Choose a smartphone with a good camera. Choosing a Smartphone with the Best Camera for Low Light Photography

(10 photos)

Camerophone - mobile phonewith a built-in digital video camera.

Initially, the built-in camera was intended for the MMS service, and any phone with a camera was called a camera phone. Nowadays the word "camera phone" is often used to refer not to any phone with a camera, but to a phone with a quality camera and special photographic functions. Such a phone most often has a high-resolution matrix, xenon and / or LED flash, additional controls (optical stabilization and laser autofocus), as well as a special photo interface and software to process photos and upload them to a blog. Availability in some models cell phones built-in GPS-navigator allows you to add geotagging (geotargeting) to photos that contain information about the shooting location. Also, much attention is paid to software technologies for improving image quality and additional shooting modes.

Now almost all models of mobile phones (except for the cheapest; or specialized ones, for example corporate or children's) are equipped with cameras of at least 0.3 megapixels (VGA resolution). Phones of a fairly high class without a camera (for example, Sony Ericsson M600), intended primarily for corporate users, are not equipped with it, since a number of organizations may prohibit bringing in devices with image capture devices.

Usually the camera is built into the phone from the back side, but there are models with cameras on rotating blocks from the end of the body. Some phones designed to work in third-generation networks have, in addition to the main one, one more camera (usually of lower resolution, 0.3 megapixels) on the front side of the case for video telephony. For the second half of 2015, there are smartphones (Chinese manufacturers) equipped with front modules from 5 to 13 megapixels. The cameras of most flagship smartphones record video in Full HD and support simultaneous recording from the main and front cameras.

In 2002, the Nokia 7650 smartphone entered the market - the first device equipped with a full-fledged built-in camera. It allowed taking pictures with a maximum resolution of 640 × 480 pixels, saving them in JPEG format and allowing them to be sent immediately via MMS. In addition to this shooting mode, designated as "Normal", the device had two more: "Portrait" with a resolution of 80 × 96 and "Night", in which the sensor's light sensitivity was artificially raised, which led to an increase in noise in the image.

In 2004, the Nokia 7610 smartphone was released - the first mass device in Europe with a 1-megapixel camera (resolution 1152x864). The Sharp GX30, introduced earlier (in the same year), had much lower total shipments.

Devices with 2 and 3.2 megapixel cameras became commonplace with the release of the K- and C-series from Sony Ericsson in 2005 [specify].

The 8-megapixel device became a sensation from Samsung in 2009.

At the MWC 2012, the Nokia 808 PureView was presented with a 41-megapixel camera, its matrix size is 1 / 1.2 ".

In 2013, the flagship samsung smartphones, Sony, LG and other manufacturers are equipped with 13 megapixel main cameras and 1.9 - 2.1 megapixel front cameras; simultaneous shooting with the main and front cameras, including Full HD video, is supported.

June 12, 2013 was officially announced Samsung Galaxy The S4 Zoom is a smartphone with a 16MP camera with 10x optical zoom and powerful flash. The matrix size is 1 / 2.3 ", which is 3 times smaller than in Nokia 808 and 2 times smaller than in Nokia Lumia 1020.

On July 11, 2013 the Nokia Lumia 1020 was announced - a smartphone with a 41-megapixel camera and optical stabilization. Unlike its predecessor - Nokia 808 - it has a reduced matrix (2/3 "), which affected the quality of photos (increased noise level even in the daytime).

In autumn 2013 it was announced Sony Xperia Z1, which received a camera with a resolution of 20.7 megapixels. This smartphone, like its predecessor and successors of the line, is capable of shooting even underwater.

Simultaneously with increasing the resolution of cameras, manufacturers increase the maximum video resolution. All flagships at the end of 2013 shoot in Full HD. In the fall of 2013, the Acer Liquid S2 was presented - the first smartphone to shoot video in Ultra HD. Samsung was introduced the same day Galaxy Note III, which has the same function. Samsung Galaxy S V also shoots in this format.

Announced in February 2014, the Sony Xperia Z2 received a 20.7 megapixel camera with the world's first digital image stabilization system and Ultra HD video shooting.

A camera phone is a smartphone with a very good camera and special photographic functions. The best camera phones take photos just as well as good amateur or semi-professional digital cameras. The quality of video recording of camera phones is not inferior to good video cameras. For example, some camera phones allow you to shoot video in 4K format, that is, four times sharper than Full HD.

This ranking will feature the best camera phones for 2016. When placing places in the rating, in addition to the characteristics of the main camera, the characteristics of the front camera (which is needed for video calls and selfies), as well as the price-quality ratio were taken into account. To assess the quality of the cameras, we took into account professional reviews of different models, blind comparisons of cameras (when people compare photographs taken by different models of smartphones, not knowing which photo was taken by this or that device), customer reviews in the Yandex Market.

10th place. Microsoft Lumia 950 XL Dual SIM

The average price is 41,390 rubles. This smartphone has received 48% of the fives in the Yandex-Market. Main camera 20 MP with optical stabilization, F / 1.9 aperture and triple natural LED flash, photo resolution 4992x3744, video shooting in 4K format, front-camera 5 mp.

Comparing the camera of this model and the camera of the LG G4, published on the SuperHDView YouTube channel, it can be seen that the Lumia 950 XL has a slightly better color reproduction, while the LG G4 camera produces a sharper picture. As far as stabilization in the Lumia 950 XL is concerned, the smartphone experienced slight problems with autofocus when shooting moving subjects.

Other specs: 5.7-inch 2560 x 1440 display, latest operating system Windows 10 Mobile, 32 GB permanent and 3 GB random access memory, support for 2 sims.

9th place. LG G4 H815

The average price is 23,500 rubles. The flagship from the South Korean manufacturer received 79% of the fives in the reviews in the Yandex market. Specs: 5.5-inch 2560x1440 screen, 32GB internal storage and 3GB RAM, operating system android system 5.1. 16MP main camera and 8MP front camera. The camera with F1.8 aperture, laser autofocus and OIS 2.0 optical stabilization system allows you to shoot in low light, take portraits, create exquisite effects and professional-grade photos that amaze with clarity and quality of detail. The LG G4 was ranked # 4 in the Android Authority's Blind Smartphone Camera Comparison. The first three places were taken by the iPhone 6S, Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and Sony Xperia Z5.

8th place. ASUS ZenFone Zoom ZX551ML 64Gb

Price from 27,400 rubles (the price depends on the amount of memory). The novelty from the Taiwanese brand, which went on sale in Russia in March 2016, is even externally made in the form of a camera, which immediately suggests that we are facing a camera phone. The main camera is 13 megapixels, the front one is 5 megapixels. ASUS ZenFone Zoom is the world's thinnest 3x optical zoom smartphone. Thanks to its compact optical design using prisms and aspherical lenses, the 10-element lens from the Japanese company Hoya provides maximum aperture. The use of D-Cut technology made it possible to fit it into a smartphone body with a thickness of less than 12 mm. ZenFone Zoom's 3x optical zoom operates over a focal length range of 28mm to 84mm. With its help, you can "zoom in" the object being shot without losing image quality. Built-in OIS keeps images sharp, even at shutter speeds up to 16x (4 stops). Real Tone Dual-Tone LED Flash for more natural skin tone and accurate color reproduction. The fast laser autofocus system helps you capture crisp, high-resolution photos in just 0.03 seconds.

The editors of the w3bsit3-dns.com portal awarded ASUS ZenFone Zoom the “Great Idea” award for an innovative camera enclosed in a body with a memorable design. The review of the camera of this model on the site w3bsit3-dns.com says: "The impressions from the camera are extremely positive. Laser autofocus works very quickly, the optics works great with light ... In general, the pictures are obtained - just a sight for sore eyes."

Other characteristics: 5.5-inch screen with a resolution of 1920x1080, Android 5.0 operating system, 64 GB of internal memory and 4 GB of RAM (there is a model with 128 GB of internal memory), support for two SIM cards.

7th place. Sony Xperia Z5

The average price is 41,890 rubles. The flagship from the leading Japanese smartphone manufacturer scored 54% of the top fives in reviews in the Yandex market. 5.2-inch screen with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, Android 5.1 operating system, 32 GB of constant and 3 GB of RAM.

Sony is one of the world leaders in the production of photographic equipment. The Sony sensor for the cameras of its smartphones is used even by Samsung - the world's leading smartphone sales leader. Therefore, the Sony Xperia Z5 camera surprises even when reviewing technical characteristics: matrix of the main camera 23 megapixels (for the front one 5 megapixels). The Xperia Z5's camera features ultra-fast 0.03sec autofocus thanks to a combination of two different technologies... With 5x zoom, you can get closer to your subject without sacrificing image quality. This is made possible by powerful sensors, lenses and Sony's exclusive Clear Image technology.

Portal w3bsit3-dns.com in its review of this model writes: "The Sony Xperia Z5 camera can without hesitation be called one of the best among the" phone ": most of the pictures are simply amazing in terms of color rendition and clarity. With such a smartphone and a camera is not needed."

In a blind comparison of smartphone cameras conducted among visitors to the Android Authority, the pictures taken with the Sony Xperia Z5 camera were second only to the cameras of the iPhone 6S and Samsung Galaxy Note 5.

6th place. Sony Xperia Z5 Premium

The average price is 52,200 rubles. This model scored 70% of the top fives in reviews in the Yandex market. A 5.5-inch screen with a resolution of 3840x2160 pixels, Android 5.1 operating system, 32 GB of constant and 3 GB of RAM, support for only one SIM card (there is a slightly more expensive Premium Dual model that supports 2 SIM cards). This model is recommended for those who need not just a smartphone, but also an excellent camera. Sony has stated that this model is the world's first 4K smartphone (4K means four times the resolution of Full HD). Every inch of the display is broken down into 806 pixels, making the image extremely clear. The pixel density is 10 times that of Full HD TVs and twice that of most smartphones. The matrix of the main camera is 23 megapixels (the front one has 5 megapixels). You can capture frames from video: from videos shot in 4K format, you can select valuable frames and take high-quality 8-megapixel photos. Other advantages of the smartphone include a fingerprint scanner and water resistance.

5th place. Huawei Google Nexus 6P

Price from 33,990 rubles (the price depends on the amount of memory). The average price of the Nexus 6P 64Gb model is 46,700 rubles. Nexus 6P is a joint development of the largest Chinese smartphone manufacturer and Google, which owns the Android operating system. The collaboration between the two tech giants has produced excellent results. This model scored 80% of the top fives in reviews in Yandex-Market. The camera deserves special praise. Phone Arena tested the cameras of the main flagship models of 2015 and gave the Nexus 6P the same points as the iPhone 6S Plus and Samsung Galaxy Note 5. These three cameras shared the first place. The Nexus 6P's 12.3-megapixel main camera features laser autofocus and dual LED flash. For the 8-megapixel front camera, autofocus also works. Taking photos and videos is performed using google apps The camera is very easy to learn and use. At the top of the screen, you can select Scene Modes, turn on the flash and HDR function, and set up timer shooting. Below is the shutter release, switching between cameras and entering the gallery of images.

Other characteristics: a 5.7-inch display with a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels, the latest operating system Android 6.0, 64 GB of permanent and 3 GB of RAM, support for two SIM cards.

chinese camera phones: Huawei Google Nexus 6P

4th place. Samsung Galaxy Note 5

Price from 34 440 (the price depends on the amount of permanent memory). The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 64Gb model, costing from 42 thousand rubles, received 57% of the fives according to reviews in Yandex-Market. Like all flagships from Samsung, this model is distinguished by a high-quality camera. Phone Arena, comparing cameras from the main flagship models of 2015, put the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 in the first place, which this model shared with the iPhone 6S Plus and Nexus 6P. In a blind camera test among Android Authority visitors, the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 scored 34% of the vote, slightly behind the iPhone 6S (38%).

The camera of the Galaxy Note 5 is similar in characteristics to the Samsung Galaxy S6: the main camera is 16 megapixels, the front camera is 5 megapixels.

Other characteristics: 5.7-inch screen with 2560x1440 resolution, Android 5.1 operating system, 64 GB of internal and 4 GB of RAM, support for one SIM card.

3rd place. Apple iPhone 6s 64GB

The average price is 55,800 rubles. The flagship from the cult American company received 49% of fives in reviews in Yandex-Market. Features: 4.7-inch 1334x750 screen, 12MP main camera and 5MP front camera, 64GB of internal storage and 2GB of RAM. Like all iPhones, it only supports one SIM card. Quotes from the review of the portal w3bsit3-dns.com:

"The main camera has become 12-megapixel, but its most noticeable difference from its predecessor is improved noise reduction algorithms. Even in low-light conditions in the room, small details (such as inscriptions on the labels of bottles in a bar) remain distinguishable and are not clogged with artifacts. Sometimes at high magnification, a slight blurring the boundaries of the object, however, the contours still remain sufficiently clear, which simplifies their subsequent processing.

The front-facing camera is much better and has Retina Flash functionality: when taking selfies, the screen momentarily flashes bright pink-yellow light, acting as a special flash to illuminate the face, which maintains the correct white balance. Something similar was implemented a couple of years ago in other smartphones on Android, but few people remember about it. "

"The camera" learned "to shoot 4K video, and not for the sake of subsequent viewing on so far rare 4K TVs, but for the sake of being able to enlarge the required fragment of the recording and see all the details."

The result for the camera of the 6th iPhone from w3bsit3-dns.com is as follows: "The camera, if you believe the latest comparative tests and blind votes, is no longer the best, but you can't blame the device for the quality of the pictures either."

2nd place. Samsung Galaxy S6 SM-G920F 32Gb

In May 2015, the w3bsit3-dns.com portal wrote: "Both the Galaxy S6 and its brother Galaxy S6 edge are two smartphones with the best built-in camera for today. Samsung gives all photography lovers pleasure - the pleasure of shooting." In 2016, the Samsung Galaxy S6 lost its first place among camera phones, but continues to be one of the best.

The average price of the model is 34,990 rubles, which is significantly less than that of the new Samsung flagship - Galaxy S7. Galaxy S6 got 52% of fives in reviews in Yandex-Market. The main camera is 16 megapixels, the front one is 5 megapixels. Regardless of the region, your device may have either a Samsung ISOCELL sensor or a Sony IMX20. Main camera functions: automatic real-time HDR processing, optical image stabilization, and infrared sensor. The camera takes great pictures even after sunset. Quote from the review of the portal w3bsit3-dns.com: "In the dark, the camera takes excellent pictures that you would not expect to see on a smartphone screen. Illuminated objects and the sky look very expressive, the lights do not flood the frame with blurry light, the contrast is transmitted naturally. In general, at night you can shoot without fear of getting a set of light and dark spots instead of a spectacular shot. "

Quote from one of the buyers of this model: "Camera is a fire. Very high quality pictures, we took a photo of a soft cloth toy - when approaching, each thread is visible separately! A separate plus is the same folding screen. It looks like water has been poured onto a flat screen." a slide. "That is, it protrudes slightly upward, it also shines and gives a pleasant roundness)) The display itself caresses the eye, everything is very clear - it even seemed to me that my vision had improved dramatically."

The 5.1-inch screen has a 2560x1440 resolution. The built-in memory is 32GB and the RAM is 3GB. Operating system - Android 5.0 Lollipop. Perhaps the only drawback of this model is that it only supports one SIM card.

1st place. Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge 32Gb

The new flagship from the leading smartphone manufacturer in South Korea and the world went on sale in March 2016. The average price for this model is 54,290 rubles. The model received 51% of fives in reviews in Yandex-Market. The technical characteristics of the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge 32Gb are pleasantly surprising: a 5.5-inch screen with an incredible 2560x1440 resolution, the latest Android 6.0 operating system, 32 GB of permanent and 4 GB of RAM, support for two SIM cards. But the main advantage of this model is the camera. The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge 32Gb has a 12MP main camera and a 5MP front camera. Samsung cites the following advantages of the camera in this smartphone: a lens of higher aperture (F1.7) and larger pixels of the matrix (1.4 microns) capture much more light, which allows you to consistently obtain clear and detailed photos even in low light conditions; smartphones support Dual Pixel technology: all pixels of the matrix have two photodiodes, and not one each, which allows the sensor to focus as quickly and clearly as the human eye, and Dual Pixel technology provides so fast and flawless autofocusing that you can capture even the sharpest driving in low light conditions; for the first time, you can capture motion in an animated panorama mode.

Last year's flagship Samsung Galaxy S6 had a Sony IMX240 sensor and a 16MP main camera. The S7 has a new sensor - Sony IMX260 with a resolution of 4 megapixels less. Portal w3bsit3-dns.com in samsung review Galaxy S7 Edge 32Gb writes: “Samsung made an interesting step by completely changing the camera after the success in the previous generation. Only after trying a new device in practice, you realize that this was no coincidence, and no one in the Korean company would have decided to change an excellent module for one What is worse. In the eyes of ordinary people, four megapixels are really lost, but an experienced amateur photographer will tell you that happiness is not in the number of megapixels. " "Samsung Galaxy S7 edge sets a new standard of quality for cameras in smartphones for at least the next year. For excellent photos both day and night, spectacular videos, optical stabilization and many shooting modes, the editors of w3bsit3-dns.com marks the SGS7 edge with the" Nice Shot "sign."

There are things that directly or indirectly affect camera performance in low light. They are relevant both for a digital camera and for a camera in a mobile phone.

Pixel size
Lens aperture
Optical qualities of the lens
Sensor technology (BSI, FSI, etc.)
Optional accessories (e.g. external flash, tripod mount)
Built-in flash and flash efficiency (guide number)
Optical image stabilization
Manual exposure control (for example, manually adjusting the shutter speed)
Minimum shutter speed
External light sources
ISO range

These are just some of the parameters that, to one degree or another, affect the performance of a mobile phone camera in certain lighting conditions.

Of course, the first thing you need to do is find the right equipment. In our case, this is a smartphone with a built-in camera that offers a wide range of functions aimed at shooting in low light. Here's a quick guide on what to look for when making a choice.

Manual exposure control - the ability to adjust various parameters that affect exposure will give more control over the final image. For example, choosing a shutter speed will allow you to open it for a longer time and control the degree of illumination of the object (the longer the shutter speed, the more light the sensor will receive).
High ISO values - High ISO high value expands shooting capabilities and allows shooting in low light.
Minimum shutter speed - The minimum shutter speed allows the camera to collect more light and obtain the optimal exposure for a very dark scene. With it, you can achieve a variety of image effects, such as silky water effects, light painting or the trails of car headlights at night - all with long exposures.
Flash type and efficiency - check what type of flash is built into the phone camera. Give preference to xenon over LED (some phones have both) because of the higher visible light output.
Pay attention to the guide number (GN)the higher it is, the greater the flash coverage, or the longer the working distance it can illuminate the subject.
Sensor size / Pixel size / Sensor type - BSI sensor is preferred over FSI due to its higher sensitivity and choose the larger sensor. Of equal-sized sensors, give preference to the one with larger pixels, since the total light sensitivity of pixels (measured in microns) is the light sensitivity of the matrix and affects its performance in dim lighting.
Image stabilization - Give preference to a camera phone with optical image stabilization, which will allow you to take sharp pictures at long exposures. This feature is important when shooting handheld, and this is how you will mainly shoot with a mobile phone.
F-number F - look for a phone with a fast lens, which has the smallest aperture value. The lower the f-number, the larger the aperture opening and the more light will hit the sensor.
Resampling pixels - Cameras in some phones come with pixel oversampling (Nokia PureView smartphone), which allows you to shoot images at a lower resolution, but use the entire sensor area. Adjacent pixels are grouped into one mega-pixel for the final image.
Multi-shot - This feature may be named differently depending on the manufacturer, but cameras in some phones come with a multi-shot feature or it can be downloaded as an app. The camera takes multiple pictures at different exposures and combines them into one high-quality image with minimal noise.

Other useful options include HDR mode, which will also help get more scene detail from dark areas, especially in shadows. It is highly recommended that you read the benchmarking reviews that compare ISO performance across different phones to see which one performs better.

The best phones for low light photography

New phones are released almost every week, but the flagship models have the best performance. Some of the leading smartphones for low-light photography today are:

Asus ZenFone 6 and ZenFone 5 with PixelMaster Technology and Low Light Mode

Nokia Lumia 930 (1 / 2.3-inch sensor, OIS, f / 2.4 aperture)

(1 / 1.5-inch sensor, OIS, F / 2.2 aperture, Xenon flash + LED flash)

Sony Xperia Z3 (1 / 2.3-inch sensor, G Lens, no OIS, F / 2.0 aperture, LED flash)

Apple iPhone 6 Plus (1/3-inch sensor, f / 2.2 aperture, dual-LED flash, OIS)

Samsung Galaxy K Zoom (1 / 2.3-inch sensor, F / 3.1-6.3 aperture, Xenon flash, OIS)

Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1 (1-inch sensor, RAW format, F / 2.8-F / 11 aperture, LED flash).

This is not an exhaustive list, there are other models (old and new) that have shown very good performance when shooting in the dark.

It is important not to overlook other parameters, for example, optical characteristics (sharpness, contrast, distortion) are sometimes just as important, and in some cases you can abandon slightly better low-light performance in order to get better image viewing quality.

Low-light camera apps

You can find many special applications that are designed for night photography. Popular ones include NightCam for iOS on the App Store or Night camera on Google play... With them, you get less blurry images with reduced noise, "multiple exposure" shooting mode and other settings that allow you to control the camera to further expand your shooting capabilities.

You can find camera apps dedicated to low light photography via search engines, define terms such as low light camera, night camera, night vision, HDR, sunset, Multiple exposure, etc. Look for the one that best suits your needs ...

Mobile phone camera control

Not all smartphones will give you full control over exposure settings (aperture, shutter speed, ISO). Sometimes the camera adjusts everything itself. Automatic mode means that you trust the device with optimal settings for the best picture quality. But this does not guarantee that the camera will give you optimal low light results. Sometimes she keeps a relatively low ISO sensitivity and uses flash to compensate for low-light scenes.

Completely manual control Apple's iPhone 6 gives photographers maximum control over how the final image will look. You decide how high the ISO to set to capture sharper images in difficult lighting. Therefore, it is better to find a mobile phone that offers manual control or an application that has access to change camera settings.

In some situations, you will want to place your phone on a stable surface to minimize blurry pictures due to hand movements and camera shake. Optical image stabilization significantly minimizes this problem. If you can't get a phone with optical stabilization, then you have to get a compact tripod like the Joby GripTight GorillaPod with flexible legs. It will provide the stability of the smartphone and a lot of positioning variations for photo and video shooting.

There are a wide variety of tripods, including the Case Star Octopus Style Adjustable iPhone Tripod, Square Jellyfish Smartphone Holders, and a huge variety of tripods, monopods and similar accessories.

If you don’t want to use a tripod, or you don’t need it, then you will have to shoot most of the time handheld. In this case, keep your elbow close to the body while shooting, this will help stabilize the phone. If you are shooting horizontally, it is best to hold the smartphone with both hands on either side to reduce camera shake and therefore reduce image blur.

Low light autofocus

Some people ignore this important feature. But if the phone's camera cannot focus on an object in low light conditions, then no matter how good its other functions are, the object will not be in focus. Some phone cameras perform better in this category than others. The problem has been observed in devices with contrast detection, which is difficult to trigger when focusing in low light conditions.

In smartphones such as the LG G3, the front-facing camera uses a laser autofocus system that enhances performance when shooting at night. Some phone cameras use a rear flash to make focusing easier in low light. Therefore, pay attention to the autofocus system by studying smartphone reviews.

Samsung doesn't make smartphones with bad cameras. The only exception is emerging market-oriented ultra-budget devices like the Galaxy J1. But in devices of a higher class, photographic capabilities correspond to the price tag and even often surpass some equivalent gadgets of competitors. Of course, there are also devices whose camera is just the same as it should be in this market segment.

Which Samsung smartphones with a good camera in 2017 should be considered for purchase, now let's figure it out. The selection includes devices of three price categories: budget, middle and top class.

Taking advantage of the earned name, Samsung is in no hurry to release decent ultra-budget devices under $ 100, which would have a normal camera. And in general, all the hardware in such devices is minimally acceptable, but nothing more. Therefore, up to $ 150, Samsung cannot find a good camera.

Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) - the most affordable

In early summer 2017, Samsung announced an updated series of smartphones J, the youngest in which it became. It can now be purchased for about $ 200. The device is quite budgetary in terms of filling. It has an HD PLS display, a simple quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of permanent memory. In general, nothing special, the Chinese have enough of this and half the price.

But the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) has what its Chinese rivals clearly lack: good cameras. While in the Celestial Empire, brands like Doogee often continue to put cameras "for show" in 2017, in the J-series of Koreans, this detail is given due attention. In front, the device is equipped with a 5 MP matrix with flash. But still the main thing is the main camera of 13 MP, with an aperture of optics F / 1.9. It provides high quality, surpassing inexpensive Meizu or Xiaomi in this indicator.

Also, the smartphone has a separate slot for a flash drive, so you don't have to worry about a sudden end of memory space. And although the battery does not break records of autonomy, it holds up perfectly in mixed loads.

Middle class: stylish and balanced

In the middle class, Samsung definitely knows how to make decent smartphones. The developers are not trying to fit the maximum possible filling into the case for a minimum of money, but the devices in this segment are nice and balanced.

Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) - small, but great

Finding a compact smartphone is becoming more difficult every year. Apple's line of devices with a screen less than 5 inches is in no hurry to leave, but on Android such devices are almost never made. is a pleasant exception to the rule, as it is equipped with a 4.7 "AMOLED screen. The body of the device is made of glass, so the device looks very attractive. Hardware corresponds to the middle class (Exynos 7870 chipset), 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of ROM are still enough for all tasks.

The main camera A3 (2017) has a resolution of 13 MP, the lens aperture is F / 1.9. She takes pictures not perfect, but very decent for its price category. A decent level of clarity is achieved in night photos, even small details in the background can be captured. And the front matrix should please. Its resolution is 8 MP, the optics aperture is equal to F / 1.9.

In addition to the camera, the smartphone has good autonomy (video plays for 13 hours), which will allow you to take pictures for a long time without worrying about the charge. The presence of IP68 water resistance is a great bonus for those who like to take photos in the bathroom, pool, on the beach and in other locations where you can inadvertently drown your smartphone.

Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) - interim solution

For those who want more than 5 inches, we can recommend the Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017). This smartphone is more expensive than its predecessor (from $ 240), but has risen slightly higher in terms of capabilities. The device has a stylish aluminum body (no worse than the iPhone), a fast fingerprint scanner, NFC and good hardware. The Exynos 7870 chip falls short of the flagships, but it is energy efficient and copes with everyday tasks. The same can be said about 2/16 GB of memory.

The main camera in Samsung J5 (2017) also has a resolution of 13 MP. It is equipped with a large F / 1.7 lens, flash and phase detection autofocus. The matrix provides a decent dynamic range, normal detail and correct color reproduction. A 13 MP camera is installed in front, which is more modest than the main one, but also equipped with a flash.

Look for examples of pictures on the Galaxy J5 2017.

The device has a dedicated slot for a memory card, so there is enough space for both photos and videos. There is also a good battery, which will last for a relatively long time in photo shooting mode.

Top devices: expensive, but powerful

Samsung's flagships and devices that are one step lower have traditionally been doing well with cameras. However, there was an exception, like the C7 model with a matrix not the best in its segment.

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 + - frameless camera phones

Also Galaxy S8 and S8 + are protected from moisture according to the IP68 standard, have excellent sound, modern design and other advantages. But if you are not chasing the most advanced filling, then you can take last year's S7 or S7 Edge. In terms of hardware, they are not much weaker, they sound good too, but practically do not differ in terms of the camera.