Exploring Masungi Georeserve with the Cherry Mobile Flare S6

Exploring Masungi Georeserve with the Cherry Mobile Flare S6

 

Does it deliver?

They say that the best camera is the one you have in hand. While I brought along some of my gear during my recent trip to Masungi Georeserve with Ford Philippines, I thought of something: Can a Php 4K smartphone like the Cherry Mobile Flare S6 deliver great photos while traversing through the trails and sights of Masungi?

Instead of comparing the shots taken with the Flare S6 with shots taken with my DSLR, I decided to choose 10 of my favorite shots using the Flare S6’s Sony rear camera and OmniVision front camera. Take a peek at the photos and be the judge if a budget phone makes the cut as a photography tool:

The parking area before heading to the entrance of Masungi Georeserve. It took me a few takes to get the focusing right, and I personally like how the Flare S6 rendered the greens, even if it made the skies overexposed.

 

One of the many nets inside the georeserve. Nevermind if there’s an overexposed portion with this image; What’s more important for me is how it kept the details of the net crisp and sharp.
One of the hanging bridges in the georeseve. For this shot, the Flare S6 managed to capture some of the clouds, while keeping the focus on the bridge sharp enough.

 

A random candid moment when we visited Masungi’s famous spiderweb. Colors are on point, and exposure is way better in this particular shot.

 

Somewhere in the middle of the trail. This shot was underexposed, but there’s some detail with the shadows–not bad for a Php 4K phone.
Selfie time! This is me at “tatay”, one of the highest peaks at Masungi. The Flare S6’s front camera captured my face and the background nicely–and to think this is an OmniVision camera we are talking about.

 

View from “tatay”. While the Flare S6 struggled with exposing the skies properly, it fared really well in giving a vibrant look to Masungi’s vast mountainscape.

 

Trippy trail! Arguably my favorite photo from this set, as it properly exposed the details of the “net tunnel”, along with the lone person in the background.

 

Time for lunch! This salad, laden with edible flowers (you read that right), was captured a la Instagram flatlay. Colors are spot on, and I got adequated details as well. Yes, the Flare S6 can do IG-worthy shots as well (with a bit of creativity and skill).

 

While the Flare S6’s Pro mode is underwhelming, it makes up for it with a decent bokeh mode. With the revamped Cherry Camera, taking bokeh shots with the Flare S6 is easy, and it does deliver the output you expect from it.

Conclusion: It has limitations, but that does not stop you from capturing the shot

While you can only really ask for much with a budget smartphone like the Flare S6, its cameras will deliver as long as you know its strengths and weaknesses. It may not be the best snapper for low light shots or for against the light situations, but a little creativity will push the Flare S6 to its full potential. After all, it’s in the Indian and not the pana.

 

Don’t forget to check out our articles on the Cherry Mobile Flare S6:

Cherry Mobile Flare S6 Review: Budget Smartphone Done Right

Cherry Mobile Announces Limited Edition Red Flare S6

Cherry Mobile Flare S6 Hands-on, Quick Review: Redefining the Meaning of Budget Phones

 

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