Exploring the Camaraderie of Two Motorcycle Adventurists with the vivo X60 Pro+

Nothing can beat the excitement of impromptu photography excursions. It means that you get to use all your learning, experience and understanding of the medium and put it to the test. This time around, instead of my usual arsenal of gear, I had the vivo X60 Pro+ to accompany me on what would be a dramatic and thrilling two-day adventure.

The spectacular, stunning, premium looking vivo X60 Series features flagship level details, specifications and performance. The series begins with the X60 to the left, with the X60 Pro (front and back facing) at the center, and the top-of-the-line vivo X60 Pro+ to the right.

The Story of Three Friends

For this project, I got to reunite with two of my oldest friends and riding companions, Sangram Devekar Patil and Varad Swapna More. For more than twelve years, Sangram and Varad have found adventure on the open road. We got to know each other through Rubber Smokin' Angels, a well-known riding club in Pune, of which Varad is the Co-founder, and Sangram and I its members.

Having worked in the automotive industry for over eight years, I heavily rely on the camera's ability to capture tack sharp images in action oriented scenarios. The gimbal technology in the vivo X60 Pro+ is unlike any feature that I've witnessed in a phone; it has an excellent processing speed. In tracking shots where one has to use a low shutterspeed, the gimbal technology was immensely helpful. It did not compromise on the integrity of the image. Photograph by Anis Shaikh

At the time that I reached out to them, both Varad and Sangram were on their way to Thane (in Mumbai) to host a one-day off-road training camp at the KTM Adventure Day. Together, they offer training exercises for various motorcycle brands, teaching riders the various nuances involved in overcoming obstacles, water-crossings, muck, dirt, boulders, rocks as well as challenging gravel trails. As soon as I informed them of my idea of photographing them for the day, they immediately jumped on the opportunity.

Pixel shift is a feature employed by professional DSLRs, but now one can reap its benefits in the vivo X60 Pro+. The Pixel Shift Ultra HD Imaging Technology goes hand-in-hand with the phone's gimbal technology wherein eight photographs are made in succession to enhance details in the image. This means that if you are zooming into a scene, the pixels are filled to simulate the effect of optical zoom with higher resolution. It also enhances the overall sharpness and colour of the photograph and reduces the effect of moire as well. This is the first time that the two technologies are integrated together in a smartphone, giving users the best of both worlds. Photograph by Anis Shaikh

Speed Unlike Anything You've Seen

Photographing fast-paced action, especially when it comes to motorsport photography, the photographic device of choice has to possess a fast processing speed to keep up with the subject in motion. The X60 Pro+ is a real powerhouse in that aspect. Photographing Varad and Sangram in action, as they splashed through muddy water, was one of the most enlivening experiences. It was no easy task though as it required me to bend and twist to get the perfect shot. What made it attainable was the Pro Sports mode in the Vivo X60 Pro+, where I was able to capture a burst of 20 photographs at one go, leaving no outlet for any missed moments. After every burst of pictures, the phone processed the images rapidly, allowing me to move on to the next frame immediately.

Pixel shift is a feature employed by professional DSLRs, but now one can reap its benefits in the vivo X60 Pro+. The Pixel Shift Ultra HD Imaging Technology goes hand-in-hand with the phone's gimbal technology wherein eight photographs are made in succession to enhance details in the image. This means that if you are zooming into a scene, the pixels are filled to simulate the effect of optical zoom with higher resolution. It also enhances the overall sharpness and colour of the photograph and reduces the effect of moire as well. This is the first time that the two technologies are integrated together in a smartphone, giving users the best of both worlds. Photograph by Anis Shaikh

Dirt and sweat smeared across their tired, smiling faces, Sangram, Varad and I wrapped up the day with some of the most action-packed photographs that I've shot on a phone.

Chasing Light in the Dark

Over to new adventures for the following day, we decided to break from our bland lives at home, on account of the ongoing pandemic, and ride towards Katraj Hills, near Pune, for camping. Katraj Hills is one of the discreet spots that offers beautiful starlit skies and is ideal to witness the glorious moon rise. We arrived at the location in time, just before the sun could set. That gave me some breathing space to find the ideal spot and experiment with various compositions as well as explore the long-list of features in the Vivo X60 Pro+. Meanwhile, Sangram and Varad rode around the hilly trails, leaving me to fumble over the rocky trail all by myself.

Overlooking the city in the distance, Varad and Sangram take a moment of respite at Katraj Hills. Shot using the Panorama Night mode in the vivo X60 Pro+, I was amazed at how well the feature worked. I don't know of any other phone that offers this especially when photographing panoramas. Photograph by Anis Shaikh

Thereafter, we setup camp at the hill and waited for the moon to make its appearance. And what an entry it was! A bright and gleaming orange-ish glow slowly peaked from behind the mountain-top in the distance. We hurriedly setup the bikes; Sangram and Varad quickly positioned themselves in the frame. The biggest hurdle for me was to find sure-footing amidst the rocky and thorny terrain, as at this point it was pitch dark and I could barely see my feet. But since I had the extremely sleek and lightweight X60 Pro+ in my grip, I wasn't concerned about running and hopping over to position myself to get the shot. A quick glance at the sky and I was stunned to find myself staring at countless stars.

The incredible thing about the Extreme Night Vision 2.0 feature in the vivo X60 Pro+ was how flawlessly it worked. The camera is programmed to automatically detect whether a tripod is in use or not and accordingly activates and sets the extent of the phone's gimbal stabilisation, resulting in perfectly sharp images. Photograph by Anis Shaikh

I promptly switched to the Extreme Night Vision 2.0 feature in the X60 Pro+, ready to capture the moment in front of me. After a few test shots, I was surprised with the extraordinary results, especially with the amount of detail that the phone was able to capture in an environment that had little to no light. What I found particularly helpful about the Extreme Night Vision 2.0 feature was how the camera automatically detected whether a tripod was in use or not, and accordingly activated and set the extent of the camera's gimbal stabilisation. It gave me the confidence to experiment with different compositions despite not using a tripod.

Post the shoot, we huddled together at the camp-site and looked over the images I had made. We were stunned at how brilliantly the phone was able to execute the photographs under the gruelling conditions that I have mentioned above. It was a testament to the vivo X60 Pro+'s capabilities, and the extent of liberty and movement that it offered to shoot automobile subjects across various environments as well as deliver stellar results in low-light conditions.

With the shoot completed successfully, it was time for us to retire around the bonfire over good food and reminisce over our experiences in the two days that we rode and photographed, all under the starry sky.