Many smartphones these days are trying to figure out one thing: how to make their camera zoom further. But in reality, there really isn’t much point for such a crazy zoom in. In fact, I don’t see the need for it past 10x, if you ask me. IF it were a optical zoom rather than an digital zoom, I’d agree with it, but it’s probably not. It’s rather disappointing but that’s where we are on the tech side of things. We’re not capable yet.
The latest culprit to this gimmick is Samsung, with their Samsung S20 Ultra that released recently. The S20 Ultra features a 100x ‘Space Zoom’ which I’m assuming, is for taking pictures of ‘Space’. Like I said, this is really more so a gimmick because, how often are you actually taking pictures of ‘Space’?
Think about it this way, who is actually zooming in 100 times to take a picture of anything? You never will (unless it’s your job). Samsung isn’t the only one privy to the ‘feature’ as the Huawei P30 Pro comes with a 50x digital zoom, Oppo’s Reno 10x Zoom goes up to a 60x digital zoom, Xiaomi’s Mi 10 Pro 50x zoom.
This is just a few of the more notable devices with the feature, and some really do take ‘nice’ photos. I say ‘nice’, but I really mean good for the level of zoom it’s in. Some of these smartphones actually take crisp, clear images, but it’s always met with a grainy, blurry background/foreground depending on the picture and horrible stabilisation. Don’t believe me? Check out these pictures taken by Ice Universe, a notorious leaker, who took some pictures with the S20 Ultra’s 100x zoom:
30x 100x pic.twitter.com/HFCj0DmqgC
— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) March 3, 2020
Was there a point to the 100x zoom photo other than saying: “Look what my phone can do!”
I really don’t see a practical, everyday use for it. The 10x zoom picture from Ice was already great and kinda brings me to my next point. Do you need the 100x zoom to really see what’s in your food for that Instagram post? Or how about that after-night-out picture, are you zooming in more that 2x? I highly doubt it.
At the end of the day, my opinion is this: The more your phone can ‘zoom in’, the more gimmicky it makes the phone. Practically, you’re probably going to take 1 or 2 reaaaaally zoomed in photos, but after that, it’s just going to be an underutilised feature on the phone. You probably spent a few thousand Ringgit, for this ‘functionality’ but are you really getting your money’s worth for it? These days, most of the ‘flagship’ devices that are coming out are more expensive for one reason and one reason only: its cameras. If you were the type to never really take photos, then there isn’t much practical use for it anyway.
Why spend the money on it then? Just to have the latest and greatest? Nah, I don’t think it’s worth the money and more people should see that a ‘zoom’ really shouldn’t affect somebody’s purchase decision. But companies know if they market their products as having these bombastic zoom capabilities, people will buy into it without questioning the need for it.
So ask yourself, before you buy flagships, or phones with these zoom capabilities; Are you ever gonna use it? Do you need it? If the answer is even a slight NO, then best spend that money elsewhere.
