This phone has the first macro camera that I have ever really enjoyed using.

Every time I review a new smartphone and see a 2Mp macro camera listed among the specs, it makes me very frustrated.

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

Instead of improving the quality of close-ups, most macro lenses produce unusable blur even at the recommended distance.

Granted, this is more common on budget smartphones, where the number of cameras often seems more important than their actual quality. Flagship phones tend to use prime or telephoto lenses instead, but the results are still frustrating.

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

However, it surprised me in the best way possible. Not only does this mode consistently take great photos, it made taking close-ups fun for the first time since I started testing smartphones.

Let’s look at some examples. First, the photo that really convinced me: a woman’s eye, perfectly focused, with a beautiful reflection of the window next to her. I never thought it would be possible to take such professional close-up photos with a smartphone:

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Or how about this radish and carrot starter at a restaurant, where the clarity and detail of the photo belies the distance from the phone:

It was a pleasure to be able to see each passion fruit seed individually in this dessert:

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

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

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

Then, when you try to focus, a focal focus feature causes the edge of the subject to light up yellow, ensuring it’s the right time to take the photo. Therefore, it is difficult to take a bad close-up photo.

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

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

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