Smartphone with the best camera. Technical characteristics of BlackBerry DTEK60

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For those who would like to purchase an advanced camera phone, but do not yet know where to stop, we have compiled a rating of the very best smartphones of recent years with a wonderful camera available on the Russian market.

It should be noted right away: a good camera is not a cheap pleasure, and models for connoisseurs of high-quality photographs belong to the top, or at best, upper middle price segment.

So, let's go! This is how the TOP turned out

Last – phablet Blackberry DTEK60 , announced in October 2016. Built on a 14 nm 4-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset, 4 GB of RAM and a luxurious AMOLED display with 2K resolution. The 21-megapixel camera with f/2.2 aperture is equipped with phase detection autofocus, allows you to shoot in HDR mode, and also record video in 4K resolution. Price – from 29 thousand rubles.

Pros of the model:

• Quad-core Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820 processor operating at 2.15 GHz.
• 5.5-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 1440x2560.
• Support for LTE networks.
• Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging function.
• 21-megapixel main camera with autofocus.
• Wide angle
• Fingerprint scanner.
• Branded data protection tools.

Cons of Blackberry DTEK60:

• The maximum screen brightness is not too high.

In 5th place – model Sony Xperia XA1 , announced in February 2017. The basis for the device was the 8-core Mediatek Helio P20 platform. The 5-inch display with HD resolution is somewhat surprising on a gadget of this class. 23-megapixel Exmor RS IMX-300 camera with a sensor size of 1/2.3", f/2 aperture, equipped with a pulse LED flash and autofocus. Video recording - FullHD only. Price - from 21 thousand rubles.

Pros of the model:

• 8-core Mediatek Helio P20 MT6757 processor operating at 2.3 GHz.
• 5-inch S-IPS display.
• Lots of built-in memory – 32 GB.
• The maximum capacity of Micro SD cards is up to 256 GB.
• Support for LTE networks.
• Pump Express+ 2.0 fast charging function.
• 23-megapixel main camera Exmor RS IMX-300 with autofocus.
• Front camera Exmor RS IMX-219 with a resolution of 8 megapixels.
• Fingerprint scanner.

Cons of Sony Xperia XA1:

• Insufficient display resolution - 720x1280.
• Insufficient battery capacity – 2300 mAh.

At 4 positions – flagship Huawei P9 Plus , announced in April 2016. 16 nm 8-core Hisilicon Kirin 955 chipset, 5.5-inch AMOLED display with FullHD resolution. The camera was created jointly with Leica and consists of two modules: color and monochrome. This significantly improves the quality of pictures, especially in low light conditions. f/2.2 aperture, laser autofocus, very high-quality macro photography, RAW format support, a very convenient and multifunctional application for working with the camera and processing the resulting photos. The obvious disadvantages are the lack of optical stabilization and the inability to shoot video in resolutions higher than FullHD. Price – from 30 thousand rubles.

Pros of the model:

• 8-core Hisilicon Kirin 955 processor operating at 2.5 GHz.
• Current version of Android OS 6.0 Marshmallow.
• 5.5-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080x1920.
• 2.5D glass.
• Lots of RAM – 4 GB.
• The maximum capacity of Micro SD cards is up to 128 GB.
• Support for LTE networks.
• Good battery capacity – 3400 mAh.
• Dual-module 12-megapixel main camera with autofocus.
• Front camera with a resolution of 8 megapixels.
• Fingerprint scanner.
• Thin metal body of the device.

Cons of Huawei P9 Plus:

• Inability to record video in 4K resolution.

In 3rd place – phablet LG G6 , announced in February 2017. Built on a 4-core 14 nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 platform. Note the atypical aspect ratio of the 5.7-inch display - 18:9. The camera is 13-megapixel, two-module: one module with a high aperture (f/1.8), the second with a lower aperture (f/2.4), but with a very wide viewing angle - 125°. The arsenal includes hybrid autofocus, digital and optical stabilization, and 8x digital Zoom. Price – from 39 thousand rubles.

Pros of the model:

• Quad-core processor, Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 821, clocked at 2.35 GHz.
• The latest version of Android OS 7.0 Nougat.
• 5.7-inch S-IPS display with a resolution of 1440x2880.
• 2.5D Gorilla Glass 5.
• Lots of RAM – 4 GB.
• Lots of built-in memory – 32 GB.
• The maximum capacity of Micro SD cards is up to 2 TB.
• Support for LTE networks.
• Good battery capacity – 3300 mAh.
• Dual-module 13-megapixel main camera with autofocus.
• Wide-angle front camera with a resolution of 5 megapixels.
• Fingerprint scanner.
• Metal body of the device.
• Protection against moisture and dust according to IP68 standard.

Cons of LG G6:

• Combination slot for memory cards.

2nd place takes the model Samsung Galaxy S8 , announced in March 2017. A magnificent Super AMOLED display and a chipset at the forefront of progress - 10 nm Samsung Exynos 8895. The dual-module 12-megapixel camera Samsung S5K2L2 also does not disappoint: 6 lenses, support for Dual Pixel technology, optical stabilization, f/1.7 aperture, 4K video shooting capability.

Pros of the model:

• 8-core processor, Samsung Exynos 8895, clocked at 2.3 GHz.
• The latest version of Android OS 7.0 Nougat.
• 5.8-inch S-IPS display with a resolution of 1440x2960.
• Protective glass Gorilla Glass 5.
• Lots of RAM – 4 GB.
• Lots of built-in memory – 64 GB.
• The maximum capacity of Micro SD cards is up to 2 TB.
• Support for LTE networks.
• Acceptable battery capacity is 3000 mAh.
• Front camera with a resolution of 8 megapixels.
• Fingerprint scanner.
• Iris scanner.
• Thin metal body of the device.

Cons of Samsung Galaxy S8:

• Combination slot for memory cards.

Tops the rating Apple iPhone 7 Plus , announced in September 2016. 5.5-inch display with HD resolution, fresh Apple A10 chipset. Dual-module camera, Sony Exmor RS: telephoto with f/2.8 aperture and wide-angle module f/1.8. 5x optical Zoom, 10x digital, optical stabilization, 4K video recording, RAW format support. The sensors are protected by sapphire glass. The price for the 256 GB version is from 50 thousand rubles.

Pros of the model:

• Quad-core processor, Apple A10 Fusion APL1W24, operating at 2.37 GHz.
• 5.5-inch S-IPS display with a resolution of 1080x1920.
• Lots of RAM – 3 GB.
• A lot of built-in memory – up to 256 GB.
• Support for LTE networks.
• Acceptable battery capacity is 2900 mAh.
• Dual-module 12-megapixel main camera with autofocus and optical stabilization.
• Front camera with a resolution of 8 megapixels.
• Fingerprint scanner.
• Thin metal body of the device.
• Protection against moisture and dust according to IP67 standard.

Cons of Apple iPhone 7 Plus:

• There is no memory card slot.

When choosing a budget smartphone with a good camera, the only thing you need to pay attention to is examples of real pictures. Since neither the camera resolution, nor the aperture of the optics, nor the presence of various software enhancers allow us to judge the photographic capabilities of a particular gadget.

We have prepared for you a rating of smartphones with the best cameras in the price range from 5 to 20 thousand rubles. This selection is relevant at the beginning of 2017, but it contains many not-so-recent smartphones released in 15-16. All of them are still on sale, have competitive technical characteristics, and at the same time shoot much better than modern state-of-the-art cameras.

Leagoo M8

M8 is one of the few ultra-budget Chinese products whose camera does not cause an oppressive feeling of despondency. The cost of the M8 is 4.5 thousand rubles, for this money you should not expect revelations, but given the price, this gadget is not bad not only in terms of the camera, but also in other characteristics - 5.7'' screen, 16/2 GB of memory, 3500 mAh battery, dedicated DAC and high-quality multimedia speaker.

Photos are clickable and open in original size when clicked.

The Leagoo M8 produces quite passable images with good detail, sharpness and pleasant colors. Disadvantages: weak dynamic range, thoughtful camera, and slow autofocus. In general, there are a lot of compromises, and you have to try hard to take a good photo. The front camera here is quite good, it is a full 8 MP and not interpolated 3 or 5, like most Chinese. But the M8 records video (FHD/30fps) frankly poorly; one of the serious shortcomings is also the lack of support for LTE networks.

Honor 5A

Also in the ultra-budget segment, Honor 5A from Huawei deserves attention. Its price is already 8 thousand, but the picture quality of the 5A is much better, at the level of smartphones for 13-15 thousand. The main module at 5M has an aperture of f/2.0 and a focal length of 27 mm. During the day, in good lighting, the shots come out very decent, and I am pleased with the adequate operation of the automation - in the pull-out-point-shoot mode, no problems arise.

The front camera 5A takes better pictures than the main cameras of most cheap Chinese cameras; an additional plus is the presence of a flash on the selfie camera. The device is powered by the MT6735P chipset + 16/2 GB of expandable memory, which is rather weak for gaming, but in everyday use everything is fast and stable. The 5’’ HD IPS screen is also not bad, the only disappointments are the lack of an oleophobic coating and a weak 2200 mAh battery.

LeEco Cool1

Cool1 is an excellent, balanced smartphone with a good camera, a capacious battery and productive hardware. It uses a dual 13+13 MP module, which allows you to get very decent photos during the day, but, like most Chinese, it fails when shooting in poor lighting. In fact, the second camera is needed only to be able to simulate bokeh in software - blurring the background, which in practice does not always work correctly.

The smartphone runs on the Snapdragon 652 chipset, has 32/3 GB of memory, a 5.5-inch FHD screen and a 4060 mAh battery. It has no significant drawbacks; the only downside is the unaesthetic black frame around the screen. By the way, Cool1 can record video in 4K resolution. Price – from 10 thousand rubles.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X / Xiaomi Mi4c

The main reason for the weak popularity of the regular version of Redmi Note 4 was the weak processor, which is why the old RN3P sold much better than its updated version. But in the recently released modification, which received the Snapdragon 625 chipset, the Note 4X lost all its weaknesses.

Note 4x is a beautiful smartphone for 15 thousand in a metal case with a 5.5’’ Full HD screen, a large amount of 64/4GB memory and a thick 4100 mAh battery. The main 4X camera is represented by a Sony IMX258 sensor with a pixel size of 1.12 nm and f/2.0 aperture. The front camera is normal – 5 MP, f/2.0.

For those who want to get comparable photo quality at a lower price, we recommend paying attention to the Xiaomi Mi4c. It’s already difficult to find it on sale here, but if you order from China, you can spend 7.5-8 thousand rubles. For that kind of money, the Mi4C has no alternative characteristics - it has the same camera module as the Note 4X, a Snapdragon 808 processor, a 5’’ FHD IPS screen, a 3000 mAh battery and 16/2 GB of memory. In general, Mi4C is cheap and cheerful. The device has only one critical disadvantage - the lack of a slot for a flash drive.

LG G4

G4 is the flagship of the last generation from LG, which, 2 years after the start of production, remains one of the best devices on the market in terms of photo quality. The new G4 can be purchased in Russian online stores for 16 thousand rubles. We recommend buying a smartphone with a warranty, since this model is known for problems with the motherboard bootloop. But if you manage to pick up a problem-free smartphone, you won’t regret it.

The photos taken on the LG G4 speak for themselves, and the device's characteristics remain more than decent today. The smartphone is equipped with a gorgeous 5.5’’ IPD screen with 2K resolution, a Snapdragon 808 processor + 32/3 GB of memory (there is a slot for a flash drive up to 128 GB) and a removable 3000 mAh battery. The chic design with a leather back cover is the icing on the cake.

Nexus 5X

The story with the Nexus 5X is the same as with the LG G4. The smartphone is already more than two years old, it is still on sale, and in terms of photo quality, none of the modern devices in the mid-price category has come close to it. The 5X can be called an ideal smartphone for automatic shooting; in the pull-out mode, it produces better images than most smartphones with manual settings. And advanced amateur photographers will have something to do, since the 5X supports the RAW format and shoots video in 4K resolution.

In terms of hardware, the 5X can be classified as a modern mid-budget segment - 5.2’’ FHD IPS screen, Snapdragon 808 chipset, 32/2 GB of memory, 2700 mAh battery. However, despite its not the most advanced characteristics, in terms of smooth operation and performance, thanks to software support from Google, Nexus will give odds to many Chinese flagships. Well, the latest version of Android on board always speaks in favor of this gadget. Price tag – from 17 thousand rubles.

Xiaomi Mi5

Flagship smartphones from Xiaomi are cheaper than devices with similar characteristics at the time of release, and six months to a year after the start of sales, their price becomes very attractive. What other smartphone with close to top-end specifications and a Snapdragon 820 can you buy for 14-15 thousand rubles?

Xiaomi Mi5 takes very good photos. It is equipped with a Sony IMX298 sensor (size 1/2.8", pixel - 1.12, aperture f/2.0, optical stabilization), which allows you to take decent pictures not only during the day, but also indoors and in low light. Photos are detailed, with excellent sharpness across the entire frame. The only things I can complain about are the not-so-best automation and the clumsy HDR mode, but for the money the Mi5 has one of the best cameras on the market. In addition, the smartphone supports Camera2 Api, which makes it possible to shoot in RAW, which provides solid opportunities for post-processing images.

Honor 6X

The 6X is a high-quality smartphone, into which they not only stuffed a good camera module from SONY, but also paid enough attention to the software part. If you don't want to buy the Nexus 5X due to obsolescence, but still need a smartphone for point-and-shoot photography, the Honor 6X would be an excellent choice. He takes excellent photographs on automatic, making almost no mistakes with exposure, white balance and focusing.

Honor 6X boasts a dual camera, the main module is Sony IMX386, paired with an auxiliary 2MP sensor. As in the case of the previously reviewed Cool1, the second camera is needed for software background blur, which is implemented much better here than in LeEco.

The hardware of the 6X is quite simple - Kirin 655 chipset, 32/3 GB of memory + MicroSD, 5.5’’ FHD IPS screen, 3340 mAh battery, but the cool camera fully justifies the 17 thousand price tag.

Meizu MX6

Meizu MX6 is a controversial smartphone. In Russia they ask for about 20 thousand rubles (although, if you work hard, you can find a price tag of 16 thousand), which is a bit expensive considering the MX6’s not the most productive hardware. But at a price of 13-14 thousand, for which you can order a smartphone from China, this is a very good option.

The MX6 camera is equipped with a 12 MP Sony IMX386 sensor similar to the Honor 6X with a pixel size of 1.25 micron, and it takes really good pictures. It’s pointless to find fault with the quality of pictures taken during the day, but at night, due to the lack of optical stabilization, the MX6 sags somewhat. But despite this, the MX6 is one of the few Chinese smartphones that can compete with top-end devices from A-brands in terms of photographic capabilities. In addition, it is equipped with a chic screen, has a high-quality metal body and pleases with performance thanks to the perfectly optimized Flyme shell. But there are some drawbacks, including the lack of a memory card slot with a modest built-in 32 GB and mediocre battery life.

Samsung A5 2016

A5 in the 2016 version can now be found in stores for 18-19 thousand rubles, and for this money it is one of the most balanced smartphones from A-brands. For high-quality photos, it has everything - a 13 MP camera module with f/1.9 aperture, hybrid autofocus and optical stabilization, thanks to which good pictures are obtained not only during the day, but also at night.

There is only one significant drawback - for such a price I would like to be able to record 4K video, but Samsung traditionally reserves this function for its flagships. In all other respects, the smartphone is great - 5.2 FHD Super AMOLED screen, Exynos 7580 chipset and 16/2 GB of memory expandable with cards up to 12 GB, 2900 mAh battery. The characteristics are not amazing on paper, but they are quite enough for comfortable use of the smartphone, and when using the A5 every day, you can feel that same “quality”, manifested in the smallest details.

Nubia Z11 Mini S

Z11 Mini S is a smaller version of the flagship Z11 smartphone, which ZTE produces under the premium Nubia brand. You can’t find fault with this device: Snapdragon 625, 64/4 GB of memory, 5.5’’ FHD IPS screen, 3000 mAh battery - all this can be obtained for 15-20 thousand rubles, depending on the place of purchase. The camera here is amazing. The smartphone is equipped with a 23MP Sony IMX318 (f/2.0) module, which takes stunning pictures (especially in terms of detail) during the day.

In addition, the Z11 Mini S records video in 4K resolution and does it very cool - an example is below.

In terms of photographic capabilities and other characteristics, this smartphone has very few competitors, except that the Xiaomi Mi5 can compare with the Z11 Mini S in terms of price/functionality, but it still takes worse photographs. We recommend for purchase.

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Mobile photography has changed the world. Now everyone is a photographer, and you don’t have to have a bunch of expensive equipment to do it. Comparing photos from three years ago with today, you are amazed at how quickly cameras in smartphones are developing.

In this article I collected the best smartphones of 2017 for photography.

9. Honor 9

You have two cameras at your disposal. The first is color, with a resolution of 12 megapixels and an f/2.2 aperture. The second is 20 megapixel monochrome with a similar aperture. According to the creators' idea, the black-and-white camera takes a photo with an expanded dynamic range and detail, after which colors from the second module are added to the photo.

In good lighting, the smartphone produces sharp images with the correct white balance. Laser autofocus is fast, there is a 2x optical zoom without loss of quality. At night the result is not so good - the picture becomes noisy and blurry.

Following the trends, Honor 9 can shoot with the bokeh effect. The background is blurred well, but far from perfect. Small details often get washed out, but more expensive smartphones also suffer from this.

Wide-angle front camera: 8 megapixels with f/2.0 aperture. The quality of the pictures is excellent, but again only during the day. I would like a larger aperture, but for now, in low light, it’s better to forget about selfies.

Honor 9 is a cool mid-budget smartphone for those who want to get more for their money.

The camera is practically no different from the more expensive P10. The only thing missing is the fashionable Leica nameplate and optical stabilization.

8. Sony Xperia XZ Premium

Sony's flagship has only one camera with a 19 MP wide-angle lens and f/2.0 aperture. Optical stabilization was not delivered again, so we have to settle for digital stabilization.

The camera is fast and takes nice pictures during the day. The picture is rich and sharp, but the impression is spoiled by the clumsy operation of the machine. During the day, it can easily illuminate the sky; under artificial lighting, the white balance can be set incorrectly.

At night, autofocus behaves nervously and constantly tries to refocus. Photos in automatic mode turn out noisy and soapy.

To experience the true capabilities of the XZ Premium, shoot in manual mode. In this case, you can enable HDR, adjust exposure, shutter speed, focus and get flagship-level pictures. The downside is that it kills the beauty of mobile photography. Few will tinker with manual settings when they need to shoot quickly here and now.

Predictive shooting does not work in manual mode. The camera takes 1-3 frames before you even press the shutter. As a result, you will get 3-4 pictures from which you can choose the best one. The idea is interesting, but the smartphone does this automatically and when it deems it necessary.

The XZ Premium has a good 13 MP widescreen front camera. Suitable for joint selfies, and the result is decent in any lighting conditions.

And the main highlight is the world's first smartphone that shoots super slow-motion video at 960 fps. It looks impressive, but, in my opinion, it takes a couple of times to play around with. Videos weigh a lot, it’s hard to get a smooth picture without optical stabilization. Only pieces of 0.18 seconds are recorded, which are stretched into 6-second videos.

With all the advantages, only true fans of the brand will choose XZ Premium.

7. LG G6

LG G6 has two cameras, each 13 megapixels. The first - with an f/1.8 aperture - received phase autofocus and optical stabilization. The second is a wide-angle lens of 125 degrees and an aperture of f/2.4.

A wide angle for the second camera seems more useful than the notorious bokeh. It is perfect for shooting architecture, landscapes, and taking photos with friends. On other smartphones, you will have to take a panorama to do this, which is not always convenient.

But for an ultra-wide angle you have to pay with distortion (barrel effect). In addition, the second camera does not have autofocus and optical stabilization. Because of this, pictures often turn out out of focus.

The main camera takes good photos. Optical stabilization works as it should, no movement. The picture comes out clear, with correct color reproduction. The LG G6 enables HDR in auto mode by default. This allows you to preserve more detail in the light and dark areas of the frame.

The front camera has only 5 megapixels and an f/2.2 aperture. A strange decision for a flagship - the results are worse than many mid-budget smartphones. Even a wide-angle lens of 100 degrees does not help - the quality of the images leaves much to be desired.

The LG G6 is an interesting smartphone, but the camera is not its strong point. Therefore only 7th place.

6. Samsung Galaxy S8

The camera in the Galaxy S8 doesn't bring anything particularly new compared to its predecessor. But at the same time it remains one of the best on the market.

The smartphone has a single 12 megapixel module with optical stabilization and Dual Pixel technology for fast autofocus. The f/1.7 aperture allows you to take very cool photos in low light conditions. Night photos from top Samsung smartphones are standard.

However, don’t expect a realistic picture from the Galaxy S8 camera. It will be cool, juicy, but far from the gray reality. Camera algorithms aggressively distort the image to eliminate any imperfection. Whether this is good or bad is a matter of taste.

But what's really cool is the front camera. It has a resolution of 8 megapixels, intelligent autofocus and an f/1.7 aperture. Not all smartphones have such high-aperture optics, even in the main camera.

The result is stunning selfies at any time of the day and under any conditions. The lens has a fairly wide angle, so you can comfortably take pictures with a group.

Considering the price of the Galaxy S8 today, this is one of the best mobile cameras on the market.

4. iPhone 8 Plus

I used the plus version of the iPhone for three years because of its photo capabilities. There are no major changes in the iPhone 8 Plus compared to its predecessor. But the camera has gotten a little better in everything.

There are still two 12 megapixel modules. The first telephoto lens with ƒ/2.8 aperture. The second is wide-angle with an aperture of ƒ/1.8. Alas, the telephoto lens does not have optical stabilization, nor does it have a larger aperture. This is the prerogative of the iPhone X.

Changes in the iPhone 8 Plus affected the lens system and sensor matrix, and improved photo post-processing algorithms.

In fact, pictures taken with the figure eight are brighter, more contrasting and more saturated. The camera reproduces colors more accurately, and skin tones in portraits have become more realistic. In general, everything is good with white balance in the eight; in this regard, it has many competitors.

HDR performance has improved, it is now always in automatic mode. Previously, I had to constantly turn it on manually, which was sometimes infuriating.

Focus is more accurate and faster, resulting in sharper images. This is especially noticeable when enlarging the image.

In low light, the picture turns out to be more detailed, but in terms of quality and amount of noise it is inferior to the same HTC U11.

iPhone 8 Plus has new portrait lighting modes that don't just blur the background, but simulate different lighting patterns. It's a cool thing, but it doesn't work right now. For now, because this is not the final version yet and will work better over time.

The iPhone 8 Plus does regular portraits perfectly. The background blurs quite accurately and focuses on objects correctly. By the way, the lighting scheme can now be changed after you take a photo. So there is room for creativity.

And Live Photo also makes sense. You can now make a GIF from them or select the best frame. This is an analogue of burst shooting, which is useful for photographing moving objects.

The front camera has not changed compared to the 7 Plus. The same 7 megapixels with ƒ/2.2 aperture. The pictures come out normal, but in low light they are noisy. I would like the camera angle to be wider; the Galaxy S8 is more interesting in this regard.

What can I say, this is the most popular camera in the world, and deservedly so. The changes are not dramatic, but the pictures have become better.

3. Samsung Galaxy Note 8

A huge flagship from Samsung that left positive emotions.

The smartphone has two 12 megapixel cameras. The first module is wide-angle with an f/1.7 aperture. The second is a “telephoto” with an f/2.4 aperture. Both have optical stabilization, so even photos at 2x zoom are sharp.

The camera blurs the background beautifully, and the degree of blur can be adjusted both before and after releasing the shutter. Pictures are saved from both cameras.

The bokeh itself seemed to me not as natural as on the iPhone. But perhaps this will be improved in software.

In daylight, the photographs delight with excellent detail and vibrant colors. Yes, the excessive saturation has not gone away, but the photos are still cool. There is also oversharpening, it is especially noticeable in low light, when the noise begins to actively work.

Automatic HDR works well, both in artificial and natural light.

Night shots, as always, are at their best; few can compete with them. The picture is contrasty and sharp even when viewed from a computer.

The front camera of the Galaxy Note 8 has the same aperture as the main one - f/1.7, resolution 8 megapixels. There is autofocus, the image quality is top-notch, everything is at the level of the Galaxy S8.

Overall, I was pleased with the camera and did not find any obvious shortcomings. Only the huge size of the smartphone can repel, but that’s another story.

2. iPhone X

The main camera of the iPhone X is almost like the iPhone 8 Plus. Optical stabilization is now in both modules, and the telephoto aperture has been increased from f2.8 to f2.4. What does this give?

Photos are always sharp when zoomed in. Previously, the picture used to be blurred at 2x zoom. Especially if your little hands are shaking, which is no wonder in such cold weather. It has become easier to shoot in portrait mode. No movement, I focused and got a cool portrait.

Thanks to the increased aperture of the telephoto, portraits are not so dependent on lighting. The picture became less noisy even in the evening under artificial lighting. Ten retains more details, small elements look sharper.

In terms of color and dynamic range, the iPhone X produces similar results to the iPhone 8 Plus. It’s true that viewing photos is more interesting with the iPhone X - the OLED screen makes already bright photos more vibrant and rich.

Changes also affected the front camera. Selfies can now be taken with the background blurred thanks to the True Depth depth sensor. There are different studio lighting modes available, but the results are not always successful.

In my opinion, the iPhone X and Galaxy Note 8 are about equal. The first one has better color reproduction and portrait mode. The second one performs well in night photography and selfies.

1. Google Pixel 2

The best mobile camera of 2017 is Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. They are identical.

The smartphones have one 12.2 megapixel camera with f/1.8 aperture. Google decided that two modules were not needed for cool portraits. Background blur is achieved only with the help of software.

The background really blurs effectively, but certain conditions must be met. For example, get rid of small accessories like glasses, don’t shoot in windy weather with hair flying around. Otherwise the camera will erase them.

It is better to take close-up photographs. If you want to shoot from the waist up, you'll have to give up the bokeh. In this regard, the iPhone is less picky.

On the other hand, if done correctly, the photos turn out amazing. Oddly enough, the blur looks more natural than on the iPhone X. The main thing is that all this is the work of a neural network that is learning all the time. I think that in six months there will be fewer restrictions, and the quality of the pictures will be better.

The smartphones have optical stabilization and Dual Pixel phase detection autofocus. The camera has a wide dynamic range, and it doesn't matter whether you're shooting on a sunny day or at dusk. Autofocus is extremely fast, surpassing even that of Note 8 in speed.

Automation sets the correct white balance both outdoors and when visiting. The picture is juicy, bright, the colors are correct, without kinks.

The front camera is 8-megapixel and also takes excellent pictures. Portrait mode works here too, and no depth sensor is needed. The only thing is that they could have installed faster optics: the f/2.4 aperture is not enough in the evening.

As a result, Google managed to make a really cool smartphone for mobile photography. Although, to be honest, sometimes you have to strain to get a high-quality photo. This is especially true for portraits.

In this regard, I like the iPhone X better. Everything there is simple and clear, but the quality of the images is inferior, albeit slightly.

Mobile photography is now increasingly difficult to distinguish in quality from a picture taken with a DSLR camera, especially if these are standard frames, without the use of ultrazoom, fisheye and other specific lenses. At the beginning of March, the MWC 2017 exhibition was held in Barcelona, ​​which is dedicated to mobile devices, but practically does not touch upon the topic of photography. In any case, this was the case before, but now that the smartphone has become the most popular photographic equipment, we simply cannot ignore the new achievements of the industry. So, today we will look at five new products on the mobile market that can save you from the need to buy a compact camera. Or maybe even an entry-level DSLR.

Sony Xperia XZ Premium and Xperia XZs

It seems that Sony is tired of participating in the megapixel race and has finally begun to use common sense. The new flagship handset has a camera with a resolution of 19 megapixels instead of the previous 23, and this should have a very good effect on the quality of pictures. In addition, the module has learned super-high-speed shooting - up to 960 frames per second. When recording video in a special mode, you can capture several seconds of slow motion. True, all this is only possible in a resolution of 1280 × 720 pixels.

Well, in general, such a leap in video recording capabilities became possible thanks to the new hardware base. Sony Xperia XZ Premium will be the world's first smartphone based on the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset. The central processor contains 8 cores, four of them operate at a frequency of up to 2.5 GHz, and the remaining four - up to 1.9 GHz. There is also 4 gigabytes of RAM.

Sony's new flagship looks strict, and in the hand it feels like a very massive and extremely stylish thing. The 5.5-inch display has “double” resolution: either Full HD (1080 × 1920) or the coveted 4K. Top resolution is only available when watching video; It’s not entirely clear why the company took such half-measures, but that’s how it happened. The screen has changed: compared to the Xperia Z5 Premium, the color gamut exceeds the sRGB space by 35%. It is not yet known how much this model will cost in Russia, but you will be able to buy it in May 2017.

For those who can't afford the XZ Premium, Sony will also have a cheaper model, the Xperia XZs. This is an updated version of last year's Xperia XZ. No external differences, just a new camera, exactly the same as the Xperia XZ Premium.

Huawei P10 and P10 Plus

Huawei continues to develop smartphones with dual cameras. This year the flagship handset will be released in two modifications. The first, P10, will be relatively compact, with a screen diagonal of 5.1 inches, and the second, P10 Plus, will be larger due to its 5.5-inch screen. In the first case, the screen resolution will be Full HD (1080 × 1920 pixels), and in the second - Quad HD (1440 × 2560).

Both versions use an 8-core HiSilicon Kirin 960 processor and have 4 gigabytes of RAM. However, if you wish, you can order the P10 Plus with 6 gigabytes of RAM. But the main thing is that there are no differences between smartphones in terms of cameras.

Leica took part in the development of the new photo module, which last year signed a long-term cooperation agreement with Huawei. So, both new smartphones use dual modules, and the sensor in each of them has a resolution of 12 megapixels. True, one shoots in normal mode, and the other in black and white. In theory, this should give a wider dynamic range and improve the quality of shooting in low light. Previous Huawei smartphones (P9, Mate 9 and Honor 8) shot simply stunning, so expectations are very high for the P10. The most affordable model will cost 35 thousand rubles, and you can buy it literally within a month.

LG G6

LG also prefers to use dual cameras, at least in high-end smartphones. The new LG G6 also received two “eyes” with a resolution of 13 megapixels. True, the very principle by which the dual camera works in LG mobile phones is slightly different from what Huawei offers. Here the approach is rather closer to the one that Apple uses. The lenses on the cameras are different, one has a viewing angle of 71 degrees, the other has 125, and switching between them gives a 2x optical zoom. True, the G6 does not have a full-fledged portrait mode; its camera is more useful for shooting landscapes - such a wide viewing angle is not yet available to competitors.

Another interesting feature is the non-standard display aspect ratio, 18:9 (or 2:1) instead of the popular 16:9. As the company explains, it is more convenient to hold a smartphone with a large diagonal, and the screen in horizontal mode can be divided into two squares, which will allow you to refresh your look at the interface of familiar applications.

The company didn’t play tricks with the hardware - instead of the latest Snapdragon 835, there is last year’s Snapdragon 821. And although this processor is formally not the newest, its performance is still sufficient for all tasks with a margin of a couple of years. The LG G6 should appear in Russia in April-May, but the approximate retail price is not yet known.

Oppo 5x

But this is not yet a finished smartphone, but only a concept that has every chance of entering the market this year. The development of the Chinese company Oppo is notable for its five-fold optical zoom. The camera is located perpendicular to the usual layout - horizontally, and its height is only 5.7 mm, that is, hypothetically it will fit into any smartphone without any inconvenience.

The light flux is reflected in the optically stabilized lens, which is shifted by 90 degrees. It allows for 3x optical zoom. Fivefold is achieved using software processing of images obtained from two lenses.

Thanks to this development, the quality of images at maximum zoom should significantly improve. In addition, Oppo 5x uses an advanced optical stabilization mechanism to reduce shake. It is not reported which smartphones the new product will appear in, but some sources claim that Oppo will release a smartphone with such a camera on the market in the summer. We will definitely keep you updated.

Samsung Galaxy S8

Well, the real king-phone on Android has not yet been officially announced. Samsung promises to reveal all its cards on March 29, which we will definitely talk about separately. However, something about the Galaxy S8 is already known. It will be released in two form factors: with a screen diagonal of 5.7 and 6.2 inches. The larger model will be called Galaxy S8+. But the camera resolution will remain the same - 12 megapixels. The main news so far has been the ability to shoot HD video at up to 1000 frames per second. And purely technically, this is more than the Xperia XZ Premium.

The front camera will receive a sensor with a resolution of 8 megapixels, as well as a sensor for scanning the iris of the eye. For Samsung, this solution is no longer new; the same scanner was in the infamous Galaxy Note 7. But all this is needed for additional security - it is believed that there are people in the world with matching fingerprints, but the iris of the eye is unique in all cases .

In general, the Galaxy S8 will be the only smartphone that can compete on equal terms with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus in terms of sales and distribution. And the Koreans will surely find something to surprise again, so we will return to the topic of the new flagship Galaxy.

Good cameras in smartphones are no longer rare. The quality of shooting is not the last factor that people pay attention to when choosing a model. Our selection is dedicated to smartphones that will successfully replace the point-and-shoot in your pocket!

The long-awaited phablet of the Samsung brand and a pioneer with two cameras (12 + 12 MP) and a fast lens - f / 1.7, portrait - f / 2.4. The front camera is 8 MP autofocus and f/1.7 aperture. Both main camera modules have optical stabilization, which has a positive effect on the quality of videos and photos, especially in low light. When it comes to low-light photography, the Note 8 simply blows away the competition; you won’t find a better smartphone for this task. Thanks to the second lens, you can take a photo with a blurred background (bokeh effect).

The operating principle of the camera is similar to its predecessor. The first camera is widescreen, the other is portrait. Aperture f/1.8 and f/2.8. The smartphone is equipped with a dual 12-megapixel camera, optical stabilization, and AutoHDR function. Among the camera's features is the Portrait Lightning mode, which allows you to complement the background with studio lighting effects in portrait mode.

The spring flagship has identical data to last year's S7: 12MP, 1.4 micron pixel size, a similar lens with f/1.7 aperture, optical stabilization and Dual Pixel technology. However, thanks to software improvements, the company has taken the camera to a new level: instant focusing, faster continuous shooting, speed and, most importantly, improved camera performance in low light conditions.

Huawei P10

The Huawei P10 smartphone has all the modern trends - dual camera, hybrid autofocus, optical stabilization. However, the purpose of the second module is different; it is monochrome and acts as an assistant to the first. Thanks to the monochrome lens, images receive a wide dynamic range, greater detail and accurate color reproduction. The inscription “Leica” proudly displays next to the cameras, because a well-known German company that produces premium cameras and optics participated in the creation of the camera.

The LG G6 also boasts dual cameras, but they take a different approach from what others offer. It is a dual 13 MP camera with f/1.8 and f/2.4 aperture respectively. The viewing angle of the first module is 71°, while the second one is 125°, which allows you to capture more details in the frame. If you love shooting landscapes, architectural shots and large groups of friends, the LG G6 is sure to become your faithful assistant.

HTC U11

The Taiwanese company HTC has always been famous for the quality of its products. HTC U11 was no exception. The smartphone has many strengths that allowed it to take pride of place among the top camera phones. The HTC camera uses a 12 MP module with a pixel size of 1.4 microns. The aperture is f/1.7, there is optical stabilization and a Profi mode that allows you to manually set the aperture, shutter speed and ISO. Photos taken with the HTC U11 camera differ from competitors in high resolution and low noise level. In addition to all the listed advantages, the smartphone can record 4K video with 3D sound.

Samsung Galaxy S7

Although the smartphone was announced more than a year ago, do not rush to write off the “grandfather”! Now this is one of the most balanced and affordable flagship camera phones. Familiar to us in the S8 is 12MP with a pixel size of 1.4 microns. you will be surprised again. In constant updates, Samsung engineers present us with improved algorithms, which significantly improves the shooting quality of last year’s flagship and compares it with the new products of 2017.

The market leader is the iPhone 7 Plus. A smartphone that can give even the newly announced flagships a head start in video quality. The remarkable performance of the optical stabilizer, combined with its software implementation, makes it a benchmark in the Video category. Portrait mode with good bokeh and 2x zoom without loss of quality have become the main features of the iPhone 7 Plus. If you want to get a smartphone with top specifications at a lower price (compared to current flagships), the iPhone 7 is your choice.

Asus Zenfone 4

The brainchild of Asus, Zenfone 4, was announced with the slogan “We love photos.” One cannot but agree, because the smartphone is equipped with a 12 MP camera with an f/1.8 aperture and fast phase detection autofocus, and a special RGB sensor is used to correct the white balance. Additional module - wide-angle 8 MP with an angle of 120°. The operating principle is similar to that of the LG G6. The smartphone is equipped with a high-quality optical stabilizer, which makes the pictures clear and the video smooth. Pro mode has a rich set of options: focus, shutter speed, ISO, exposure and white balance parameters. You can change white parameters, ISO value and focus directly while shooting video, which was previously only available in professional cameras.

The Huawei Nova 2 is one of the most affordable camera phones. Equipped with a dual camera system, the first one is 12 MP with f/1.8 aperture, and the secondary camera is 8 MP with f/2.4 aperture. In almost all usage scenarios, the smartphone shoots on par with the flagship P10, however, in low-light conditions, the P10 takes over due to its fast lens. Among the features of the smartphone, it is worth highlighting the possibility of 2x zoom without loss of quality. Huawei Nova 2 has gained fame as a balanced and productive smartphone with an affordable price tag.