ASUS Zenfone Max user’s Review, Cameracentric

ASUS recently launched a stylish budget phone Zenfone Max, price starting at Rs.9999 onwards. They launched the model in 3 pleasant colors and also in classic black. Unboxing the special pack that ASUS sent to me for review was fun. The pack was delivered to me days before its launch and I was asked to wait and unlock the box with the code given during its launch.

Finally I held the sleek mobile ASUS Zenfone Max in my hand! The little machine has an impressive weight for its size, neither too heavy nor light. I was surprised to see the phone fully charged. ASUS at their end had charged the phone and then delivered it to us. It sat in the box for four more days and the charge hadn’t dissipated yet. Amazing! ASUS Zenfone Max was ready for some action!

Look and Feel of ASUS Zenfone Max

The screen is covered in Gorilla Glass 4 for scratch and shatter resistance. The metal rim around it gives it a robust look. Going beyond the physical features the power feature strikes you first. There are several battery saver modes which makes you feel rich in terms of power of phone.

You get the maximum screen brightness in Performance mode compared to other modes like Normal, Power saving, and Super saving. In the Customized mode you can make your selections for brightness control and network.

The glass screen gives a good look but during outdoor photography assessing the pic becomes slightly hard due to the reflective screen.

The camera software on the Asus Zenfone Max has good features. In the Camera mode the screen features a shutter button in the center at the bottom, a video recording button just to the left of it and a gallery toggle on the extreme right. The mode button on the extreme left has 18 different auto modes in addition to manual mode. These 18 different modes gave such ample variations in taking pictures that I didn’t have the need of using the manual mode. Nonetheless that too is worth trying out and will take some time before you master it.

ASUS Zenfone Max Camera Samples

Auto Mode

I call the auto mode as ‘no worry’ mode. The capture is quick and the quality is good too. One has to be prepared and frame the scene, rest the camera does. ASUS Zenfone Max hasn’t failed in this mode. I took several pics of same subjects in other modes just to compare how different or better they are than the auto mode. Indoor pictures are more decent and sharp compared to outdoor captures.

The HDR mode takes a while to capture the scene but the result is fabulous. It is a bright, medium, or dark photo, based on the amount of light that got through the lens while framing the scene. You need to hold it still, of course that goes without saying.

Loved the Beautification mode! Just look at the results I got. The smudged face of my little doll in auto mode appears so neat in the Beautification mode.

Super Resolution

Just how much detail can one get in super resolution mode? I have dealt with macro mode and macro lens with my Canon 7D, will it be anywhere close to that I wondered! So tried capturing the details of fabric… well… I could see the thread details so accurately. I am waiting to capture the eye of a fly now.

Low Light

ASUS Zenfone max has the pixel merging technology which joins 4 adjacent pixels to form as one. The low light mode increases light sensitivity by four times. It also enhances noise reduction and boosts color contrast by up to 400% for clear and bright low light shots without the need for a flash. You get sharp non blurry photos.

Depth of field

The result is similar to ASUS Zenfone 2 Laser. Only take care to keep the object to be captured closer to phone to give the desired depth of field effect.

GIF Animation

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Selfie Panorama

With 85degree field of view panoramic selfie and large group photos are now possible.

Video

Miniature

Interesting results in this mode too. You can use it to highlight a portion of the capture you take.

Manual Mode

Full Manual mode is extremely intuitive! You can adjust all the settings of the camera manually by yourself. It is available in 13 professional settings and controls as you frame the shot. After handling Canon 7D which is huge compared to this palm sized mobile, it will be a while before I master the fine controls completely.

Verdict for ASUS Zenfone Max

ASUS has prioritized the need of mobile users – more power without having to recharge again and again. As a travel blogger I feel this feature will be a boon for all long distance travelers. Good performance for the price and dignified look are added benefits. A good buy for those looking out for budget phones!

Orchid from my balcony garden

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