Mar 08, 2024 08:34 AM IST

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Xiaomi 14 is simply some of the best camera hardware you’ll find on an Android flagship phone, for now. Excellent results are delivered with old-school optimisations, and little AI. Xiaomi may have given Samsung and Google some sleepless nights, with pricing too

There is a certain charm in the journey of persistence. The variables. The uncertainty. Often, one would prefer to do without any of it. For various factors (product, pricing, and consumer confidence) over the years, persistence has underlined Xiaomi’s attempts to gain a foothold among Android flagship phones. For a brand that’s been tremendously dominant in affordable and mid-range segments, this proved to be a bridge too far. Folks on the shop floor didn’t seem too willing to shell out the big bucks for an expensive Xiaomi phone, as perhaps they would for a Samsung or OnePlus phone.

It may well be the end of that trend – Xiaomi 14 puts forward a more than compelling proposition. In due course of time, as would the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. Particularly with the Leica co-engineered camera, and the new HyperOS software. Pricing was always going to be key for the Xiaomi 14’s success (or not). There is a simplicity to the approach with a single spec (that is, 12GB RAM and 512GB storage) sporting a sticker price of ₹69,999 (alongside a bunch of bundled credit card offers). Enough pricing and proposition gap to the Xiaomi 14 Ultra too, which is priced at ₹99,999 and also gets a bunch of credit card discounts. It is immediately clear, the Xiaomi 14 has an upper hand over its closest competitor, the Samsung Galaxy S24 (around ₹79,999 onwards) whilst also being significantly less expensive than the Google Pixel 8 (around ₹75,999 onwards), something I illustrate in this piece.

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Good things, small packages, and all that

There is a uniqueness to approach as they re-enter the flagship phone battle ring in India, with the sort of screen size that could be calling out to an audience that hides in plain sight. The ones who prefer more compact phones than the 6.7-inch or thereabouts which is common nowadays. The 6.36-inch Xiaomi 14 is a convincingly comfortable phone to hold and use, something I can attest to, having successfully switched from a 6.7-inch phone (typing wasn’t a painful experience too).

There can be a convincing argument that not enough enthusiasm has been shown towards the design. It isn’t the same as any other phone, but does not stand out either. For a flagship effort, a little more in terms of visual differentiation, would have worked wonders. At least there are two colours to choose from – black and green, in slightly different finish options too. The Xiaomi 14’s design simply works, and while there is nothing to criticize about it, is simply ticking the checklist good enough?

Even then, a smaller screen real estate (despite the ease of getting accustomed to) may not work as well for everyone. And that’s something Xiaomi will have to address sooner rather than later, with another flagship with a larger screen. In case you are wondering about the ease of getting used to a more compact display size, HyperOS and its redone interface plays its part in opening up a lot of display space (above the keyboard, for instance) to see quite a bit on. It helps.

HyperOS software will play a pivotal role in making Xiaomi’s premium phones more addressable to a discerning audience ready to pay top money. Unlike MIUI that it replaces (that was cluttered, and was getting long in the tooth), HyperOS has earned the right to be talked about in the same conversation as Samsung’s One UI and OnePlus’ OxygenOS. A completely new architecture gives it a smaller footprint not just terms of size, but also resource usage (that means more storage space, RAM and processor grunt is available for your apps).

Whether Xiaomi has missed a trick with a more compact than usual screen size, or this is a subtle (and soon to be proved successful) manoeuvre in appealing to those who’d prefer an ergonomically happier phone to carry around, father time will offer a chance to tally the answers. To be able to do what Xiaomi has, without having to compromise on specs, performance or crucially, battery stamina, is rare. Take the latest Samsung Galaxy S24 (6.2-inch screen) for example – a much smaller 4,000mAh battery, a chip that isn’t as powerful, and cameras that don’t match the 50-megapixel troika.

Before that, the Google Pixel 8 didn’t exactly put forward a no-compromise proposition – its entry storage spec is 128GB, a far cry from Xiaomi’s 512GB proposition. Samsung Galaxy S24 offers 256GB storage, before you must reach for the clouds. In the past, the Nothing Phone (1) wasn’t leading the specs charge either, in a broad look. And neither have any compact Apple iPhones. There’s always been something missing, something to ponder about. In that spirit, think of the Xiaomi 14 as a ‘Pro’ phone in terms of what it can offer, without the bulk (or the naming scheme).

Illustrating why I am saying what I am saying, is the fact that the Xiaomi 14 runs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 mobile platform (Leica’s photography magic is built on this), three 50-megapixel cameras to work with for photography and a 4,610mAh battery despite its rather compact dimensions. Beyond the specs, it is also ushering in the era of Xiaomi’s new software that’ll define the experience, HyperOS. Built from the ground up, it is an OS on a diet compared with the MIUI it replaces, has a smaller footprint, and brings significant visual improvements.

The big battery in a compact phone, seems to be another achievement that should hold the Xiaomi 14 in good stead. A fully charged phone at 8am, shooting over 200 photos in a day and syncing emails, social media as well as messaging, returns with around 56% battery at 9pm. That is, so to say, the end of battery anxiety.

There isn’t enough praise for Leica and Xiaomi

This really is the reason why you’d pick the Xiaomi 14 over other Android flagships, screen size aside. The competition can make do with quite a few sleepless nights. A 50-megapixel wide, a 50-megapixel 75mm telephoto and a 50-megapixel ultrawide. Xiaomi has worked with German photography giants Leica. Unlike most other phone maker and camera brand partnerships, this is restricted to the gloss of branding on the back of the phone (notice how possessive Leica is about their red logo?) and some colour modes or filters in the camera app. Leica’s inputs cover optical hardware too.

The key to delivering what must safely be categorised as benchmark setting photography results, is a multi-pronged approach to the basics. Leica’s Summilux lenses, the Light Fusion 900 image sensor, a 75mm optical floating telephoto lens and Leica’s tuned Authentic and Vibrant photo modes that you’d usually associate with Leica’s cameras, make for a set of ingredients that will be difficult to match. Whether in sunlight or an overcast outdoors with dark cloud, the dynamic range that returns in photos is worth appreciating. If I may say so, Xiaomi 14’s cameras return photos exactly as your eyes see the details, and then some. Without the zoom, of course.

And when you do decide to zoom in, the Xiaomi 14’s sensor pulling in the data is then combined with what can only be called top-notch image processing. At 5x, you really can capture so many different perspectives with detailing the eyes (and most phone cameras) would have otherwise missed. The 10x zoom photos are extremely usable for sharing too. Even 20x is quite usable, if you have a steady hand and the lighting is just right. It isn’t just the zoom. There is a distinct neutrality to how the Xiaomi 14 processes colours – there is negligible, if at all, colour boosting in the Leica Authentic mode, whereas even the Leica Vibrant doesn’t go overboard with any particular shades. Yet, if the scene is right (landscapes for example), try shooting the same subject in both modes. The results will make you believe this is two cameras in one.

Low light, where many a phone camera has struggled in the past, returns another strong showing for the Xiaomi 14. Unlike some of the, including Samsung’s new Galaxy S24 series, there is very little reliance on artificial intelligence (AI). If you prefer a level of realism to reflect in the photos you click, this is a more reliable camera to have, where there is no ambiguity about processing that AI may introduce.

Does this flagship give Xiaomi hope?

Two schools of thought will dictate how the Xiaomi 14 is approached. One, which Xiaomi hopes will be the case more often than not, where the specs are enough to get potential buyers interested. Second, and this cannot be denied, would be the audience who will remain unconvinced about the screen size. Irrespective of preferences, consistent across arguments is a Leica camera that pretty much sets the benchmark for flagships (none of the current Android flagship crop comes even close). The new HyperOS software still has some quirks but signifies a step forward for refinement.

Xiaomi may have done its bit to test waters and how Indian consumers approach this flagship phone, and there is enough weight to the argument they must continue to do more. Perhaps the Xiaomi 14 Ultra too, since they’re not leaving anything to chance. Gaining consumer confidence, the ones who are spending top money on an Android phone, would like to see a legacy, an effort for a few years. Xiaomi needs to get that under their belt, in India. Remember, OnePlus persisted. Samsung persisted. Success followed. Xiaomi must have a readiness to walk the distance. Nothing tells me that’s lacking. Anymore.

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• ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  

  Vishal Mathur

  Vishal Mathur is Technology Editor for Hindustan Times. When not making sense of technology, he often searches for an elusive analog space in a digital world.

• Xiaomi

Leica Camera AG has introduced its latest offering in photography: the Leica SL3. Building upon the success of its predecessor, the SL-System, which was introduced in 2015, the SL3 offers significant advancements in both photography and videography.

Leica states that the development of the Leica SL3 has been heavily influenced by feedback from professional photographers, ensuring that it meets the industry’s rigorous demands. The result, they state, is a versatile camera that delivers exceptional image quality in various shooting conditions.

• 60MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Sensor
• Maestro IV Image Processor, 8GB Buffer
• Hybrid AF System with PDAF & Contrast AF
• 5.76m-Dot 0.78x-Mag. EyeRes OLED EVF
• 3.2″ 2.3m-Dot Tilting Touchscreen LCD
• 8K, C8K, 4K, C4K & FHD 10-Bit Recording
• ProRes 1080p & Apple MFi Support
• ISO 50-100000, Up to 15 fps Shooting
• 5-Axis Sensor-Shift Image Stabilization
• CFexpress Type B & SD UHS-II Card Slots

Key features of the Leica SL3 include its BSI CMOS full-frame sensor with Triple Resolution Technology, capable of recording raw files in DNG or JPEG format at resolutions of 60, 36, or 18 megapixels. The camera boasts an expanded dynamic range of 15 f-stops and an ISO range from 50 to 100,000, allowing for detailed images in all lighting situations.

The SL3’s autofocus system utilizes phase detection, depth mapping, and contrast recognition technologies to ensure sharp images, even in low light. Additionally, based on the L-Mount standard developed by Leica, the camera’s lens bayonet offers compatibility with a wide range of lenses, including those from other Leica camera systems.

The Leica SL3 features an EyeRes® viewfinder with a resolution of 5.76 million pixels, providing a crystal-clear view of the subject. A tiltable 3-inch touchscreen offers additional creative possibilities, while videos can be recorded in resolutions up to 8K, supported by efficient codecs such as H.265 and ProRes by Apple.

The camera’s user interface has been redesigned for enhanced comfort and ease of use, with a clear separation of photo and video modes. Customizable function keys and optimized touch interaction further contribute to easier operation.

Connectivity options include slots for CFexpress type B and UHS-II-SD memory cards, a USB-C port for high-speed data transmission, tethering, and power supply, and Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. The Leica SL3 is also certified as a “Made for iPhone® and iPad®” accessory, allowing for direct connection to Apple products.

Click here to see more details and pricing information.

Jack Latham was on a mission to photograph farms in Vietnam — not the country’s sprawling plantations or rice terraces but its “click farms.”

Last year, the British photographer spent a month in the capital Hanoi documenting some of the shadowy enterprises that help clients artificially boost online traffic and social media engagement in the hope of manipulating algorithms and user perceptions. The resulting images, which feature in his new book “Beggar’s Honey,” provide rare insight into the workshops that hire low-paid workers to cultivate likes, comments and shares for businesses and individuals globally.

“When most people are on social media, they want nothing but attention — they’re begging for it,” Latham said in a phone interview, explaining his book’s title. “With social media, our attention is a product for advertisers and marketers.”

In the 2000s, the growing popularity of social media sites — including Facebook and Twitter, now called X — created a new market for well-curated digital profiles, with companies and brands vying to maximize visibility and influence. Though it is unclear when click farms began proliferating, tech experts warned about “virtual gang masters” operating them from low-income countries as early as 2007.

In the following decades, click farms exploded in number — particularly in Asia, where they can be found across India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines and beyond. Regulations have often failed to keep pace: While some countries, like China, have attempted to crack down on operations (the China Advertising Association banned the use of click farms for commercial gain in 2020), they continue to flourish around the continent, especially in places where low labor and electricity costs make it affordable to power hundreds of devices simultaneously.

‘Like Silicon Valley startups’

Latham’s project took him to five click farms in Vietnam. (The click farmers he hoped to photograph in Hong Kong “got cold feet,” he said, and pandemic-related travel restrictions dashed his plans to document the practice in mainland China). On the outskirts of Hanoi, Latham visited workshops operating from residential properties and hotels.

Some had a traditional setup with hundreds of manually operated phones, while others used a newer, compact method called “box farming” — a phrase used by the click farmers Latham visited — where several phones, without screens and batteries, are wired together and linked to a computer interface.

Latham said one of the click farms he visited was a family-run business, though the others appeared more like a tech companies. Most workers were in their 20s and 30s, he added.

“They all looked like Silicon Valley startups,” he said. “There was a tremendous amount of hardware … whole walls of phones.”

Some of Latham’s photos depict — albeit anonymously — workers tasked with harvesting clicks. In one image, a man is seen stationed amid a sea of gadgets in what appears to be a lonely and monotonous task.

“It only takes one person to control large amounts of phones,” Latham said. “One person can very quickly (do the work of) 10,000. It’s both solitary and crowded.”

At the farms Lathan visited, individuals were usually in charge of a particular social media platforms. For instance, one “farmer” would be responsible for mass posting and commenting on Facebook accounts, or setting up YouTube platforms where they post and watch videos on loop. The photographer added that TikTok is now the most popular platform at the click farms he visited.

The click farmers Latham spoke to mostly advertised their services online for less than one cent per click, view or interaction. And despite the fraudulent nature of their tasks, they seemed to treat it like just another job, the photographer said.

‘There was an understanding they were just providing a service,” he added. “There wasn’t a shadiness. What they’re offering is shortcuts.”

Deceptive perception

Across its 134 pages, “Beggar’s Honey” includes a collection of abstract photographs — some seductive, others contemplative — depicting videos that appeared on Latham’s TikTok feed. He included them in the book to represent the kind of content he saw being boosted by click farms.

But many of his photos focus on the hardware used to manipulate social media —webs of wires, phones and computers.

“A lot of my work is about conspiracies,” Latham said. ” Trying to ‘document the machines used to spread disinformation’ is the tagline of the project. The bigger picture is often the thing we don’t see.”

Click farms around the world are also used to amplify political messages and spread disinformation during elections. In 2016, Cambodia’s then-prime minister Hun Sen was accused of buying Facebook friends and likes, which according to the BBC he denied, while shadowy operations in North Macedonia were found to have spread pro-Donald Trump posts and articles during that year’s US presidential election.

While researching, Latham said he found that algorithms — a topic of his previous book, “Latent Bloom” — often recommended videos that he said got increasingly “extreme” with each click.

“If you only digest a diet of that, it’s a matter of time you become diabetically conspiratorial,” he said. “The spreading of disinformation is the worst thing. It happens in your pocket, not newspapers, and it’s terrifying that it’s tailored to your kind of neurosis.”

Hoping to raise awareness of the phenomenon and its dangers, Latham is planning to exhibit his own home version of a click farm — a small box with several phones attached to a computer interface — at the 2024 Images Vevey Festival in Switzerland. He bought the gadget in Vietnam for the equivalent of about $1,000 and has occasionally experimented with it on his social media accounts.

On Instagram, Latham’s photos usually attract anywhere from a few dozen to couple hundred likes. But when he deployed his personal click farm to announce his latest book, the post generated more than 6,600 likes. The photographer wants people to realize that there’s more to what they see on social media — and that metrics aren’t a measurement of authenticity.

“When people are better equipped with knowledge of how things work, they can make more informed decisions,” he said.

“Beggar’s Honey,” co-published by Here Press and Images Vevey, is available now.

Local photographers showcase their skills during the annual ImageFest 2024, hosted by the Comox Valley Photographic Society (CVPS).

On March 30 at 7 p.m, the 12th annual festival will take place at the Sid Williams Theatre in Courtenay.

ImageFest is a celebration of photographic arts comprised of slideshows set to music by the multi-talented members of the CVPS. Themes include portraiture, time-lapse photography, nature and wildlife, macro and still-life photography, as well as photography of local and exotic destinations.

There will be a print display of photographs by CVPS members in the lower foyer of the theatre, beginning one hour before the ImageFest show and during the intermission. The photographers will be on hand to chat about their work.

CVPS members began crafting their slide shows in October 2023, some editing them two or three times before making the final cut. The show is different each year and offers an opportunity for the community to experience the image-making skills of CVPS members.

CVPS is an active photo group of 100 members of all abilities sharing a passion for the art and technology of photography, photo editing and education.

The club meets twice monthly at the Presbyterian Church in Comox and regularly has field trips and outings. For more information about the Comox Valley Photographic Society visit www.cvps.ca.

For tickets to ImageFest 2024, visit the Sid Williams theatre website at sidwilliamstheatre.com.

Tian has never been in a romantic relationship because she “dared not to” and she is afraid of being called a “cripple”.

She never takes full-body photos and is unwilling to smile: “I don’t look good when I smile,” she said.

Living in a rural area, Tian live-streams makeup tutorials on Douyin to earn money for her treatment and relieve the financial pressure on her parents.

She requires artificial muscle implants for her legs and each piece costs 20,000 yuan (US$2,800).

However, a renowned photographer who specialises in taking portraits for disadvantaged groups contacted Tian on February 26 and said he wanted to do a photo shoot with her.

In the resulting photos, Tian smiled confidently and displayed the full length of her body.

The photographer, Liang Tian, 22, whose real name is Shi Jiadong, has 12.4 million followers on Douyin.

Among Liang’s subjects is a blind goalball player, Hu Mingyao, who lost his sight as a result of albinism. The disease left Hu with pale skin, hair, and severely impaired vision.

Goalball is a sport exclusive to athletes with visual impairments and is played by both men and women.

Hu won the men’s goalball championship at the Asian Para Games in 2023.

Hu’s Chinese name means “bright and dazzling”, and in the photos, he and his girlfriend transform into “white-haired angels” dispersing the gloom around them.

Liang also photographed a 20-year-old woman, surnamed Leung, who has a birthmark which covers almost half her face, causing her to wear masks every time she goes out.

However, instead of covering the birthmark with a thick foundation makeup, Liang transformed it into vibrant red roses.

After the photo shoot, the woman went out for dinner without wearing a mask.

The photographer once suffered from severe appearance anxiety due to a distinctive underbite, a dental condition in which the lower jaw extends outwards further than the upper jaw.

However, he found solace in photography and turned his camera to help disadvantaged people.

The young photographer has attracted a total of 280 million likes on Douyin.

“I take photos to help others restore their faith in themselves, and also to help myself,” said Liang.

He believes that there are still many vulnerable groups in China that need psychological assistance.

As of 2022, China’s disabled population stood at 85.9 million, 76.5 per cent of whom lived in rural areas.

Bloomington (25News Now) – A Illinois State University student is helping sick children while at the same time pursuing her passion.

Ever since she was little, Sadie Miyler would find ways to give back to people in need. She found her passion for photography from her grandmother. Taking photos has become her love language of giving back to the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

Miyler’s parents helped her open a photography studio in downtown Bloomington when she turned 21.

“I think I will continue to donate to Make-a-Wish. It’s just something about it that warms my heart. I love being able to help others when I have so much, and there is so much else to give, said Miyler.

She’s a member of the Chi Omega sorority which has been involved in Make-A-Wish at ISU. Sadie’s business has raised almost $1,000 for the cause.

Her mother, Chrissy Curry, is very proud.

“She’s always been a special girl. She has given her entire life, so to move into this moment in her life it just seems natural, said Curry.

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