Features
GadgetSnaps: London
With the Canon EOS R50 V
In recent conversations with some close confidantes, I’ve expressed how I stumbled into a life I didn’t necessarily dream of. My work has taken me to places I never even imagined going to. One of those is London in the United Kingdom. Armed with the CANON EOS R50 V, I asked my friend, Jane, who has lived there for around seven to eight years to show me around.
Being in a new place always feels a little overwhelming. Thankfully, I had a local show me around. I only had two requirements: I wanted to see spots shown on the film Spider-Man: Far From Home (yes, I’m a webhead), and the Big Ben. That’s it. Everything else would be gravy.
And so, our little city trek began.
Didn’t realize there was someone looking at the camera when I shot this. Sun was pretty high up that day.
The first thing we spotted from afar is the City Mayor’s office. It’s this oval-looking thing. Definitely not your typical City Hall design.
After walking a few spaces, we spot these food trucks with the Tower Bridge in the background. If I remember correctly, Jane told me these food trucks aren’t a permanent fixture here – usually a summer thing.
Spider-Man: Far From Home spots
“Monji alji” iykyk
I usually go solo on these foreign city walkabouts. But having a companion meant I could take these touristy photos.
And yes, this is also the bridge in Spidey Far From Home. I was clearly giddy.
Quite close to it – but still not as close as the Far From Home film made it seem – is The Shard.
This was where Fury and Maria Hill (who turned out to be Skrulls) were stationed during the final act of the movie.
I might be mistaken but it was also along this path where we saw the Traitor’s Gate. There were several people taking photos at this area so it’s most certainly a tourist attraction.
It served as the entryway for many Tudor-era prisoners brought to the Tower of London. Originally constructed by Edward I, it functioned as a water gate within St. Thomas’ Tower — a section of the fortress built to offer extra living quarters for the royal family.
Yes, I got that off of Wikipedia. Sue me.
Along the walk we spotted these City Cruises. They looked nice from afar. But I’ve been on something like this before and I was terrified – I’m not exactly fond of being in big-ish bodies of water.
I can’t remember if we crossed or just went by it – but we were on the Tower Bridge. It was filled with people and those double deck buses that I didn’t get a chance to ride.
You also get a nice view of The Shard from the Tower Bridge.
At this point we were already looking for a spot to get some grub. We stopped by a pub but they didn’t have what we wanted to order so we walked some more.
Fish, chips, and more
Along the way, we spotted this residential back alley. I thought the view made for a nice little corner-of-the-city shot.
Along the way hunting for a pub that served fish and chips, I shot the photo above. I’m a sucker about the concept of parallel universes and this shot kind of had that vibe. Sorry. Nerd.
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We eventually settled here at The Raven.
I finally had my first authentic British fish and chips.
We stayed here for a while before continuing the trek.
On the way to Big Ben/ Elizabeth Tower, we passed by Borough Market. Although, we didn’t linger too much nor buy anything. But hey, at least I could say I was there.
Around the area is the Clink Prison Museum. A quick Google search says it’s one of the oldest prisons. It’s been around since 1144. Old indeed. There were plenty of these gibbet-type things. That’s how they executed people back then.
Around the bend, there’s this nice view of the Southwark Cathedral. I didn’t want to spontaneously combust so we didn’t go in.
Along the way, we also spotted this wall with heart graffiti. I was lucky enough that a couple seemed to be walking beside it when I took a shot.
Plenty of paces away we came across the Millenium Bridge with St. Paul’s Cathedral in the background. This is easily one of my favorite shots from this walkaround.
A little further down and we spotted these two red pillars that don’t really connect anywhere. A quick Gemini search told us that these are the remains of the original Blackfriars Railway Bridge.
Right next to it is the current Blackfriars Bridge which has been around since 1869.
Approaching Big Ben
Moving along, we ended up at Regent’s Park where the National Theater is located. Jane tells me this is one of her favorite spots in the city.
Not too far off is the BFI IMAX Cinema in London. The facade of the place is also known for hosting major ads. At the time we walked by, it had Adidas Superstar ads splattered all over.
When the game God of War: Ragnarok came out, this place also had ads for it.
At this point, we were quickly pacing through the spots as we were supposed to meet another friend. We passed through London’s Eye rather quickly. The area had a festive vibe with people gathered around stages.
[Big Ben facade]
At long last, we finally made it to Big Ben. This was a nice photo spot right across the Elizabeth Tower which hosts the Big Ben. It’s part of the larger Palace of Westminster.
Naturally, we had to take some touristy photos. While making our way across the bridge, “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters was blasting through the speakers of one of the vendors there. Truly a global phenomenon.
Had a closer look at Big Ben after making our way across. It looked absolutely majestic.
Wrapping up the trek
We started making our way to Buckingham Palace after. Before that, I snapped this real quick without realizing that it’s a closer look at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Buckingham Palace is surrounded by a large area of different parks. I believe this particular spot is already the Buckingham Palace Garden. But there are several parks around it where people run or just spend some quiet time in.
As expected, the Buckingham Palace was filled with people. I couldn’t really get shots I was totally satisfied with so I leave you with this one of the Palace gates.
I went back a few days later to take more photos but this time with the HONOR Magic V5.
Beeda Beeda even in London
We capped off the trek by meeting with our friend at this familiar place.
There were plenty more shots, spots, and musings that I couldn’t share here. Overall, the CANON EOS R50 V was a very nice companion for travel treks like this.
Features
Why the OPPO Reno15 5G series is a creator’s essential
4K Ultra-Steady, 50MP groufies, and AI edits in one device.
There are two kinds of travel essentials: the ones you pack because you have to, and the ones you pack because they make the story better.
Often, we feel forced to choose between traveling light and bringing the bulky gear necessary to document the trip properly.
On your next trip, the OPPO Reno15 5G Series eliminates that compromise. With a thoughtful mix of hardware and software, it becomes your pocket-sized production crew, ready to capture life as it unfolds.
The crew in your pocket
The first rule of travel is to keep things light, but for a creator, “light” cannot mean lower quality.
Whether you are navigating crowded night markets or chasing the golden hour on a steep, adventurous rooftop, the 4K Ultra Steady feature ensures your footage looks composed even when the environment is chaotic.
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This stabilization changes the energy of a travel vlog, turning handheld montages into polished, cinematic clips that are ready for a Reel the moment you hit save.
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Capturing everything and everyone
Travel stories are built on shared memories, but too often, the person behind the lens is left out.
Group shots often become a messy scramble to squeeze everyone into a tight frame. The 50MP Selfie Camera changes that outcome with its 0.6x ultra-wide-angle mode
It captures the entire group with sharp detail across the frame, ensuring no one is relegated to the blurry edges.
Even if you need to crop the image later for a specific social media layout, faces remain clear and the background stays defined.
The result is a “groufie” that feels complete and professional
Scroll-stopping memories
We often summarize our trips through collages: layered photos that tell a single story.
The AI Motion Photo Popout tool brings a new dimension to these memories. With a few taps in the Gallery, the subject separates from the background to create a sophisticated, layered effect.
These edits serve as the perfect foundation for Instagram Story covers, Reel thumbnails, or high-quality personal wallpapers.
It’s a subtle digital adjustment that makes a visible difference in how your audience experiences your journey.
Reliability for the modern creator.
A smartphone is no longer just a gadget; it is a creative partner. The OPPO Reno15 Series 5G features a sleek design that looks at home beside a passport or a boarding pass.
It’s light enough for long days of exploration but polished enough for high-end city trips. The reliable battery life supports early flights, full-day itineraries, and even late-night uploads.
You’ll spend less time searching for an outlet and more time capturing the moments that matter.
Which OPPO Reno15 Series 5G is your GadgetMatch?
The series offers variants designed to fit your specific creative style.
Pick the OPPO Reno15 5G if you want a balanced everyday companion, and if you want flexibility and reliability without overcomplicating the process.
There’s the OPPO Reno15 Pro; the choice for creators where photography and videography are the main event, offering enhanced tools in a compact form.
But if you’re a value-conscious traveler who wants a practical entry point that provides core camera and AI features, then the OPPO Reno15 F 5G is your GadgetMatch.
Whichever you choose, the series proves that a travel accessory can do more than complement an outfit. It preserves your stories because it doubles as a content creator’s must-have tool.
The OPPO Reno15 Series 5G is now available in OPPO stores nationwide and the OPPO Online Store.
SEE MORE: The art of being in and behind the frame | OPPO Reno15 Pro: Camera Review
@gadgetmatch A phone that does more… so you can focus more on the moments that matter. The Galaxy S26 Ultra lets Galaxy AI handle the small stuff so you can stay present for the moments that matter. Also great for the occasional KPop concert video. Pre-order until March 17 and get double storage worth up to PhP 14,000. https://www.samsung.com/ph/smartphones/galaxy-s26-ultra/buy/ #GalaxyS26Ultra #EverydaywithGalaxyAI @samsungph ♬ original sound – GadgetMatch
Here’s the dream: a phone that helps you stay on top of things, so you can focus more on what matters.
That’s basically the idea behind Galaxy AI on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Instead of adding more things to do, the phone helps take care of the small stuff for you. Things like reminding you what’s next, or surfacing the information you need right when you need it.
So you spend less time digging through apps and more time actually doing the things you planned to do.
Editing photos is easier too. With Photo Assist, you can just describe the change you want… and Galaxy AI fills in the rest.
And if you’re cleaning up a video, Audio Eraser can reduce background noise — even from clips on third-party apps like Instagram or YouTube.
The point isn’t to make your phone the center of attention. It’s to make it helpful enough that you can forget about it for a while. Until something worth capturing happens.
And when things get a little chaotic — like concerts, street performances, or just life moving fast — Super Steady Video helps keep your shots level.
That’s definitely coming with me to the next K-pop concert.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra. Smarter phone. Slightly less stressed me.
Pre-orders are open now — with double storage for early buyers, plus additional discounts and installment offers from participating banks.
Which is great… because apparently I shoot way too many videos.
For more than a decade, the smartphone industry has been defined by a familiar race. More megapixels. Faster processors. Bigger batteries. Thinner designs. Being first. Being the most. And being the fastest.
The industry rewarded brands that appeared to be chasing specs. Bigger numbers meant progress. At least on paper.
But if you ask Samsung, the days of chasing specs may no longer define the future of Galaxy smartphones.
During a regional roundtable following the launch of the latest Galaxy devices, I asked TM Roh how the company decides when it’s time for a major hardware upgrade if it isn’t simply chasing specs.
His answer revealed how Samsung now approaches the future of its flagship smartphones.
According to Roh, hardware upgrades are increasingly tied to how well they support Galaxy AI.
“To make Galaxy AI run smoothly, it must be backed by strong hardware,” Roh said during the session, speaking through a translator. He added that Samsung develops its hardware, software, and AI capabilities together — and that major upgrades tend to arrive only when the company reaches what he described as the “desired level of excellence.”
(Quotes are approximate translations.)
“To make Galaxy AI run smoothly, it must be backed by strong hardware.”
(Approximate translation from TM Roh during the roundtable)
In short, Samsung says it’s no longer chasing specs for the sake of winning spec-sheet battles. Not anymore.
Samsung CEO TM Roh answering questions at a media roundtable in San Francisco
When hardware stops chasing numbers
Hardware innovation still matters. But Samsung increasingly frames those improvements as tools that enable smarter software experiences.
During the roundtable, Roh pointed to Samsung’s custom application processors, which now include stronger neural processing capabilities designed to handle AI workloads more efficiently. Dedicated hardware is also being introduced to strengthen privacy and security — including technologies embedded directly into the display. (See: Privacy Display)
Even cameras, historically one of the biggest battlegrounds for smartphone innovation, are evolving in the same direction.
Roh noted that while sensors and lenses remain important, modern smartphone photography now relies heavily on AI-powered image processing working alongside the hardware. This could also explain why, as of writing, Samsung has resisted the extra telephoto lens accessories that is prevalent with other brands.
The shift is subtle but important. Instead of emphasizing bigger numbers on spec sheets, Samsung positions hardware upgrades as part of a broader system designed to support intelligent software.
Why Samsung gets dunked on online
That philosophy, however, exists in tension with how smartphones are often discussed online.
In a landscape driven by benchmark charts and viral comparisons, incremental refinement rarely generates the same excitement as dramatic hardware leaps. Over the past few years, the Galaxy S series has occasionally become an easy target for criticism — especially as rival Android manufacturers compete to deliver the biggest numbers, the fastest charging speeds, or the thinnest designs.
The temptation in tech media, particularly on platforms like YouTube, is often to dunk on Samsung rather than examine the nuance behind its approach. Spectacular upgrades and dramatic spec sheets make better thumbnails.
Yet listening to Samsung executives across multiple briefings reveals something interesting: the messaging is remarkably consistent. Whether discussing cameras, processors, or ecosystem features, the company repeatedly returns to the same principle. Hardware innovation matters most when it unlocks a better overall experience.
A company that knows its role
That consistency suggests Samsung knows exactly who it is in the smartphone industry.
As the largest Android smartphone manufacturer globally, Samsung occupies a position where competitors often measure themselves against it. Many brands differentiate by pushing aggressive specifications or experimenting with bold hardware changes.
In many ways, everyone else is punching up.
Scale changes priorities. When you’re building devices for hundreds of millions of users, the focus shifts toward reliability, ecosystem integration, and increasingly, AI-powered experiences that work consistently across products.
Why Southeast Asia matters in Samsung’s AI strategy
During the roundtable, Roh also emphasized the importance of Southeast Asia and Oceania to Samsung’s AI strategy.
According to the company’s internal research, the region ranks among the most receptive markets for AI-powered mobile features. Younger demographics and heavy social media usage are driving adoption.
In markets where smartphones are central to communication, content creation, and digital services, AI-powered tools — from translation features to image editing — have found strong traction.
That context helps explain why Samsung continues to position AI as the defining layer of its next-generation devices.
Is the smartphone spec race ending?
For years, smartphone makers built their identities around chasing specs.
Bigger numbers meant better phones. Faster chips meant progress.
Samsung, it seems, is chasing something else.
Whether that bet ultimately reshapes the smartphone experience remains to be seen. But if Roh’s comments are any indication, the next major leap in Galaxy hardware won’t happen simply because the numbers can go higher.
It will happen when Samsung believes the experience — not the spec sheet — is ready to move forward.
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