A picture is worth a thousand words, but a picture on a phone is worth a billion. You can transform your phone into a DSLR-quality camera thanks to the innovative features of the device. I was given the chance to try it out for myself in a photographer's dream location.

For a second, let me back up. We have lived in New York City for a long time. They closed on the most beautiful property in upstate New York after months of searching. I will be able to take advantage of the rewards of their hard-earned purchase, without having to pay the mortgage or mow the lawn. We drive up there almost every weekend to live our best summers.

We walk through the forest with our dogs after our coffee. We look over clusters of vibrant orange mushrooms, look at the squishy beds of moss, and look at the frog. We are city people.

The forests of upstate New York are beautiful, but I couldn't take a picture with my phone. I need a pocket-sized phone with an amazing camera. TheXiaomi 12S Ultra is powered by a Gen 1 processor. I traveled to the Catskills on a Friday to see what I could get.

Design

The camera on this phone is large and bold. It has a professional optical lens that makes it look like a real camera. The small chip inside of the phone is responsible for the amazing photo capabilities. A 1-inch image sensor is the largest ever in a phone, and it is powered by the 8+ Gen 1 platform. The 18-bit Triple ISP in the Sight features more color and light data than the 14-bit triple ISP in the previous generation, and is capable of capturing photos or videos from 3 cameras at the same time. A fast processor is needed to keep up with the huge amount of data.

Close up of orange butterfly on purple flower

Credit: Lindsay Harrison. Shot on a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 powered smartphone

Lifestyle fit

Close ups, portraits, nature shots, night shots, and so on are just some of the things the mobile platform can be used for. You will be able to show what you actually saw on your account. The preset shooting modes make your photos look legit even if you don't know how to shoot a camera. If you're a pro, you can shoot in 12-bit RAW and have fun playing with the data, which will allow you to make perfect edits.

Left: Hands palm up holding two tiny frogs. Right: Close up of frog in the image on the left

Credit: Lindsay Harrison. Shot on a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 powered smartphone

Standout tech specs

The zoom capabilities on this camera are amazing. 50MP photo capture gives you the ability to zoom in and take huge images. 33MP per frame is captured in over a billion shades of color. You can share your photos on the internet in high definition. It is a premium format used in the movie industry.

Left: three dogs curiously sniffing small frog. Right: Close up of lady bug on plant covered in aphids

Credit: Lindsay Harrison. Shot on a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 powered smartphone

There will be more devices launching throughout the rest of the year and next year powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 platform.