Tag Archives: flagship

FUJIFILM X-T4 Launches With Stability Control

FUJIFILM’s cameras have been quite iconic and has been a go to for plenty of hobbyist and professionals alike. Their mirrorless APS-C flagships like the X-T2 and X-T3 proved to be some of the most popular platforms among photographers. There was a very minor issue with the X-T3 though, as modern cameras go. It does not have any sort of stabilisation built into the body of the camera itself.

Source: FUJIFILM

That is all about to change with the new X-T4 though. The new X-T4 comes with an in-body stabiliser this time bringing it in the classes of Sony’s α6000 series cameras. Do not get me wrong though, the X-T3 was a very good camera with superb image quality. Some say that the X-T3 was better than the α6000 series cameras. To a certain extent, that is true.

Enough about the older models though. This is the X-T4, the new flagship camera from FUJIFILM. It still has the 26.1-Megapixels packed into the APS-C X Trans CMOS 4 back illuminated sensor. The image processor is also still the brilliant X-Processor 4 which also shoots at high-speeds like the older X-T3.

Source: FUJIFILM

While it may not sound like FUJIFILM has fitted any more than just a stabiliser hardware, the improvements are more than you can see. The battery, for example, is now a bigger one. It now allows you to shoot about 500 shots per charge in normal mode. If you get the optional battery grip, you can bring the grand total frame captured to 1,700 shots. That could be worth a whole day of shooting.

The camera is faster too, the X-Processor 4 now has to keep up with 15 fps mechanical burst shots. It also has to respond faster with just 0.035 seconds in shutter lag. Somehow they made it quieter than the X-T3 too, 30% quieter to be exact.

Source: FUJIFILM

The FUJIFILM X-T4 also features a new “ETERNA Bleach Bypass” feature. It is technically a fancier digital filter. Except, that is is supposed to be better than just a filter. If you work with film cameras, you might know what Bleach Bypass is. It basically produces photos with low colour saturation but super high contrast; very unique and artistic.

You get more control on your photos now too. Your highlight and shadow tone adjustments can be done in halves instead of single stops. You even get to choose your priority for white balancing as well. To be fair, I do a fair bit of white balancing manually whenever I get the chance to.

Source: FUJIFILM

Of course you still get the brilliant EVF and vari-angle display for a more versatile shoot positioning. The EVF now features an eyecup with locking mechanisms though so you can keep using it without having to worry about misplacing the eye cup.

We have to talk about the in-body stabilisation for a short bit though. It is not the usual spring loaded stabiliser that we are used to. Instead, it is a magnetic stabiliser which also means that the whole mechanism is floating. The benefits are more than just sounding cool though. It takes up less space and therefore allows FUJIFILM to fit the same sensor in near identical body shape and size.

The result is added stability in your photos. If you have built-in stabilisers in your lenses, the result is going to be even better. Super steady photos produce even better and clearer details; who would not want that? The improved stability also helps with videos.

You can now shoot Full HD videos at 240fps. That also means you can create super slow-motion videos. Beyond that, you may not need to bring your dolly or passive stabiliser out anymore to record videos thanks to the in-body stabilisation. Yes, it shoots at 4K 60fps too. Wedding videographers and film makers might really want to take advantage of this. Film makers will also now rejoice with an improved F-Log function to shoot low saturation, high contrast videos for better detailing.

The FUJIFILM X-T4 should be available soon. At least that is what is being reported else where. We can expect the X-T4 to arrive in Malaysia before Q2 2020 ends. The X-T4 (body only) is reported to start from US$ 1,700 (MYR 7,183) though, which is more expensive than the X-T3 at launch. Still, it is a flagship camera.

HONOR View30 Pro – Creator Grade Videos Made Possible

HONOR launched a bunch of things this morning (Malaysia time). One of them is their highly anticipated HONOR View30 Pro flagship. The big surprise with it though is that it does not come with four cameras.

Source: HONOR

Since we are on that subject, the HONOR View30 Pro comes with an array of three cameras instead of the four that we are used to on its HUAWEI counterparts. There is the 40-Megapixel SuperSensing main cameram, which has been known to take superb photos on their own. Then there is the 8-Megapixel telephoto for to see even further out. The game changer for the View30 Pro though is the 12-Megapixel ultra-wide sensor that they call a Cine-Camera.

The Cine-Camera is a pretty normal ultra-wide sensor, if you look at it. The thing is though, it is not just a normal ultra-wide sensor. They packed it with a 5-axis EIS, not OIS mind you. That is enough to give you much smoother videos on the get go though. It records at 4K resolution with EIS helping to really stabilise the footage. You can shoot videos in two modes at a single time too. The DualView videography captures videos using both main lens and the ultra-wide lens.

Source: HONOR

There are some very big advantages to shooting videos in the 18mm ultra-wide lens that the HONOR View30 Pro boasts. For one, you get a bigger field of vision. Two you get to go closer to the subject and have a more cinematic vision of your videos. You capture more to tell your story and frame your story better. There are reasons why film makers like to use wide angle lenses you know. Beyond that, you can also use the cine-camera as a macro lens.

A powerful camera needs a powerful processor. That power comes in the form of the HiSilicon Kirin 990 5G ready System on a Chip (SoC). This also means that the HONOR View30 Pro is capable of 5G connectivity, wherever it is available of course.

The 5G speed and powerful SoC translates to super smooth and near instant experience you feel through the 6.57-inch FullView display boasting Full HD+ resolution. Speaking of display, the FullView display on the HONOR View30 Pro is a punch hole display with two cameras housed in the whole as selfie cameras. One is a 31-Megapixel shooter and the other is an 8-Megapixel ultra-wide shooter.

All Android 10 based Magic UI 3.0.1 goodness are topped off and powered by a 4,100 mAh battery. Keep in mind that this will come with HUAWEI Mobile Services, which also means you are not going to have official access to Google’s Play Store. Yes, you are not wrong 5G will indefinitely drain the battery faster. You can charge it even faster with 40W of fast charging though. Wirelessly, it can charge at 27W too, not what you call slow.

The HONOR View30 Pro looks set of being launched in three colours – Ocean Blue, Icelandic Frost, and Midnight Black. It will be available in selected markets in March 2020, just like the MagicBook. There is no official price that comes with it just yet though. They will announce it at a later date obviously, but if the HONOR View20 Pro was any indication, we are expecting the price to be in the low 2,000s or the high 1,000s in Malaysia. Until then. We can only patiently wait.

The HUAWEI Mate Xs Getting in on The Fold!

HUAWEI showcased the interestingly complex and advanced HUAWEI Mate X, a foldable smartphone that is unlike anything that we could imagine a foldable smartphone would be. Instead of folding inward, the display of the Mate X folds outward. That also means that when the HUAWEI Mate X is folded, the display wraps around the side to the back.

We did not actually see the HUAWEI Mate X making it into the smartphone market mix in Malaysia. Which also means we did not even get to see it in person. Still, it made the foldable smartphone market a little bit more interesting than what it already is. It gives the foldable smartphone market something to think about, because it was an unconventional solution to a conventional problem.

This year is still about foldable smartphones apparently. Of course, there was the Samsung Galaxy Fold that came in with a large display that folds in. There is an external display of course when the display is folded in. Then there is the Motorola RAZR and most recently the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip that was just announced two weeks ago. Oh yes, the Z Flip is going to make it in Malaysia.

Of course, HUAWEI is not going to be the only one missing out. For this year they are launching their brand-new HUAWEI Mate Xs. Like the Mate X we saw in CES 2019 last year, the HUAWEI Mate Xs features the familiar Falcon Wing Hinge. The one found on the HUAWEI Mate Xs is supposed to be sturdier than the original Mate X though, at least that is what they are claiming.

Like the Mate X of 2020, it also features a display that folds out into a larger display instead of folding in. Which also means that the Mate Xs will have a wrap-around display as well. Folded in, the main display measures in at 6-inch. That extends to 8-inch once popped out. Yes, it is a spring loaded mechanism, only for the first part of the unfold though.

As one of the leaders in 5G infrastructures and technology, the HUAWEI Mate Xs comes with 5G capabilities too. While it does have dual SIM capability, the other SIM tray can only support up to 4G connectivity, understandably as well.

Of course, a new flashy flagship has to come with a flashy processor. For that, the HUAWEI Mate Xs gets a HiSilicon Kirin 990 System on a Chip (SoC). Of course, that also means that the HUAWEI Mate Xs is perfect for multitaskers with multi-window capabilities built-into the User Interface (UI). You can even open two instances of a single app if the app supports App Multiplier feature. Imagine having two instances of WhatsApp running at the same time.

Instead of having two or even three camera arrangements though, HUAWEI has gone quite conventional with a single camera array. The single camera array is still a system of HUAWEI’s proven SuperSensing 40-Megapixel quad camera set-up. Supporting the main camera is a 16-Megapixel ultra-wide shooter, 8-Megapixel telephoto lens, and a 3D depth sensor for better Bokeh photos.

A large screen, as usual, needs a large battery. The HUAWEI Mate Xs packs a 4,500mAh battery. While that may not sound that big compared to equivalent 8-inch tablets, you must remember that HUAWEI smartphones do come with some very impressive battery life, according to user testimonies anyway. If that is not enough for you in a day though it charges at 55w; that is as fast as some notebook PC these days. The notebook that typed out this release, for example, charges at minimum of 40W. With 55w charging, the HUAWEI Mate Xs charges from empty to full within 40 minutes.

teThe HUAWEI Mate Xs is said to be sold globally next month, March 2020. Earlier in the presentation Richard Yu did say that the new smartphone will be expensive. How expensive? EU€ 2,499 expensive. That is about MYR 11,500 and that is for the 8GB RAM and 512GB storage variant. Yes, it does come with 5G connectivity. The HUAWEI Mate Xs comes with their very own EMUI 10.0.1 and HUAWEI Mobile Services based on the Android operating system. It does not support Google’s Play Store though.

LG Unveils New K Series Smartphones

LG, mainly known for its home appliances in Malaysia, has unveiled three new phones. The three phones will be under the K series line-up consisting of K61, K51S and K41S. All three phones are expected to be available soon later in March 2020. 

This is the first time the K series phones came without a thick bezel on the top to house the front-facing camera and earpiece. This time around LG has joined the trend of thin bezels with big screen to body ratio. LG has also opted for the punch-hole design for the selfie camera on all three of its new K series phones. 

Source: LG

Other upgrades are to the camera. LG is finally integrating a multi-camera set up into their flagship devices. Specifically, the LG K61 will be coming with a quad camera set-up with a 48-Megapixel main camera with phase-detect auto focus (PDAF). The second camera is an 8-Megapixel ultra-wide lens, followed by a 2-Megapixel macro lens and lastly a 5-Megapixel depth sensor. As for the front facing camera LG packed a 16-Megapixel shooter in the punch hole housing. 

Source: LG

Configuration for the LG K51S on the other hand is a little different from the K61. the main sensor is a 32-Megapixel with PDAF, followed by a 5-Megapixel ultra-wide, a 2-Megapixel macro lens, and lastly a 2-Megapixel depth sensor. The last smartphone, the LG K41S has the same camera configuration as the LG K51S except for the main PDAF lens. The main PDAF lens on the K41S is a lower 13-Megapixel sensor. For the selfie camera the K51S comes with a 13-Megapixel and the K41S comes with a 8-Megapixel sensor. 

Source: LG

None of the phone pricing has been released, but LG says three new K series phones will be available starting in the Americas followed by markets in Europe then Asia in the second quarter of 2020. Malaysia specifically? We might not even see them, but one can dream.

Xiaomi Mi 10 Series Unveiled!

Just nine months after the release of their flagship phone and four different products after that, the Chinese manufacturer known for their value-for-money smartphones, Xiaomi is already launching a new flagship phone for the year 2020. New year; new flagship, am I right? Just like all flagships, the device carries the latest top-of-the-line processor – the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865.

Source: Xiaomi

XIaomi’s Mi 10 Series are the first devices in the year 2020 to pack Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 865 processor with 5G capabilities. Overall clock speed has increased (obviously), but clock speed is so yesterday. 5G on the other hand is the latest buzz. The new Octa-core processor though has a maximum clock speed of 2.84GHz; a 25% increase of performance in both CPU and GPU compared to last year’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 855. It is also supposed to consume less power; specifically 35% less power than its predecessor.

With great power comes great responsibility picture quality. Xiaomi is stepping up its game with a quad camera system with a 108-Megapixel main camera in both the Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro. But that is all the similarities between the cameras of both devices in the series. On the Mi 10, you get a 13-Megapixel Ultra-Wide lens, a 2-Megapixel Macro lens, and another 2-Megapixel depth sensor.

The Mi 10 Pro on the other hand come with a better 8-Megapixel telephoto lens, a 12-Megapixel 50mm portrait lens (technically also a 2x optical zoom telephoto lens), a 20-Megapixel Ultra-Wide lens. Thanks to the insane 108-Megapixel camera and the new super powerful System on a Chip (SoC) both devices are able to capture 8K (7,680 x 4,320 pixels) videos. Using the 8K video you are also able to capture clear 33MP (technically 8K resolution anyway) photos while recording.

Source: Xiaomi

While most of the fancy features are reserved for the main camera. The selfie camera is not neglected. It shoots at a decent 20-Megapixel. Still that is 12-Megapixel less than the Xiaomi Mi Note 10. The camera is nestled in the punch hole at the top left of the display, not the usual tear-drop style taht we are used to like in the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Pro.

Speaking of cameras, you need a display to view the photos that you take with the super powerful cameras. The Xiaomi Mi 10 comes with the usual curved Full HD+ AMOLED curved DotDisplay measuring in at 6.67-inch compared; bigger than the 6.47-inch of the Mi Note 10. While you lose out on ppi counts, the device makes up for it in its 90Hz refresh rate for a super smooth navigation experience. 60Hz feels sluggish when you put it next to the Xiaomi Mi 10 series devices. The AMOLED DotDisplay also boast some of the best colour accuracy in the market with ΔE<1.1.

Watching movies is a joy with the highly advanced and fast display. Dual stereo speakers on the Mi 10 series devices helps boost the immersive experience. Unfortunately though the Xiaomi Mi 10 will not ship with a 3.5mm jack. Rather, you get a 3.5mm jack dongle in the box. That kind of sucks.

For you to enjoy hours of mindless video content the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro 4,500 mAh battery and the Xiaomi Mi 10 comes with 4,780 mAh battery. The Mi 10 Pro has 50W fast charging that is able to charge from 0% to 100% in just 65 minutes; Impressive.

Source: Xiaomi

There will be three variants of the Mi 10, an 8GB RAM + 256GB storage, 12GB RAM + 256GB storage and 12GB RAM with 512GB of storage. Prices starting from RMB 3,999 that translates to about RM 2,373.

The Mi 10 Pro also has three variants starting with, 8GB RAM + 256GB storage, 12GB RAM + 256GB storage and lastly 12GB RAM + 512GB storage. Where the Mi 10 Pro starts at RMB 4,999 with roughly translates to about RM 2,966.

The Korean Triple Threat is Back – The Samsung Galaxy S20 Line-Up Unpacks Today!

In the modern smartphone age today, there are a few launches that is always anticipated within the year. One of them is from Samsung early on in the year. This will be the Samsung Galaxy S line, for this year it will be the number 20, matching the year 2020.

Just like last year, and as the title suggests, there are three of them to complete the line-up. Unlike last year, the naming scheme is a little different. You start with a plain old Samsung Galaxy S20, then there is the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus, and then the biggest Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra. All of them packs 5G support. Of course, if you do not want to dive into 5G just yet or want to fork out that much more money, there is the regular LTE version of the devices.

Samsung Galaxy S20

Samsung’s Galaxy S20 is Samsung’s smallest 2020 Galaxy S device thus far. Barring the Samsung Galaxy S20 Lite, which might be quite inevitable, the smallest Galaxy S20 device will pack either a Samsung staple Exynos System on a Chip (SoC) for the global market or the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC for the United States market. Malaysia will no doubt get the Exynos version.

The Android 10 device will come with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for the LTE version. If you opt for the 5G version you get up to 12GB with the same internal storage option. Of course, you can expand that with a MicroSD card. Remember when Samsung did not allow the Galaxy Note5 to be MicroSD expandable? Disaster that one.

There is a square camera array arrangement going on at the back with three lenses. There is the main 12-Megapixel shooter, which is quite expected. It does not have the dual aperture that was known since the Samsung Galaxy S9 though. Paired to the main shooter is a 64-Megapixel telephoto shooter that enables the Samsung Galaxy S20 to have an optical zoom factor of 3x. Of course they will not forget the all-important 12-Megapixel ultra-wide angle sensor for that beautiful wide angle shots. Up front is a 10-Megapixel selfie shooter which should produce some stellar results.

Source: Samsung

As expected the Samsung Galaxy S20 has the beautiful Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O panel. It measures at 6.2-inch and pushes out the usual and expected 1440p Quad HD+ (1,440 x 3,200 pixels at 30Hz). Of course, Samsung being Samsung the display is an HDR10+. Oh, before we forget, it is a 120Hz (defaults to 1080p) display too so you should be getting an ultra smooth experience with the device. Thanks to 240Hz screen response rate, you should get a snappier experience too.

The OneUI 2.0 flagship will ship with a large 4,000 mAh battery under the familiar design language (very much like Note10 series) with some interesting colourways. The large battery can also be used to revers charge any wireless charging devices you may have in your accessory cabinet. There is no 3.5mm jack to be found anywhere, which is still quite sad.

Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus (S20+)

The bigger, bulkier Samsung Galaxy S20+ is technically a blown up version of the regular S20. Instead of the S20’s measly 6.2-inch though, you get a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O display with the same resolution and refresh rate. Bigger is better, right?

Of course bigger devices also means bigger battery and more cameras. Instead of the three cameras, it has four within the same camera array set up. There is an additional DepthVision Camera that helps with depth detection and therefore better Bokeh results.

Storage and RAM wise, if you opt for the LTE version, you are not getting anything more than what you would be getting on the regular Galaxy S20. Yes, 8GB RAM plus 128GB storage with MicroSD expandability. If you opt for the 5G version you get 12GB of RAM with up to 512GB in storage. Nice? Nice.

Source: Samsung

Of course, it comes with a bigger battery too at 4,500mAh. Obviously you get to chose from the same colour options too. Except, you do not get Cloud Pink. Hey, at least you can choose Cosmic Black.

Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra

This is even bigger than the Plus. Its Dynamic AMOLED 2X display measures in at 6.9-inch and pushes Quad HD+ resolution (1440p) at up to 120Hz, just like its little brothers. Big, bigger, biggest.

The Ultra is a different beast entirely though. You get the option of choosing between an LTE or even a 5G version too. Storage options starts from 12GB of RAM and 128GB of storage up to a mind-boggling 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Yes? Yes.

You get a huge 5,000mAh battery too. You would want that battery, 5G can really drain the battery. The cameras too might really drain your battery life.

First of all, up front, in the O-punch hole, you get a 40-Megapixel front-facing camera. That camera is one of the most powerful selfie camera fitted in a Samsung Galaxy device. It is easily the most powerful fitted to a Samsung Galaxy S device.

Source: Samsung

Then there is the rear cameras. Its an array of four cameras too. It is not the usual 12-Megapixel plus 64-Megapixel plus 12-Megapixel arrangement that you get on the lesser models though. This top-of-the-line flagship gets an impressive 108-Megapixel main camera. You might not be surprised that the 108-Megapixel you find on the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Pro is also the same Samsung developed sensor.

The 108-Megapixel camera is paired to a 48-Megapixel telephoto camera that gives the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra the ability to zoom up to 30x optically and 100x digitally. Stalker smartphone alert? Defnitely.

Source: Samsung

There is also a 12-Megapixel ultra-wide angle lens too on the other side. There is also the DepthVision sensor you find on the S20+. If you stayed up and watch the livestream, you might notice a low-light sensor fitted in too. They did not talk about the sensor, but that should help with good looking low-light photos.

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra takes camera to a whole new level not just with the physical cameras too. The new camera array comes with a slew of new software that might really change the game too.

Raising The Camera Game

8K resolution will be standard on all the Galaxy S20 variants. But it does not stop at just long form videos. 8K Video Snap is a new thing, made for more social media use, you can use it to capture moments very quickly by just launching the camera. Keep in mind that if you shoot on 8K using the Samsung Galaxy S20 and the Galaxy S20+ you are using the Telephoto lens. Bummer.

Source: Samsung

While the regular, traditional smartphone cameras take photos using one sensor at a time. The Samsung Galaxy S20 devices takes a single picture file with all the cameras they have. They call this Single Take.

If you work with the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, you get to zoom 30 times, or zoom it out to to ultra-wide photo, or just the regular wide angle photo all within a single shot. No more fiddling around and missing moments. Just make sure you get the right things in the frame and you are set.

The camera software also packs some new flashy Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) that improves on image stabilizing. It also helps with some rolling shutters when you move plenty. Oh yes, this can be your new production camera. They did use the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra to shoot the whole Unpacked 2020, you know.

More Stuff With The Galaxy S20 Series

All The Samsung Galaxy S20 devices in the series will be IP68 certified, as expected with all the modern Samsung Galaxy S devices. All of them will come with Fast Charging too via USB Type-C. If you are hoping the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra comes with 3.5mm jack, it does not too, sadly. All of the Samsung Galaxy S20 devices comes certified with Google’s Live Caption feature as part of Google’s Accessibility program.

Source: Samsung

Of course, it only makes sense if you get Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 at 10W. That wireless receiver can become transmitters for all the devices too. While all the devices come with dual SIM support, they work with eSIM too, which is always great since one of the SIM slots needs to be sacrificed if you opt for a MicroSD expansion.

There are a few colours available for the Samsung Galaxy S20 line-up. They differ slightly as you go through the range though. The Samsung Galaxy S20 comes in Cosmic Grey, or Cloud Blue, or Cloud Pink. The Samsung Galaxy S20+ comes in Cosmic Grey, or Cloud Blue, or Cosmic Black. The S20 Ultra comes in Cosmic Grey or Cosmic Black options only.

Prices start from US$ 999 (MYR 4,129*) for the Samsung Galaxy S20, US$ 1,199 (MYR 4,956*) for the Samsung Galaxy S20+, and US$ 1,399 (MYR 5,782*) for the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra. Keep in mind these are the 5G variants though. Unpacked did not mention anything about the LTE versions but we are definitely getting them in Malaysia. More information on their website.

*Approximate conversion based on US$ 1 = MYR 4.13 on 12/02/2020

UPDATE: The Samsung Galaxy S20 series will start from MYR 3,599 (S20), MYR3,999 (S20+), and MYR 4,999 (S20 Ultra). For Malaysia, the Samsung Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20+ will only be available in LTE variants while the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra will come in both LTE and 5G variants. Pre-orders starts from the 12th of February 2020 at 5.00 p.m. onward to the 26th February 11.59 p.m., terms and conditions apply. The devices should be out in stores on the 4th of March 2020 onward.