Alcatel Flash 2 features new upgrade as ‘mobigraphy’ booms

There is no need to buy a camera when you have a good smartphone. 

In an economy where smartphone ownership and Internet usage continue to grow, the number of camera users is seen to be declining, according to a report from photosharing site Flickr. In fact, it said popular smartphones, like the iPhone, took the sweet spots in the most-used camera category, leaving conventional cameras in seven other spots on the top 20 list.

This trend is evident in the number of gadgets shipped in 2014, when more than 1.3 billion smartphones were shipped globally, in contrast to the sharp drop in digital-camera shipments. It was revealed that only 65 million cameras were shipped that year, less than half of that number in 2010.

With the increasing penetration of smartphones and their more powerful photographic performance, conventional cameras have been marginalized. For consumers, smartphones not only have easy-to-use camera features that are enough for everyday use, but also makes photosharing easier and faster.

To meet the demands of these always-on-the-go consumers, many smartphone manufacturers ventured into improving their devices that integrate powerful photography features. This gave rise to mobile photography, or “mobigraphy”—the new art of capturing images and editing them all in one unit.

This is the very reason mobile-phone manufacturers like Alcatel introduced innovative devices that now meet the photography needs of its customers in Southeast Asia. With the rise of mobigraphy, it is now possible to use and enjoy exceptional camera functions that were once possible in conventional cameras only.

“The truth is, mobigraphy is not just an action. It is a lifestyle,” said Albert Wong, general manager of Mobile Internet Group TCL Communication. “When we launched our Flash series (of smartphones), we put the needs of our customers in mind.”

“When we released the Flash 2, we made sure that our camera features are much better than what we already have and, at the same time, carry optimum accessibility and convenience to the users to shoot their best moments,” he added.

First-rate mobigraphy features

Last September, Alcatel introduced its Flash 2 camera phone, which has a 13-megapixel gSight rear camera and a 5-MP profile cam front camera. With its outstanding features, Flash 2 has become one of the bestselling smartphones in Southeast Asia.

What triggered the Flash 2’s boom in sales is its best-in-class mobile photography features, allowing users to gain rich and fun photographic experiences that complement the lifestyle of people who have the knack for taking outstanding snapshots.

Flash 2 provides users a handy substitute for unwieldy cameras to quickly capture beautiful scenes by virtue of its 13-MP rear camera fitted with Samsung’s advanced Isocell sensor technology. This delivers better image quality and higher color fidelity.

Also, its camera is optimized with extensive enhancements for low-light photography, like the RealTone flash, which provides more natural supplementary lighting and 4/2.0 aperture, letting in more light.

“This feature enables users to capture scenes and the starlit sky” more easily, Wong said. “Low-light (conditions), like cloudy days and evenings, are usually (the time) users are least confident in mobile photography. But with the Flash 2, they no longer have to worry about low-quality shots.”

Flash 2 also uses the latest Phase Detection Auto Focus (PDAF) technology, with a focus time as short as 0.3 second, to quickly capture moving objects or fleeting sceneries. Subjects may be captured in seconds by double-pressing the shutter button to start and autofocus quickly.

According to Alcatel Flash E-commerce Director Yogi Babri, the latest version of Flash 2 packs an F182 0.28X fisheye lens with a minimum focus distance of 18 millimeters and Macro 5X microlens of 40mm now. This allows even stronger mobile photography performance, especially in enhancing clarity and controlling blurring.

Last, the Flash 2 offers a full range of camera modes, including Super Fine, HDR, Panorama, Track, Live Photo, Multi-Angle and Picture-In-Picture features.

As for the Flash 2’s 5-MP front camera, it has a beauty mode and wider 84 degree-angle that fits in more people in one frame.

For more information, visit www.alcatelflash.com or www.alcatelflash.com/PH.