Apart from the TriTech auto-focus system, another highly-anticipated feature of ZenFone 3 is the camera’s stabilization technology. ASUS is adding four-axis optical image stabilization (OIS) technology to ZenFone series for the first time, which means its anti-blur functions extend in eight directions. “Our OIS specs are actually much higher than the industry standard,” D.W. revealed. “Reaching such a high standard required many discussions and experiments with our suppliers. Sometimes we even invited suppliers to the production plant to calibrate the cameras with us. This resulted in higher costs, but we did it anyway because we wanted ZenFone 3’s OIS to be better than phones from other brands with similar hardware specs.”The electronic image stabilization (EIS) system, on the other hand, uses a three-axis system for anti-blur protection in six directions. As D.W. explained, this system helps maintain image stability when the user is taking videos while walking. In fact, the system will automatically crop the video while it’s being taken, so that the shaking and distortions in the video are automatically eliminated.

In fact, ZenFone 3 Deluxe and Ultra represent the first time the Sony IMX318 image sensor has been used in smartphones. D.W. recalled how the integration process was actually quite challenging, “The Sony IMX318 supports EIS, but this would be the first time it’s used in a smartphone product, which meant that there was a lot of work to do to get it integrated into the phone as a whole. We even asked Sony’s engineers to fly out to Taiwan, and work with us in our labs. It took weeks, but we got there in the end.”

ZenFone 3 Deluxe and Ultra use the Sony IMX318 light sensor, while the ZenFone 3 is equipped with the Sony IMX 298. While there is a slight difference in the levels of sensitivity offered, the differences in the photos taken are generally negligible after software calibration. As D.W. pointed out, both sets of sensors use deep-trench-isolation technology, which means that the color of a pixel will not leak into any other pixels as a result of interference. Consequently, the colors in the photos taken become much more precise.

Apart from the deep-trench-isolation technology, ZenFone 3 series also has a color-correction sensor to provide more precise colors and warmth in photos. “The color-correction sensor actively monitors the ambient colors, to ensure the camera doesn’t misjudge the environmental color temperatures due to the color of the object being photographed. Otherwise, the color in the photo would vary widely from the actual color perceived by the human eye. We internally developed our own exclusive algorithm for this, which means that our phones have superior performance compared to other phones on the market, even if they have the same hardware as us,” D.W. declared.

The color-correction sensor coupled with white-balance algorithms can accurately detect ambient color temperatures, which demonstrates the precision of ZenFone 3’s white-balance-calibration technology. As D.W. explained, in most cases, automatic white balance is accomplished using the color of the light in photos. However, sometimes photos are taken during the daytime (when color temperatures are higher) and do not have the color white anywhere in the photos, and as a consequence the automatic white balance has no frame of reference, leading to color distortion. “But now, with the color-correction sensor, we can easily get the automatic white balance right.”

Traditionally, if a user wants to take a photo in a heavily backlit environment using high-dynamic-range (HDR) technology, then the camera would first need to multiple photos with different exposure values (EVs), and then combine them to create a picture that shows the backlit details. ZenFone 3 series introduced real-time HDR technology in their cameras, which means that the user can see all the necessary details on-screen before a single photo is snapped. This saves processing time while also offering superior results.

“Most HDR solutions would require repeated attempts and calibration from the user before they can settle on a picture they like. It’s a cumbersome and time-consuming process,” said D.W.. “However, thanks to the exclusive algorithm we developed and ZenFone 3’s software calibrations, our customers can save time with the real-time HDR feature in our phones. The camera can capture all the details, even in heavily backlit shots. Furthermore, with Sony’s DTI technology, light interference between pixels is kept to a minimum, further improving picture quality.”

As D.W. explained, Super Resolution mode works by having the camera automatically take many photos rapidly, which are then merged into a combined picture that’s four times larger than the phone’s original maximum resolution. “ZenFone 3 series cameras all have improved resolutions compared to previous models. This means that, with Super Resolution mode, ZenFone 3 Deluxe and ZenFone 3 Ultra can take 92-megapixel photos, while ZenFone 3 offers 64-megapixel pictures.”

ASUS has added Super Resolution mode to ZenFone 3 series, in which the camera can take multiple photos, which are then combined into a large 92-megapixel image filled with details. The photo would be equivalent to the size and resolution of a 40-inch-plus TV.

In addition, ZenFone 3 also has Low Light mode, in which the image sensor treats every four pixels as one large pixel. As D.W. describes, this would increase the size of each pixel four-fold, which allows them to absorb more light. While this does result in a smaller image in the end, it also offers better image quality. ZenFone 2’s Low Light mode could only produce 3-megapixel photos, but ZenFone 3 Deluxe and Ultra can offer twice that, at 6 megapixels.

Finally, manual photography settings have become a powerful feature for photo aficionados, and they represent ZenFone 3 series status as a professional-grade camera. The iridescent neon lights of a city scape, the fleeting brilliance of a lightning bolt, or the gleaming glow of the Milky Way can all be accurately captured with Long Exposure mode, providing up to 32 seconds of exposure for each picture.

Every smartphone and camera manufacturer are pursuing higher resolutions and clearer images. Apart from offering better picture quality in photos, ZenFone 3 series also supports 4K video recordings, so that every detail of every moment can be accurately transferred to film.

ZenFone 3’s 4K video recording represents the highest video-recording resolution among smartphones on the market today, which is a particularly impressive achievement because it means ZenFone 3 offers a top-tier camera feature for mid-level smartphone prices. It also means ZenFone 3’s camera is objectively superior to competitors in the same price bracket, bringing 4K video into the hands of every user.

Such impressive features must be built on a solid hardware foundation. ZenFone 3’s cameras need highly scratch-resistant lenses, but for many materials, protection against scratches would mean sacrificing some light transmittance, which would be detrimental to the performance of the camera. “We talked to our materials R&D team, and eventually we found that sapphire glass is resistant to scratches while also not giving up too much transmittance. So, as a result, we decided to make our lenses with sapphire glass,” D.W. recalled.

ZenFone 3 series represents an evolution of previous generations of phones, treading new ground by shattering consumers’ and manufacturers’ preconceived notions of what a smartphone camera can do. The core belief for the camera has never wavered. “We want our users to be able to take the best possible pictures in the easiest possible way. This involved advancements in many technologies, as well as leveraging our abundant experience and our collaborations with suppliers. The end goal was to ensure that our customers would be able to take good, fast, and clear pictures with the automatic features offered by the camera,” D.W. said.

In 1880, George Eastman, the inventor of photographic film, famously said, “You push the button, we do the rest.” Now, 136 years later, the team at ASUS has combined the newest exclusive technologies to create ZenFone 3 series, a new exemplar for smartphone photography. While the technology has advanced in leaps and bounds, the team’s core ethos has remained steadfastly constant: for users to record their lives with the smartphones in their hands, so that others may see the world as they do.