc (all of them) compared to price to be made.

  • jag

    an argue about viewing angles again… [sigh]

  • AllanT

    Any one that understand in camera sensor will tell you that adding more megapixels to small sensor make image worse. If Sony increase sensor size and reduce megapixel amount results will be much better. The 13 megapixel is a marketing gimmick – booo for Sony who think that clients are stupid

  • wamps

    One question have you ever seen an actual xperia z unit? I have seen one this week end and i can say the viewing angles are not that bad and its one of the best screens i have ever seen on a phone. Maybe its from my standard. So i advice you to check the phone first and decide for yourself.

  • utsav shah

    Xperia Z is a clear winner. Lets wait and see what cnet and some sammy fans says!

  • hans

    Galaxy Camera? you’re kidding right? Better to take that Sony NEX-5R than that clearly mediocre hybrid Point and Shoot camera. but it’s true that we’re better off with DSLR at that price point (low DSLR only hovers around 400$ so) if looking for camera function only.

    Yeah i won’t buy this Xperia Z or any Galaxy S series for the mentioned price. Mobile phone should be priced 450US$ tops IMHO. But as you wrote, i definitely looked for the best package and for me, the battery is the factor and so my current device is Razr Maxx. Note 2 might be a solid buy too, but too big as a phone and too expensive.

    But let’s keep it on subject here, the fact that Xperia Z has one of the best mobile camera sensor is undeniable so people with money (and distinction) will have another option rather than following what Sammy fans bought ;)

  • bkh

    Very impressive. The Z really picks out the detail in the low light. The colours look more realistic on the Z too. Only downside is the noticeable refocusing when turning to a different landmark.

  • roeshak

    I tdon’t really care about colour reproduction. The colours on my S are plenty fine and the blacks are deep enough.
    However, I totally agree with the critique of the viewing angles. I often use my phone on my desk at work. Needless to say, it isn’t a very pleasant experience.
    Viewing angles may not be a deal breaker but they matter. My girlfriend often comments on how difficult it is for her to see things clearly when I’m showing her stuff on my phone.
    The folks who dismiss viewing angles totally are just fanboys who never see any fault in their beloved brand. II wouldn’t take much notice.
    It’s hard to see a review anywhere which overlooks viewing angles so it obviously matters toto many.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Rene-Pedroso/1076467708 Rene Pedroso
  • roeshak

    Fares, it’s like you haven’t understood fanboyism. They see any criticism of sony as a personal attack on them. Stop trying to debate with idiots.

  • TheLoyalist

    And since he obviously don’t know anything about either Z’s blackness or viewing angle we could all call him a troll??

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  • Kuksa-

    Only Xperia Z/ZL and Oppo Find 5 have HDR mode in video recording. Note 2 has HDR only in still.. don’t know does nexus 4 have it in still.

  • Nek0

    “when i see my phone sideways” what are you? some kind of retarded? that’s the only reason why you would see your phone in that way LOL

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  • Ziich

    xZ ftw!!

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  • Son

    Stereo sound!!!!!!!!! The best!!!!!! Xperia z ftw

  • Ain

    I close my eyes and listen only to the audio. I can tell which phone is which. Xperia Z is the best.

  • Gyun

    Note 2 is a bit louder but MONO only and noisy. Xperia z has stereo recording. Listen carefully..

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  • https://twitter.com/SamyToupet Samy

    Hi guys, these videos are the work of our Android dedicated blog frandroid.com
    Could you be kind enough to credit us? Thanks

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  • herb

    Thanks very much, mate. awesome!

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