Entertainment

HONOR Magic4 Pro: My Best Concert Companion

Taking K-Pop idol close-ups on stage with its periscope telephoto lens

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Image by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

If you happened to read our Boracay photo walk with the HONOR Magic4 Pro, you may already have an idea how “magical” its triple rear cameras are — not just the wide sensor, but also its ultra-wide and periscope telephoto zoom lens whether day or night.

But what if we totally focus on the HONOR Magic4 Pro’s 64MP periscope telephoto lens? Is it all just a gimmick? Or does it actually deliver ever-desirable zoomed photos?

One of the best ways to test its zoom superiority (other than trying to capture the moon) is bringing it to the nearest indoor arena before the actual show starts. After all, DSLR and mirrorless cameras are prohibited inside the venue.

Spoiler alert: You won’t think they were all taken using just a smartphone.

TXT: ACT LOVE SICK World Tour in Manila

TOMORROW x TOGETHER / 투모로우바이투게더 (shortened as TXT, read as T by T) is a five-member K-Pop boy group debuted in 2019 under BIGHIT MUSIC. They recently had their two-day concert here in the Philippines.

Just like its world-renowned senior labelmate BTS, TXT is also one of the most sought-after and very in-demand K-Pop boy group acts not just in this country, but probably in Asia and every major part of the globe.

Known for their hyper-eargasmic debut song ‘Crown’ to their recent hits ‘0x1= LOVESONG’, ‘Good Boy Gone Bad’, and the all-time hit ‘Blue Hour’, TXT has successfully dominated the stage along with the powerful cheers and chants of MOAs inside SM MoA Arena (pun intended) two days in a row.

Trust Fund Baby

0x1 = LOVE SONG

Opening Sequence

Crown

Runaway

Blue Hour

Zoom in? Zoom in!

Even though the HONOR Magic4 Pro only promises a 3.5x optical zoom capability, it can zoom in further to 100x — but no one would really use that. But having that zoom prowess also means you can zoom in farther than its usual optical zoom range.

If it ain’t getting more obvious, my friend’s sister took a lot of photos of her bias using this phone. Don’t ask me why there are a lot of Yeonjun photos in this set 👀

There are some Taehyun and Beomgyu looking at the crowd…

…my bias since Crown era, Soobin 🤩

…and some OTP interaction that MOAs didn’t ask for but liked very much — including ✨ SooGyu (Soobin x Beomgyu) ✨

+ ✨ SooKai (Soobin x Huening Kai) ✨

The concert shots above and below were taken around within the 7x to 15x zoom range, depending on how close or far the idols are.

Sweat

Note: The closer portrait shots of the members were taken from the VIP Section while the wider group shots were taken from the Lower Box (LB) Section.

I-POP U 2022 in MANILA

The I-POP U 2022 happened exactly a week before the TXT: ACT LOVE SICK World Tour in Manila. Unlike the former which featured only one K-Pop group, this is a joint concert featuring 5 K-Pop acts in the roster.

ALICE

They are probably the only girl group you’ll see in this section. Previously known as ‘ELRIS‘, the group has been rebranded to ‘ALICE‘ after switching to a new agency (IOK Company) that houses some of Korea’s popular actors and actresses.

Fun fact: ALICE’s DOA (previously had a stage name of Bella under ELRIS) has even garnered some attention for having a huge resemblance to the A.I-generated Kwangya avatar of aespa called ‘Nævis’.

Xdinary Heroes

If you know TWICE, Stray Kids, NMIXX, and most probably DAY6, you should be aware that Xdinary Heroes is the agency’s latest boy band (not to confuse with a boy group since the young members superbly handle instruments).

Golden Child

Any veteran K-Pop fan out there from the 2010s? If you’ve been an INSPIRIT like me, you’d know that Golden Child (or GolCha) is the second boy group of the agency after INFINITE.

WayV

“We are your Vision” — the literal meaning of the sub-unit’s name. WayV is a C-Pop group that comprises six members (iykyk 👀) — but only four of them were able to perform.

Fun fact 1: They’re managed by SM Entertainment’s Chinese sub-label, ‘Label V’.

Fun fact 2: The one writing this article is also labeled as ‘V’.

🤯

NCT Dream

With a lot of NCTzens filling the venue, another star of the show has got to be one of NCT’s sub-unit, NCT Dream.

The popular sub-unit performed their 2022 hit song ‘Hot Sauce’ — not suitable for those sensitive to anything spicy and HOT 🥵👀

The best concert companion

Admittedly, there are very few instances where gadget reviewers test smartphone cameras during concerts. And as the world changed due to pandemic, the concert scene has also halted its operations and productions over the last two years.

Luckily, as borders opened and restrictions get lifted, the concert announcements have also been being revealed one by one.

For the past decade, my friend and her sister have been the biggest concert-goers I know. After lending them the HONOR Magic4 Pro, they truly admired its zoom capabilities. She even dared to say she can now become a “fansite master” after taking such concert photos with just a smartphone.

‘Fansite masters’ are the fans who bring long-ass telephoto lenses and full-frame DSLRs inside — even if it means hiding their gear somehow by putting them between their bodies. But as mentioned earlier, concert venues don’t officially allow it — especially when official photographers are around.

The periscope telephoto zoom lens of the HONOR Magic4 Pro is not just for moon or creepy stalker shots. It’s best as a concert companion.

P.S: We are honestly deprived from the concert drought for the past two years, but not to the point of announcing them all at the same time 😭.

SEE ALSO: Shot on Google Pixel 6 Pro: TWICE III concert

SEE ALSO: GadgetSnaps: HONOR Magic4 Pro in Boracay


Very special thanks to my friends Dyan Carelle and her sister Rica Clarice for bringing us the concert experience with their jaw-dropping concert shots using the HONOR Magic4 Pro

Entertainment

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes showing on May 8

The 4th film under the reboot franchise

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Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” is coming to Philippine cinemas on May 8 for IMAX, 4DX, and 2D. It is the fourth installment of the Planet of the Apes reboot franchise, and the sequel to 2017’s “War for the Planet of the Apes.”

The upcoming action sci-fi is directed by Wes Ball. It features a new timeline where the apes are the dominant species. It is set several generations after Caesar’s reign. For those who have followed the reboot trilogy, the film’s story is set up by the simple question “What has happened since Caesar’s death?”

Proximus Caesar, played by Kevin Durand, is the apes’ new leader in “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.” In this timeline, humans have also regressed into primitive beings. Yet, things aren’t going smoothly for the apes. Proximus is apparently thirsty for power. He is determined to do everything to conquer the entire world, even if that means wreaking havoc on human species.

That’s where young chimpanzee hunter Noa (Owen Teague) and wise orangutan Raka (Peter Macon) conspire to uncover the truth behind Proximus’ unvirtuous intents. Noa will eventually meet a feral human named Mae (Freya Allan). Mae is being hunted by Proximus’ forces for her intelligence.

When Noa finds out that Proximus has been brainstorming everyone, he resents and tries to lead others in a battle to preserve the future for both apes and humans.

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Entertainment

May 2024 movie checklist: Back to Black, The Fall Guy, IF, more

Plan your next movie trip

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May 2024 Movies

Summer season has been nothing short of scorching hot so far. One of the best ways to cool down? Sit comfortably inside a cozy cinema and enjoy watching a movie. To help you plan your next movie trip with friends, family, your loved ones, or even just alone, here are May 2024’s upcoming titles.

There are lots of movies to choose from, covering different genres like action thriller, comedy, horror, and drama. from family-friendly comedies to nerve-wracking horrors, from an Amy Winehouse biopic to the latest installment in a popular franchise, May 2024’s lineup has it all.

Feel free to chow down on popcorn and flush it with ice-cold soda if you want to.

The Fall Guy (May 1)

Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Hannah Waddingham, Winston Duke, and Stephanie Hsu team up for an action comedy film loosely based on the 1980s TV series of the same name.

Gosling plays protagonist Colt Seavers, a seasoned stuntman who has endured a near career-ending accident. Colt’s ex-girlfriend, Jody Moreno, is played by Blunt. Moreno is working with Taylor-Johnson’s character Tom Ryder for her directorial debut. However, Tom goes missing, and that’s where Colt volunteers to find the actor whom he apparently had also doubled a long time ago.

SEE ALSO: The Fall Guy kicks off Ryan Gosling’s post-Ken life to a great start

Tarot (May 1)

Filipino-American Jacob Batalon returns to the big screen, this time headlining a supernatural horror film. His character is part of a college group of friends, including Avantika, Harriet Slater, and Adain Bradley.

Like how most horror film stories develop, the group commits a reckless mistake when they violate the sacred rule of Tarot readings. Unknowingly, they unleash unspeakable evil trapped within the cursed cards. One by one, they come face to face with fate and end up in a race against death to escape the future foretold in their readings.

IF (May 15)

Real-life couple John Krasinski (writer, director) and Emily Blunt are back, this time exchanging thriller for a family-friendly live-action comedy. They are joined by a star-studded ensemble that includes Ryan Reynolds, Cailey Fleming, Steve Carell, George Cloonney, Matt Damon, Bradley Cooper, and Blake Lively.

IF is about Blunt’s character who discovers that she can see everyone’s imaginary friends. She embarks on a magical adventure with that power to reconnect forgotten IFs with their kids.

Monkey Man (May 15)

Dev Patel, who played Jamal in the revered Slumdog Millionaire film, makes his directorial debut in this action thriller. Monkey Man is about a man’s quest for vengeance against corrupt leaders who murdered his mother and victimize the poor and powerless.

Also the main protagonist Kid, Patel takes on the role of a vengeful monkey mask-wearing grown up who wants to exact revenge on Baba Shakti. As Monkey Man is also co-produced by Patel, it features a predominantly Indian cast in key roles in a story set in the South Asian country.

Back to Black (May 15, Ayala exclusive)

Back to Black is a celebration of the most iconic homegrown star of the 21st century. The film chronicles the life and music of the late Amy Winehouse. Viewers will get to know more about Winehouse’s family background, her path to success, as well as her demons. Marisa Abela stars as Winehouse in the powerful tribute to a once-in-a-generation talent.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (May 22)

The fifth installment of the Mad Max franchise takes viewers back in time with a spin-off and prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road. The film puts focus on a young Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy). She is snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers and falls into the hands of a great Biker Horde led by the Warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth). Furiosa needs to survive many trials as she plots a way back home through the Wasteland.

The Garfield Movie (May 29)

Lastly, everyone’s favorite Monday-hating, lasagna-loving cat is back for another outdoor adventure. Voiced by Chris Pratt, Garfield has a new journey to undergo in this animated film. This, after an unexpected reunion with his father Vic (Samuel L. Jackson). The fresh new story puts more focus on Garfield, Odie, and Vic, instead of him with Jon and Liz.

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Entertainment

Transformers One trailer: Get to know Optimus Prime, Megatron’s origin stories

In cinemas September 18

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Transformers One

Paramount Pictures has released the trailer for Transformers One, the upcoming latest installment of the Transformers film franchise.

Before fans get excited for the Transformers and G.I. Joe crossover, this animated film focuses first on Optimus Prime’s relationship with his adversary, Megatron.

The origin story is set in Cybertron, long before the transformers land on earth in the chronological timeline.

The trailer reveals Optimus Prime’s previous name, Orion Pax. On the other hand, Megatron was previously known by D-16.

Joined by Elita-1 and Bumblebee, the two main protagonists journey to Cybertron’s surface, which hasn’t been explored beforehand due to the dangers it is said to have.

On the surface, the crew realizes that right away, but are bestowed the power to transform. After some figuring, they manage to utilize this ability to defend Cybertron from intruders.

Overall, the three-minute trailer gives a lighter and funnier vibe. That’s in contrast to the previous iterations where the story is more serious from the get-go.

The transformers’ appearance also looks simpler and more toned down, giving an old school feel which is appropriate, considering this movie is set an earlier time when Cybertron was more intact.

Transformers One is showing on Philippine cinemas on September 18. The voice cast includes Chris Hemsworth as Optimus Prime, Brian Tyree Henry as Megatron, Keegan-Michael Key as Bumblebee, and Scarlett Johansson.

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