It is not many years since camera entered our phones. But it has quickly become one of the most loved and most used feature of smartphone. Not surprisingly, almost all smartphone makers pay special attention to the camera of their phones. In fact, many brands are making a good camera as the leading highlight of their phone.
ASUS is one such brand. Ever since ASUS started the ZenFone line, camera has been one of the highlights of these devices. All ZenFones so far have had PixelMaster camera boasting of giving great results even in low light. For photography enthusiasts, ASUS also launched the ZenFone Zoom series that has camera-focused devices.
On 17 th August, 2017, ASUS has added to the lineup of ZenFone Zoom series by launching ZenFone Zoom S. Goes without saying that camera is the biggest highlight of this new smartphone. But with an impressive camera, Zoom S also packs a very nice set of specifications at a competitive price.
Commenting upon the launch of ZenFone Zoom S, Peter Chang, Regional Head, South Asia & Country Head, System Business Group - ASUS India said, "On the onset of World Photography Day, ASUS India wishes to rejuvenate the passion and commitment of photography enthusiast by launching ZenFone Zoom S. We at ASUS have maintained a resolute and enduring commitment to championing mobile photography and ZenFone 3 - 'Built for Photography' launched in 2016 is testimony of the same fact. Today, we reinstate our commitment to help consumers catch the beauty of every moment with the ZenFone Zoom S. An incredible device that combines a dual-lens camera system with an unbeatable battery - ZenFone Zoom S will set new bar for mobile photography."
Camera
ASUS claims that ZenFone Zoom S is the brand's most accomplished camera smartphone yet. Instead of the PixelMaster cameras found in other ZenFones, Zoom S has a SuperPixel Camera. ASUS claims the hardware and software combination gives the SuperPixel cameras light sensitivity that is 2.5 times (2.5X) that of Apple iPhone 7 Plus.
Rear Camera
- Dual-camera: The ZenFone Zoom S has a dual-camera setup at the rear. There is one 12 MP SuperPixel Camera capable of better low-light photography. The second rear camera is the 12MP, 59mm camera capable of 2.3X optical zoom and 12X total zoom. The SuperPixel camera is ideal for taking general or closeup shots (upto 10cm). The optical-zoom camera is ideal for capturing distant objects. This dual-camera setup gives users the freedom to switch lenses and compose shots in different perspectives.
- Once the ZenFone Zoom S gets the Android 7 Nougat update, it will gain the ability to save the photos in RAW format with full data captured by the sensor. It also gives users more control over the photo capture with its Full Manual mode. This mode allows users to fine-tune the camera settings like white balance, exposure value, shutter speed etc. to capture better shots. This camera is also capable of Continuous autofocus 4K UHD video recording (3840×2160) at 30 frames per second.
- ZenFone Zoom S has Four-axis Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and three-axis Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS). It is also equipped with RGB Color-correction sensor for more natural colors in photos. It has a 48MP Super Resolution mode for photos with 4X clarity. Besides this, the camera also has 19 other modes.
- ASUS SuperPixel technology: The main rear camera of ZenFone Zoom S is aided by the new ASUS SuperPixel engine hardware and image Digital-Signal-Processing software. This claims to boost the light sensitivity of the camera up to four times (4X).
- Large 1.4-micron pixel size: The main rear camera of ZenFone Zoom uses Sony IMX362 sensor with pixels measuring 1.4 microns (µm) wide pixels. The sensor size is 1/2.55-inch. This is pretty large for a smartphone camera.
- f/1.7 lens aperture: The main rear SuperPixel camera also has a very impressive f/1.7 lens aperture.
- ASUS 0.03s TriTech+ autofocus: For capturing the moments quickly, ZenFone Zoom S is equipped with ASUS TriTech+™ autofocus system. ASUS TriTech+ uses three different technologies to set the focus. These are Dual Pixel PDAF, 2nd general laser autofocus and the subject-tracking autofocus. The autofocus system can automatically choose the best technology to use depending on the subject. As per ASUS, the TriTech+ autofocus system of Zoom S can achieve focus in 0.03 seconds
Front Camera:
The front camera of ZenFone Zoom S has a 13MP SONY IMX214 sensor with an f/2.0 aperture lens. It is capable of shooting high-resolution selfies using the ASUS SuperPixel technology. For low-light selfies, it has a 'screen flash' mode which uses the display as a flash.
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Other Key Specifications:
Besides the cameras, the other highlight of ASUS ZenFone Zoom S is its high-capacity 5000mAh battery. This battery has reverse-charging capability (can charge other phones). It boasts of giving 2 days' continuous usage on a single charge.
Zoom S is equipped with Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 625 14nm processor. It has 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage (expandable). Zoom S has 5.5in Full HD 1920 x 1080 AMOLED display with 500 nits brightness and 2.5D contoured Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. It is a dual-SIM, Cat 4 LTE device. All this sounds good and should ensure swift and stable performance of the device.
However, Zoom S comes with Android 6.0 operating system. This is really disappointing. Although, the device will get the FOTA update to Android Nougat 7.0, any further software upgrade is not likely. It would have been great had it come with Android 7.0 out of the box.
The fingerprint sensor at the back supports 360 degrees, 5 finger recognition and allows users to receive calls with a finger swipe. It also has a blue-light filter for reducing the eye strain over long period of phone usage.
Audio:
The ZenFone Zoom S is equipped with a 5-Magnet speaker boosted by an NXP SmartAMP to deliver clearer and fuller sound. The ZenFone Zoom S is HiRes certified and can deliver lossless audio formats through earphones. The device also features DTS Headphone:X to deliver a virtual 7.1ch Surround Sound effect over headphones.
Appearance:
ASUS ZenFone Zoom S is world's slimmest and lightest 5.5-inch smartphone that has a 2.3X Optical and 12 X Digital Zoom in a Dual Camera setup and 5000 mAh battery. It measures 154.3 x 77 x 7.99mm and weighs 170 grams. It has a full metal body construction with a sand-blasted finish. The edges are gently curved for a comfortable grip. It is available in Navy Black & Glacier Silver colours.
Availability & Price of ASUS ZenFone Zoom S:
Zoom S is priced at INR 26,999/-. It will be available exclusively on Flipkart.
ASUS ZenFone Zoom S Specification & Price in India:
- Construction: Premium-crafted aluminum-alloy design with 2.5D contoured Corning Gorilla Glass 5
- Display: 5.5in Full HD 1920 x 1080 AMOLED display, 500 nits brightness, 2.5D contoured Corning Gorilla Glass 5
- CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, 14nm Octa-core @ 2.0 GHz
- GPU: Adreno 506
- Memory: 4GB RAM / 64GB internal storage
- Rear SuperPixel camera: 12MP SuperPixel™ camera, 25mm, f/1.7 aperture, 6p lens, 81.8-degree field of view, 1/2.55" type sensor size, 1.4um pixel size Sony IMX362 sensor, OIS, 4K UHD video recording with EIS, RAW shooting support with Android 7.0 (N)
- Rear Zoom Camera: 12MP, 59mm (2.3x true optical zoom), f/2.6 aperture, 1/3.42" type sensor size
- Front Camera: 13MP PixelMaster 3.0 camera, f/2.0 aperture, SONY IMX214 sensor, five-element Largan lens
- Wireless: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot, Cat.4 LTE.
- Supports VoLTE (via FOTA update)
- SIM card and SD slot: Slot 1:Nano SIM (3G/4G), Slot 2:Nano SIM (3G/4G) / Micro SD up to 2TB
- OS: Android 6.0 with ZenUI 3.0 (Upgradable to Android 7.0 Nougat)
- Battery: Li-Po 5000mAh, Supports Reverse Charging, Supports BoostMaster fast charging
- Audio: 5-magnet speaker with NXP Smart Amp for up to 4 times better performance, Dual microphone with noise cancellation, Audio Wizard for enhanced audio experience, DTS Headphone:X virtual 7.1ch surround sound technology over headphones, 192kHz/24-bit HiRes Audio support (4x CD quality), ZenEar in-box
- Dimensions: 154.3 x 77 x 7.99mm
- Weight: 170 grams
- Color: Navy Black, Glacier Silver
- Price: INR 26,999/-
- Availability: Flipkart
