Here is why I nonetheless maintain this previous Android 10 telephone in my again pocket

I’ve been feeling fairly nostalgic recently, particularly for previous digital camera telephones. Final month, I praised the Nokia 9 PureView for its distinctive digital camera setup that makes each shot an journey. I’ve additionally revisited the LG G4, a telephone that sparked my love for pictures. Nevertheless, there’s yet another older Android digital camera telephone I nonetheless carry round every time attainable.

In its prime, the HUAWEI P30 Professional was the most effective Android telephone cash might purchase. Positive, that’s simply my opinion, however loads of proof helps it. It was sturdy and comparatively compact in comparison with at the moment’s telephones. It had easy but enticing styling, quick efficiency, and wonderful battery life.

After 5 years as my loyal every day driver, its age began exhibiting. The battery well being was declining, and I acquired its final replace in mid-2023. It’s nonetheless caught on Android 10, and there’s no hope of recent software program variations or safety upgrades.

I needed to improve, albeit reluctantly. The telephone to fill that void was the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE. Our overview of the 2024 Fan Version telephone was constructive, and my expertise has been equally stable. Regardless of the poor battery life, mediocre show, and heavy footprint, it’s a succesful improve that can be supported for years. I even have a Pixel 8, which I like for its small dimension and swift operation.

Importantly, each units are succesful pocket cameras in their very own proper. I’ve had countless enjoyable capturing avenue scenes and landscapes with the Pixel 8, whereas the Galaxy excels as a point-and-shoot portrait digital camera for household and mates. Nevertheless, each telephones lag behind the P30 Professional in a single vital facet: zoom.

It might be half a decade older than the Samsung and Google telephones I changed it with, however the HUAWEI nonetheless outperforms each, grabbing objects a lot farther away and bringing them even nearer to me. On paper, the 8MP 5x optical and 50x digital periscope lens appears modest and outdated, however I miss it dearly when the telephone isn’t inside attain.

This sense was notably evident throughout a latest street journey. I often toss a number of telephones in my bag earlier than heading off on adventures, and this time I introduced the Galaxy, Pixel, and PureView alongside. After a lot of the go to was spent capturing ground-level topics, I turned my view to the highest of a constructing the place a raptor was perched. I grabbed the Samsung — the one telephone with a devoted zoom lens — and zoomed. Regardless of its 3x optical and 30x digital zoom, the telephone couldn’t convey me shut sufficient to my avian topic. It quickly flew off, and I regretted leaving the P30 Professional at residence.

Spending much less time with the P30 Professional has made me notice how important periscope capabilities are for me on a smartphone, and never only for pictures. Capturing tighter pictures of distant, unapproachable fauna or flora will increase the chance of getting an correct hit in a hen or plant identification app. Utilizing Lens or Circle to Search to establish different objects is less complicated too when used through Google Photographs on my main telephone. Longer zoom provides extra utility, which is indispensable for my telephone utilization habits.

I’ve since realized my lesson. I maintain the P30 Professional with me simply in case I want it. Regardless of its age, it nonetheless works nice as a backup telephone, regardless of its rising points. I haven’t reset it, so all my apps and information are nonetheless saved safely on it. Its 256GB storage financial institution additionally is useful for offline file storage.

Nonetheless, my latest experiences with out the telephone have taught me two helpful classes. First, I can’t think about shopping for a telephone sooner or later with no succesful zoom lens. Positive, I might and doubtless ought to use my 70-300mm zoom lens on my D3400 extra typically, however I don’t at all times have the comparatively cumbersome DSLR digital camera with me. Comfort comes at a worth.

Secondly, older {hardware} typically surpasses fashionable innovation. The P30 Professional is proof of that. I wouldn’t have thought of upgrading if the telephone nonetheless acquired common updates. Now that it’s not my every day driver, I don’t care if it’s working an older model of Android. However, due to its stellar attain, it greater than earns its place amongst my present units.