Not as good as imagined, but quite interesting.

Imaging.

These two short words constitute the most competitive element in the mobile phone industry today.

Whether it's because manufacturers can't think of configurations that can bring significant improvements, or consumers' demand for mobile phone photography and video recording continues to increase. In short, looking at the entire mobile phone market, except for cost-effective mid-range phones that focus solely on performance, almost no product fails to elaborate on its imaging capabilities on its product detail page.

Hey, don't criticize me yet, I have evidence for all this.

Take this year's new products, for example, realme 12 Pro introduced the new concept of "telephoto even on budget phones", equipping a phone costing less than 2000 yuan with a 64MP telephoto lens, significantly boosting the average imaging capabilities of the mobile phone market. Not only can it compete with phones of the same price range, but it can even go toe-to-toe with many flagship phones from previous years.

As for the "AI Phone" concept that various companies are embracing this year, at least more than 50% of the currently implemented functions are related to AI imaging. Features like AI beauty, AI erasure, and AI image cutout aside, several manufacturers' imaging flagship phones even offer functions like AISP and AI telephoto that can be used during shooting.

If someone asks me about this phenomenon.

I would definitely say – don't stop, intensify it.

In my opinion, a phone with good photography capabilities can significantly boost your desire to record your daily life.

Like now, when I go out with friends, no one wants to carry a bulky camera. If a phone's camera output is sufficient and portable, why not?

Unfortunately...

The unfortunate thing is that imaging flagship phones, as the top-tier models agreed upon by various manufacturers, are never going to be affordable.

Just to name a few new products released this year, Xiaomi 12s ultra, which was released two years ago, is still priced at over 3000 to 4000 yuan on JD.com, indicating why I say such products have nothing to do with us budget-conscious users.

Interestingly, over the past three years, the main camera sensors of imaging flagship phones have remained unchanged. The Sony IMX989, or its rebranded Lytia900, has become the only choice for imaging flagship phones. Even next year, various Pro models will continue to use this main camera sensor.

I'm not the one saying this, it's from the Digital Chat Station.

(Image source: Weibo)

In a sense, having the IMX989 main camera is a sufficient but not necessary condition for being an imaging flagship phone.

So, among phones with both the IMX989 sensor and well-known brand imaging collaborations, are there any cheap ones?

Well, there actually is.

In summary, this is the "foreign trash" flagship phone – Sharp Aquos R7 – that I picked up on Xianyu for 900 yuan after some mental挣扎.

(Image source: Sharp)

This product was not only hailed as the first phone to use a brand-new one-inch sensor at the time, but it also had a Leica collaboration. In theory, it should have been a powerful phone, as the second-generation Leica phone was customized based on this product.

As for how it performs, let's continue reading.

First IMX989, yet average imaging?

Although most domestic consumers may not be aware, Sharp has always had an obsession with imaging in mobile phones.

In November 2000, Sharp released the world's first consumer-grade mobile phone with a camera, the J-SH04, which equipped a rear camera with 110,000 pixels. Although the resolution was low, it marked the beginning of the era of consumer-grade mobile phone photography.

(Image source: Sharp)

Three years later, continuing the brand concept of Sharp Sha-Mail camera phones, Sharp launched the world's first megapixel camera phone, the J-SH53, which equipped a 1-megapixel CCD sensor capable of capturing images up to 1144*858 pixels.

Over time, Sharp successively launched the world's first mobile phone with optical zoom, the V602SH, and the first batch of phones with 10-megapixel sensors, the SH-01B, intentionally consolidating its position in imaging capabilities but being held back by the declining popularity of Japanese mobile phones.

It wasn't until the release of the Sharp Aquos R7 that they regained the title of being the first to use a brand-new one-inch sensor.

(Image source: Sharp)

Yes, the Aquos R7 adopts the latest and now most mainstream flagship one-inch main camera sensor, the Sony IMX989, using a Quad-Bayer pixel array with 1.6μm single pixels that merge into 3.2μm when using "Four in One" pixel binning, supporting Quad-PD phase detection autofocus, significantly stronger than the previous 20MP sensor suspected to be the same as the one used in the RX100 series.

Oh, and it has Leica certification.

Some might ask, didn't Xiaomi also claim that their Xiaomi 12S Ultra was the first to use the IMX989 sensor? So which of the two manufacturers is lying?

Well, in terms of timing, the Sharp Aquos R7 was released in May 2022, definitely earlier than the Xiaomi 12S Ultra.

(Image source: Xiaomi)

However, the phone was not released until the second half of 2022 through Japanese carriers, and the official specifications labeled it as having a 47MP main camera, so it's likely that the one-inch sensor was not fully utilized, similar to the operation on the Sony Xperia Pro-I.

Even though a one-inch sensor is used, it cannot be fully utilized due to module size limitations.

One could say, you have your first, and I have mine.

Apart from this main camera, the Sharp Aquos R7 only has a 12MP front-facing selfie camera. Note that the smaller lens to the left of the main camera is only a 1.9MP depth sensor and cannot be considered a real camera.

(Image source: Xiaomi)

For a flagship product, omitting auxiliary lenses for ultra-wide-angle or zoom photography is highly unusual. But as Sharp intended to emphasize, this is an unconventional flagship product, and they hoped to prove that a good main camera can achieve the effect of "Less Is More".

The question is, can this phone deliver on that?

First, let's look at the camera interface. The UI design follows the style of the Google Camera, with Sharp's various composition guidelines present in this generation. RAW format is still supported, and manual mode includes AF focusing and peak focusing, but there's still no watermark option.

(Image source: Leitech)

As usual, since the default focal length of this lens is 19mm, the default camera interface of the Sharp Aquos R7 starts from 0.7x. You can also set it to start shooting at 1x, achieving up to 6x digital zoom.

As for the actual results...

In well-lit conditions during the day, the shooting effect of the Sharp Aquos R7 can roughly match that of the Xiaomi 14, with reasonable HDR effects, contrasting photos, and deeper shadows, creating a Leica-like feel.

(Image source: Leitech)

However, when it comes to white balance, the Sharp camera occasionally makes mistakes, resulting in a faded color presentation that is not as visually appealing.

In low-light conditions, the performance of the Sharp Aquos R7 is somewhat average. It's difficult to obtain a relatively clear photo in extremely dark environments. Even when enhanced manually through night mode, the results are too warm and unnatural-looking.

(Image source: Leitech)

As for telephoto, the Xiaomi 14 itself only has a 50MP JN1 periscope lens, so the Sharp is definitely inferior at 3.2x zoom and beyond.

But even after enabling the 47MP full-resolution high-pixel mode, at 2x digital zoom, the details captured by the IMX989 on the Sharp Aquos R7 are still inferior to the OV50H on the Xiaomi 14. It can only be said that the imaging algorithm of the Sharp camera seems quite humorous when compared to domestic manufacturers.

(2X samples, Sharp first, Xiaomi second)

(3.2X samples, Sharp first, Xiaomi second)

As for focusing and shooting speed, it's slightly better than its predecessor but significantly slower than domestic phones.

Regardless, this is currently the cheapest imaging flagship phone on the market. Being able to get a proper one-inch sensor at this price is still a good deal.

If users are willing to put in the effort to manually adjust and then post-process the complete images, I believe the quality inherent in the IMX989 can still be presented. But for casual photography that produces error-free or stylized photos, the Sharp Aquos R7 is clearly not the right choice.

Very boxy, very un-Aquos

Next, let's talk about the design.

I've used quite a few Sharp models, and until the Sharp Aquos R6, their approach was consistent – a obsession with rounded bodies.

But with the Sharp Aquos R7, this roundedness turns into an unusual sharpness.

(Image source: Leitech)

The wide and flat aluminum right-angle frame is connected to the front and back glass panels through two beveled edges close to 135°. Although the sides are curved, the transition between the front, middle, and back sections is almost non-existent. The top cover and bottom frame of the unit I have in my hands have a noticeable cutting sensation, resulting in less-than-ideal grip.

As for the screen, this 6.6-inch, 2,730x1,260 OLED panel uses Sharp's own IGZO technology, which means lower energy consumption and theoretically up to 240Hz refresh rate.

Numerically, this is twice that of any current Android flagship.

The screen looks fantastic, with very fast and smooth system animations. With a maximum brightness of 2000 nits, native 10-bit color depth, and Dolby Vision, its performance in Netflix and YouTube HDR is impressive, without the pseudo-HDR issues found in domestic phones.

(Image source: Leitech)

Of course, Sharp's 240Hz is achieved through black frame insertion, which means that high refresh rates must tolerate the smearing caused by black frame insertion.

Moreover, although IGZO material boasts advantages such as high refresh rate and low power consumption, it also suffers from common issues like white spots and touch failure. The screen of the device I have had some light spots right after purchase, and in dark mode, there was a halo effect around the screen. Interestingly, after being left unused for half a month, this issue disappeared. This seems to be part of the mystical journey often associated with buying imported second-hand electronics.

Flipping to the back, the Sharp Aquos R7 features a concentric circle design for its rear camera, which is significantly smaller than the imaging flagships from domestic brands. While it may not be particularly distinctive, it can be said to outshine the various iPhone-like, rectangular, and oddly shaped geometric designs found in the domestic market. When placed horizontally, it also gives off more of a camera-like feel.

The fingerprint sensor follows the usual practice, utilizing Qualcomm's 3D ultrasonic fingerprint recognition. It's a true wide-area ultrasonic sensor that allows instant recording and unlocking, supports dual-fingerprint entry, and works regardless of what's on your hand, making the unlocking experience extremely satisfying.

Oh, and it even comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack and a TF card slot.

Future technology, available ahead of time—do you like it?

Gaming performance: intense and exhilarating.

Lastly, let's talk about the specs.

As a product released in the first half of 2022, the Sharp Aquos R7 naturally uses the flagship chip popular at that time. It achieved an "astonishing" score of 1.03 million points on AnTuTu.

In comparison, the iQOO 12 Pro, equipped with the Snapdragon 888, scores 1.02 million points and does so with much lower temperatures, somewhat overturning my expectations.

For gaming, let's keep it simple and directly launch "League of Legends: Wild Rift" and "Genshin Impact."

In actual tests, with high graphics and at 90 FPS, the Sharp Aquos R7 achieved an average frame rate of around 85.69 FPS in "League of Legends: Wild Rift." However, the game exhibited frequent frame drops, which was quite annoying. While the overall device temperature remained acceptable, the heat led to touch response issues, which was highly frustrating.

As for "Genshin Impact," without a cooling device, the phone overheats and crashes within 5 minutes.

With a cooling device, under medium graphics settings and at 45 FPS, the Sharp Aquos R7 achieved an average frame rate of around 45.57 FPS in "Genshin Impact." The overall device temperature was fine with the cooling device, but the results were not particularly reliable.

It can be said that even in an indoor environment of around 24°C, the Sharp Aquos R7 struggles to deliver the expected performance of an old flagship.

Apart from that, the Leitz Phone 1 also boasts several solid core features, such as NFC, IP68 dust and water resistance, a large 5000mAh battery, and wireless charging.

However, for Chinese users who want to use this product as a daily driver, there are two major hurdles to overcome.

First is the system. The Sharp Aquos R7 uses a near-stock Google system, with minimal modifications apart from some additional features from Sharp. Lacking Google services and a push notification function, using this phone in the domestic environment can be particularly uncomfortable.

Secondly, while the Sharp Aquos R7 supports 5G networks, it does not support domestic 5G bands. Users can only use 4G LTE networks, which might be insufficient for those who demand high mobile internet speeds, and the lack of a 5G signal is a significant issue.

Summary: A Playful Imaging Flagship

In my opinion, the Sharp Aquos R7 is an interesting phone.

Its robust design fits well with the aesthetic trends in China over the past couple of years. The one-inch sensor paired with a LEICA Summicron lens offers professional users a higher ceiling for mobile photography. As for the display, its excellent performance makes it a must-have for movie and media enthusiasts.

However, compared to domestic phones, the Sharp Aquos R7 remains a niche product. Its near-stock system is not well-suited for the domestic app environment. Even without mentioning the 5G network issue, the older processor combined with Japanese-specific optimizations makes it heat up significantly during summer use.

Of course, most importantly, in mobile imaging, algorithms are always more crucial than hardware.

Based on this, it can be said that the Sharp Aquos R series will never, and can never, compete on the same stage as domestic imaging flagships.

But for Sharp, this might not matter.

As previously mentioned, Sharp doesn't seem to care much about selling its phones outside of Japan, nor does it seem overly concerned with the specific sales figures of its phone lineup. Considering that this year's Sharp Aquos R9 has become a mid-range device focusing on unique design, perhaps Japanese imaging flagships like the R7/R8 that emphasize photography will also become a thing of the past.

If you enjoy quirky, unique gadgets, then the Sharp Aquos R7, currently priced under a thousand yuan, is still quite interesting.

But as a primary device?

Sorry, I still think the Xiaomi 14 I have in hand would be better.