Looking for a Good Camera on a Mobile phone? Check out these before buying!
Higher megapixels should not be the only deciding factor
Higher megapixels do not always guarantee better quality, but they can give you more detail in your photos. The number of pixels and the quality of pixels are two separate factors. Since we as consumers are always attracted by a bigger number, so this is quite highlighted by Mobile phone companies. Look for a camera with at least 12 megapixels and not below that.
Low light shooting capability
Check the maximum Aperture mentioned in the specifications. The aperture of the camera lens determines how much light enters the camera. A lower f-number indicates a wider aperture and hence better low-light performance. This allows more light enters for exposure which helps in Indoor photographs.
Should have Optical Image stabilization
We often notice shaky photographs when taken from a mobile phone camera.
This is one of the most important features that help to reduce blur caused by shaky hands when taking photos or videos especially indoors. Having inbuilt stabilization makes a lot of difference in stabilizing videos and one does not require an external Gimbal for stabilizing the videos.
Optical Zooms are better
For far-off subjects, you need a good zoom lens that can zoom in closer. A Higher focal length is for Zooming in (Telephoto) and a lower number is for zooming out (Wide angle). This should be achieved optically and not digitally. When you do it optically, you are actually doing so with the optics of the camera whereas doing it digitally is the same as cropping it later on your computer. Digital zooms are almost unusable.
Good Autofocusing
In general, you won't get to know by checking the specifications but you may go through some worthwhile reviews to know. A camera with a good maximum aperture should also be able to focus faster, especially in low-light conditions.
A Good Front facing camera, especially if you click self-portraits/selfies
If you take a lot of selfies or participate in video calls, look for a front-facing camera with a high-resolution sensor and a wide-angle lens. Often, the resolution of the front-facing camera would be lower than the main rear-facing camera but you can pick the one which has a relatively higher resolution as this may actually turn out to be your "main" camera for selfies and personal group shots. A wide angle may cause a bit of distortion but skips the usage of a selfie stick while taking personal or group shots with the front-facing camera.
Does it have a Macro?
High Dynamic Range
HDR can help to capture more detail in photos, particularly in high-contrast scenes.
A Good Processor
A Good processor is at the heart of a Good Image. Even though not directly related, it helps to process the images better which effectively decides how these eventually appear. A Good processor helps in the overall quality of the image.
Ideal to have 4K Video shooting capability
It's definitely good to have 4K video as compared to Full HD. Many mobile phone cameras may not be more inclined towards Videos and only feature Full HD. If you too shoot mostly photographs and see your videos only on the phone, you might not need 4K.
Slow Motion videos
If you enjoy creating slow-motion videos, look for a camera with the ability to record at a high frame rate. The higher the Frame rate of shooting, the slower the motion appears. 24 to 30 frames per second are normal.
Flash Light
It's a bonus if there is some way of illumination provided within the camera phone which can be used in relatively low light conditions.
Does it have a Macro lens?
If you intend to do some creative closeup photography or maybe Food photography, you must opt for a lens that is Macro as with other lenses you cannot focus within the minimum focusing distance.
Manual Mode for more control
Most Mobile phones won't have this option but it works well for situations where you would like to have more control over the way your photograph actually appears.
Good Battery life is worth it.
A camera can drain your phone's battery quickly, so look for a phone with long battery life.
One may carry a Power bank or opt for a Mobile that supports fast charging but in practical terms, it's best to go for the one with good battery life.
Should have Good enough Internal Storage
If taking pictures and videos is your primary purpose for a Mobile phone, make sure that you opt one which has a good enough capacity to store images and the option to store images on a Memory card if possible.
Are they Affordable?
Most of the Mobile phones which have a good camera are quite expensive. What is your Budget? How much should you really be spending on a Mobile phone? If you are considering an iPhone purely because of its Image quality, why not check some other comparable brands as well?
Check out some Good Compact cameras instead.
If you are buying an expensive Mobile phone mostly because you wish to develop your skills as a Photographer, Why not explore buying a dedicated Compact camera instead and have much more control of your Photography?
Check unbiased Reviews
iPhones have a reputation of having good cameras but there are other Android-based Brands as well that are known for their Camera performance. Some examples in 2023 are Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, Google Pixel 6, OnePlus 9 Pro with a camera developed by Hasselblad.
Besides checking the reviews you can check out sample photographs of the camera phones, you are considering buying.
