Redefining the Photography Scene with Camera Phones
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| A Fortune Teller - Quiapo (Credit: Hannah Reyes, National Geographic Creative Photographer) |
Today it’s easier to capture and save every moment of one’s life than ever before. Once a high art form--requiring huge investment in chemicals, film, and years of training--photography has become something that anyone with a smartphone can do. But can phone photography really match a professional’s DSLR?
Not so long ago (in the year 2000, in fact), the first camera phone was launched--an innovation which could take images at 320 x 240 pixels, using a 0.11-megapixel sensor. Fortunately, times have changed.
Lenovo’s latest VIBE Shot camera phone, for example, has a 16-megapixel rear sensor, plus heaps of features designed to make beautiful photography even easier. A Backside Illuminated (BSI) sensor improves clarity in low-light conditions. Optical image stabilization (OIS) cuts down on motion blur. The phone’s Auto mode instantly detects the scene and optimizes camera settings.
“True to the VIBE ON spirit of the brand, we at Lenovo never stand still when it comes to innovating,” said Dino Romano, Country Lead, Lenovo Smartphones, Philippines. Designed to pack the professional features of a DSLR and all the mobile features our target market loves, the Lenovo VIBE Shot offers the best of both worlds to match the lifestyle of the millennials,” he added.
What makes a pro shot?
Professional photographers typically opt for DSLRs for two main reasons. The first being image quality. High-quality optics traditionally requires lenses of a specific size and weight. That’s changed a lot over the past few years. In fact, many professionals now use “micro four-thirds” models (marginally larger than point-and-shoots, but with interchangeable lenses) as the lenses provide image quality good enough in all but a few situations. So why not phones?
The second reason is control. DSLRs allow photographers to tweak the settings on their camera, which takes years of experience giving them value to their craft. But while most smartphones automatically adjust settings such as ISO and aperture for the novice photographer, the VIBE Shot takes it one step further, with a “Pro” mode which lets experts manually adjust these settings to help them capture stunning photos.
The VIBE Shot packs several other tricks for both pro-tographers and their apprentices, including:
- Bulb effect: This lets users take shots with a long exposure – fireworks, motion blurs, and other common street and urban photography effects. Any DSLR can do this, but it’s been incredibly difficult to do on smartphones, until now. With this, who needs filters?
- Faster focus: The VIBE Shot’s autofocus is assisted with infrared technology, making it almost twice as fast as conventional autofocus tech. And it doesn’t falter in low-light conditions. That means crisper, more natural-looking portraits when paired with the VIBE Shot’s tri-color LED flash.
- Optimized for selfies: Unlike a DSLR with flash and telephoto which isn’t made for holding backwards in one hand, the VIBE Shot is perfect for selfies, thanks to its Panoramic Selfie mode, 8MP front camera, and optional Selfie Flash Xtension.
Point, shoot and share
The VIBE Shot looks, feels, and works like a compact camera: it’s even got the two-stage shutter button (hold to focus, push down to shoot) that everybody is used to. But it’s also got the connectivity of the best smartphones out there: 4G, Wi-Fi, and dual SIM capabilities (especially useful for the travelling photographer) – plus all the messaging and social media platforms that made smartphone photography so popular in the first place. Because what’s the point of taking picture-perfect photos if nobody gets to see them?
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| People at an amusement park - Manila (Credit: Hannah Reyes, National Geographic Creative Photographer) |
Hannah Reyes, National Geographic Creative photographer, shares, “I really enjoy working with the Lenovo VIBE Shot. It's great to know that when I leave my equipment at home, I still have a camera that can take high quality images, just sitting right there in my pocket. Oh, and it's an excellent smartphone too.”
Pricing and Availability
The Lenovo VIBE Shot is now available at Lenovo Mobile Exclusive Stores and authorized retailers nationwide at Php17,999. The VIBE Shot will come bundled with a free screen protector (worth Php299) and a free back cover (worth Php599).
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