Is Sony Xperia Z5 really the best mobile camera?

There has been talks going on that the Sony Xperia z5 is the best camera phone. From TechnoBuffalo, DxOMark has declared the Xperia Z5 as possessing the best mobile camera on the market, scoring exceptional marks for both photo and video quality. In fact, the site put it above the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, and above the Nexus 6P, two of the most popular phones on the market today—and two shining examples of what mobile cameras are capable of. But seeing data is different than seeing hard evidence, so we’re here to show you what the Z5 can do.
We got our hands on the Xperia Z5 Premium about a week ago, and although we’re not quite ready to share our final thoughts, we wanted to give you an idea of what the device can do. Do we agree with DxOMark? We don’t have an answer—yet. We’ve made it a point to share early examples before our final reviews, and you guys have responded positively (we appreciate that!). So, as always, here are some quick shots taken using the Z5 Premium.



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We had to resize and watermark the images, so we acknowledge that processing may take its toll on overall quality. However, you can check out the untouched, full-resolution versions over at Imgur. These pictures were taken using auto modes, though Sony’s stock camera software does offer plenty of more powerful features, including a manual mode, which allows users to tweak settings like ISO and white balance.
The Z5 Premium (and Z5) sports a 23-megapixel camera, phase detection autofocus, an LED flash, and a 5.1-megapixel front-facing camera. Powerful specs, no doubt, but it’s not always about the megapixel count that makes a good camera. You need good software and sensor in order to actually produce clean results. We’ve seen more than our fair share of mobile cameras that didn’t produce good results, even though they had a high megapixel count.
Sony has built a reputation for offering some of the most amazing camera technology on the market, and we’ve been impressed by the company’s previous devices. So how does its most expensive smartphone hold up? Check out the examples below, and let us know what you think.