After reviewing the Sony Xperia 1 VI, it's clear that the telephoto macro trend in smartphones is really hitting its stride. Telephoto macro photography, also known as telemacro, involves using the telephoto lens to capture close-up photos and offers numerous benefits. It adds distance between the subject and the photographer (particularly handy for shots of insects). This, in turn, eradicates shadows typically associated with macro photography and also eliminates wide-angle distortion.
Telephoto macro lenses are anything but a new concept. The popular Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L from 2009 is still one of the best macro lenses available in 2024, serving up high-impact close-up capture to pro photographers. However, it is a relatively new concept on smartphones, with the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra and Sony Xperia 1 VI being the best implementations to date. But can you really take a smartphone macro camera seriously?
