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24 Hours Series
24 Hours in Unisan
Captured through the superb cameras of the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
We all needed a break (or two) to wind down from all stressful work. With my last moments using the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, I decided to join a trip with my high school buddies (whom I haven’t seen for more than a year) down to a farther part of the south in the Philippines’ biggest island.
Quite an unprepared trip
Our original plan back in June 2021 was to go to a beach resort in Nasugbu, Batangas — then something happened.
Heavy rains poured a week before our reservation date, but that wasn’t the main reason why we changed course. The infamous Taal Volcano seen from the popular City of Tagaytay had a phreatomagmatic eruption in the last week of June. Since then, the Alert Level quickly went from 2 to 3. It was hazardous and dangerous considering the amount of Sulfur Dioxide in the air.
Not wanting to risk ourselves being exposed to air contaminants, we decided to look for another location that isn’t that strict and is readily available. An unheard place in Quezon was the only choice. Being first-time travelers to Unisan, we didn’t know what to expect.
We weren’t fully prepared. After packing all of our stuff, we all met then let Waze (plus my map literacy) do the job to help us reach the farther part of Quezon.
It took over five hours traveling from Calamba, Laguna to our intended destination. Naturally, these included traffic, fast food, convenience store, and restroom breaks. There was also lack of internet data connection and direction confusion along the latter part of Lucena City. But we persevered and reached our destination.
Star-studded sky, literally
Touchdown, Unisan! Frankly, none of us expected that it’ll be a great place to stay. But the moment the stars showed up (including shooting stars or meteors in their scientific term), I was already astounded.
The water felt so cool to touch but it also looked clear even if it was pitch-black. The only thing that buzzed us was the series of lights seen from a distance. We just thought it was a shore-based plant/factory. After all, we’re looking at the other part of Marinduque — which is another province in a secluded island not directly connected to the part of Luzon.
A morning of cool breeze
While some of my friends had an early morning sleep after drinking all-night, I decided to just stay awake since I wasn’t feeling sleepy.
Funny thing was, some of my friends asked us to wake them up for the “sunrise” but as far as I know, the sunrise won’t be visible in this area since it’s facing west — and I was right.
While they were disappointed that there was no “sunrise” view, seeing the early morning view made my eyes and heart.
I also decided to take an early morning walk. Through the telephoto and wide lens of the Galaxy S21 Ultra, I was able to take the shots above. I didn’t fully soak the device though due to my fear of having water-resistance issues even if it has an IP68 rating. It still protected the phone while shooting an almost soaked shot of the boat to capture its reflection on the water.
…then it felt like it was a hot summer
After being awake for 36 hours straight, my mind and body decided to rest. Then, the scorching heat outside — alongside their loud noises and smell of hotdogs and grilled fish being cooked — woke me up.
To my surprise, my friends were able to visit the nearest market — which was several kilometers away — and cooked-up a feast for lunch. It felt more refreshing with a fresh Buko Juice (Coconut Juice). For dessert, there were some classic Pinipig and Cheese popsicles being sold by a vendor nearby.
But all before that, I ate some classic Pancit Canton with hard-boiled egg on top for early breakfast. My friends also gave me spoonfuls of their Tapsilog — a combination of Tapa and Itlog (sunny side-up egg). Even though I’m not a huge fan of pork, I still enjoyed it — especially because they’re free food. 😅
As obvious as it gets, I wasn’t really prepared for this set of groufies but for the sake of making memories, I had to show my face anyway.
My other three friends from the early morning shoot decided to sleep. This time, I decided to tag along since I was already energized to walk along the sandy shore again (after heavy rain poured for around 10 to 15 minutes).
Nothing’s too early for some photoshoot
I clearly know my main role in this group — to shoot lots (I mean lots) of photos. I was lazy to lug around my heavy DSLR so I decided to just shoot with the Galaxy S21 Ultra.
Three of my high school friends and I decided to take an early morning walk to discover what’s on the other part of the shore. This what I was talking about from the earlier section.
I was stoked upon seeing how clear the water was up close. From that point, my mind told me to take some photos of them along the sea. I was just as glad with how the Galaxy S21 Ultra performed as how my friends were with the results.
Of course, I had to ask a friend to take some photos of me, too. While I wasn’t certain about my friend’s photography skills, I just directed her to do the same style of shot I did for them. Fortunately, she managed to take a couple of “Instagrammable“ portraits (that I never posted because I don’t have that beach-perfect body).
Let the splashing begin!
After our satisfying lunch and some walk along with two of my friends, we decided to call the rest for the shoot they all have been waiting for.
The fast AF (autofocus) and shutter speed of the Galaxy S21 Ultra was able to take these studio-grade shots. Instructing my friends to just do their thing like the camera wasn’t there, I was able to take candid shots that also perfectly captured the motion of water.
With some color adjustments, I made the shots look more dramatic. The unedited shots were a little bit on the underexposed side since they’re all facing against the bright sky. Still, I was able to adjust the exposure without ruining the shots — even if they’re just photos with a JPG file format.
Even in a group shot like this, the Galaxy S21 Ultra managed. Not only it captured all of my friends, it also managed to preserve a candid-looking shot while still keeping all of them (plus the splashing water) in focus.
Unexpected breathtaking views
As the old saying goes, don’t judge the book by its cover. Upon seeing more breathtaking views, I immediately regretted how I underestimated what Unisan, Quezon had to offer.
My favorite pair of lenses are obviously the 3x and 10x telephoto lenses of the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Without them, I wouldn’t be able to capture these photographs (that I casually apply as my phone’s wallpaper). The iPhone I’ve been using for quite a while only has a single camera anyway.
Even these tropical-looking shots I captured above were taken from the zoom cameras of the Galaxy S21 Ultra. If you’re still not amazed, scroll below to see more.
Sunset straight out of a dream
It was this time of day when Unisan, Quezon truly looked magical. I tried color-grading it to depict how it really looked like in real life.
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The color balance and saturation of the Galaxy S21 Ultra’s cameras were kind of inaccurate to begin with due to the environment.
The shots — taken using different lenses — perfectly preserved my memory of the sunset at Unisan. It looked surreal; as if I was dreaming. I almost cried since couldn’t believe I was there the whole time. Surely, no matter what type of lens you use, you can never go wrong with them.
I managed to take some transitioning shots too. From the pre-sunset phase to where the sun has fully set, the Galaxy S21 Ultra’s camera superiority still reigned all throughout. The last shot was taken with Night Mode on. Using regular mode already displayed bits of grain all around.
As the day came to an end, I quickly set up my tripod and mounted the Galaxy S21 Ultra. We made sure to preserve the memories of our quick beach getaway with silhouette shots along with the sunset.
All photos were taken using the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra and were post-processed using Adobe Lightroom and VSCO.
Quick note
Before our trip, we made sure all of us were safe and COVID-19 negative. We submitted all of the required documents needed. Some of us were already vaccinated prior to the travel date, which was held last July 2021. Face masks during the trip were only removed for the sake of the photoshoot. Social distancing protocols were still followed.
24 Hours is a series on GadgetMatch.com where we showcase our travels through a smartphone camera’s perspective. It’s also a documented guide on things to see and do in a city in case you happen to plan a trip there.
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It’s spring 2023 and vivo is back with the V series. The vivo V27 comes with a new feature called Aura Light Portrait System, which takes its main camera to another level. Like its predecessor it’s got a color-changing back, making it a fashionable choice for different users.
Stylish color-changing design
We have the V27 in Emerald Green, which starts off with a lighter tint that looks like jade. When exposed to UV light, it changes into a darker shade of green. This is achieved thanks to the Emerald Glass processing technique. The phone also comes in Magic Blue, Flowing Gold, and Noble Black.
Chay is wearing light colors so the Emerald Green model matches her outfit better. It makes a nice, subtle pop of color, and goes with her pastel-y mint green purse and boots.
It’s also worth pointing out the 3D curved screen and this curved back on the V27 make it feel extremely thin and light.
Studio lights in your pocket
As mentioned earlier, the vivo V27 features the Aura Light Portrait System for great portraits even in low light. It’s a combination of the IMX677V sensor, which Sony designed with vivo specifically for this phone, algorithm optimizations, and the Aura Light. Its outer ring is matte and sandblasted, softening the light coming out of it.
The Aura Light, combined with the large sensor, and algorithm optimizations work together to take great portraits even in low light.
Lunch and coffee
The day before was a very long day so we figured we should get food and coffee. We found this dimly lit restaurant in Soho called Cafe Select. I think it’s a German restaurant because we had some schnitzel and there’s German decor everywhere.
We also specifically asked for the corner booth to test out the V27’s low light capabilities. Despite the lack of light sources, it’s impressive that the V27 managed to produce an accurate cutout of me even when I kept moving with the Bokeh Portrait video mode on.
There’s no natural light in this restaurant so it’s also the perfect place to take portraits and test out the Aura Light Portrait System. It’s like a portable ring light that you can use to take clearer portraits. Take a look at some examples.
On video mode, you can also use LUTs. We had fun using the Nostalgia filter to film a short video in the restaurant, which perfectly matches the vintage vibe of its interiors.
High definition selfies
The vivo V27 would not be a V-series smartphone if it didn’t have an amazing selfie camera. On the V27, we got a 50MP HD selfie camera with autofocus.
It’s worth noting that the phone feels so light in the hand. It’s so easy to take one-handed selfies. I also love how subtle the color change is on the Emerald Green model.
The V27 offers three levels of selfie filters that help hide blemishes and enhance your features — None, Natural, and Classic.
The 50MP front camera means clear selfie details. Most other smartphones have inferior selfie cameras compared to its rear counterparts, but not the V27. As you can see in the example below, zooming in on my eyes show that you can clearly see the strands of my eyebrows.
Walking the High Line & shopping
To test its video stabilization and macro camera, we continued to walk the High Line. Both features produced very impressive results.
Another feature we tried is MicroMovie. It’s perfect for creators like me. It comes with a whole bunch of templates that you can use for TikTok or Instagram Reels. I filmed a daily vlog with it and had so much fun.
While we were shopping, I noticed too that the V27 changed colors after being indoors for a bit. It turned into a beautiful white marble-like finish that fades into mint green at the bottom.
After the sun has set, it’s time to take more low-light portraits and OOTD. Our friends Alex and Leslie even joined us for a quick photo shoot. New York City comes to life at night, and with a 1/1.56-inch sensor and Super Night Mode, the vivo V27 can easily capture the hustle and bustle of the city streets.
More than just a camera smartphone
The vivo V27 is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 and comes with either an 8GB or 12GB of RAM.
With Extended RAM the phone borrows memory from your internal storage and gives you an additional 8GB RAM. This way you get either 16GB or 20GB available RAM.
Vivo says this will help when you’re playing memory intensive games or if you like keeping plenty of apps open in the background.
The phone is packed with a 4600mAh battery and supports up to 66W FlashCharge. It comes bundled with an 80W charger.
In our GadgetMatch Charge Test we got to 50% in 19 minutes. A full charge took 57 minutes.
I’ve always been a fan of vivo’s V Series. We’ve done plenty of videos on it in the past and this one is another excellent phone.
It offers users a top notch smartphone experience for less. I enjoyed using all its camera features and I think creators on a budget will too.
I also love this cool color changing Emerald Green model. This phone is definitely the prettiest vivo phone I’ve reviewed lately.
Watch our 24 Hours video with the vivo V27: https://youtu.be/nJ18OMK43yE
24 Hours Series
Google Pixel 7 Pro Unboxing and First 24 Hours
Plus a photowalk using its great set of cameras
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The new Google Pixel 7 Pro has just been released to the public!
Aside from our previous first look video, Michael Josh also did a quick unboxing and hands-on.
Plus, he took it to the streets to test out its battery prowess as well as the power of its three cameras — including the new Super-Res Zoom feature.
Can’t wait to see what the Pixel 7 Pro has to offer?
Here’s our quick unboxing, hands-on, and first 24 hours with the Pixel 7 Pro.
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September 11 marks a historical day not just for New Yorkers, but for (almost) everyone in this world.
With a memory that lives forever in our heads, Michael Josh has tried commemorating it.
He went to the pier along Brooklyn Bridge to recreate a shot he wanted to do for so long.
But instead of the best-in-class iPhone, he instead used the 6.1-inch iPhone 14.
Can’t wait to see how the shot turned out? Or just curious how the iPhone 14’s gonna last throughout the day?
Head over now to our iPhone 14 First 24 Hours video to feed your curiosities.
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