I always found it very hard to take seriously smartphones ASUS. Yes, they were very good in terms of price and capabilities. Yes, they have sometimes met a beautiful built-in cameras, especially in comparison with smartphones of the same price group. But none of them could boast of a Thing (with capital letters) and did not cause desire to put aside the Samsung or Sony.
And all of a sudden ASUS releases an innovative handset – the ZenFone Zoom, a smartphone with a real working optical zoom
General view of ASUS ZenFone Zoom
Attempts to combine compact camera with a smartphone, of course, were before. You may recall Nikon on Android, which never became popular. You can think of the Samsung Galaxy Camera. But they were hybrid devices, while ASUS offers us a clean smartphone. And it is captivating. At least not at first.
What was happening?
ASUS ZenFone Zoom
Operating system
Android 5.0 (Lollipop)
Processor
CPU – Intel Atom Z3590, 4 cores, 2.5 GHz
graphics processor – PowerVR G64300
Memory
4 GB of RAM, the storage of 32/64/128 GB + slot miroSD
Mobile communication/data transmission
GSM/GPRS/EDGE, UMTS, HDSPA/HSUPA, LTE
The screen
5.5 inch, 1920×1080, IPS
Interfaces
USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS/GLONASS
Camera
primary – 13 MP, F2.7-4.8, autofocus, 3x optical zoom, stabilizer
front – 5 MP, F2.0
Battery
3000 mAh, non-removable
The format of the SIM card
nano-SIM
Dimensions
159x79x12 mm
Weight
185 g
The approximate price
50 000 rubles (the model with 128 GB of memory)
Have a look at the ZenFone Zoom better, it would appear that we have before us the most that neither is an ordinary machine on the Intel platform.
Two killer features: design and camera. But no, it’s just a camera because with the design in ASUS frankly too clever by half
In my opinion, the appearance of the Taiwan cameraphone is more likely to repel than to attract.
Visibly at the root
About the camera need to know the following: 13 megapixels and three times optical zoom. It should again be noted that the ASUS ZenFone Zoom is a flat body, and the lens does not extend outside the case at zoom. However, inside there is a movable lens group and we are talking about optical zoom.
Lens built-in camera of ASUS ZenFone Zoom
It turns out that when you change the focal length of the lens are not moving across the body of the smartphone and along. And in order that the picture is normally transmitted from the front lens to the sensor in the optical scheme added two prismatic lenses. Of course, this significantly affected the thickness of the body.
ASUS ZenFone Zoom not thin. But if we compare with previous attempts to implement optical zoom, this is a clear success
Diagram of the device camera the ASUS ZenFone Zoom
In addition, the camera boasts a laser autofocus (like the LG G4 and G5 and Huawei P9), optical stabilization, for which the claimed compensation of up to four exposure steps and a separate hardware button for video recording. The latter would be more relevant for compact digital camera, since the mobile phones dedicated button for video recording is usually located on the screen. Probably, therefore in ASUS wanted to unload the interface, but nothing good ever came of it. More on this later, but for now take a look at the examples of shooting a built-in camera and optical zoom.
Without zoom
Maximum zoom
Without zoom
Maximum zoom
Without zoom
Maximum zoom
Without zoom
Two-fold zoom
Three-time zoom
Without zoom
Two-fold zoom
Three-time zoom
Without zoom
Two-fold zoom
Three-time zoom
Equivalent focal range of 28-84 mm is, and aperture while zooming is reduced from F2.7 to F4.8. Along with it decreases and the resolution of the optics. ASUS tactfully silent about it, but at 100% magnification the difference is visible to the naked eye.
The next moment – at maximum zoom, the optical stabilizer is practically useless, as stated, four levels of exposure can only be won in the wide-angle position. Nevertheless, the result is very decent for built-in camera. And here are a few examples of photography in everyday settings.
By the way, the optical zoom works during shooting video in the example below, you can evaluate the performance of the stabilizer in various positions of the zoom.
In General, on the part of shooting in manual or automatic modes to ASUS no claims can not be. But when it comes but special regimes, which features a leg break. First, too many of them. And secondly, the very logic of the separation at times mind-blowing. For example, night mode and shooting mode in low light posted in different sections. Miniature effect (simulated tilt-shift lens) and the shallow depth of field (imitation of shooting fast lenses), too. As a result, the selection of modes is three and the screen is frankly overloaded. But most importantly: most of these regimes will remain useless.
It seems that the camera at the hardware level implemented one group of people, and the software is completely different
And I have the feeling that overall they did not exist: neither age nor philosophy, nor education, nor even sexual orientation. ASUS have not hesitate to “borrow” the design from Apple laptops, but “inspired” by the camera interface iPhone why-it did not. And for good reason.
External circumstances
Design ZenFone Zoom typical smartphone middling overall. The hardware features a built-in camera is not allowed to make the case thin enough, but 12 mm is not a tragedy. Moreover, such a body becomes thick at the thickest point, around the camera module, but on average it does not exceed 9-10 mm.
ASUS ZenFone Zoom, front view
The front panel is entirely black, at the bottom is a shiny engraved panel, a pleasure “playing” in the sun. But I was very confused by the mere use of premium materials (in this case skin) to such a cheap and mass model. Now why is it assumed that leather, metal and glass permanent, expensive and quality materials. They say metal smartphone is good in itself, and being covered with skin, it immediately becomes similar to Vertu. This is complete nonsense! Lada and Bentley in General consist of the same materials, but you can figure that out.
ASUS ZenFone Zoom, rear view
The rear panel ZenFone Zoom, of course, trimmed in leather. Which understand correctly, looks like leather, smells like leather, but overall looks very cheap. Tactile sensations it is more like a rough plastic, and in terms of usability is great it is inferior. In General, in my opinion, attempt to add the premium affordable smartphone senseless little more than full. And let among smartphones ASUS ZenFone Zoom and the truth has a special status, he can not compete with real flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S7 (review), Apple iPhone 6S Plus or even HTC 10 (preliminary review).
The right side face of the housing ASUS ZenFone Zoom
The left side face of the housing ASUS ZenFone Zoom
Despite the large size, case ASUS ZenFone Zoom nice fits in your hand. All buttons are grouped on the right side, while the left is empty. The volume buttons are responsible for optical zoom in the camera, which is very reasonable, nearby there is a two-position shutter release button and a separate button for video.
The upper end of the housing ASUS ZenFone Zoom
The lower end of the housing ASUS ZenFone Zoom
The ends are filled in more traditional ways. On the top is the headphone Jack on the bottom – microUSB. And finally it is worth to pay attention to long-forgotten element is the eyelet for the lace. Smartphones have long and successfully do without it, but a compact camera without a small strap is impossible to imagine.
Movie button and video recording on the case ASUS ZenFone Zoom
Everything else
ASUS ZenFone Zoom uses quite ordinary IPS screen diagonal of 5.5 inches and a resolution of 1920×1080. Before having such a matrix was for happiness, and now it will not surprise anyone. The viewing angles are maximum, the stored brightness is more than enough. It is, however, to consider the fact that the brightness is often limited to the automation, and manual adjustment is not the full range. But it’s for your own good, that is for more economical energy consumption. For the tests had “forcibly” set the brightness at 200 CD/m2. And, overall, the ZenFone Zoom has shown good results.
The test results ASUS ZenFone Zoom in PCMark
Quad-core Intel Atom Z3590 works in conjunction with a graphics accelerator PowerVR G6430. Not the best decision, frankly, but in most games I can play without any problems. The test results confirm this.
The test results ASUS ZenFone Zoom in 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited
The test results ASUS ZenFone Zoom in Geekbench
ASUS ZenFone Zoom has a removable battery. The back cover is removable, but only in order to give access slots for SIM and microSD stick. One of the slots, by the way, combined: it can be installed either memory card or the second SIM-ku. Although this approach is widespread, it still looks weird.
Fish bezrybe
From the point of view of the marketer, ASUS ZenFone Zoom gets into unique and no one occupied a niche in Russia. Samsung Galaxy K Zoom has long lost its relevance. Exotic Panasonic CM1 and CM10 in Russia is not officially sold, and are fundamentally different in nature: they have no zoom lens, and the focus is on large sensor and aperture optics. So if we proceed from the capabilities of the camera, to choose competitors for the ZenFone Zoom is almost impossible. And if you forget about the zoom and treat it like a 5.5-inch smartphone with a quality camera, the choice is so wide that simply eyes run. One tube (say, LG G4) will now be much cheaper, while others (Samsung Galaxy S7 or HTC 10) will be offered and the case is prettier, and the interface poizyaschnee, and the overall experience more pleasant. Now she sells ASUS ZenFone Zoom with 128 GB of memory for 50 thousand rubles, but if you want you can find the version of the model with 64 GB of about 35 thousand. There shines ZenFone Zoom has a great future with such a price – the big question.
A closer look at the camera ASUS ZenFone Zoom
Well, if you are talking about the main feature of the smartphone is the optical zoom — in General it is good, fresh and has great importance for the market as a whole. And let ZenFone Zoom has not made a breakthrough in terms of quality, we can assume that it’s a start. And if ASUS as a smartphone manufacturer) and Hoya (as the developer of the camera module) will continue to develop the technology, in a year or two we will have a little more zoom, and higher quality, and the smartphone itself cheaper.