can I take a picture in 21:9 like the Xperia 10's?

[weichai]

I can do a 'grab' in 21:9 when using Cinema Pro but thats not quick or useful. Am I missing a setting somewhere as all I can see is 1:1 4:3 & 16:9?

[Nathaniel]

I don't think any update is planned to enable 21;9 photography. I swapped emails with Sony Support for over a month and finally they said, "the camera is intended for casual snaps, not professional photography". They never explained whybancideo tutorial on the Xperian1 shows how to take 21;9  photos using the camera app, or, how the inferior Xperia 10 can take 21:9 photos. The Xperia 1 was, in my opinion, released too early. If the Xperia 2 is released in a few months with improved camera I will be very annoyed!! The advert campaign for the Xperia 1 was based on the camera, their are 21;9 photos on the handset. 

 The camera can take 21;9 photos, open WhatsApp, take a photo within WhatsApp, and ta da, 21;9 photo ...

[Roberr1]

Thank you for your reply.

The Xperia 10 *can* take 21:9 photos? I didn't realise that, but there is a 4MP difference bwteen the Xperia 1 and Xperia 10 is there not?

And you're saying that third party apps can allow for photos in 21:9 aspect ratio?

How can they be releasing an Xperia 2 when the first just came out?!

[Nathaniel]

Seems to me the Xperia 1 was released too soon, it's like a beta version 

[Qatrium]

This has been already escalated and we're waiting for an official response.

[Roberr1]

How long will an official reply take please, on average, because another poster quoted a month.

[Nathaniel]

I swapped eleven emails with Sony Support, that's eleven each, after ten elusive answers simply listing stats and praising Cinema Pro I was told the camera app is designed solely for casual photography only, they still have not said if the 21:9 AR photo function will be added.

 As WhatsApp takes 21:9 photos using the main camera I don't see why the function cannot be added.

 Also, still waiting to hear why a video tutorial on the Xperia 1 shows how to take 21:9 AR photos using the camera app , when , clearly, it does not .

[Roberr1]

I have recently had it confirmed to be by an owner of the Experia 1 that the bundled 3rd party app "Cinema Pro" app does allow photos to be taken via the 'grab' button whilst the app is in standby, i.e. not recording, but that the 21:9 stills photos were nowhere near as good as those taken by the 1st party dedicated main camera app.

[Nathaniel]

Yes we all know this, open the camera app in WhatsApp and that also takes 21:9 photos.

 There is no reason the camera app should not take 21;9 photos. Why base the advertising for the Xperia 1 on the aspect ratio and the camera when the camera cannot take photos to fill the screen, it's just daft, like buying a new television and discovering it only displays in 4:3 so half the screen is wasted.

[Roberr1]

I didn't know that it could be done, so I thought that I would post it for others benefit.

Recent word back from Sony reveals the reason behind the decision to only allow 16:9 still photos:

"The normal camera app is intended for casual usage of snapping everyday life, whereas Cinema Pro is intended for creating stories using 21:9 with professional parameters and colour settings"

And that does come through in the way the apps have been designed and behave. It is however, completely disjointed thinking, and would never happen with an iPhone experience, but that's why Sony languishes at the bottom of the smartphone market, and so they'll have to figure it out.

I have also managed to find out the reduced dimentions of the "grab" photos from pre-recorded video: 2,520 x 1,080px, this down from the original 4K 3,840 x 1,644, again more disjointed thinking, only now even withing the video app.

I am presently trying to find out the respective image sensors sizes, perhaps then this will answer once and for all if it will ever be possible to shoot 21:9 still shots with no compromise..

[drlmiles1]

@Roberr

Do have a look at the three options available in WhatsApp - you can get full proper 21:9 pictures in that (without any controls other than the shutter button, sadly)