Whenever I’m covering a new smartphone and see a 2Mp macro camera listed among the specs, it makes me very frustrated. 

Why? Because even before testing it, I can pretty much guarantee that it’ll be functionally useless. On every single phone with a 2Mp macro that I’ve ever reviewed (and there have been quite a few), the lens has added nothing to the overall experience. 

Instead of improving the quality of close-up shots, most macro lenses produce a blurry, unusable mess, even when within the recommended distance. 

Granted, this is most common on budget smartphones, where the number of cameras often appears to be more important than their actual quality. Flagship phones tend to use the main or telephoto lenses instead, but the results are still frustratingly hit-and-miss. 

So, when Sony began talking about the advanced ‘telephoto macro’ mode on the Xperia 1 VI, you could forgive me for being more than a little sceptical. 

However, it shocked me in the best way possible. Not only does the mode consistently take great photos, it has made taking close-up shots fun for the first time since I began testing smartphones. 

Let’s look at some examples. First up, the shot that really sold it for me: a woman’s eye, perfectly in focus, with a stunning reflection of the window next to her. I never thought it’d be possible to take such professional-looking close-up photos with a smartphone:

Or how about this radish and carrot starter at a restaurant, where the clarity and detail of the shot belies just how far away the phone was: 

It was a delight to be able see each individual passion fruit seed in this dessert: 

And the classic flower photos that so many phones struggle with looked excellent:

It helps that the Xperia 1 VI’s camera app makes it so easy to take great macro shots. Within the telephoto macro mode, you can use a slider to adjust the focal length between 120mm and 360mm, depending on how far you are away from the subject. 

Then, when you’re trying to get the shot in focus, a focal peaking feature makes the edge of the subject light up in yellow, ensuring that it’s the right moment to take the picture. As a result, it’s hard to take a bad close-up shot. 

Unfortunately, despite its macro prowess, the Xperia 1 VI is a slight step down from the best camera phones you can buy. Its main sensor is a little inconsistent at times, while all the lenses struggle more in low light than some rivals.  

However, if great close-up shots are a top priority for you, this is the phone to get. After many years of disappointment, it’s restored my faith in macro cameras on smartphones. 

Learn more about it in my full Sony Xperia 1 VI review.