5 Reasons the Moto Z3 Is a Dream Come True For Anyone Obsessed With Instagram

POPSUGAR Photography | Quinn Keaney
POPSUGAR Photography | Quinn Keaney

Ever since getting my first iPhone back in 2011 (I was late to the game, I know), I've steadfastly believed that it would take nothing short of an act of god to get me to switch over to an Android. That is until a recent trip to Motorola's headquarters in Chicago, where I got a sneak peek of one seriously incredible new device that prompted me to have a technological identity crisis: the Moto Z3.

Although it was admittedly tough to adjust to the new operating system of the Verizon-exclusive handset at first — which retails for $480, and will be 5G capable when an additional Mod launches in January — I found myself easily won over by a few key elements of the phone as I took the Moto Z3 and all of its signature Moto Mods for a test run at Lollapalooza. There I discovered that not only can it survive even the hottest of music festivals, but the Moto Z3's camera features make using it a joy for the Instagram-addicted among us.

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The Moto Z3 Camera

The Moto Z3 Camera

First, let's start off with the basics, because even if you don't shell out for all of the Mods, you'll still be able to take advantage of the very cool camera features that come with the phone. The Moto Z3 boasts a six-inch AMOLED display and dual-lens cameras that offer a Portrait Mode comparable to what you're used to using on an iPhone. Overall, this camera is more than satisfactory, producing crisper detail than what my iPhone 8 Plus was able to achieve time and time again. I should note, however, that the Moto Z3 was tricky to use in both very bright and very dark spaces; it had a tendency to blow out the bright, sunny sky, and struggled a bit in the dim light of a hotel bar.

That being said, the main f/1.7 lens in the Moto Z3 has also been equipped with another sensor that shoots in monochrome, meaning the second lens will give you gorgeous shots in genuine black-and-white (you know, if you're trying to convince people you're a serious photographer now). There's also the Spot Color feature, which lets you pick and choose where to keep color within the frame, as well as the Cinemagraph mode, a personal favorite of mine. After recording a few seconds of video, you can use a brush to highlight partial movement in the photo, resulting in dynamic, one-of-a-kind GIFs. Check them out in the next few slides!

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POPSUGAR Photography | Quinn Keaney

Pretty cool, huh?

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POPSUGAR Photography | Quinn Keaney

You can even get artsy with it.

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Hasselblad True Zoom Camera
Motorola

Hasselblad True Zoom Camera

If you've never encountered a "Moto Mod" before, they snap onto the back of any Moto Z phone and instantly equip the device with a brand new feature. In this case, a hell of a good camera. With the Hasselblad True Zoom Camera Moto Mod ($199), you'll get 10X optical zoom and capture detailed photos from lengthy distances while losing minimal resolution. I took advantage of this specific Mod while standing in the crowd while Walk the Moon and Børns performed at the music festival. It took all of three seconds for me to realize that the camera on my iPhone 8 Plus paled in comparison to what this Mod is able to accomplish.

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POPSUGAR Photography | Quinn Keaney

While what my iPhone was able to snap (left) is fine for an Instagram story that disappears after 24 hours, the blurry, pixelated image isn't exactly good enough to want to share on social media otherwise (*haughty millennial voice* I have standards, people). As you can see with the photo on the right, taken with the Hasselblad, you'll end up with a crisp, blur-free image, even if you're standing in the back of an audience. Now that's worth a permanent spot on your Instagram grid, no?

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POPSUGAR Photography | Quinn Keaney

Using this Mod also seemed to eliminate my earlier gripe about the Moto Z3's camera not performing well in tricky lighting. The previous photos were taken as the sun was still out, while this was taken at dusk, with only the colorful lights illuminating Børns onstage. No, the Hasselblad isn't a miracle worker — there's still a teensy bit of blur going on here, but compared to the iPhone photo there's still no competition.

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POPSUGAR Photography | Quinn Keaney

Just so you can fully grasp my undying love of the Hasselblad Moto Mod, here's another example that proves just how much heat this device is packing. Even as I sat approximately six lightyears away from Walk the Moon's afternoon set, the Hasselblad gave me the sense that I was shooting with a professional camera thanks to its easy shooting, control, and high level of both image quality and brightness. The iPhone photo makes it look like we were watching Annihilation humanoids bop around a purple stage, but the Hasselblad version is good enough that you can almost make out lead singer Nicholas Petricca's face paint. Color me impressed.

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Polaroid Insta-Share Printer
Motorola

Polaroid Insta-Share Printer

By far one of the coolest Mods that Motorola has to offer is the Polaroid Insta-Share Printer ($199), which turns a cell phone into a modern version of the old-school Polaroid cameras that have seen a resurgence in popularity as of late. This is one of the heavier, clunkier Mods — pro-tip: if you're going to buy this phone and invest in multiple Mods, also invest in a bag that's big enough to fit them all! — but in this case the pros outweigh the cons. The Insta-Share comes complete with a printer and physical photo capture button, so you can shoot pictures and print them out on the spot. You also have the option of printing any other photos from your phone's gallery, Facebook, or Instagram, which you can edit with the app's filters, as well as decorate with cute borders and graphics.

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POPSUGAR Photography | Quinn Keaney

Here you can see the Insta-Share in action as it prints out one of the 2x3 photos (Faux-laroids, if you will). The prints come out on ZINK™ Zero-Ink™ Paper that has peel-off, adhesive backing, so you can stick them wherever you please. As for the downsides, other than how clunky it is? This Mod does have the tendency to get overheated. Also, because it's so much fun to use, you're going to want to be printing out photos nonstop, but restocking packages of the ZINK Paper will cost you about $10 a pop. That adds up!

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At the end of the day, if you're going to any big event — a music festival, a bachelor/bachelorette party, a wedding, a vacation, a photo shoot you're having in your living room because you're bored — the Polaroid Insta-Share Printer will leave you with some pretty awesome keepsakes.

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Moto 360 Camera
Motorola

Moto 360 Camera

It's hard to scroll through Facebook these days without seeing fake news shared by your grandmother who doesn't even know how to Google something one of those cool 360° videos, and with the Moto 360 Camera ($199), you'll be able to get in on the trend. This is a particularly cool Mod to have with you at a concert, or whichever scenic hike your significant other is forcing you to go on over the weekend, with its ability to capture interactive 360° 4K video, 3D sound, and 150° ultra wide-angle selfies and snapshots.

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POPSUGAR Photography | Quinn Keaney

Before you say anything, YES this is just a sliver of a 360° video I took in GIF form, but since I couldn't embed the video, it's the best I could do. (And YES, those are boobs hanging from that stick.) Moving on!

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Moto TurboPower Pack
Motorola

Moto TurboPower Pack

Now, you might be thinking to yourself, "Quinn, this phone is cool and all, but how am I supposed to keep it charged all day long while I'm snapping photos, editing Cinemagraphs, and printing out Polaroids? Phone batteries don't grow on trees!" To which I'd say, "Wow, you've really been paying attention," and also, say hello to the Moto TurboPower Pack ($79). This might not leave you with an adorable, nostalgic souvenir, or a fancy GIF that will make all of your followers jealous, but it will ensure that you're able to do all that stuff and still have enough juice to, say, look up a good taco spot for dinner, navigate yourself to said taco joint, order a car, decide said car is taking too long, navigate yourself to your hotel, and, finally, watch an episode of Parks and Rec before falling into a deep sleep (I speak from experience).

This sleek Mod snaps onto the back of the Moto Z3 just like the rest of them, adding very little bulk to the phone (I barely noticed it was there, to be totally honest). When the power pack runs out of charge, all you have to do is plug it in for just 20 minutes to recharge up to 50 percent capacity (and for the record, it's USB-C compatible, just like the phone). And when it's fully charged, it supplies you with an extra day of battery life, saving you from hunting down charging stations or fighting over an outlet at Starbucks. Essentially, it eliminates all stress from a long day of being away from home, and instead lets you focus on all the incredibly cool features the Moto Z3 has to offer.