CAMERA SMARTPHONE SPECIAL..... FOR THE MOBILE SHUTTERBUGS

FOR THE MOBILE SHUTTERBUGS

Here are the six best camera smartphones money can buy

With advancements in smartphone technology, most people don’t need expensive cameras such as a DSLR or even a point and shoot. Rather, many smartphone cameras fulfil the needs of most consumers and even challenge DSLRs. But not all smartphone cameras perform the same.

One of the best benchmarks of camera performance is DxOMark’s picture rating index, which offers a fabulous, and independent, set of benchmarks for image quality in phones and cameras. We’ll use these ratings for reference. However, features are important, so we’ll also bear those in mind.

APPLE IPHONE X

DXOMARK: 97

Because more affordable alternatives exist, the iPhone X has loads of competition. Yet it’s undeniably outfitted with a top-notch camera. Using a dual-lens camera array, the primary sensor brags of a 12-megapixel shooter with an aperture of f/1.8. Its second sensor affords another 12 megapixels and an f/2.4 aperture. Thus, the iPhone X gets twice the optical zoom of its primary sensor. Moreover, the X delivers OIS sensors on both of its sensors for pictures which appear sharper regardless of lighting. On the video front, the iPhone X offers 4K and 60 FPS. Even the best smartphone cameras suffer from quality degradation while zooming, but the iPhone X alleviates this with its telephoto lens and bright aperture. With a whopping 97 DxOMark, the Apple iPhone X is unarguably one of the best smartphone cameras you can buy.

SAMSUNG GALAXY

NOTE 8

DXOMARK: 94

A great camera in a sleek device, the Note 8 stands out as one of the hottest devices on the market. Onboard, you’ll find two sensors for a 2x optical zoom. Like the iPhone X, the Note 8 features dual 12-megapixel cameras. Its primary lens boasts an f/1.7 aperture and 1/2.55-inch sensor. The secondary lens includes an f/2.4 aperture with a 1/3.6-inch sensor. Both sensors include OIS for enhanced image quality.

For video, the Note 8 can handle 4K recordings but it’s limited to 30 FPS. At 1080p through, the Note 8 can step up to 60 FPS. It’s also arguably the best camera for zooming.

HUAWEI MATE 10 PRO

DXOMARK: 97

The Mate 10 Pro holds its own with the best smartphone cameras. You’ll find dual cameras: one with a 12MP RGB sensor and the other with a 20MP monochrome sensor. Both rock f/1.6 aperture lenses replete with Leica optics. There’s a 2x lossless zoom, and it’s got a dual-tone LED flash. Under bright light, the Mate 10 Pro renders colours accurately. Its low light performance is similarly spectacular. Though its zoom doesn’t capture details as well as the iPhone 8 Plus, X, or Note 8, it’s nonetheless fantastic for most purposes.

GOOGLE PIXEL 2

DXOMARK: 98

The Google Pixel 2 improves upon the already magnificent Google Pixel. Notably, the Pixel 2 revamped the camera, ushering in a new standard for smartphone camera quality. While the Pixel 2 only features a single-sensor main shooter, it’s a 12.2MP, 1/2.6-inch sensor camera with an aperture of f/1.8. Additionally, you’ll find optical image stabilization (OIS), HDR+ software, and dual-pixel autofocus.

Benchmarks by DxOMark proved the Pixel 2 providing superb colour rendering as well as excellent dynamic range. Under low-light conditions, the Pixel 2 remains a strong performer. With a mid-range zoom, the Pixel does suffer slight quality loss. In its Bokeh score, which measures image quality elements such as limited depth of field and portrait quality, the Pixel 2 bests its predecessor. However, it’s not quite as adept as the iPhone 8’s camera for Bokeh. Still, the Google Pixel 2 rocks one of the best smartphone cameras available.

ONEPLUS 5

DXOMARK: 87

With its superb dual-camera array, the OnePlus 5 is easily one of the best smartphone cameras on the market. There’s a 16-megapixel sensor sporting an f/1.8 aperture that’s coupled with a 20-megapixel sensor with an f.2.6 aperture. With its 1/2.8-inch sensor size, the OnePlus 5 is what DxOMark calls “a serious shooter.”

The OnePlus 5 affords brilliant color reproduction and exquisite white balance. On the video side, the OnePlus 5 captures 4K 2160p/30 frames per second (FPS) video.

Dual camera: 16MP sensor with 24mm f/1.7 lens plus 20MP sensor with 36mm f/2.6 lens

MOTO Z FORCE

DXOMARK: 87

Motorola dominates at making extremely solid yet affordable hardware. With its Moto Z Force and even the Moto Z Droid (DxOMark of 84), the Moto Z lineup is a top contender for the best smartphone camera. The Moto Z Force features a high-resolution, 21MP camera sensor. Even under low light, the Z Force delivers fantastic shots.

Though its shutter speed of 1/10 is a bit slow, OIS compensates. While its camera is simply a strong contender with superb image quality under any condition, its Moto Mods make this a great pick for shutterbugs. The Hasselblad True Zoom mod adds a 10x optical zoom, as well as the capability to capture RAW images. There’s a Xenon flash with a physical shutter and zoom. Unfortunately, the mod is priced almost as high as the phone. Still, this mod alleviates quality degradation when zooming, converting your phone into a point and shoot. Alternately, try the Motorola Other which converts your phone into a Polaroid.

OIS on both dual-camera lenses 4K 2160p 30 FPS video Dual-LED flash Optical zoom of x2 and up to x8 with digital zoom

| Moe Long
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