On Saturday, I took the Sony Xperia XZ and iPhone 7 Plus out on Dartmoor. My goal was to be a tourist and see which phone would take the best shots, reliably and consistently too.

The Sony Xperia XZ has a 23mp rear camera and the iPhone 7 Plus has 2 x 12mp rear cameras.

Below are the results – Click on each photo, then select the full size version for the ultimate pixel peek.

iPhone 7 Plus

I really like the above and below shots from the iPhone.

Above and below, both taking with the telephoto lens. The 2 x zoom does make a difference to shots like this.

Sony Xperia XZ

I found the Sony made even the most stark landscape shot more interesting due to its saturated look.

The above shot is my favourite of all the photos from both phones. It was freezing cold, with sub zero temperatures, hail and rain, and then the sun appeared.

When you compare the shots above and below from the Sony with those from the iPhone, there are fairly close in quality.

I also liked the above shot from the Sony Xperia XZ.

Conclusion

Whilst the Sony Xperia XZ did a reasonable job, and IMO managed to capture the most memorable shot, in further testing that I have carried out, the iPhone 7 Plus is able to take better shots, that are sharper, more accurate and consistent across all lighting conditions. The Sony Xperia XZ lacks OIS, and seems to fail to take a good focused shot quite frequently.

The Sony Xperia XZ does have a lot of positive aspects, but even though most phones, including the best flagships, have Sony camera sensors, Sony has not managed to optimise the camera software in its own phone to the same consistent standard. I find this infuriating as the sensor in the Xperia XZ is top notch!

My full review of the Sony Xperia XZ will be coming soon.

My thanks to Vodafone UK for the loan of the Sony Xperia XZ.