There’s been an explosion in recent years of pro filmmakers turning to smartphones, with ad campaigns, music videos and even cinematic releases shot on everyday devices. Steven Soderbergh (Ocean’s Eleven) has made two films shot entirely on phone and, frankly, if it’s good enough for him, it should be good enough for us.
We’ve all fancied ourselves the next great auteur at some point. It starts with a particularly well-framed video from your best mate’s wedding, or a gripping action shot of your eight-year-old nephew delivering a glorious free kick. Before you know it, you’re studying angles and lining up shots, trying to figure out how to elevate your footage from bog-standard to amateur-A24. The answer, nine times out of 10, is to switch out your tired old phone for one boasting pro-level camera technology — which is where the new Honor Magic4 Pro comes in.
Three’s the magic number
There’s an alchemy to capturing great images — beautiful light, thoughtful composition, a captivating subject. But fundamentally, none of it matters without the right kit. The Magic4 Pro pushes the limits of smartphone photography with a powerful triple camera system, comprising a 50 megapixel wide camera, a 50 megapixel ultra-wide camera, and a 64 megapixel periscope telephoto camera.
What does it all mean though, we hear you ask. Basically, each camera works separately to capture different focal lengths — the wide camera works for simple portraits and close-ups, the ultra-wide brings in more of the scene, while the telephoto lets you get closer to far-away objects (giving you 3.5x optical zoom and 100x digital zoom). The three also work together for something called ultra-fusion computation photography, which in simple terms uses all three camera sensors to deliver more detailed images, improving sharpness and clarity by up to 160 per cent.
4K for days
The Magic4 Pro is the first phone to offer 10-bit Log 4K video recording in 60fps (frame per second) — huge news for aspiring cinematographers. It means that it can capture professional-grade footage — the Log format being commonly used on major film shoots — delivering powerful, dynamic films, whether for work or play. All the software you need to edit videos is right on the phone, enabling would-be Christopher Nolans to produce their own mini-masterpieces with just a few taps. Thanks to some clever technology, the Magic4 Pro can also capture high-quality stills while filming video, unlike typical smartphones, which are limited by low video-recording quality.
Honor even shot its latest campaign exclusively using Magic4 Pro, with filmmaker Jack Howard at the helm. Here’s a sneak peek:
World’s best viewfinder
There wouldn’t be much point in a device that can shoot class-leading video if it didn’t have a display to match. Fortunately, the Magic4 Pro comes with an expansive 6.81 inch screen that can display up to 1.07 billion colours for more true-to-life images. With the latest high dynamic range technology (HDR10+), videos appear punchier, and with more depth, while display technology also works to minimise eye strain — handy for lengthy shooting and editing sessions.
Full package
With a ridiculous arsenal of technology, including a powerful 8-core chipset, ultra-large battery with super-fast wired and wireless charging, facial-recognition camera and directional audio, you’d expect the Magic4 Pro to be something of a beast. Presumably, Honor has been inspired by TARDIS technology to pack it all in because it’s actually a sleek little number. The quad-curved screen and ultra-thin bezels mean it’s comfortable in the hand, and that the display effectively is the design — no bells, no whistles.
On the back, the triple-camera system is arranged into a striking, circular design Honor calls the “Eye of Muse”. Eschewing the protruding camera bump that plagues modern smartphone design, the Magic4 Pro slips neatly and discreetly into the pocket, ready to be pulled out as quick as you can say, “Lights, camera, action!”
Watch Honor's latest campaign, The Pick Up, shot on the Magic4 Pro:
Discover the Honor Magic4 Pro today
