How to choose a phone with a good camera - expert opinion

When choosing a phone with a good camera, the best adviser is the DxOMark rating. But at the same time the value of its leaders is very high.

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1. The best manufacturers of phones with a good camera
   
2. The main criteria for choosing a phone with a good camera
3. Additional image enhancement technologies
4. Chinese phones with a good camera

The best manufacturers of phones with a good camera

DxOMark rating is a list of special benchmark results. It was developed by professional photographers and engineers, and is designed to assess the photographic abilities of the device based on the relevant characteristics - specifications of the sensor, image processing chip, lens optics and other parameters.

According to the results of the DxOMark ratingbest manufacturers of phones with a good camera in 2017:

1. Google (Pixel series - the absolute leader in the ranking);

2. Huawei (line of flagships Mate);

3. Apple (current iPhone models top the list annually);

4. Samsung (but only models from the flagship line S);

5. HTC (again, the flagship lineup U and One m);

6. Sony (series X - restarted flagship line after commercial failure of series Z);

7. Nokia (model 808, which, thanks to PureView technology, is still on the list of the best camera phones).

However, all these phones (except for Nokia 808) are included in the flagship price segment and are expensive. For example, Google Pixel 2, which heads the rating, costs from $ 650 - and is not officially sold in Russia. Apple iPhone 8 Plus, which occupies a modest third place, is available in our country for 60 and more thousand rubles.

If we talk about the budget and average price segments, the good photographic qualities can boast:

1. Xiaomi Mi5S is a mid-range smartphone equipped with cameras with two modules developed by Sony;

2. Huawei P9 - two camera modules, Sony sensors, Leica optics. Last year's, but still current flagship;

3. OnePlus 3T - "the killer flagships." The most top-end "stuffing", including the most recent camera modules from Sony and the most productive processor Qualcomm Snapdragon at the time of release of the device;

4. Asus ZenFone 3 is also a flagship, only of the model of the year before last. A good camera module from Sony, tested in ZenFone Laser laser focusing system and excellent specifications.

5. A good camera can also be found in Huawei Honor 8 (the flagship of the Honor series), Huawei Nova (a very peculiar device, included in the same “experimental” series as, for example, Magic), Lenovo Motorola Moto Z (a modular flagship with expandable functionality) and LG V20 (alternative flagship line of the Korean manufacturer).
   

The main criteria for choosing a phone with a good camera

When choosing a phone with good photographic qualities, you need to pay attention to the following specifications:

1. Sensor model;

2. The number of sensors and functions of the second module;

3. Resolution (actual or extrapolated);

4. Diaphragm;

5. Optics;

6. Focusing mechanism;

7. Additional technologies that improve image quality.

The rest of the technical characteristics of the smartphone, of course, also matter. However, it is worth considering that really high-quality images can be obtained only on smartphones equipped with flagship processors. Such high-performance chips can process RAW data at high speed, removing it from the sensor with minimal latency. This provides excellent picture quality.

Sensor model

The main manufacturer of camera sensors in smartphones is Sony. Its products are installed in the overwhelming majority of models of the middle and lower price segment and absolutely in all flagships.

The line of camera modules for smartphones from Sony is called IMX - and the higher the serial number of the model, the better it removes.

For example, in the smartphone LG Nexus 5, which was one of the best camera phones in 2013, Sony IMX179 was installed. And in OnePlus (the first), released a little later, also in 2013 - already IMX214.

In current camera phones, the following modules are installed:

1. Sony IMX333 - Samsung Galaxy S8 +;

2. Sony IMX362 - Google Pixel 2;

3. Sony IMX398 - in OnePlus 5.

The higher the order number of the sensor, the better. But not only it determines the photographic capabilities of the smartphone.

Number of sensors and functions of the second module

In the vast majority of modern camera phones, two camera modules are used - the main and the additional. The second expands the capabilities of the device by adding different functions:

1. Exact determination of the depth of focus (like the Huawei Mate P9 or P10);

2. The ability to change the depth of focus after taking a picture (HTC One m10);

3. Portrait mode and background blur (Apple iPhone 7, 8);

4. Extrapolation of image resolution (most Chinese camera phones);

5. Expanded range of shades (LG G5);

6. Improved shooting in low light conditions (Huawei Mate P9).

As a result, for high-quality images it is worth buying a smartphone with a camera equipped with two modules. But the increased number of sensors still does not indicate the maximum visual beauty of the image. For example, Google Pixel 2 has only one module - but the smartphone is headed by the DxOMark rating due to the built-in neural network, which improves the quality of images.

Resolution

It is foolish to assume that the higher the resolution of the sensor, the better. The HTC One m9 took great pictures on a 5 megapixel camera. Sensor resolution determines the degree of detail of the image.

So, for smartphones more than enough cameras with a resolution of 8 or 13 megapixels.

But if you plan to shoot video in 4K resolution, it is recommended to pay attention to models with a 21-megapixel sensor.

Diaphragm

The aperture, also known as the aperture, determines the sensitivity of the camera. The smaller its value - the more light falls on the module. For example, a smartphone with a f / 1.4 camera can be used for taking in the twilight and for spectacular shots in daylight conditions, and with a camera over f / 4 - perhaps for street shooting. In addition, the aperture determines the depth of field of the image.

Optics

The optical components of the camera of the smartphone are the lenses in the lens. Photosensitivity, camera type (telephoto, “normal”, wide-angle), as well as the sharpness and degree of detail of the image depends on them.

Usually optics are made by the same company as the sensor. But in rare cases, the manufacturer of the smartphone replaces the "native" lenses with someone else's. For example, the Huawei Mate P9 or P10 uses Leica optics, which provides better image clarity - but at the same time increases the cost of the device.

Focusing mechanism

Due to the small size of the module, two types of focusing are used in the cameras of smartphones - contrast and laser.

Contrast autofocus implies the presence on the sensor of several special pixels that analyze the contrast of individual areas of the image. Objects in the frame that have the greatest contrast, and are in focus of the picture.

This type of focusing is good for photographing in areas with good, but not true backlight or true frontal lighting; portrait, landscape shooting, photographing moving objects.

The development of contrast focusing technology is laser. When determining the “center” of the image, the camera scans the surrounding space with a very thin laser beam - and by the time of reflection it determines the object closest to the smartphone. Such focusing is very fast - but at short distances. Ideal for portrait and macro photography.

Flagship smartphones such as the Google Pixel are used combined focusing technique, which includes both laser and contrast mechanisms, as well as software processing in real time.

Additional image enhancement technologies

Among the additional technologies to improve image quality are:

1. Ultrapixel - the increased size of each individual pixel on the camera;

2. PureView - extended color range;

3. HDR + - another technology to expand the color range;

4. Various neural networks and software extensions.

Most modern flagship smartphones primarily use software technologies to improve image quality, such as neural network processing (a vivid example is portrait mode with contour lighting in iPhone 8), HDR or HDR + (the latter is proprietary Google technology).

Chinese phones with a good camera

Among the good Chinese smartphones with a fairly high-quality camera are the following models:

1. Meizu MX6 - Sony IMX386, 12 MP, HDR;

2. ZTE Nubia Z11 mini S - Sony IMX318, 22 MP, HDR, contrast autofocus (which for some reason does not work well in low light conditions, but performs well in daylight);

3. Xiaomi Mi5 - Sony IMX298, 16 MP, great for shooting in daylight conditions, support for the Camera2 API (you can install a third-party camera application for better shooting).

In general, most Xiaomi smartphones support the Camera2 API technology, thanks to which third-party applications (like AZ Camera, Nextbit Camera, Google Camera, etc.) provide better images than the stock program.

In the following articles, our experts tell how to choose a chinese smartphone and secrets choice of high-quality smartphone.

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Attention! This material is the subjective opinion of the authors of the project and is not a guide to purchase.