Apple's iPhone is taking shots yet again by competing device manufacturers.
This time it's Taiwan's Asus firing shots at the iPhone 6S Plus' camera. Based on how the company describes its just-released ZenFone Zoom, it believes it hias an iPhone killer in its hands. (But don't they all?)
"In terms of image quality the ZenFone Zoom can not only rival single-lens reflex (SLR) camera, judging from all the features it as well as outshine iPhone 6s Plus," claims Asus Chairman, Jonney Shih.
The Asus ZenFone Zoom sports a 13-megapixel rear camera with a 3X optical zoom lens. (On the front is a 5-megapixel camera; no zoom.) Most smartphones today equipped with optical zoom lenses tend to be bulkier and heavier than non-zoom cameras. That isn't so with Asus' Zoom phone. It magically measures at a wafer-thin 5mm.
The device is quite a looker, too. We're partial to the all-black unit made with aerospace-grade 6063-series aluminum and a reinforced internal structure encased in a faux leather rear cover. There should be no bendgate issues here with this phone. But, of course, the camera is the standout feature on the device.
How Asus packed a special 10-element lens in such a thin body is beyond us, but optics experts at HOYA are said to have played a hand in the unit's camera design. As stated on the company's website, four aspherical, two prismatic, and another four ultra-low glass lenses were masterfully arranged in a dual-periscope array allowing maximal capture of incoming light for the best image quality on a smartphone today. In addition, Asus even included a physical camera button on the side of the device.
Having 3X optical zoom isn't so great if pictures turned out blurry. That's why Asus has also included optical image stabilization so that taking pictures on the ZenFone Zoom remain rock steady and shots come out looking crystal clear. On top of all the lens and sensor tech, the unit also has a dual-LED Real Tone flash and unusually speedy 0.03 second auto-focus capabilities.
Other specs include a 5.5-inch IPS display with 403ppi, a sizeable 3,000mAh battery with BoostMaster charging that allows for a 60 percent charge in just 39 minutes, and a suite of other apps native to the Asus ecosystem.
