A Day In Sharjah With Asus Zenfone 3s Max

Remember I wrote a post about moving back from a DSLR camera to a point & shoot camera for travel photography. Since then, I realize I am slowly tilting towards taking more and more pictures using my mobile phone. They are easy to use, handy and travel with you everywhere. The challenge though remains is good battery life and a great camera. I have been using Asus Zenfone Max since it was launched last year. I never had to worry about being low on battery. So, this year when Asus launched the next phone in the same series called Asus Zenfone 3s Max, I was all excited to test its camera capability.

Asus Zenfone 3s Max – The First look

This mobile phone comes in two colors – Black & Gold. I have the gold version and the color looks pretty neat & sophisticated. At 5.2 inch screen, it is slightly compact compared to the 5.5-inch screen that we are now used to. However, this size is more comfortable in your hand. The power and the volume keys on the right-hand side of the phone are jetting out a bit which makes them stand out. I find this design handy when operating the phone in dark – like listening to music before going to sleep.

The phone is extremely light given that it has a 5000mAh battery. It weighs 175 grams – a big plus if you hold the phone a lot in your hands like I do all the time while traveling. It is also easy to hold when you are juggling multiple phones in your hands.

Technically, this phone comes with Android Nougat – the latest version of Android. This means no OS updates in the near future, which to an average user like me are a big hassle. Watch this Introduction Video.

Camera – Travelers’ most loved feature

Asus Zenfone 3s Max comes with a 13MP rear camera and an 8MP front camera. I, as a traveler, focus more on the rear camera to capture the places I am visiting. I rarely take a selfie so the use of the front camera is limited but I like it when taking a selfie is easy. So, to test the camera of my new mobile phone I took it with me on my Sharjah trip.

Sharjah with Asus Zenfone 3s Max

I clicked the first image was inside the dark plane on an early morning flight from Goa to Sharjah. Everything was pitch dark inside the plane except the security video and No Smoking & Seat Belt signs. The picture turned out to be decent. Do not discount the fact that I was extremely sleepy while clicking this image.

My first stop in Sharjah was at Central Souk also called the Blue Souk. I used the mobile phone to click some artifacts that I was clicking for a post on Sharjah Souvenirs. It captured the shine of the stones that lay behind a glass perfectly.

In the evening, I went for a walk at the Khalid Lagoon waterfront. This is where I tried taking a reluctant selfie – I must say the camera in its default mode captured my face very well. I realize I need to do some selfie-taking practice and get those background angles right.

Now I was in Sharjah to attend the Sharjah Light Festival – when lots of buildings around Sharjah are illuminated and light shows are played. I used the phone to capture some of these light installations and light shows.

Night photography

This is a click of a light tunnel created using small LED bulbs in the shape of small flowers. It was not easy to shoot as the individual light source was feeble but put together they created a tunnel of light through which visitors were walking.

This is University City Hall – one of the key venues of the light show. This was a long exposure shot while holding the phone in hand. It was a rainy stormy day and there were too many obstacles between the photographer and the subject.

Another still shot of the show.

Night Shot of the ‘Eye of the Emirates’ at Al Qasba shopping Mall. The Ferris wheel was in constant motion, as were the visuals on the walls of Al Qasba Mall.

A brilliant display of the light show at Al Qasba Shopping Mall.

Cityscape photography

Sharjah Skylines skirts the Khalid Lagoon that has many big and small monuments. From the rooftop of my hotel, I clicked this skyline with the amphitheater in the center. This image has also been clicked from behind a glass window that thankfully was clean enough not keep it transparent.

We drove from Sharjah City to Khorfakkan region of Sharjah Emirate passing through the Hazara mountains. The drive was beautiful culminating at the Gulf of Oman with its azure blue waters. If you follow IndiTales YouTube Channel, you would know that we love capturing road videos. I used the Asus Zenfone for clicking some videos of the road and some other things in Sharjah. How is the video – check it out for yourself.

Between two travels

Between my two travels – I had a week and the phone was on. On the airplane mode, after a week the phone had lost only 15-20% of its battery. This seems like a blessing.

I am going to test the battery longevity on my next trip. Go to Asus website for more details and as they say #LiveUnpluggedInStyle