Best 6 Smartphone Cameras

LUMOID Staff
LUMOID
Published in
7 min readJul 8, 2019

Investing in a smartphone is a smart thing to do. Not only do you have everything you need at the tip of your fingers, but you can also take photos and videos of the world around you and create beautiful memories. Because of this, phone companies are constantly bringing out new and improved devices to attract more customers. In our list of the best smartphone cameras on the market currently, you will find all the information about the best offers in 2019 for all budgets and needs.

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1. Apple iPhone XS

The first model we have is the long-awaited iPhone XS, which surprised everyone with its price. It’s one of the best iPhones for photography, so if you’re an Apple lover, you should check it out. Same as every new iPhone model, the XS features improvements when it comes to the camera. It has a dual 12MP rear camera and a telephoto one.

There’s also a great portrait mode which will give you those ‘professional’ looking portraits you see in studios. It also features a 7MP front camera which produces outstanding quality selfies. You also get a 5.8-inch full screen which makes the whole camera experience even better. The colors are natural, and you can also capture minute details all around you. The biggest con of this model is, unfortunately, the high price.

Apple is becoming a luxury brand, and they keep their prices high. If you want to enjoy one of the best smartphone cameras on the market, you’ll have to pay good money for it.

2. Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus

Our next pick has also landed in stores pretty recently, and it is the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus. Anyone who has come into contact with Galaxy S series phone knows that they’ve been at the top when it comes to the camera, and the same goes for S10. It features three rear cameras — two 12MP and one 16MP, as well as a 10MP front camera. You will see that other cameras have a higher number of megapixels, but that usually does not affect the photo quality, since they shoot in 10–12MP when you actually use them.

It comes with a very user-friendly camera app, which makes the photography experience even better. Shooting videos in 4K is also possible with the S10 and everything you record will look great even on a bigger screen. This device is one of the more expensive ones on this list, but when its performance, stability, and speed are taken into account, the price isn’t a surprise.

3. Huawei P30 Pro (Overall Winner)

Next, we have a phone which made absolutely all best smartphone cameras lists. It is the Huawei P30 Pro camera which hit the stores in April 2019. It’s a P20 Pro successor, with the best quality photos a phone camera can make. It includes a 40MP wide-angle lens, 20MP ultra wide-angle lens, and an 8MP telephoto lens together with a time-of-flight sensor for picking up depth. It also features a 5x optical zoom and works wonders in low-light. This is definitely one of the best smartphone cameras on the market.

The front camera is also amazing, with 32MP which produce exceptionally high-quality selfies. All these features have influenced the price as well, so this Huawei model can be put in the same price-range as Samsung and even some iPhone models. Nevertheless, if you want the best camera out there, you should invest in it. There are some negatives, but they don’t concern the camera. For the price, Huawei could have added a better screen for looking at the perfect shoots you make.

4. Google Pixel 3

The next model we chose surprised everyone when it came out in October 2018. Google did an outstanding job and created one of the best Android cameras currently on the market. This model can easily be compared with others on this list since it produces very natural-looking shots which are sharper and more detailed than the Huawei P30 Pro, for example. It features a 12MP rear camera and an 8MP front camera. You noticed that we had not mentioned telephoto or multiple rear cameras, and that’s because there are none. This is one shortcoming of the Pixel 3, compared to other phones on this list.

The lack of multiple rear-facing cameras leads to very poor quality pictures when you try to zoom in more than two times. Google tried to solve this by introducing Super Res Zoom through software, but it can’t be compared to other models. What’s impressive is how the camera works at night and in low-light conditions. As long as you aren’t zooming in too much, you’ll get perfect shots. Finally, the price of the Pixel 3 is far lower than other smartphones listed, so taking all into account, you get extremely good value for your money with this model.

5. Sony Xperia 1

We are nearing the end of our list of smartphone cameras, and there’s one device which certainly deserves a place here. We’re talking about the Sony Xperia 1 which stands out thanks to its tall, 4K, HDR screen. But let us discuss the camera a bit more. There are three rear 12MP cameras, and similar to other models, one is wide-angle, one’s ultra wide, and the other is a telephoto lens. Details and saturation are kept in nice light, and the zoom is good as well, but it can’t really compare to some other models on the list.

However, it works well in low light too, but in a different way from Huawei, or Samsung. The Sony Xperia 1 will keep the photo looking dark but in an aesthetic way. The real reason we’ve included this model is because of its video shooting capabilities. Thanks to the Cinema Pro app, an app made for those who want to try shooting cinematic videos. It enables you to set specific shutter speeds or frame-rates. This allows you will have access to many professional videography features. If you need to shoot quality video, this device is for you.

6. Xiaomi Mi 9 (Budget Winner)

The last model we have is the Xiaomi Mi 9 — a perfect smartphone for anyone who wants high-quality phone photos but doesn’t want to break the bank for it. When the Mi 9 was released in April 2019, it was a true relief. Finally something good for a fraction of the average price. Xiaomi has added three rear cameras: 48, 12 and 16MP, along with a 20MP front camera. One telephoto lens, together with a wide and ultra-wide, ensures high-quality photos and an excellent zoom in good light. It also features laser autofocus and an LED flash.

Don’t expect wonders from this camera in low-light situations or at night, as it has shorter shutter speeds due to a lack of optical image stabilization. You can still take very nice videos thanks to the electric image stabilization and 4K and 60fps options. Taking everything into consideration, it’s no wonder that Xiaomi is getting more popular by the day. When you look into all the features you get with this camera, you instantly see that you get great value for the price.

When Choosing Smartphone Cameras

These six models we singled out are in the top when it comes to the best smartphone cameras. As you can see, everyone can find something. Whether you are looking for great value for money, or you want to invest in a luxury device, you’ll find the best option for you. Many of these devices share some similar features, which are why all these models produce such high-quality photos.

To make the right decision, you need to get into details and research what precisely each model offers. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to look at comparison photos from different devices, so you can see what you like the most. We hope our list will help you in choosing a smartphone camera which offers perfect selfies.

Originally published at https://lumoid.com on July 8, 2019.

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LUMOID Staff
LUMOID
Editor for

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