Sharp has launched a new mobile phone that uses the world’s largest camera sensor. The model is called Aquos R6 and the sensor size is 1 inch.
It is as large a sensor as in many compact cameras on the market. For example, the popular RX100 series from Sony. And a big step over what most cell phones use.
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Sharp Aquos R6 is developed in collaboration with the German camera manufacturer Leica. A company that has previously collaborated with, among others, the Chinese manufacturer Huawei.
6.6-inch IGZO screen that can handle 240Hz
In addition to its large camera sensor, the Aquos R6 has a 6.6-inch OLED screen. The screen uses Sharp’s own IGZO technology and has a maximum brightness of as much as 2,000 nits.
The screen also has a so-called variable refresh rate of up to 240Hz.
This means that the screen automatically changes frequency depending on what is happening. If you play, the frequency increases so that the image becomes more comfortable and if you use a regular app, it decreases to save battery.
Below the screen is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor that is accompanied by 12GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. There is also a 5,000 mAh battery.
The entire construction is both waterproof and dustproof, just as you would expect.
Better dynamic range and low noise
According to the official press release, the Aquos R6 will take photographs of really good quality even in poor lighting conditions.
With a large 1-inch sensor, the Aquos R6 should beat all other mobile phones on the fingers in terms of dynamic range and noise levels.
Note that we write “should”, because there are no guarantees. Poor implementation and substandard software can quickly minimize the positive effects of a large sensor.
The 1-inch sensor itself has a resolution of 20 megapixels and the optics should be a 7P module with high-quality lenses. Good optics are an absolute must for the sensor to come into its own. The Aquos R6 has a wide angle of 19 millimeters with a maximum aperture of f / 1.9.
Biggest but not first – Panasonic CM1 had time before
Although the Aquos R6 does use the world’s largest camera sensor, that does not mean that Sharp was the first on the market with it.
The Panasonic CM1 was actually far ahead. It is a mobile phone from 2015 that has received mixed ratings from the review corps.
With its – to be a mobile phone – huge optics of 10.2 millimeters and aperture f / 2.8, the Panasonic CM1 mimics more of a compact camera with a large screen than a regular mobile phone. Check out the best gaming mobiles.
The sensor resolution is 20 megapixels and the mobile phone can handle video recording in a maximum of 4K resolution with 15 frames per second.
Released in Japan during the summer of 2021
Sharp Aquos R6 will initially be released in Japan already in June. The price tag is unknown at the time of writing and we do not know if the mobile phone will also reach united States stores, or even outside the Japanese market.
