Best Camera Phones
Over the last few years, cameras in smartphones have come a long way with a number of features that have greatly improved the quality of pictures produced by smartphones. Those include large sensors, optical image stabilization (OIS), bright lenses, and even optical zoom making them even better for photography. The photographic capabilities of smartphones have become such a massive selling feature. Many premium smartphones now support shooting “raw” pictures. So you can take complete control over image processing.
Some of the best camera phones we’ve reviewed are highlighted here. Until now, and what makes them unique so you can make a more informed purchase next time you upgrade or buy a new smartphone. You will also find more in-depth comments on each of the smartphones featured in our top ten over in 8 DIY smartphone photography tricks. You must try feature and our food photography basics. That will have you snapping top smartphones shots in no-time.
1. Apple iPhone 7 / 7 Plus
The iPhone 7 is Apple’s latest smartphone and features a 12 megapixel BSI CMOS sensor, a bright f/1.8 lens, 4K video recording and optical image stabilization. There is a 4.7-inch screen. That screen makes the smartphone more compact than most, as well as photos, and the screen, are now wide color gamut, meaning color has been improved. This is now a 7-megapixel camera. You can shoot raw pictures, as long as you use a third party app. And Adobe offers Lightroom Mobile that gives you plenty of manual controls. The color and detail reproduction in shots are good. Although detail doesn’t quite match cameras with higher resolution sensors. The ISO range starts at around ISO20, going up to around ISO1600. There is no MicroSD card slot. Although they are quite pricey, you can choose from 32GB, 128GB or 256GB models.
The camera features at a glance: Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS), f/1.8 lens, 12mp, 28mm equivalent, 4K video recording, raw.
The iPhone 7 Plus features 2x 12-megapixel cameras, with one telephoto lens, and one wide-angle lens for 2x optical zoom, along with other shooting features, designed to give a DSLR-like performance and blurred backgrounds.
The camera features at a glance: Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) 28mm f/1.8, 12mp x2, 56mm f/2.8 equivalent, 4K video recording, raw.
2. HTC 10
Sporting a 4K video and 12 Mp camera. The HTC 10 sits at the top of the range in the HTC smartphone lineup. You will find a 5.2-inch screen on the front with a QuadHD resolution. Designed to have better than usual low-light performance. The camera has a 12Mp sensor for better low light performance. As well as a bright f/1.8 lens with optical image stabilization. An ISO range of ISO100 to ISO3200. Even the front Selphie camera has optical image stabilization. The app itself is a responsive, clear and easy to use. Plenty of manual control is provided in Pro mode which is accessed via the mode icon. That is located alongside the shutter release icon. The color and detail reproduction in shots are good and overall. It’s capable of producing natural-looking images. HDR capture does a decent job of boosting dynamic range. Even its low light performance is commendable. A MicroSD card slot gives expansion options to store more photos and video.
The camera features at a glance: Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS), 12mp, f/1.8 lens, 26mm equivalent, 4K video recording, MicroSD slot, raw.
3. Samsung Galaxy S7
The Samsung Galaxy S7 has a 12-megapixel rear camera with a bright f/1.7 aperture and dual pixel technology. It has a quad HD screen, can capture 4K video and for crystal clear viewing as well as 9-megapixel stills when in video mode. It’s also waterproof and dustproof to a depth of 1.5m for up to 30 mins. With the ability to expand the memory with a microSD card and tough Corning Gorilla Glass 4 on the screen and back on the phone. It’s ideal for those who love to get out and about and take lots of images. You can use the volume control as a shutter button and it operates at a very impressive speed.
The camera features at a glance: Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS), 12mp, f/1.7 lens, 26mm equivalent, 4K video recording, MicroSD.
4. Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
The Sony Xperia Z5 Compact features a 23-megapixel f/2.0 camera on the back. A 5-megapixel front ‘selfie’ camera. Additionally, the Z5 is also capable of capturing 4K video at UHD resolution. That makes it ideal for those who are interested in video as well as photography. The phone is 5 inches and 2.55 inches tall across from edge-to-edge in terms of size. It’s waterproof as well as dustproof. Battery life lasts up to 2 days and overall. The Sony Xperia Z5 Compact is a great choice for someone passionate about phoneography. On concord, conscious about phone size, thanks to the smaller 4.6inch screen. The smartphone has an ISO range up to manual controls, ISO12800, plus a dedicated shutter release button.
The camera features at a glance: 23mp, f/2.0 lens, 24mm equivalent, 4K video recording, MicroSD slot.
5. Huawei P9 – Co-engineered with Leica
The standout feature on the Huawei P9 is most definitely its cameras as it features 2x camera with f/2.2 Leica lenses. One camera is black and white and other is color. The phone also has a 5.2-inch screen. It is also capable of recording FullHD video. The P9 looks great and for the most part, performs really well. It’s actually bursting with features once you can find them. Those who use their smartphones for taking photos regularly, particularly selfies. They will find the auto mode really easy to use and will be more than happy with the shots it produces. Additionally, if you do want to dabble with a bit of manual photography. There are the options to do so, including an ISO range from ISO100 to ISO3200. You can expand the storage with a MicroSD card.
The Camera features at a glance: Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS), 2x 12mp (Colour, Black, and White), f/2.2 Leica lens, 28mm equivalent, FullHD video, MicroSD slot, raw.
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