Best Cell Phone Camera?

[Guytronic]

@RumoredNow

Should be a pretty fun camera type phone to have I think.
Looks cool too

 

[BajanSaint69]

Hi,

The Ektra looks like a real possibility.

Thanks!

 

[RumoredNow]

Hi,

The Ektra looks like a real possibility.

Thanks!

I'm still mulling it over. Hard to find hands on reviews from after the firmware fix to camera though. Most reviews appear to be from the release version.

 

[DJCBS]

The reason I bought first the Lumia 1020 and then the 950xl was after looking at the cameras. (I'm a professional photographer) My phone is my walk around camera. I'm contemplating my future phone (right now long live my 950xl) I want a camera that gives me the level of control of exposure the Lumia's cameras have and it must shoot DNG files. I don't want a "push here and the phone will do the rest" camera as in the IPhone.

What handset has the best camera out there?

The answer to this is actually really simple: you want the LG V30.

It's the best camera currently on the market for anyone who knows anything about photography. Galaxy cameras also give you good options but the manual controls on the V30 are much better.

 

[MA70mgte]

Have you looked at the Google Pixel 2? The Pixel 2 camera's secret weapon: A Google-designed SoC, the 'Pixel Visual Core' https://www.androidcentral.com/pixel-2-has-custom-chipset-meet-pixel-visual-core

Camera head to head: Lumia 950 XL vs Google Pixel 2 XL

 

[greedo_greedy]

Check these comparison articles from allaboutwindowsphone.com
Made by a Lumia fan so there may be bias but then again pictures speak louder than words.

Lumia 950 XL vs Pixel 2 XL
Camera head to head: Lumia 950 XL vs Google Pixel 2 XL

Lumia 950 XL vs Nokia 8
Camera head to head: Lumia 950 vs Nokia 8

Lumia 950 XL vs IPhone X
Camera head to head: Lumia 950 XL vs Apple iPhone X

 

[DJCBS]

Zeiss is back in town on the new Nokia Androids (Nokia 8)

The Nokia 8 only has Zeiss lenses. It does NOT have any Nokia imaging patents in it nor any Zeiss optimisations. The camera is actually utter crap.

As @Laura Knotek observed, the Pixel 2 XL will likely be a fit

Or not. He clearly stated it didn't want a point and shoot. Which is exactly what the iPixels are. No manual controls on them at all.

Another point to consider is that HDR+ apk has been floating around as a hack that can be added to phones with Snapdragon 820, 821 or 835 chips.

It can be added to a lot more phones. For example, the Nokia 5 has the SD430 and the app runs on it. The Xperia XZ1 Compact has the 835 and it doesn't. Why? Because the first has Google's camera2api enabled and on the Xperia, Sony blocked RAW support which means the camera can't use the photos.

More research into "what phones capture RAW" might also help you narrow the field.

Fortunately, most high end devices on Android enabled the camera2api with Android 5.0 Lollipop. Which means all of them support RAW. The only high end phone I've seen that doesn't are Sony's Xperia phones (because Sony is arrogant AF).

 

[Sachin A]

The reason I bought first the Lumia 1020 and then the 950xl was after looking at the cameras. (I'm a professional photographer) My phone is my walk around camera. I'm contemplating my future phone (right now long live my 950xl) I want a camera that gives me the level of control of exposure the Lumia's cameras have and it must shoot DNG files. I don't want a "push here and the phone will do the rest" camera as in the IPhone.

What handset has the best camera out there?

I like smartphone photography and I do take photographs with my Lumia 950XL whenever I get some unique moments. For me 950XL is the best camera phone I've ever used. But time has changed and more capable camera phones arrived into market. It's dumb to defend a phone with dead OS but the Lumia still holds me with its camera. Totally love the ease of camera UI, but in a dilemma about my next smartphone camera.

Android/iOS

 

[jmreuter]

There is a great youtube video comparing the LG V30 to a $50,000 Red Weapon 8K pro video camera showing all the manual controls and options like recording logarithmic light levels for higher dynamic range. Search for "LG V30 versus Red Weapon". The emphasis of this report is on video, but if the camera has anything near the same controls for still photos, then it would be a contender. It does have RAW capability. It doesn't have the 20MP sensors that the Lumias have, the rear sensors are 16MP. Reviews of the photo capabilities with focus on pro features are hard to come by, most of the press noise seems to be about the video capabilities, and photo reviews tend to be from the snapshot crowd.

 

[Sabbath Elisha Felix]

1020, 950xl, 950

 

[sdreamer]

I'd say an iPhone 8+ or X. It's best for those point and shoot moments you'll need right away (though it doens't shoot in RAW by default). Then you have other apps you can use like Lightroom or Camera+ for finer controls. Yes, they're apps, but if you have the time to manually adjust, then you should have the extra second to find the app and launch it. I think with this phone it gives the least amount of headache. That's been my experience so far. I did like the default camera app that Samsung had one their Galaxy S8, because you can easily switch to manual controls as well. Then there is the Pixel 2 XL with a good DXO score, but I believe the iPhone X still had a higher still photo rating.

 

[N8tiveT3ch]

The reason I bought first the Lumia 1020 and then the 950xl was after looking at the cameras. (I'm a professional photographer) My phone is my walk around camera. I'm contemplating my future phone (right now long live my 950xl) I want a camera that gives me the level of control of exposure the Lumia's cameras have and it must shoot DNG files. I don't want a "push here and the phone will do the rest" camera as in the IPhone.

What handset has the best camera out there?

I am really surprised how streamlined the camera functionality was on the Lumia 950xl. That was extremely good for point and click with everything left on auto. I got a LG v30 because of reasons...the camera is not that good imo. I don't take wide angle shots so there is that. overall I might just keep the phone as a camera phone when I needed it like concerts.

 

[ordepim]

You should probably wait for an actual camera phone.
Take a look at: https://www.engadget.com/2017/08/02/red-s-1-200-holographic-phone-features-snap-on-camera-accessori/

 

[Aden Rossinni]

950/950xl 100%. None if the current phones are as good.

 

[Wevenhuis]

For me the 1520 and 950XL, in my personal experience, are the best to date. I hear from many still that the 1020 is still the comparative benchmark device to all smartphone camera's . I think the 950XL is slightly better than the 1520 camera. Both are still great camera's with their 20 mpix OIS lenses. But, I think, the camera is only as good as the photographer using it. If the person who uses it shoots randomly, you get random images. Over the years I've noticed every person has their own focus of composition. If the focus is there the photo will turn out great, if not it will turn out less than optimal.

But whichever smartphone camera, I have not experienced one that can match the dslr. The quality is immediately clear, depsite the megapixels. A good lens and an eye for composition makes a lot of difference, despite the software tweaking. I still believe a better qualiity lens could make a big difference in crossing the threshold for better smartphone photograhy.

 

[Wevenhuis]

nice composition. Those are some lont ant antenni!

 

[Jdalmau59]

The reason I bought first the Lumia 1020 and then the 950xl was after looking at the cameras. (I'm a professional photographer) My phone is my walk around camera. I'm contemplating my future phone (right now long live my 950xl) I want a camera that gives me the level of control of exposure the Lumia's cameras have and it must shoot DNG files. I don't want a "push here and the phone will do the rest" camera as in the IPhone.

What handset has the best camera out there?

I have a Lumia 950XL...and friends and people that have seen the photos I take with it...always have complemented them..

 

[CrockettGTO]

The best camera is subjective without more context. When you say best, what do you mean by the best?
Best:
Exposure
Low light quality
Contrast
Sharpness
Shutter speed
Etc..
(lumias are top notch IMO, but we don't see much of them getting any mention in comparisons)

Dont we typically see most of these having some pros and cons in these various attributes?

Pixel or pixel 2
iPhone 8+ or X
Galaxy Note 8
V30
U11

 

[sd4f]

Considering now there's a lot of people switching around, it would be good for Windows Central to run a camera poll and include the lumia 950 in it again, mainly for comparison.

It annoys me to no end that the new phone cameras just aren't convincingly better than a 2 year old l950 phone.

 

[Guytronic]

For a while there I was convinced smartphones were going to top and depose DSLR or Mirrorless and M43 cameras.
Smartphones do produce impressive results yet I'm thinking actual cameras are seeing a resurgence for even amateur photographers.

Frankly I had considered dumping real cameras and going smartslab only.
Just couldn't do it because I just love fiddling with a camera where I can switch lenses and attach other accessories.
Smartphones seem to be give and take engineering, tricks with smoke and mirrors currently.
To me the key is being able to change that lens which smartphones just can't do.

In my opinion the smartphone may have opened a pathway for budding photographers that may want more in the complex world picture taking.