Leaks suggest that the Sony Xperia 5 V will represent a more significant downgrade than we’re used to seeing from the range.
As sure as night follows day, the Sony Xperia 1 V will be followed up by the smaller, cheaper, but similarly capable Sony Xperia 5 V. Sony has been following this formula for years now, most recently with the Sony Xperia 5 IV.
However, the next compact flagship model to emerge from Sony HQ might represent something of a step back. An official-looking Sony Xperia 5 V marketing video has leaked on Reddit via user JB2unique, and has since been uploaded to YouTube. It appears to show a device that completely lacks a telephoto camera.
Previous Xperia 5 models have tended to carry with them a similar camera set-up to their Xperia 1 big brothers. This means a triple camera system.
The two have started to diverge in recent years. Last year’s Xperia 5 IV featured a fixed telephoto camera that lacked the Xperia 1 IV’s fluid optical zoom system. Now, however, Sony appears to be going one fairly major step further in getting rid of the telephoto camera altogether.
Buy the Google Pixel 7a for just £399, with case and 30W charger included
The Google Pixel 7a has seen a mega price drop for Prime Day, now available for just £399. What’s more, Amazon is throwing in a Pixel 7a case and 30W charger at no extra cost.
- Amazon
- Save £79.99
- Now £399
Reasons for this are a mystery, but it seems likely that Sony is either cutting costs or saving space – potentially both. If the removal of this telephoto camera leads to more than just a price freeze, as the Xperia 1 V has experienced this year, and results in a full-on price cut, then this might come to be construed as a net positive.
When it comes to saving space, the Xperia 1 V’s main camera sensor is much bigger than before in this year’s model, which will inevitably pose a challenge to the more compact Xperia 5 V. Sony may be forced to diverge with its step-down range in the name of broader photographic progress.
Speculation aside, Sony’s Xperia 1 and Xperia 5 smartphones are niche, pro-focused phones for photography and media enthusiasts. If it’s going to be losing some of that edge in the Xperia 5 V, it might be time for a rethink.
