Editor’s Note: This content is sponsored by vivo and provided by BrandRap, the sales and marketing arm of Rappler. No member of the news and editorial team participated in the production of this piece.
A long time “making love in my life” has been around since this pandemic hit the world as we know it, I admit I don’t know it at all.
Acknowledging the beauty in the world, though, isn’t the point – I’d like to think I often approach life through an appreciative and curious lens. It’s more about capturing these memories through photography as I would like: vivid, creative, and conveying my feelings exactly at the moment I clicked the shutter.
It’s not that I have nothing to photograph; it’s how challenging it is to find a camera that captures how memory plays out in my perspective. After all, I have two audiences that I’m looking forward to sharing these memories with: my online peers, and mostly my future self who will be revisiting his old memories in a few years – just like I’m doing now with my ten-year-old files.
Since high-performance digital cameras can be expensive and even bulky, having a smartphone — one that you can easily pull out of your pocket and produce the best results for your monthly Instagram dump — seems like the best thing. So when I got the chance to try it out for free with the new vivo V70, I wasted no time in spending the next week of my daily life honing in on its photography features – the magnum opus that launched the brand’s V series. What makes this repetition stand out, though?
Minimalist but not plain; a dream but not overwhelming
My loan vivo V70 unit came with a clear TPU case, and honestly, it’s the first time I’ve appreciated that this amount – all because of the design of the phone that does not require more conflict. First of all, it is completely different from the color palette of the V60, as this one carries a simple yet unusual charm, especially its Gold Hour variant in collaboration with Pop Mart (another color option is Alpine Gray). Details change like waves when the phone is exposed to sunlight – which means more motivation to get out and collect new memories. So, I went out!
Ever since I took the vivo V70 to my daily activities and hangouts, I’ve had three people ask me what phone I was holding, surprised by its overall appearance.
Their next question? Its price, which makes the product an attractive purchase due to its other physical characteristics: a pill-shaped camera module (the V60 had a rounded square), a beautiful bezel design, an aerospace alloy frame, a 1.5K OLED display with full transparency, a 6.59-inch immersive screen, and an OSS0 system camera and an OSS0 main camera. 50 MP ZEISS telephoto camera, and 8 MP ZEISS wide-angle lens) designed by technology leader ZEISS, among others.
Then, there are AI features like the 20x ZEISS Telephoto Stage Mode, which uses AI enhancements to take clear photos of stage performances like concerts, even when zoomed in.
Potrait-ready, in any form it can be
Whether you’re a mirror selfie enthusiast (a staple of “me time”), a friend’s go-to picture model, or a selfie connoisseur (aka treats the traditional selfie as part of the story), you won’t need to stress about getting your perfect shot — even lighting doesn’t seem to be a concern. The phone’s cameras deliver beautiful images with vibrant colors, and feature ZEISS Portrait Mode to boot. With focal lengths ranging from 23 mm to 100 mm, you’ll get flattering photos wherever you are. You can even choose whether or not to keep your chosen bokeh effect after taking the photo.
In this set, I took the first photo using the default Portrait mode with the Vibrant filter (hence the added warmth), while the next two were taken using Portrait mode with different ZEISS Bokeh effects.
Meanwhile, the last two photos were taken using the 50 MP selfie camera using default settings. I knew I looked like a mess from all the walking I’d done during the day – plus the humid weather – so I was surprised to see I was still pulled together in these quick snaps.
At the end of the week, I also decided to tag along with my mom for her morning run. During its quiet time, I was more impressed with the phone’s bokeh feature, while flattering myself. Here, the atmosphere of the crowd is heard, while illuminating the main character.
Reaching remote areas
Confession time: I get major FOMO when there’s an astronomical event that can be witnessed with the naked eye, and I don’t have a good camera to capture it. Shortly after the recent lunar eclipse, I wanted to contribute to the avalanche of “blood moon” photos I’ve seen in my feed. Unfortunately, my phone at the time could not zoom easily, let alone capture the sky clearly. My attempt ended up as a blank white dot.
I was leaving the palace when I realized that this fantasy could become a reality, all thanks to the inhaling power of the vivo V70, which can go up to 100x. When I was taking the first photo of this set, the device suggested that I turn on the special High Moon mode. When I did, the view I was looking at on my screen became even more magical, and the camera did not hesitate to capture the moon’s details clearly as I moved further. These are instant themes, and I’m Googling the date of the next eclipse as we speak.
The world in motion
When you’re lonely, sometimes there’s nothing more romantic than people watching. I’m glad I can rely on the vivo V70 for this, too, as it’s not difficult to get solid shots of people and things going on – whether it’s runners beating their personal records, cyclists enjoying their average speed, or a nice stream of water.
Although the cityscape in this context is dominated by dull colors, the images remain pleasing to look at because of the overall brightness. Even switching to a black-and-white filter isn’t boring – if anything, it creates a completely different narrative!
Even small indoor activities, like playing jackstones, give off an action-packed vibe because of the phone’s flexibility in capturing movement.
Lovely plants and pets
Stopping smelling flowers is also a cure for vivo V70 users. In capturing plants, I like to switch between the default setting and the Texture filter – can you guess which one it has?
Either way, you get a lovely view of nature. Despite the abundance of spider flowers and bougainvillea in the Philippines since ancient times, I suddenly found myself appreciating them even more because of this phone’s perspective.
Just like when I was capturing the moon, the camera sensor let me know when I was taking pictures of these lantana flowers. It disappeared when I stepped back and tried a different build.
Of course, romantic life attracts our furry friends too. Although I’m used to taking photos of my dog almost every day, using the vivo V70 gave me a refreshing experience, especially with its ability to capture natural light with ease.
Amazing AI capabilities
One of the best features of this model is its advanced AI-powered features that transform one image into a different state. Inside a historic building in Escolta, I tried this for the first time. The one on the left is the original image, while the second one is the result when I selected the Twilight option with the AI Eraser. All I needed was an internet connection and a few seconds.
In this instance, Twilight feels like closing time: the blue hour, the reduced things (especially the ones that seemed “fun”), the absence of everyone, the silence, and a slightly unhealthy feeling contrary to the spirit of the original celebration.
During my mother’s movement in the morning, I also tried this feature as I thought it would be more useful – now I have some study, and background. you can feel very little filled.
Here are the results for Morning Glow and Spring, respectively. The first gives a more natural and realistic feeling, while the second looks like a fun experiment.
I also wondered what it would be like if I did it indoors. Considering the roughness of the area, I tried the Cyber option for this photo of my best friend, and see if it can pass as a deleted scene from “Blade Runner 2049”. How cool is it that the purple light suddenly became an interesting detail here, when the light wasn’t even on in the original photo? Check out that blue-dominated preview window view, too.
If you want something more basic, the vivo V70 also offers Magic AI weather effects. Since everyone has been feeling the wrath of heat lately, this feature caught my attention. What? How would it be good to see different images of the current difficult situation?
Here, my friend tried Morning Light, Clear Sky, and Evening Light, respectively, in photographing me.
Still wondering? Let me reveal what the original images looked like:
Ace, regardless of the lights
One of the things I liked about using the vivo V70 through different locations is the ease of capturing everything, without the effort of constantly updating settings or taking test shots before proceeding. I felt this more when I realized I went to places with different light conditions – from low light to accent light – and the results remained flawless. I also rarely used filters.
As much as I love life, I can’t end my day without a picture of a delicious meal. When my camera asked me to switch to Food Mode, I was pleased to see a sharper image, with improved colors and increased contrast. It’s great for close-up shots as the background is automatically blurred; consider the general situation.
Interesting agenda
The entire time I was shooting the vivo V70, I kept forgetting that this is a mid-range smartphone. In addition to high-quality imaging capabilities – which are almost professional-level – it boasts high-quality integration that makes it a high-value and durable choice.
To be honest, this model is not a big step up from its predecessor in terms of base wise, considering some of its same features like 2.8 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 SoC chipset. But it is a clear testimony of vivo’s aim to improve the photography experience further – not to control the user’s creative decisions, but to expand their imagination with various options, and moreover to reward them with consistent results.
I have also confirmed how long its battery can last. After shooting all afternoon into the early evening, its 6500 mAh BlueVolt battery dropped to 89%. I was able to use it the next day for four more hours for morning shots, and it didn’t reach 50%. And even though it carries a high-density battery, it never feels like a burden to hold. It felt safe, even as I explored different environments. So are the IP68 and IP69 water and dust resistance ratings, too!
Come to think of it, the key to making your life romantic is easy and simple – and it’s possible to freeze memories in the moment. No overthinking, no excess.
BlueVolt battery is down to 89%. I was able to use it the next day for four more hours for morning shots, and it didn’t reach 50%. And even though it carries a high-density battery, it never feels like a burden to hold. It felt safe, even as I explored different environments. So are the IP68 and IP69 water and dust resistance ratings, too!
Come to think of it, the key to making your life romantic is easy and simple – and it’s possible to freeze memories in the moment. No overthinking, no excess.
Are you ready to add some whimsy to your everyday life? The Vivo V70 is priced at P31,999 (8GB + 256GB), P35,999 (12GB + 256GB), or P39,999 (12GB + 512GB) and is available in vivo official website, Shopeeand Lacing.
Some images in this article may have been compressed for easy online viewing. – Rappler.com
