Compact but versatile: The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip seen at the “Unpacked” 2020 event in San Francisco.

Actress Dian Sastrowardoyo had the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip in her hands for a few days when she shared a dinner table with invited media representatives, including from The Jakarta Post.

The first device in Samsung Galaxy’s Z series, the Z Flip marks the entrance into the new decade, following the Galaxy Fold that began the new foldable era in 2019.

It was a Tuesday night in San Francisco, in the United States, fresh from Samsung’s “Unpacked” event earlier in the day. Dian, Indonesia’s brand ambassador for Samsung Galaxy, said that she was very pleased with the design of the new foldable smartphone.

“For us ladies, a smartphone needs to be compact […] This one easily fits in your pocket,” said Dian.

The new foldable phone is about as big as a palm-size wallet when folded, opening to a screen size of 6.7-inches when unfolded. It has round corners and a forward fold that closes with a satisfying snap. Its hideaway hinge is backed by a dual CAM mechanism to stable every flip and fold. The phone also has the capability of staying open at a range of angles in the way a laptop does.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, available in “mirror purple” and “mirror black”, may be easily imagined in the hand, or inside a lady’s clutch bag when wearing a kebaya or formal dress. It is, however, also attractive to men, as explained by Ernest Prakasa, comedian and filmmaker who recently joined Dian at “Team Galaxy”.

For those who like to express themselves with selfies, the Galaxy Z Flip can easily be unfolded and propped on a surface. Feel like making a TikTok video? Have the phone opened at a good angle and start the action.

While the phone folds, however, with its rear camera you still can take a selfie as well as discreetly capturing an image or a moment.

“When traveling, taking a selfie without the help of a tripod is very convenient,” said Ernest, while Dian agreed on how smartphone cameras these days have changed the way we travel.

Comes in handy: Stand-up comedian and filmmaker Ernest Prakasa (left) and actress Dian Sastrowardoyo attended the Samsung Galaxy “Unpacked” 2020 event in San Francisco in the United States.

“Four of five years ago, we brought our mirrorless cameras when traveling, so that we could achieve a bokeh effect and all that. […] [Now] in order to capture images for social media, we only need to bring a Samsung [smartphone],” added Dian.

However, those who prioritize the excellence of smartphone cameras might opt for the Galaxy S20 series that was also “unpacked” at the same time as the Z Flip.

Ernest, as a filmmaker, is excited about the Galaxy S20 Ultra, which has the capability of video recording in 8K resolution.

“Talking to fellow film workers, sometimes we have no idea whether 8K is really necessary and where it can be played [because the requirement for movie theater screens is only about 2K and a compatible TVs are still rare]. But […] we could utilize the 8K resolution for editing. So, if there is a part that we want to crop and blow up, it is possible,” Ernest explained.

He went on to say that for aspiring filmmakers with limited access to professional equipment, the Galaxy S20 series could be very handy. Especially with 12 or 16 GB of RAM in the case of the S20 Ultra, the smartphone is very capable of recording and editing.

Furthermore, the low-light photography quality can also help with amateur filmmakers’ tight budgets for lighting during nighttime shoots. But Ernest doesn’t recommend comparing the Galaxy S20 camera with professional filmmaking equipment, as the former is only sufficient for capturing moments at home, creating personal documentation or making a short movie.

“The important thing is, [the Samsung Galaxy S20] camera can properly function as a storytelling tool, able to capture the images well, [but] not to be compared with a real professional camera,” said Ernest, who believes that for aspiring filmmakers, making short movies for festivals — even with a smartphone camera — can be a crucial stepping stone to gaining credibility as professionals in the field.

Cutting edge: Guests at the Samsung Galaxy “Unpacked” 2020 event flock around the display of the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip in San Francisco.

Photos by JP/Muthi Achadiat Kautsar