Hasselblad True zoom: A super dope Moto camera mod!


This is the Hasselblad true zoom. A camera snap on mod for the Moto Z and Z force (Z play also included). It's meant to push the many boundaries of a smartphone camera, especially on the Moto phones. Lets have a look if it's actually any good.

This camera doesn't include it's own battery like the LG camera mod or 'friend' as they call it. It's not very heavy so to say, and packs some serious specs in paper:
  • A 12 mp BSI CMOS sensor with 1.55 um pixel size
  • 10x optical zoom 
  • A powerful xenon flash
  • Optical image stabilization
  • f/3.5 to f/6.5 aperture lenses
  • Two microphones at the bottom
  • Up to 1080p video capability.

The camera quality in general terms is quite good. But it's not without it's flaws. The OIS is only for stills, for video it still relies on Electronic stabilization or EIS. So videos aren't gonna be super smooth and stable as you would expect. 


The video size, as mentioned above, is at 1080p max. No 4k, which is a shame since even tiny GoPro cameras gave 4K capabilities these days. It's quite odd to leave it on, so you'll have to carry it in another pocket separately to avoid awkward handling. But for someone who is used to carry something in the other pocket say another camera, or a power bank may not see it as an issue as I do.

Though the picture quality is exceptional and the optical zoom is far superior than the crappy digital zoom, it takes a lot of time to focus. The camera on the Moto Z series is simply not the best. You can get some amazing low light shots, but you'll need a steady hand to do it. Also, I observed that the camera app takes a hit longer to load while this mod is attached.



Handling the Hasselblad mod is a treat. There's a large section to rest your hand in the right, there's a two stage shutter button the top side, and the rubberized feel provides a reassuring grippyness in the hand. It almost feels like a slimmer version of a full fledged DSLR. Although the default app doesn't permit a lot of tinkering with the ISO, white balance and manual shutter delays, you can still get some pretty awesome shots once you get the hang of it.



If I had a Moto Z, would u personally buy this? Nope. To me, smartphone photography is all about simplicity and ease of use. Mr. Samsung in my hand can take pretty amazing shots without any additional trinkets. Even if I did own a moto Z, it wouldn't be my decision to buy it.

If the autofocus was faster and if it had it's own battery, then maybe I could've recommended it to everybody. But as of now, the price tag of $250 or 16,700 INR on this mod, is only for the die-hard smartphone photography enthusiasts

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