Launch report · Sony
Xperia Pro-I: The 1" sensor that Sony's own RX100 used — in a Snapdragon 888 phone.
SpecEagle Editorial·Oct 2021·$1,799 (launch)·Score 78/100
Xperia Pro-I shipped the same 1.0" Exmor RS sensor used in the Sony RX100 VII compact — two years before Xiaomi 13 Ultra made the format mainstream. It also brought real variable-aperture hardware and 4K 120 fps video to a phone. A camera-enthusiast cult phone, now discontinued.
Key specs at launch
Display
6.5" 4K OLED 120 Hz
Chipset
Snapdragon 888
Memory
12 GB · 512 GB
Main cam
12 MP · 1" Exmor RS · f/2.0-4.0
Battery
4,500 mAh
Weight
211 g
What stands out
- 1.0" Exmor RS sensor — same as Sony RX100 VII compact.
- Variable f/2.0-4.0 aperture (real hardware iris).
- 4K 120 fps video — unmatched for the period.
- 3.5 mm jack + microSD + IP68.
What to watch
- Variable-aperture is two-step (f/2.0 and f/4.0), not continuous.
- $1,799 price was extreme even for camera enthusiasts.
- 12 MP main sensor (no high-res mode).
- Discontinued.