ASUS Zenfone 2 camera whoops the rest in the dark

ASUS has always been banging on low light camera performance with its Pixel Master camera technology. The first generation Zenfone had blown us away with its Low Light mode and the new Zenfone 2 is expected to do better with its bold claim of being able to see what others can’t see.

To find out, we set up a extreme low light scene and compared the Zenfone 2 with other new devices including the Galaxy S6, HTC One M9+ and the new Mi 4i. You’ll be amazed with the results.

Zenfone 2 Low Light Mode

Similar to its predecessor, the Low Light on the Zenfone 2 combines its nearby pixels to increase its brightness tremendously. As a result, the final image is lower in resolution, so instead of a 13MP photo, you’ll get a maximum of 3MP. In our set up, we took the shot in a box that’s almost pitch black to the naked eye. As you can see, the Low Light Mode difference is like night and day, as if the box was fully illuminated from the inside.

Zenfone 2 versus the rest

When compared to the other models, the Samsung Galaxy S6 with its f/1.9 fast lens performed better than the HTC One M9+ and Mi 4i but it is no where as bright as the Zenfone 2. The Mi 4i however fares not too far behind and it has less noise with its Handheld Twilight mode compared to its standard Auto mode. The HTC One M9+ is no better and if you look closely, the noise is much more noticeable. It gets even worse in Duo Camera mode where the noise gets even more exaggerated as seen in the original sample shot below. Note that all these shots are taken without flash.

Granted that the Low Light Mode is only usable if you have very steady hands and it won’t be practical when used normally in the clubs. Nevertheless, it is still a remarkable feat if you really want to capture in the dark.

Original Samples

ASUS Zenfone 2 Auto

ASUS Zenfone 2 Low Light

HTC One M9+ Duo Mode

HTC One M9+ High Res

Samsung Galaxy S6

Xiaomi Mi 4i Auto

Xiaomi Mi 4i Handheld Twilight Mode