Smartphones are said to be the successors to digital single-lens reflex or DSLR cameras.
But when you have a phone like the Lumia 1020 or the Apple iPhone with cameras that can match the quality of DLSRs, doubts are bound to creep in if the existing force can last the mile in the foreseeable future.
Most of you might ridicule the prospect. However, as things stand, we might be in for an overhaul that could change the dynamics of the industry. Asus with its ZenFone Zoom wants to be part of a clan that follows the same ideology. But easier said than done.
Asus ZenFone Zoom was first showcased at CES 2015 (yes, over a year ago) and promised much for its imaging capability. The phone that was pegged to be launched for around $399 (around Rs 26,700) earlier this year has been unleashed in the Indian market for a not-so-affordable Rs 37,999 (Rs 39,999, if you include the photography bundling).
That, for any phone, is a steep price. But the Taiwan-based brand hopes to make merry purely on the basis of its self-proclaimed camera prowess. The phone is equipped with heavy on-board storage (128GB) and 4GB RAM that can make any PC feel embarrassed these days.
You look at the back panel of the ZenFone Zoom and the first (and probably the only) thing you’ll notice out there is the bulging size of the camera unit much akin to the ones mastered by Microsoft’s Lumia and more recently the Yutopia from Micromax’s Yu Televentures.
Asus says that this phone is the thinnest 3X optical-zoom smartphone with 13MP PixelMaster camera,10-element HOYA lens, laser auto-focus and 5mm edge.
Asus claims the 3X optical zoom (that’s where the Zoom came from) is powerful enough to fill the appetite of a professional photographer, compelling them to ditch their bulky DSLRs.
We tried out the phone and its camera; the zoom capability is worth a mention but the image saturation levels seem off, which as per the company has been kept to maintain the sanctity of the picture, instead of making them look unreal.
Powered by an Intel processor, Asus ZenFone Zoom hopes to change the way we capture moments. But truth be told, the likes of Samsung and Apple seem to have a better foothold on that for now, and there’s a lot on stake with a phone that’s priced much above its scale.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)