Batanes is just one of the “bucket list” destinations of many Filipinos. And if you go there, you DEFINITELY want to capture the moments you’re in that breathtaking province. In my case last week, ASUS Philippines let me try the ASUS Zenfone 3 Laser to document the Batanes trip with other media people and bloggers.
It was an early flight Tuesday, October 25, as we headed to Basco, Batanes to start-off a 4-day adventure in Batanes.
This blog is more focused on the photos I shot and how I shot them using the Zenfone 3 Laser on some of Batanes’ tourist attractions, rather than the destination itself (I will do a separate blog about the travel). This way, most smartphone users can relate to probably many, if not all, the shots that one might be doing using the camera phone in many condition, in my case, the Zenfone 3 Laser
Take note that all of the photos taken are set to AUTO, except for the astro photography at the bottom of this article.
Note: All photos of the trip posted here are shot using the ASUS Zenfone 3 Laser (except for the two shots of the phone itself). NO color manipulations were applied on the photos used on this article. All the photos were just resized to save space and to load faster. Plus, watermarks added.
VAYANG ROLLING HILLS, BASCO, BATANES
Anyone who loves nature and on a search for a serene place would definitely love the Vayang Rolling Hills. Only fitting to take a photo of its lush greenery into the vast sea.
These are the shots from the ASUS Zenfone 3 Laser in different lighting conditions (afternoon until near sunset).
VALUGAN BOULDER BEACH
With different shapes and sizes of rocks to view and the sound of rushing waves, Valugan Boulder Beach poses a unique mix worthy of a selfie.
I tried the ASUS Zenfone 3 Laser 8mp front camera against the light on this one, hoping to set a dramatic feel (pardon for the vanity shot). I am impressed on how the Zenfone 3 Laser was able to balance the light source behind me, without washing out the mid and foreground.
TUKON CHAPEL
Tukon Chapel is a popular wedding venue in Basco for its very private yet picturesque feel to it.
Taking photos outside the Tukon Chapel showing the blue sky (no editing done, only set to auto). Again, the Zenfone 3 Laser did not disappoint me. Even the shot I made from inside the chapel, showing the view outside, made a good balance of the dark tones, light tones and kept the colors intact.
SAVIDUG, SABTANG
Popularized by the stone houses, the Savidug Village in Sabtang is one for the books.
I made sure I have a photo of the Vakul (Ivatan head gear). These photos were shot at noon but still the highlights and shadows are on check on the Zenfone 3 Laser.
Remember, all are set to auto, as I assume, most of the smartphone users are not into manual photography. I took the photo of the Ivatan kids halfway out of the corridor, and the skin tone of the kids turned out to be okay, considering the mix of the lighting condition.
RACUH A PAYAMAN, UYUGAN (Marlboro Country)
Aaaahhh… This place, popularly called as “Marlboro Country” is THE summary of Batanes, as our guide said.
I tried shooting on a 10-second-timed shutter. I just put the ASUS Zenfone 3 Laser on a phone tripod and that’s the result.
BASCO LIGHTHOUSE (Naidi Hill)
Who would miss the Basco Lighthouse on top of Naidi HIll?
No one should, when you’re visiting Batanes.
When we arrived there, it was near sunset. Above is a sample photo of near low-light condition already. Again, set to auto of everything.
ASTRO PHOTOGRAPHY
This, honestly, came a surprise for me as ASUS pushes to emulate what “big brother” DSLRs are doing, long exposure astro photography.
And for a smartphone at this price range, being able to capture astrophotography, decent enough for personal and social media sharing, well, hats off to it.
Again, there were no color manipulation made to the photo, only resizing and watermark.
HOW TO SHOOT ASTRO PHOTOGRAPHY ON ZENFONE 3 LASER:
- You need a tripod to do thisAstro photography
- Very dark place
- Sample setting on a ASUS Zenfone 3 Laser:
- Set to Manual
- ISO – 3200
- WB – 4000K
- Shutter – 32 seconds
My shot is far from perfect, as this is the first time I did this. With more practice, proper timing, my astrophotography using a smartphone can be better.
In essence, I think you have a picture of how it can look like.
VIDEO RECORDING
The video quality of the ASUS Zenfone 3 Laser is a big upgrade from the previous Laser model. Though both capture at 1080p, the Zenfone 3 Laser has better stabilization to it. Though I find it too sharp while viewing on a laptop. If you’ll be using this for video recording of personal stuff, this can definitely do the job pretty well.
CONCLUSION
The Zenfone 3 Laser is a catch at Php 11,995. With the limited time I had using the ASUS Zenfone 3 Laser, I find that this phone can fit the needs of almost anyone wanting to keep the best of their mobile photos in a budget.
ASUS Zenfone 3 Laser Specs:
- 5.5-inch full HD IPS display, 2.5D glass, 1920 x 1080 resolution
- 13-megapixel rear camera with Sony IMX214 sensor, f/2.0 aperture, 5-element Largan Lens with Electronic Image Stabilization
- 8-megapixel front camera, f/2.0 aperture, 89° wide view angle
- 1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 64-bit octa-core processor
- Adreno 505 GPU
- 4GB of RAM
- 32GB of expandable storage
- Dual SIM
- 3G, LTE
- WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, A-GPS, Fingerprint scanner
- Android 6.0, ZenUI 3.0
- 3000mAh battery
- Colors: Glacier Silver / Sand Gold
ASUS Zenfone 3 Laser Price: Php 11,995
