Sony has released a new software update for its Xperia PRO and Xperia PRO-I smartphones. The update adds great new monitoring and livestreaming features for videomakers to these smartphones.
External monitor app
To turn your Xperia PRO or PRO-I into an external monitor is very simple. You just need to go to Connection Preferences under Device Connection in the Settings menu and enable the External Monitor app. You can connect a camera directly to the Xperia PRO via HDMI. However, if you are using the Xperia PRO-I, you will need to use a camera that supports USB Video Class (UVC) and an appropriate USB-C cable.
Waveform monitor
The update adds a new waveform monitor feature. You can use this to display a luminance waveform to set your exposure. In addition, you can view the waveform as an RGB display to check for any issues in the color balance of your image. You can also overlay the RGB display and luminance waveforms.
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False color
The update also adds a new false color function to the External Monitor app. False color is a fabulous tool for accurately checking exposure across your image. You can also customize the ranges for each color band to fine-tune the feature to suit your needs. Once you have used false color, it’s difficult to go back to another way of setting exposure.
Livestreaming
The update also adds new 5G livestreaming capabilities to the Xperia PRO and ROo-I via the External Monitor app. This means you can livestream to platforms such as YouTube with a Sony Alpha camera. To livestream, you simply select Streaming Mode from the Mode button on the External monitor app screen. You can then set all of your streaming settings and press the green button to go live. You can link to your YouTube channel or add custom settings for other platforms.
Verdict
The Sony Xperia PRO and PRO-I are smartphones full of video creators’ features. The new update enhances their capabilities even more, especially if you use Sony Alpha cameras. The addition of waveform and false color brings professional monitoring tools to the Xperia PRO and PRO-I. 5G livestreaming is also a powerful new feature. The only downside to these phones is the price. However, if your budget will stretch that far, they are hard to ignore.
Availability
The update is available free of charge for all Sony Xperia PRO and PRO-I users via a push notification.