For photographers and filmmakers, it can be hard to leave our cameras behind.

But that is precisely what Sony European Imaging Ambassador, Zilver Schmitz did on a recent trip to Thailand. Usually, the young Dutch travel filmmaker would meticulously capture his adventures armed with a Sony FX3 and a host of lenses, but this trip was about using less and doing more. So, he took Sony's class-leading Xperia 1 IV smartphone.

With Zilver wanting to report back to his audience on how the Xperia 1 IV performed, he did bring his Sony Alpha 7 IV to film himself using the smartphone. Still, he tried to limit his actual shooting to just using the smartphone and its three unique lenses.

Part of the attraction of the Xperia 1 IV is its triple lens system. Each lens offers a different creative possibility, all in a single device.

“I used the ultra-wide angle 16mm camera to shoot a wide shot each time we visited a new location. I love using wider lenses to show beautiful scenery or a person in the landscape. The 24mm lens isn't quite as wide,” he continues, “so it is great for shots of people in action. Then the 85-125mm lens was perfect for close-ups or detailed shots of the surroundings. It was nice to switch quickly and not have to change lenses or even switch cameras to get a close-up or wide shots.”

Most smartphones will rely on digital zooms, which enlarge an area of an image to create a 'zoom' effect. However, the 85-125mm lens of the Xperia 1 IV is unique as it is an optical zoom lens, where lens elements are physically moving to create the zoom magnification. This keeps image quality at its sharpest and most detailed.

“There is a shot where I get out of a swimming pool. It was shot at 120fps in 4k with the 24mm lens. I then shot a second clip with the 85mm focal length of the zoom and edited the two clips together to make a short sequence. Combined with the great image quality, it shows everything that the Xperia 1 IV is capable of.”

Most smartphones are limited in how you can adjust the settings when shooting video footage, but the Xperia 1 IV features Sony's Videography Pro and Cinematography Pro apps. Both of these apps offer a considerable amount of control. “I can change many settings just as I can on my FX3 and Alpha 7 IV,” Zilver explains, “including the shutter speed. On many smartphones, it is impossible to control it, so you get that very choppy-looking video footage you can tell was shot on a smartphone. By using the clip-on ND filter to create natural-looking footage.”

Most of the video was filmed in 4K at 25fps, but he also took advantage of the Xperia 1 IV's ability to capture 4K at an incredible 120fps. “It's great being able to create slow motion footage at 120fps without losing quality, and it's crazy to think that you can do that with a phone!” he exclaims.

The key to getting footage that looks like it could have been shot on a mirrorless camera is the high dynamic range of the Xperia 1 IV. Zilver was confident using the standard image colour settings for most shots, but with the wide dynamic range setting to capture as much detail in the highlights and shadows as possible.

“My favourite shot was one where I was in this circular beach shelter. I was in shadow against the bright overcast sky. It's crazy to see the dynamic range of the Xperia 1 IV. Normally if you shot this with a phone, you either get a blowout sky, or you would lose all your information in the shadows. I exposed to keep detail in the sky, but yet there is still detail in the shadow areas and the rock formations in the background.”

“Another favourite was of a waterfall. I love the colours, the dynamic range and the details. I think it's crazy that you can take photos like this with an Xperia phone, and many people wouldn't know that I didn't take it on a professional camera.”

Overall, Zilver was left impressed with the high performance of the Xperia 1 IV. “I have no regrets. It won't replace my main camera, but if I don't want to take all of my expensive and heavy camera gear, it's the best companion device I can think of, as I know I’ll still be able to capture incredible images.”