earlier this year, on our second backpacking trip around Japan’s Kansai Region, I discovered something peculiar. We were already Day 4 into our journey, but I was yet to take my DSLR video camera out of my bag.
As a travel blogger, I had always relied on my bulky video camera and even bulkier lenses wherever I go. Over the years, however, the number of times I use it has been diminishing significantly. Lately, I find myself just whipping out my smartphone whenever I need to capture a place or a moment in a photo. Sure, video camera phones don’t have the same quality of a DSLR, but their photography game has been growing strong over the past several years, reaching a level of elegance that is seriously giving DSLRs a run for their money.
We don’t consider ourselves photographers. We’re travelers who simply like to take pictures along the way, so alongside video camera features, we also consider the handiness, benefit and flexibility of the gadgets we own.
Huawei’s sub brand honor sent us a unit of honor 8X and we had been using it over the past week. So far, here are some of its essential features that frequent travelers and casual photo enthusiasts might be interested in. note that these are just our initial thoughts. We’ll update this post when we discover much more as we use it.
Take advantage of its AI camera.
Of course, the first thing we did was tinker with the camera. honor 8X has dual-lens20M + 2M, F/1.8 aperture rear camera, but the feature that gets the most attention is the AI (artificial intelligence) technology. It can discover over 500 various scenarios and adjust the video camera settings accordingly so you don’t have to take too much time doing it yourself.
We’ve been playing with this feature for days, and yes, it works many of the time especially in situations wherein you want the colors to pop. You should keep a close eye on the saturation though because it can be extra at times. The good news is, if the resulting photo isn’t your cup of tea, you can easily revert to the original image, which it keeps. You just need to turn it off. It will work even after you take the image.
Here are some unedited photos with AI on and off.
Notice how the second picture is much more vibrant, making this seafood paella much more appetizing. When we took this photo, the AI automatically detected that we’re taking a picture of food. A food icon appeared at the bottom of the screen. It’s just one of the 22 categories and 500 scenarios that this AI can recognize.
Even when the subject is in the shade or against the light, colors still pop with AI on. As we made the frame, the phone automatically detected that I’m shooting something with blue skies. What it did is it made the sky and the pool bluer. notice how the sky in the first picture is a bit pale, while it looks bluer and sunnier in the second pic. The details of the pool are also much more visible. even the greens are brighter.
For hazy scenes, the AI also makes the picture much more alive. The colors pop and the contrast is higher, making the subject stand out. The AI can turn an otherwise gloomy photo into something much more energetic.
Apply broad Aperture for close-up shots.
One thing I find myself using much more typically is broad Aperture. video camera phones by default try to keep all the elements within the frame in focus, which isn’t a good idea if you want to drive the viewer’s attention to only a particular spot. but what the honor 8X has is an adjustable aperture effect, which you can apply even after taking the shot. This allows you to change which parts and how much of the picture is in and out of focus. here are some unedited pics taken using the broad Aperture effect.
In the first pic, the building in the background competes with the subject. In the second pic, the building fades, drawing your attention to the flowers alone. You can adjust how blurry you want the background to be.
Same here. The default shot puts everything in focus, even the writings on the paper place mat. The top photo makes the food pop a little bit more.
It also works for portraits. and honor 8x takes it to another level by using the same AI technology. It has 3D portrait lighting, which enables beautification and bokeh effects for a much more creative shot. It makes lighting effects that match your surroundings.
Explore other shooting modes
With other smartphones, some shooting modes can only be utilized with a third party app, but with honor 8X, these are all built-in. The night Mode, in particular, is fascinating. The AI technology also reduces blurring when taking pics in low-light conditions. even when my hands were shaky, it’s still able to produce a sharp image through a multi-frame stabilization technology. but of course, just because it has that power doesn’t imply you ought to relocation while taking a photo. You still have to try to do your part and be stable for best results.
Other shooting modes include HDR, panorama, and portrait.
Use pro mode to adjust video camera settings manually.
There is also a pro mode. There are times when none of the pre-set modes can’t capture the best setting or effect. This feature will allow you to adjust the settings manually including the shutter speed, ISO, aperture, and white balance.
This is also optimal for those who are confident with their photog skills and are not dependent on the pre-set modes.
Other Features
Here are other non-camera features that you might also be interested in.
Long Battery Life. This phone takes pride in its battery with a capacity of 3750mAh, which can last for over a day on a single charge. For travelers, this is an essential asset because continuously charging your phone or connecting it to a powerbank can be bothersome and counterproductive. The honor 8X is said to be equipped with an Intelligent Power saving technology that pushes the battery life by 33% longer.
Large file storage Capacity. The honor 8X has 128GB/64GB ROM, which gives you plenty of room for thousands of travel photos. On top of that, it also supports an expandable microSD card of up to 400GB, which implies it can accommodate much more than ever. If you like taking videos on the road, this is worth looking into.
Large 6.5-inch Screen.. If you’re like me who like viewing films or TV shows (Netflix!) during idle times on the road like during transit or flight, the screen specs matter for a much more immersive seeing experience. The honor 8X boasts a 6.5-inch notch full-view display 2.0 and a 19.5:9 ratio, which is close to the cinema ratio. having a large, clear screen also guarantees you see the details of what you’re trying to capture and have a good grasp of the video camera controls.
It’s only been a few days and we’re still trying to explore the other features of this phone. We’ll update this post as we discover much more things that we think can be useful to travelers like us, so check back every now and then!
Be the first to know about Huawei’s sub-brand Honor’s newest Smartphone honor 8X which comes out on October 10, 2018. prices and availability will be announced soon.
For much more information, please check out honor online at www.hihonor.com or follow them on:
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
This post is brought to you by Honor. Opinions are my own.
2️⃣0️⃣1️⃣8️⃣ • 1️⃣0️⃣ • 7️⃣
More suggestions on YouTube ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Related Posts:
8 things You could purchase with the P1620 travel tax
How travel helped Me quit Smoking
AirAsia launches project to help Indonesia Earthquake Victims
7 Christmas gift ideas for pals who love to travel
Cebu Pacific launches JUAN effect sustainable travel campaign in Siargao
TOP 12 favorite DESTINATIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES (So Far)
11 films Showcasing Philippine Destinations that You can view on iWant
2Go launches new Vessel: MV 2GO MALIGAYA