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Do you think that in 2024, a mobile phone without a "one-inch main camera" or "periscope telephoto" can still be called a camera phone? It's true that Nubia is "unique".

Starting from the previous generations of products, Nubia has always used 35mm as the focal length of the main camera. The images recorded at this focal length are closer to the human binocular perspective and perspective, and it is easier to take pictures when shooting landscapes, portraits, streets and other scenes. This is a distinctive path for Nubia.

This generation of Nubia Z60S Pro naturally continues to use 35mm as the main camera focal length, but both the software and hardware have undergone unprecedented new upgrades. Let us find out whether it can prove the slogan of "Ultra same-level main camera, beyond one inch".

Appearance: Back to normal

In terms of appearance, the Nubia Z60S Pro has nothing in common with the Z60 Ultra, but it does look a bit like the previous generation Z50S Pro. However, this generation of the Z60S Pro has eliminated the highly acclaimed "calfskin glass craftsmanship" and instead uses frosted glass that looks like "nail-like", which also makes it less of a camera.

But it is a bit regrettable that the Nubia Z60S Pro does not use an under-screen camera design, but instead uses a 6.78-inch hole-punch screen, and the four R corners have become more rounded.

Rather than saying that the Nubia Z60S Pro looks "ordinary", it is better to say that it has become more easily accepted by the public.

But it does not completely abandon the brand characteristics. The huge round lens module on the back and the flat back cover create a sense of contrast between the round sky and the square earth.

A closer look at the DECO of this generation of Z60S Pro shows that the classic double red circle design has been integrated into the main camera, which makes it more eye-catching. The ultra-wide-angle and telephoto lenses are located above and to the right of it. The main camera information such as "35mm" and "IMX906" is marked at the bottom, and the top indicates the support of Nubia's own Neovision imaging engine. Next to the lens is a photographic flash.

The middle frame is still a right-angle design, and the iconic red power button design and sliding button are still retained. By default, sliding the physical button will enter the humanistic street shooting interface. The metal shutter button, leather texture and Nubia's iconic red elements all suggest to users: just press the shutter, and leave the rest to me.

Image: Sticking to 35mm is the right choice

This time, the Nubia Z60S Pro 35mm main camera has been updated to the third generation, and the sensor has also been upgraded to IMX906, supporting OIS optical image stabilization. This main camera also has a large aperture of F/1.59, and the depth of field effect is even stronger than some one-inch phones. Not only that, Nubia also equipped this lens with 1G+6P lenses, the purpose of which is to improve the purple edge in the photo, while bringing ultra-low dispersion, high light transmittance and other characteristics.

Compared with the 23mm main camera of its competitors, Nubia believes that 35mm is the most suitable golden focal length for street photography. Why?

In fact, the 35mm focal length is recognized by the photography industry as a humanistic focal length. It is also the closest to what the human eye sees. Relatively speaking, the photos taken can better highlight the subject and will be fuller. Whether it is street photography or portraits, the performance is better than the mainstream 23mm.

So do you think this focal length is easy to use? Of course it is.

For example, in the two photos below, the upper one was taken with the 24mm main camera of a competitor, and the lower one was taken with the 35mm main camera of Nubia Z60S Pro.

Competitor's 24mm main camera

Nubia Z60S Pro

Obviously, the picture of Nubia Z60S Pro is cleaner and purer, and there are fewer extra billboards above. If the former wants to record a similar composition, it can only zoom manually, which will also lose some picture quality, or the photographer needs to take two steps forward.

In well-lit conditions, the main camera of the Nubia Z60S Pro performs quite stunningly. The colors are slightly richer and the brightness is slightly higher. Some people may not be able to accept this, but I personally like this kind of color adjustment very much. After all, photos are meant to record this colorful world.

In high-contrast scenes, the images taken by Nubia Z60S Pro are clear and sharp. The colors of trains and machines are closer to what the human eye sees, and the relationship between light and shadow can be restored very well.

I believe you have also discovered that the 35mm focal length is a more suitable choice for recording life. The subject being photographed will also look more pleasing to the eye, and the human eye will be more easily focused on the subject. You don’t need to frequently switch focal lengths or crop back and forth to take a perfect photo. You just need to turn on the camera and press the shutter.

But on the Nubia Z60S Pro, you can also directly slide the camera button to immediately enter the "Humanistic Street Photography" mode, and its capture speed is very fast. The whole process is smooth and it is a function that is hard to go back to once you use it.

In the "Humanistic Street Photography" mode, professional users can adjust the shooting parameters such as color, sharpness, white balance, EV, etc. by themselves, while novice users can choose from many filter styles set by the system, and take textured photos with one click.

As shown in the picture below, in 798, a place with a strong artistic atmosphere, I turned on the humanistic street photography mode and recorded the graffiti on the wall. Only then did I understand the meaning of "art comes from life but is higher than life."

I think the most outrageous thing is that it has many filters. It can even import "LUT", which you can also think of as setting your own filters. For example, you can set Hasselblad color, Leica tone, Fuji film, etc., and you can find a lot of related parameters on the Internet. It is really a tool to save waste films.

There is nothing much to say about the night scene of the main camera of Nubia Z60S Pro. The advantages of large aperture and large bottom are obvious. The picture is very pure and bright, and the color reproduction is accurate. But because the picture is too bright, I personally feel that it lacks some "atmosphere".

After talking about the main camera, we also have to look at the other two lenses.

50-megapixel AF ultra-wide-angle and ultra-macro two-in-one main camera, 13mm equivalent focal length, 125-degree ultra-wide angle, and 2.5cm macro shooting capability.

The telephoto lens of Nubia Z60S Pro has an equivalent focal length of 80mm and OIS optical image stabilization. Thanks to Nubia's optical super-resolution algorithm, the clarity of telephoto photos is quite good.

Overall, Nubia Z60S Pro does have their own understanding of imaging, especially for someone like me who loves to use the 35mm focal length, this is really a hit with the heart, and the color performance is also what I like, coupled with the rich number and variety of filters, it is difficult for people to restrain their desire to take pictures.

But probably to cater to its own Ultra model and positioning, its ultra-wide-angle and telephoto performances are not as amazing as the main camera, and there is still a lot of room for optimization. However, the flaws do not outweigh the merits. The emergence of the humanistic street shooting mode has greatly improved the playability of the Nubia Z60S Pro.

Performance: Snapdragon 8Gen2 with radical tuning brings a lot of surprises

To be honest, as a mobile phone with both "S" and "Pro" in its name, Nubia actually uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8Gen2. Do you think there is anything wrong with this chip? Of course not. Now that it is here, we must test it.

Nubia Z60S Pro AnTuTu 156W is surprisingly good, ranking among the best among models using Qualcomm Snapdragon 8Gen2.

In thirty minutes, the average frame rate of "Genshin Impact" at the highest picture quality + 60 frames is 58 frames. Although the frame rate seems to fluctuate greatly, the overall lag is not obvious when playing the game. It can even run at 60 frames again after thirty minutes. This performance is still good. After all, it has a brother called "Red Devil", so it's not excessive to adjust it a little.

Communications: Let ordinary people use satellite communications

In addition to imaging upgrades, this year's Nubia Z60S Pro is also equipped with satellite communication technology that is only used in other flagship phones or even high-end flagship phones.

Unlike the Beidou satellite communications of other mobile phones, the Nubia Z60S Pro can realize Tiantong satellite calls, that is, using satellite to make voice calls and send and receive text messages in places without ground mobile communication network coverage. No wonder the Nubia Z60S Pro is called "a star species of outdoor equipment specially designed for young people."

Remember the sliding physical button mentioned earlier? Users can also set it to turn on satellite communication with one click. Coupled with the faster satellite communication chip inside the fuselage, it is faster, simpler and more convenient to get in touch with the outside world at critical moments.

In addition, Nubia has also specially launched a satellite-enhanced ballistic nylon protective case, which can increase the satellite signal strength by another 100%.

AI: Integrating into every aspect of the system

I had previously witnessed ZTE’s “AI for All” concept at the MWC 2024 exhibition in Shanghai, but I didn’t expect it to be implemented so soon.

This time, the Nubia Z60S Pro is equipped with ZTE's self-developed Nebula model, which can perform well in basic text creation, AI summary, travel planning, etc. Its answers to the questions I raised are relatively logical, and I believe that with the accumulation of data, it will be further upgraded in the future.

This year, major AI models have launched translation assistant functions. After actual testing, the translation accuracy is still very good. It also translates some two-part allegorical sayings and colloquialisms very well. The upper and lower screens can simultaneously translate Chinese into English and English into Chinese, which can also improve translation efficiency.

However, Nubia Z60S Pro has already integrated AI into every aspect of the system. For example, the "Lingxi Performance Engine" can analyze the usage scenarios of the phone in real time and use AI for intelligent performance scheduling. There is also the CUBE Energy Cube, which can use AI to enable various game assists, a true physical plug-in.

Of course, the imaging mentioned above also involves AI, which combines large models with imaging algorithms, customizes optical matching, and provides full-link high-level image quality processing to make photo shooting even better.

Summarize

To answer the question at the beginning, I think the Nubia Z60S Pro can definitely be called a camera phone.

In fact, after using it for a few days, I am quite impressed by Nubia. They are indeed trying to walk their own path, and the strength of their own products is not bad. I believe that the Nubia Z60S Pro with a starting price of 2,999 yuan will also become a force that cannot be ignored in the mid-range flagship.

Do you think the Nubia Z60S Pro is a one-sided student? I don’t think so. If you love to record your life, then its 35mm lens is very suitable for you. It is also a mobile phone that makes the shooting experience of the 35mm main camera almost perfect. This is why Nubia shouted the slogan of "Ultra main camera of the same level, beyond one inch".

If you have some basic knowledge of photography, then using Nubia Z60S Pro may bring you an unexpected experience. It is completely OK as a main phone or a backup camera.

In addition, the Nubia Z60S Pro also brought over the previously "high and mighty" satellite communication function. Although the probability that ordinary people like us can use this function is very low, it is better to have it than not. In scenarios such as mountain climbing and outdoor camping, the satellite communication function is actually still very necessary and will provide you with an extra layer of protection.