The Huawei Mate 20 Pro's unparalleled descriptive power will make UL hikers' tongues wag.
PR: Courtesy of HUAWEI JAPAN *PR article.
The HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro, the world's first smartphone from HUAWEI equipped with a Leica triple camera, offers an overflowing amount of functionality, including an AI camera, and delivers descriptive performance beyond the norm for smartphone cameras. This time, we asked Masaaki Mita, a photographer/writer who has been reporting on the current state of ultra-light hiking (UL), to try out the "HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro" during a hike near Kita-Yokodake (北横岳). We asked him if he was satisfied with the descriptive power of the camera and how he perceives the "current" state of smartphone cameras.
Freelance writer and photographer . While working as a photographer for culture and music magazines, he became passionate about mountains and UL through traveling. While working mainly for websites and magazines, he is also the editor-in-chief of "Yama to Michi JOURNALS," the owned media of the up-and-coming outdoor brand "Yama to Michi.
The cell phone is an important part of the mountain gear.
Smartphones have become a commonplace item in our daily lives. For UL hikers, who enjoy long, deep hikes with less waste and less weight, smartphones have become indispensable mountain gear.
." "My phone is probably the most important tool I have in town and on hikes. . It can be used as a map or GPS device, and if it is connected to the Internet, it can tell you the cloud conditions. It can also be used as a flashlight and, of course, a high-performance camera. In the past, there was a tendency to dislike the idea of taking a cell phone on a trip to the mountains, but now it would be foolish not to use it. It is a basic technique of UL to reduce weight by having a single tool serve several purposes, but this is the ultimate tool that can serve multiple purposes.
As a technique for reducing excess baggage, UL hikers use tools that serve a variety of purposes. One brand of gatewood cape, for example, is designed to serve three functions: rain jacket (poncho), sack cover, and tent (shelter).
The same can be said for the HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro, which carries a high-performance camera feature that is both necessary and sufficient. It is equipped with three lenses on the back: an approximately 20-megapixel, ultra-wide-angle lens, a 40-megapixel, wide-angle lens, and an 8-megapixel zoom telephoto lens. The wide range of lenses (telephoto, wide-angle, and ultra-wide-angle) supports a variety of photography. The in-camera also features a high-resolution image sensor with approximately 24 megapixels (*24.8 megapixel CMOS sensor), allowing users to enjoy high-quality selfies. The wide variety of camera lenses is a real eye-opener for Mr. Mita, who is also an active photographer.
. in a way, it's almost like a 'dream camera' when you look at it as a camera. With just one camera, I can take pictures of almost anything, and the interface and monitor are easy to use and see. Of course, the most important factor in photography is whether or not you have a camera with you at the time, so if you can take satisfactory photos with a smartphone that you carry with you all the time, then that is the camera of your dreams. Depending on how you use it, you can use it at work as well. The reason why I couldn't use my smartphone for work was because it only had a wide-angle lens. With this camera, I can take pictures of things. If you want to hold a photo exhibition or create a work of art, you may need more equipment, but if you just want to upload nice photos to Instagram, I think this is perfect.
The HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro has a large screen, so it's very impressive, I think it's the best solution for a smartphone camera."
UL is a rational thought process.
With an ultra-wide-angle lens that captures every detail and an AI camera that automatically recognizes subjects and scenes and automatically makes optimal settings for brightness, aperture, and other factors, it is the perfect partner for hikers seeking to capture a wide range of subjects, from powerful mountain ranges to cuisine to flowers.
There is no need for complicated knowledge or troublesome settings, and nothing but the advantage of being able to capture the best moments right in front of your eyes by simply pressing the shutter release button. We can entrust the camera function to a smartphone that can be used seamlessly both in the city and in the mountains. This is truly UL-oriented.
In UL, it is of course important to lighten the weight of each piece of equipment, but what is more important is not to carry anything other than what is absolutely necessary. For example, a merino wool T-shirt has great anti-bacterial and anti-odor properties, so it does not smell at all even after several days of wear, and sweat stains do not bother me so much. . . So it is nonsense to change clothes every day in the mountains. That is why I always carry very few changes of clothes, not because I want to save weight, but because I think rationally that is enough.
Even today, most backpacks for traversing are 50-60 liters, but even with today's commonly distributed mountain gear, if you choose a backpack that is a little lighter and more compact, 30-40 liters is actually sufficient, even if you don't choose UL gear. The history of the evolution of tools is also the history of weight reduction, so they will only get lighter, not heavier.
While the camera can take ultra wide-angle shots, the macro lens allows users to get as close as 2.5 cm for close-up shots.
." "In terms of rain gear, there is no such thing as rain gear that doesn't get wet at all. . Then, the ultimate reason for wearing rain gear is to avoid hypothermia. . To avoid hypothermia at the very last minute, it is better to wear rain gear that is windproof and breathable. But you don't want to get wet, so you choose a heavy-duty shell that is over-specified for summer mountaineering, which increases the amount of luggage you need to carry.
But if you let that go, it's comfortable even when it's not raining, and the lighter load makes you feel like you can go anywhere. In fact, it's easier on the body, and the speed is faster, so the distance is longer. People sometimes say that "UL is dangerous," but if your luggage is light, you are less likely to get injured, and you may even get into an accident because of the heavy luggage. It's not that I'm masochistically reducing weight in order to endure something, but I'm doing it because it's easy and fun to do so. So why don't we do it?
. The same may be true for smartphones. There may be a surprisingly large number of people who somehow fall into a loop of buying a new phone when the latest model comes out.
I think the UL hike will be a lesson for us to rethink the way we have stopped thinking in such a way. If you experience that you can spend an enjoyable time in the mountains with a minimum of gear, you will naturally think that it would be better in your daily life as well. The most interesting part of UL, for me, is that it can make you think more deeply about things that you have taken for granted, and that you may not take them for granted anymore. The style and gear of UL are just a side road, not the mainstream. It is a great feeling to have enough food, clothing, and shelter while being so light, and to be able to go anywhere.
The HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro has "dual stereo speakers" that can be used to play music in a rented tent or to avoid animals, and IP68 water and dust resistance for outdoor use. It is so versatile that one wonders how many roles it can play, including a "reverse charging function" that turns the phone itself into a mobile battery (limited to compatible devices). Also useful in the city as well as in the mountains are the battery functions, such as high-capacity battery and quick charging. This is a good thing for people today, for whom smartphones have become an important tool in their daily lives. In short, this is the best mountain gear for hikers, even if you look beyond the camera function.
Of course, with so many features, any user can find the best use for their phone, and it would be interesting to rethink what features you are looking for in a smartphone every once in a while, just as you reevaluate your gear through UL hikes.
