# best phone camera?



## wayward bob (Nov 14, 2012)

i'm overdue an upgrade and all i'm looking for is something with a decent camera. suggestions?


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## editor (Nov 14, 2012)

Samsung S2. Nolia Lumia. HTC One X. iPhone 4s.


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## TopCat (Nov 14, 2012)

The camera on the Nokia Lumia is lush.


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## wayward bob (Nov 14, 2012)

there's load of lumias are the newer cameras automatically better than the older ones?


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## Manter (Nov 14, 2012)

iphone cameras (new models) are great.  5 is a better camera but the phone itself is SO FUCKING ANNOYING go for the 4GS as Ed says


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## mrs quoad (Nov 14, 2012)

wayward bob said:


> there's load of lumias are the newer cameras automatically better than the older ones?


I believe the quality of the camera was flagged up as a big selling point when the most recent ones were launched. Low light photography, in particular. There was some iffiness (again IIRC) around adverts purporting to be shot with the Lumia when actually they were shot with top-end / pro cameras; but the cameras were, I think, quite positively received.

Are Lumias windows 8?

Does OS matter to you at all, bob? Or is it mostly the camera?


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## mrs quoad (Nov 14, 2012)

*


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## wayward bob (Nov 14, 2012)

i'm _all_ about the camera. is shutter lag still an issue?


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## wayward bob (Nov 14, 2012)

what i really want is a camera i can text on. i hate smartphones  i want buttons goddamnit


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## wayward bob (Nov 14, 2012)

mrs quoad said:


> I believe the quality of the camera was flagged up as a big selling point when the most recent ones were launched. Low light photography, in particular.


 
i always have flash switched off, so anything that's better with available light is a plus for me.


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## mrs quoad (Nov 14, 2012)

wayward bob said:


> i always have flash switched off, so anything that's better with available light is a plus for me.


I've been passably stunned by the iPhone 5's low light performance.

But, tbf, I don't have anything to compare it with except my most recent comparator, a frankly pitiful 2009/10 HTC Desire.


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## mrs quoad (Nov 14, 2012)

And, tbf, low light performance was (again IIRC) one of the selling points of the Lumia.


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## wayward bob (Nov 14, 2012)

samsung and htc aren't free, so maybe i should think about an iphone. hate them too


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## mrs quoad (Nov 14, 2012)

http://www.phonearena.com/news/Noki...-HTC-One-X-vs-808-PureView_id36017#7-iPhone-5


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## keybored (Nov 14, 2012)

wayward bob said:


> what i really want is a camera i can text on. i hate smartphones  i want buttons goddamnit


Reading this thread makes me miss my SE phones (K800i and C905). Both had better cameras than I've used on any phone since, smart or otherwise. And proper buttons too.


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## wayward bob (Nov 14, 2012)

i have a c905 now and i had the k800i before  they're fuckers to charge though


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## wayward bob (Nov 14, 2012)

mrs quoad said:


> http://www.phonearena.com/news/Noki...-HTC-One-X-vs-808-PureView_id36017#7-iPhone-5


 
920 looks good 

eta: costs a fortune. out.


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## wayward bob (Nov 15, 2012)

cheers for advice everyone. went for the lumia 800 in the end cos i can get it on a cheap tariff


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## mrs quoad (Nov 15, 2012)

Already gone for it?

Not sure how accurate this review is, but it doesn't sound too keen re: the 800's camera: http://www.neowin.net/news/htc-one-x--iphone-4s--lumia-800-shootout-cameras

Also mentions w8 as a limitation, insofar as android and iOS both have loads of replacement camera apps whilst with w8 (at the time of review) it was the stock app or nothing. 

If you've already ordered then, obv, ignore and good luck and enjoy!


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## wayward bob (Nov 15, 2012)

my only other free option was an iphone 4 not 4s and i heard there's a fair difference between the cameras. i didn't see a massive difference between the test shots in other comparisons of the 800/4s. at the end of the day i need the best _free_ camera for snapshots, if i'm after something more capable/interesting i have plenty of film cameras to choose from


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## TopCat (Nov 15, 2012)

wayward bob said:


> cheers for advice everyone. went for the lumia 800 in the end cos i can get it on a cheap tariff


it has limitations (no Nokia PC suite) no sync with Outlook. But on the whole it's a brilliant bit of kit.


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## weltweit (Nov 15, 2012)

My Nokia has a camera which is not too bad.

Trouble is I usually forget I have a camera there - on my phone.

There can be something photographic in front of me and I am thinking, wish I had my camera with me, unless someone else comes along clicking with a camera phone I am none the wiser!!


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## RaverDrew (Nov 15, 2012)

Nokia 808 PureView has the best camera of any smartphone by far http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/nokia-808-pureview-1090241/review


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## Badgers (Nov 15, 2012)

Hold on for the iPhone 5S


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## wayward bob (Nov 15, 2012)

i have a decent dslr so i'm really not out to spend any money on a phone, yunno.


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## wayward bob (Nov 17, 2012)

wellll it has goods and bads. it has serious colour balance issues, especially in low light or randomly when you change settings like the second of these on macro:










auto fix looks good at phone resolution for low-light pics but it introduces a LOT of noise (also colour balance wtf):









holding the shutter half way locks focus but not exposure. so instead of focus>compose, you have to use the screen touch focusing, so compose>focus. auto exposure looks decent to me. second pic is autofixed hence noise.









still got a handful of shots i'm happy with out of it today even if they are all basically the same picture


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 17, 2012)

mrs quoad said:


> I believe the quality of the camera was flagged up as a big selling point when the most recent ones were launched. Low light photography, in particular. There was some iffiness (again IIRC) around adverts purporting to be shot with the Lumia when actually they were shot with top-end / pro cameras; but the cameras were, I think, quite positively received.
> 
> Are Lumias windows 8?


 
Despite this, they have got very good reviews for the quality of the camera.

The new ones are...they are still selling some with 7.


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## Shirl (Jan 16, 2017)

BUMP!
What's the best camera now on a smart phone?


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## twentythreedom (Jan 16, 2017)

Google Pixel or iPhone 7 Plus


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## Shirl (Jan 16, 2017)

twentythreedom said:


> Google Pixel or iPhone 7 Plus


Thanks. 
I just checked and I can't afford either


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## maomao (Jan 16, 2017)

I've taken more good photos in the last 6 weeks with my Sony X Compact than I have in the 7 years I've owned a 300 pounds camera. But I am a very very bad photographer, embarrassingly bad. It's £299 and has quite good reviews for the camera though I'm sure someone disagrees.

Mrs Maomao's iPhone SE (£349) takes great photos and is a lot of fun to use but she's a really good photographer anyway. It's probably not quite as good as the iPhone 7's though it shares a lot of the same features and. But Apple yuk etc.


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## Shirl (Jan 16, 2017)

maomao said:


> I've taken more good photos in the last 6 weeks with my Sony X Compact than I have in the 7 years I've owned a 300 pounds camera. But I am a very very bad photographer, embarrassingly bad. It's £299 and has quite good reviews for the camera though I'm sure someone disagrees.
> 
> Mrs Maomao's iPhone SE (£349) takes great photos and is a lot of fun to use but she's a really good photographer anyway. It's probably not quite as good as the iPhone 7's though it shares a lot of the same features and. But Apple yuk etc.


I want to avoid Apple if I can but I'm going to check prices now that I know I can't afford the latest one or the google one. 
I don't really care all that much about phones but I need to take better photos so the camera is the only part of a phone that I'm really interested in.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Jan 16, 2017)

Shirl said:


> I want to avoid Apple if I can but I'm going to check prices now that I know I can't afford the latest one or the google one.
> I don't really care all that much about phones but I need to take better photos so the camera is the only part of a phone that I'm really interested in.



How about buying a camera? You'd probably get a lot for the money of even an average smartphone.


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## mauvais (Jan 16, 2017)

The S7 is very good, the HDR capture in particular. An actual step forward in a stagnant market - although I'm sure there are others that do similar.


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## Shirl (Jan 16, 2017)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> How about buying a camera? You'd probably get a lot for the money of even an average smartphone.



I do need a new phone as my HTCm8 is getting very tired and moody now. Also, a decent camera would be wasted on me because I'd always forget to take it out with me and and even if I remembered it, it wouldn't fit in my handbag. Added to that I can't get a camera on a Vodafone package


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## Shirl (Jan 16, 2017)

mauvais said:


> The S7 is very good, the HDR capture in particular. An actual step forward in a stagnant market - although I'm sure there are others that do similar.


Can't afford it 
I think maybe I'm going to be stuck with a not great camera


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Jan 16, 2017)

Shirl said:


> Can't afford it
> I think maybe I'm going to be stuck with a not great camera



Ive got some amazing photos on my Note 4, which would be the same lens as the Galaxy S5.


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## maomao (Jan 16, 2017)

Shirl said:


> Can't afford it


What's your budget?


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Jan 16, 2017)

From my phone. Urban resizing may have messed this up, but you can zoom to incredible detail. Check out the climbers!


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Jan 16, 2017)

Also worth noting loyalty is rarely rewarded!


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## Shirl (Jan 16, 2017)

maomao said:


> What's your budget?


No more than £25 a month on a package. I always go with Vodafone but I'm not sure why.


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## Shirl (Jan 16, 2017)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Also worth noting loyalty is rarely rewarded!


Not sure what you mean there


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## Shirl (Jan 16, 2017)

By the way, I want to photograph the silver jewellery that I make. I'm happy with any camera if it's just for capturing my animals or the landscape around me.


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## maomao (Jan 16, 2017)

Either of the phones I mentioned are out of your budget on Vodafone but can be got for £21 a month on ee which is a very good network (might want to check coverage on your area). Definitely worth shopping around.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Jan 16, 2017)

Shirl said:


> Not sure what you mean there



That just asking vodaphone for an upgrade will rarely get you the best deal. 

Last time I ended up going through a third party to get a better deal on an EE upgrade they were offering me themselves.


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## Libertad (Jan 17, 2017)

Shirl said:


> Can't afford it
> I think maybe I'm going to be stuck with a not great camera



Take a look at the Moto G4 Shirl. It's got a 13megapixel camera.

http://www.tesco.com/direct/motorola-moto-g4-black-sim-free/152-7712.prd?source=others


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## Shirl (Jan 21, 2017)

I just got the Huawei 9 on a deal with 3. It's supposed to have a really good camera so I hope it has


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## smmudge (Jan 21, 2017)

Shirl said:


> I just got the Huawei 9 on a deal with 3. It's supposed to have a really good camera so I hope it has



When I saw the thread title I was thinking the P9, my gf has just got one and the camera is good. I got the Honor 8 which is the cheaper version but it's still a great phone, and a much much better camera than my old HTC Desire *cough 620*


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