I've tried to like the Xperia 5 I bought to replace a Huawei P30 Pro that I sold because I was concerned about it's future, I really have...

But its just not good enough.

I don't care if the manual mode is amazing, I want to take quick reliable photos for memories to look back on.

I'm buying another P30 Pro.

They make the camera for people who want to use manual mode so they can get the exact pictures you want. Other reviewers with a BETTER reputations have shown this in their samples. DXO only uses auto modes to dictate their scores and sell tuning programs to phone companies to ace their metrics. This review was very different from others that have a lot more knowledge on the subject. 

i think Sony is trying to convey a clear message: cameras in smartphones aren't as important as the "media hype" OR they prefer to provide a good device overall which does everything as expected. And Sony is not trying to compete in the $1000 device range.

Why would the camera feature detract from a good phone? Why is the camera so important for the smartphone?

Sony lost most of their US market share - for smartphones - a while ago, but hasn't been really concerned about re-gaining some ground. I see Sony becoming a top components maker instead of a well-known device maker.

But in other places the camera performance was praised. I guess that's a matter of taste then.

Quote from: Lionel on November 25, 2019, 20:25:19
Using DxO as a reference is never a good thing. For DSLRs they may be OK, but for smartphones, what they are doing is really questionable.
Don't take what DxO tells you for granted, make your own opinion by yourself, and you'll see.

Definitely. But the Xperia 5 disappointed in our own tests too.

Using DxO as a reference is never a good thing. For DSLRs they may be OK, but for smartphones, what they are doing is really questionable.
Don't take what DxO tells you for granted, make your own opinion by yourself, and you'll see.

It's a sad story; they had a loyal fan base for their compact smartphones, but no, they chose to get everyone mad with their nonsense. If only it was the camera ! but no. The removal of the jack for users used to the Walkman sound quality and ease of use, removal of the built-in radio, removal of the double-tap to wake, huge bezels, the rounded back of the XZ2C, which is curved now in the other direction in a future device, and to finish their 21:9 screen ratio which is unusable except for viewing movies, but who cares really?
Meanwhile Apple will release a SE2, with a 4.7" screen and they will sell tons of it, without any gimmick. Because that's just what many users want.