Sony Xperia XZ2 takes your photography to new heights

When you want to test the Sony Xperia XZ2 flagship’s camera, you need spectacular scenes to photograph. There are few things more spectacular than stunning sunrise over Africa from a hot air balloon.

This is where we sent Matthew Kanniah to test Sony Xperia XZ2 and this is his report back:

I woke up at 4am to to drive to a beautiful lodge called Kloofzicht Lodge & Spa about 40 minutes from Johannesburg. Upon arrival I was greeted by a gorgeous sunrise where we were told that we would be heading up into the skies in a Hot Air Balloon for sunrise and to accompany us would be the brand new Sony Xperia XZ2.

As an Instagrammer, this was immediately an exciting opportunity so here are 5 reasons why the XZ2 is perfect for Instagram.

The Camera

The Sony Xperia XZ2 features a massive 19MP rear facing camera, focused on crispy photos and clean 4K video recording. As a Sony shooter I can appreciate the fact that the XZ2 has a Sony G Lens, Exmor RS sensor for mobile and Bionz mobile image processor.

In plain English, this means that your photos will be super clear and sharp while also being quick on the trigger and stable in shaky conditions.

The lighting was perfect in the air so taking out the XZ2, I managed to snap some incredible images.

On occasion the wind shook the balloon, but the camera easily compensated for the shake and the image was stable.

It also has features such as predictive capture and autofocus burst, improving low-light shots, keeping moving targets in focus and making sure you don’t miss a smile.

The Selfies

Being in the air, in a tight space, with four people in a basket, makes it pretty difficult to take a good selfie, but thankfully, the Sony and the XZ2 features an incredible selfie camera.

Thanks to a 5mp F2.2 camera capable of 1080p video, the Sony impressed me with its vivid colours, wide angles and quick autofocus.

So if you are looking to get some nice self portraits of yourself on Insta, look right here, or if you are having a day out with friends and want to get that group photo for Facebook, the super wide angle has you covered at a nice 23mm.

The Video

In the age of social media, influencers, and going viral, one thing is certain and that is that video is king! Many people make the excuse of not having professional video equipment which is holding them back from being the next Casey Neistat.  Thanks to 4K video recording @30fps, HDR video up to 4K, 1080p @60fps you get super crispy and clean video making vlogging on the go with no additional gear, a reality.

No more excuses!

The Slo Mo

Not everyone is a fan of slow motion (slo mo). Many see it as a gimmick, but what’s wrong with a gimmick?  It works, its fun and entertaining!

On the XZ2, the Sony is capable of 1080p @960fps, 720p @960fps you can capture gorgeous slow mo on your Xperia XZ2. I managed to get some balloon flames as well as launch day video balloon popping!

Check it out, super cool with the right idea and lighting.

The What-Else-Info

All your social media apps work and run epically.

The phone comes with the latest Qualcomm top-of-the-line Snapdragon 845 chipset with 4GB of RAM which means zero lag and freezing of apps.

You get 64GB of storage which is decent for photos, vids and lots of albums, plus there’s a microSD slot allowing you to build on that by up to 256GB. In short, there’s plenty of space if you need it.

The 3,180mAh battery inside the Sony Xperia XZ2 will last you the entire day on a single charge with a moderate-to-high usage.

You get a gorgeous Full HD bezel with HDR video playback, paired with a dynamic vibration system, High-res audio with surround sound that will keep you entertained for hours.

This is true mobility with all the bells and whistles that will delight everyone.

Further Reading: Check out the Sony Xperia XA2 review!

Check out Sony Mobile South Africa or Sony Mobile USA

Remember that these images are scaled down and the origional images are even more stunning in high resolution!