Inexpensive camera phone. The best budget smartphones with good cameras

Among the numerous Chinese smartphone manufacturers, the company DOOGEE occupies a prominent position. For the domestic user, the phones of this manufacturer are known primarily for their affordable price. The flagship model is definitely on our list of the best camera phones of 2016 thanks to the powerful 21 megapixel Sony Exmor RS IMX230 main camera sensor, which has phase and laser autofocus, which allows you to take very high-quality and clear photos and 4K videos. The system has 192 focus points, which virtually eliminates blur when shooting even fast-moving subjects.

As for the rest of the specifications, the smartphone boasts a powerful 10-core processor Helio X20 (MTK6797). The chip architecture includes two cores at 2.3 GHz (Cortex-A72), as well as four cores at 1.85 GHz and four cores at 1.4 GHz (Cortex-A53). For fans of mobile games, there is an ARM Mali-780 video chip, which will provide good performance. The memory of the smartphone is equipped with 4 GB of RAM and 32 GB of shared storage. If necessary, you can add a file space up to 128 GB with a memory card. The screen of the mobile phone has a size of 5.7 inches and a decent resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.

Another device is equipped with a fingerprint scanner, a USB Type-C port and a fairly capacious 4000 mAh battery and Android 6.0 OS. The price of DOOGEE F7 Pro in Chinese online stores with free shipping to Russia fluctuates within $270 .

Another novelty of this year from a highly respected Chinese company LeEco(former LeTV) also deserves close attention. The model was equipped with a powerful 21-megapixel camera sensor with a flash of two color tones and excellent shooting performance. The front camera is 8 megapixels. At its price in the area $230 This is a great inexpensive smartphone with a good camera. At the same time, the device has very tasty characteristics and high build quality with an attractive design, which includes a metal case.

The high performance of the smartphone is provided by the Helio X20 chip with a 10-core architecture. RAM is a very good figure of 4 GB, and the drive for files has a capacity of 32 GB, which can be easily supplemented by another 128 GB with a memory card. The screen boasts a complete lack of frames and a 5.5-inch size with a high-quality detailed picture and a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and a dot density of 403 PPI. There is a 3000 mAh battery, Wi-Fi wireless functions. Bluetooth and 4G LTE cellular network standard. The LeEco (LeTV) Le 2 PRO smartphone runs on the operating system of the new edition of Android 6.0.

Company ASUS boasts a number of very interesting smartphones, including models that can safely be called camera phones. For example, , which is the latest innovation and has a powerful Sony IMX318 sensor, which makes photos as good as the most advanced digital camera and shoots 4K video. The innovative next-generation PixelMaster 3.0 technology allows you to capture photos with a resolution of up to 92 megapixels thanks to alternate shooting and frame overlay. The model boasts OIS and EIS stabilization, TriTech AF laser and phase autofocus with a response time of 0.3 s. The camera in this smartphone is very, very good.

Specs also include a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 octa-core chip with a frequency of 1.8 GHz per core and Adreno 510 video graphics. 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of digital content storage. You can expand the space with a memory card up to 200 GB microSD format. A huge 6.8-inch screen will not be to everyone's taste, but for lovers of mobile games and watching videos online in the highest quality, this is what you need. The resolution is 1920 x 1080 pixels with a dot density of 324 PPI. And another interesting feature is the rather serious sound of the NXP Smart AMP. The speakers use 5 magnets to achieve 7.1-channel virtual powerful sound at 24-bit 192kHz. There is a 4000 mAh battery and Android 6.0.

Chinese manufacturer Meizu released in 2016 a new generation of his famous smartphone. The device should definitely be among the best camera phones for its powerful Sony IMX230 main photo sensor, which has laser focusing and a resolution of 21 megapixels. Dedicated 10-LED ring flash for improved low-light shooting at night. The front camera is very modest compared to the main sensor and has a resolution of only 5 megapixels. In addition to the camera, the smartphone is interesting with powerful Hi-Fi quality sound.

The fast operation of the entire system is provided by a 10-core processor - MediaTek Helio X25. The amount of RAM is an impressive 4 GB, and the file storage space has a size of 32 GB with the ability to supplement the volume with a memory card. Fans of mobile games can relax and enjoy all the entertainment without any brakes thanks to the powerful Mali-T880 MP4 video chip. The device supports a modern USB Type-C port and is equipped with a 5.5-inch frameless screen with a dense pixel density of 424 PPI and a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. There is a fingerprint scanner. The price of the model ranges from $375 .

Among the best camera phones of 2016, the smartphone stands out. Company Sony produces premium devices, and this model is distinguished not only by its powerful hardware, but also by its beautiful design, which is a hallmark of the manufacturer. The main camera sensor has a resolution of 23 megapixels and includes proprietary G Lens optics and a built-in Sony Bionz image processor. Intelligent software monitors the subject during shooting and predicts its actions, thereby eliminating poor shooting quality.

The rest of the Performance Dual features include a 5-inch screen that makes the smartphone more compact and has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels with a dot density of 443 PPI. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 central chip delivers high performance, which is complemented by a decent amount of 3 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. The Adreno 530 graphics make a gaming station out of the device, which will undoubtedly please many users. Standard features include the obligatory Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, and the latest 4G LTE Cat. 9. The battery is quite modest at 2700 mA, but holds a charge well. The device is worth the order $650 .

Company Elephone known for its smartphones at affordable prices. The model that is about to appear on sale will definitely cost no more $300 . At the same time, the device was equipped very well. For fans of high-quality mobile shooting, engineers placed a powerful Sony IMX230 main camera with a resolution of 21 megapixels in the device. In the review, we have repeatedly talked about the great capabilities of the sensor, which easily shoots 4K video. There is a laser and very fast autofocus, which responds within 0.3 seconds. The front camera is 8 megapixels.

As for other characteristics, the model is not only included in the best camera phones, but also attracts with a completely frameless display with rounded edges 2.5D and a diagonal of 5.5 inches with a high resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. There is a powerful MediaTek Helio P10 processor with an architecture for 8 cores and a frequency of each of them 2 GHz. High performance is complemented by the Mali-T860 video processor. There's a 3,000mAh battery and a USB Type-C port along with a fingerprint scanner and standard Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC wireless options. The handset is equipped with obligatory GPS and comes with Android 6.0 installed.

The average price is 46,100 rubles. The flagship from the cult American company received 49% of fives according to reviews in Yandex Market. Specifications: 4.7-inch screen with a resolution of 1334x750, 12-megapixel main camera and 5-megapixel front camera, 64 GB of internal memory and 2 GB 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 indoors, small details (like inscriptions on bottle bottle labels in a bar) remain distinguishable and are not clogged with artifacts. Sometimes at high magnification there is a slight blurring the boundaries of the object, but the contours still remain quite clear, which simplifies their subsequent processing.
The front-facing camera has gotten a lot better, with Retina Flash: when taking a selfie, the screen flashes bright pink-yellow for a moment, acting as a dedicated face-lighting flash that maintains the correct white balance. Something similar was implemented a couple of years ago in other Android smartphones, but few people remember about it."
"The camera "learned" to shoot 4K video, and not for the sake of later viewing on 4K TVs that are still rare, but for the sake of being able to zoom in on the desired fragment of the recording and see all the details."
The result on the camera of the 6th iPhone from w3bsit3-dns.com is as follows: "The camera, according to the latest comparative tests and blind voting, is no longer the best, but you can't blame the device for the quality of the pictures either."

Samsung Galaxy S6 32Gb

The average price is 27,500 rubles. Galaxy S6 received 51% of fives according to reviews in Yandex Market. Main camera 16 MP, front camera 5 MP. Regardless of the region, your device may have either a Samsung ISOCELL sensor or a Sony IMX20 sensor. Main camera features: automatic real-time HDR processing, optical image stabilization, and infrared sensor. The camera takes excellent pictures even after sunset. Quote from a review of the 4PDA portal: “In the dark, the camera takes excellent pictures that you don’t 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, you can shoot without fear of getting a set of dark and light spots instead of a spectacular shot."

A quote from one of the buyers of this model: "The camera is fire. Very high-quality pictures, we took a photo of a soft fabric toy - when approaching, each thread is visible separately!".

The 5.1-inch screen has a resolution of 2560x1440. The built-in memory is 32GB and the RAM is 3GB. Operating system - Android 6.0. Battery capacity - 2550 mAh. Support for only one SIM card. No external memory card support. There is a fingerprint scanner.

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 32Gb

The average price is 33,400 rubles. This model received 45% of fives according to reviews in Yandex Market. Like all flagships from Samsung, this model is distinguished by a high-quality camera. The Phone Arena resource, comparing cameras from the main flagship models of 2015, put the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 in first place, which this model shared with the iPhone 6S Plus and Nexus 6P. The Galaxy Note 5 camera took first place in a blind comparison of smartphone cameras conducted among visitors to the hi-tech.mail.ru resource. Second place went to LG V10, third - Apple iPhone 6s Plus, followed by Google Nexus 6P.
The camera of the Galaxy Note 5 is similar in characteristics to the Samsung Galaxy S6: the main camera is 16 MP, the front camera is 5 MP.
Other features: 5.7-inch screen with a resolution of 2560x1440, Android 5.1 operating system, 32 GB of internal memory and 4 GB of RAM, support for one SIM card.

6th place.

LG G4

The average price is 18,000 rubles. The flagship from the South Korean manufacturer received 46% of fives according to reviews in the Yandex market. Specifications: 5.5-inch screen with a resolution of 2560x1440, 32 GB of internal memory and 3 GB of RAM, Android 5.1 operating system. 16MP main camera and 8MP front camera. With an F1.8 aperture, laser autofocus and OIS 2.0 optical stabilization system, you can shoot in low light, take portraits, create exquisite effects and professional-level photos with amazing clarity and detail.

The LG G4 camera took first place in a blind comparison of smartphone cameras conducted among visitors to the hi-tech.mail.ru resource. The LG G4 camera beat the second-place Sony Xperia Z5 camera by a two-fold margin, and the iPhone 6S took third place. The ferra.ru resource also conducted a blind test among readers, where the LG G4 camera also took first place (second place for the Samsung Galaxy S6, third for the iPhone 6S).

LG G5 SE

Medium price - 18,000 rubles. The flagship of the South Korean manufacturer, released in April 2016, received 80% of fives according to reviews in Yandex Market. This model has three cameras: 16-megapixel main camera, 8-megapixel wide-angle camera (viewing angle - 135 degrees) and 8-megapixel front camera. The wide-angle camera is located in the same place as the main one - on the rear panel. Unlike the dual camera of the 7th iPhone, where the image is analyzed by two sensors at once, which can affect the quality of the frame for the worse, because. there may be blurring in some areas, the LG G5 takes a different path: it takes two pictures at once with two different cameras, namely wide-angle and main, from which you can choose the best one.

The hi-tech.mail.ru resource conducted a comparative test of the LG G5 and Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge cameras, the results were as follows: "Samsung's flagship cameras still shoot better, which is especially noticeable at night. However, when shooting self-portraits, LG is in the lead, which has another important advantage : Capable of taking wide-angle shots with a 135-degree field of view." The phonearena.com portal conducted several comparisons between the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge and LG G5 cameras, where the quality of the images was evaluated by both visitors by blind voting and experts. The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge won in the blind vote, but the experts attributed this victory to brighter unnatural colors in the Samsung camera and gave preference to the LG G5. Therefore, it is fair to say that the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge and LG G5 have the main cameras of about the same level, while the LG G5 has an advantage in shooting with the front camera, as well as an additional plus in the form of a wide-angle camera.

The camera of the LG G5 scored 86 in Dxomark, the same as the camera of the iPhone 7.

Other features: 5.3-inch screen with a resolution of 2560x1440, 32 GB of internal memory and 3 GB of RAM, there is a slot for memory cards up to 2 TB. Operating system Android 6.0. Battery capacity - 2800 mAh.

This model is the world's first smartphone with a modular principle of equipment. The user can replace the battery in a few seconds or install one of the LG Friends modules: a special LG Cam Plus unit with additional camera control buttons or LG Hi-Fi Plus with an audio chip. With the first module, the smartphone becomes a full-fledged compact camera with a comfortable grip, and with the second module it turns into a real audio player. The LG Cam Plus module has its own 1200 mAh battery. But you shouldn't just sum up the capacities, everything is a little different: as soon as the phone's battery runs out, it is immediately recharged from the battery in the LG Cam Plus unit. So, in fact, we have an additional external battery.The modules are purchased separately. LG Cam Plus costs from 900 rubles, but the purchase of LG Hi-Fi Plus will cost 6 thousand rubles.

Apple iPhone 7 Plus 32Gb

The average price is 51,000 rubles. The flagship from the iconic American company went on sale at the end of September 2016.iPhone 7 Plus 32gb scored 50% fives according to reviews in Yandex Market (see.). The flagship from the iconic American company went on sale at the end of September 2016. iPhone 7 Plus has a dual main camera (2 modules of 12 megapixels). Sounds impressive, but this was applied last year on the Huawei Honor 6 Plus smartphone and in reality turned out to be not so impressive, because. when analyzing an object with two sensors at once, blurring occurs in those areas of the frame where this does not occur with standard focusing. Compared to the sixth iPhone, the aperture ratio has been improved to f / 1.8 (in the past f / 2.2), which allowed 50% more light to pass through; lens of six lenses; optical image stabilization (OIS) for stills and video; shooting Slo-Mo in resolution up to 1080p; a special processor for processing information from the camera (Image signal processor), which does this 60% faster than before. Can the camera of the 7th iPhone be considered the best in the world today? Unfortunately for iPhone fans, this is not the case. The resource keddr.com conducted among its readers a blind comparison of the cameras of three flagships: the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge (which went on sale in March 2016), last year's Apple iPhone 6s and Apple iPhone 7 Plus. As a result, the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge camera won with a huge advantage, it won all 6 tests for photos and one of two for video, slightly losing to the 7th iPhone in the quality of shooting 4k video. The seventh iPhone took second place, while losing to the sixth iPhone in one photo test and one video test. The blind vote on phonearena.com also had the same results, where the iPhone 7 also lost to the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. As for the comparison with the LG G5, in a blind comparison of 6 tests, the 7th iPhone and the LG G5 won three each, but the editors of phonearena.com still preferred the iPhone.

As for the front camera of the iPhone 7, it has a 7 MP matrix (the iPhone 6 has 5 MP, the Galaxy S7 Edge also has 5 MP, and the LG G5 has 8 MP).

Other features: the latest iOS 10 operating system (the sixth iPhones had iOS 9), a 5.5-inch screen with a resolution of 1920x1080, 32 GB of internal memory and 3 GB of RAM. Like all iPhones, there is no support for an external memory card and no support for a second SIM card. Talk time - 21 hours, standby time - 384 hours, music listening - 60 hours. There is water protection.

Apple iPhone 7 Plus has two more varieties: with 128 GB of internal memory and with 256 GB. But for the rating, a model with 32 GB was chosen. this amount of memory is enough average the user, moreover, this variety is the most affordable.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge 32Gb

average price in Russia - 40,500 rubles. Buy Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge on AliExpress you can for 31.9 thousand rubles (delivery to Russia is free). The flagship from the leading smartphone manufacturer in South Korea and in the world went on sale in March 2016 and today has received 43% of fives in reviews in Yandex Market (see).

Galaxy S7 Edge at the end of 2016 became the best-selling smartphone of the South Korean company, and also entered the top three. This model became the most popular in the USA, where it took first place in sales at the end of the year. One in 10 Android smartphones sold in the US last year was a Samsung flagship. AlsoThe Galaxy S7 Edge took first place in sales in Germany and Hong Kong.

Specifications: 5.5-inch screen with an incredible resolution of 2560x1440, 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. Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge 32Gb has a 12-megapixel main camera and a 5-megapixel front camera. Samsung cites the following advantages of the camera in this smartphone: a larger aperture lens (F1.7) and larger sensor pixels (1.4 microns) capture much more light, which allows you to consistently get clear and detailed photos even in low light conditions; smartphones support Dual Pixel technology: all sensor pixels have two photodiodes instead of one, which allows the sensor to focus as quickly and accurately as the human eye, and Dual Pixel technology ensures autofocus is so fast and flawless that you can capture even the sharpest movement in low light conditions; For the first time, you can capture motion in 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. The w3bsit3-dns.com portal in a review of the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge 32Gb writes: “Samsung made an interesting step by completely changing the camera after the success of the previous generation. the decision to change an excellent module for one that is worse. In the opinion of the inhabitants, 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 quality standard 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 w3bsit3-dns.com editors mark SGS7 edge with the "Nice Shot" badge."

In a blind test among visitors to phonearena.com, the Galaxy S7 edge outperformed the iPhone 7, LG G5, and iPhone 6s.

HTC 10 32Gb

Average price in Russia - 30 550 rubles. Buy HTC 10 on Aliexpress possible for 25.2 thousand rubles(delivery to Russia is free). The flagship from the second largest Taiwanese manufacturer was released in May 2016 and today scored 66% of fives according to reviews in Yandex Market. Specifications: Android 6.0 OS, 5.2-inch AMOLED screen with a resolution of 2560x1440, 32 GB of permanent memory (of which 23 GB is available to the user) and 4 GB of RAM. Support for external memory card. Support for only one SIM card. Battery capacity - 3000 mAh. Talk time - 27 hours, standby time - 456 hours. There is a fingerprint scanner.

The main advantage of this model is its cameras. Main - 12 mp, front - 5 mp. Optical image stabilization is introduced for the first time in both the main and front cameras. The camera performs well in low light conditions. The manufacturer's website says: "You can expect perfect lighting for great photos. Or you can trust the HTC 10's main camera, which captures up to 136% more light in every shot. No magic - just a new generation of UltraPixel technology, complemented by optical stabilization and a fast lens ƒ/ 1.8". The front camera of the HTC 10 is no less impressive than the main one. The size of its photosensitive elements is increased, the lens has an aperture of ƒ / 1.8, and the screen plays the role of a flash perfectly. A wide-angle lens will allow you to capture not only your own portrait, but also a group of friends. The HTC 10 adds 4K video capture for the first time with 24-bit Hi-Res stereo audio recording. An audio track recorded in this format contains 256 times more detail and reproduces twice the frequency range. The HTC 10 camera starts up in 0.6 seconds - that is, almost instantly.

Various reviews and comparison tests say that the HTC 10 has one of the best cameras in the world today. The Phonearena resource in July 2016 conducted a comparative test of flagship cameras, in which HTC 10 took first place, beating LG G5, iPhone 6s, OnePlus3, Samsung Galaxy S7, Sony Xperia X Performance. The HTC 10's camera scores 88 on Dxomark, second only to the Google Pixel with a camera score of just 1 point higher.

This model is one of the five .

Google Pixel 128GB

The average price in Russia is 42,000 rubles. The model from the American manufacturer, presented in October 2016, received 71% of fives according to reviews in Yandex Market.

Specifications: 5 inch 1920x1080 pixel screen, latest Android 7.1 operating system, 128GB storage and 4GB RAM, Single SIM support. The smartphone does not support an external memory card, but Google provides unlimited storage for photos and videos taken on the Pixel. In addition, all data is automatically backed up to Google Drive. After that, the phone will offer to free up space on the internal storage by deleting already copied files. Battery capacity 2770 mAh. Battery life in talk mode - 26 hours, in standby mode - 456 hours, in music listening mode - 110 hours. Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 MSM 8996 Pro quad-core processor with Adreno 530 graphics accelerator. Rear fingerprint scanner. Case material - aluminum and glass.

The main advantage of the Google Pixel smartphone is its camera. This is the world's best smartphone camera. Dxomark gave the Google Pixel camera a score of 89, placing it at number one in its Best Cameras ranking, outperforming the second-placed HTC 10, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, and Sony Xperia X Performance by 1 point. Another reputable resource Phonearena conducted a comparative test of cameras (by 9 parameters) of the following models: Google Pixel, iPhone 7 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, LG V20. Places in the final list were distributed as follows: the first place was taken by Google Pixel, the second - Galaxy S7 edge, the third - LG V20, and the last is the iPhone 7 Plus.

What is the Google Pixel camera? There is a Sony IMX378 sensor with a resolution of 12 MP and aperture of F2.0. There is a laser focusing system. There is no optical stabilization, it is replaced by digital. HDR+ mode is enabled by default in the camera, which largely contributes to the excellent quality of shooting. It is worth noting that optics alone does not guarantee perfect shooting in smartphones. Software plays a big role. For example, last year's flagship Xiaomi Mi5S has the same Sony IMX378 sensor, but thanks to the superiority of the Google Pixel software, it squeezes everything that it can out of the camera. You should not be surprised at this, because. It is known that Google is the developer of the Android OS, therefore it has an advantage over all other smartphone manufacturers. If you want to use Android the way Google intended it, then you should buy a Google Pixel.

The front camera is equipped with an 8 MP sensor with F2.4 aperture and the ability to shoot video in 1080p.

It should be noted that Sony has been optimizing smartphones for MediaTek chipsets, so the Xperia M5 has been annoying customers for a long time with a variety of “glitches”, by today's standards, the Helio X10 processor is slow, and it works in the M5 not at the limit. The case heats up with or without, autonomy leaves much to be desired. But the proprietary shell is comfortable, the cameras are of high quality, the display is bright and clear, and the prestige of such a smartphone in “glamorous” circles is much higher than that of any Huawei or Xiaomi. Official distributors have gone crazy and are asking for a completely ridiculous 25 thousand rubles for the old Sony, but the "gray" sellers of the Xperia M5 Dual are estimated at 15-16 thousand - quite a fair price for such a model.

ZTE Nubia Z11 mini S

ZTE has the Nubia luxury division, and ZTE has the flagship Z11 series, which has a simplified version of the Z11 mini, which recently went through an update in the house that Jack built. We should pay tribute to the Chinese - Z11 mini S differs radically from Z11 mini and only for the better.

A very nimble smartphone with a brutal body with red accents. You can’t really find fault with the characteristics: a fast Snapdragon 625, 4 GB of RAM, 64 or 128 GB on the internal drive. And it’s also nice that ZTE (whose “hands are sharpened” more for setting up the sound path than for camera algorithms) made a grand gesture and equipped the Z11 mini S with a 22-megapixel rear camera based on the Sony IMX318 sensor. The much more expensive ASUS ZenFone 3 Deluxe and Xiaomi Mi Note 2 are equipped with the same sensor, if you are not in the know.

Every flagship smartphone maker tries to convince them that their device has the best camera in a mobile device. To achieve high image quality, developers install oversized matrices, equip lenses with high-aperture optics, and use laser and phase autofocus. However, it does not always turn out that the next top camera shoots better than the “old man” released a few years ago.

Our material focuses on smartphones in 2016, which have the best camera in its class or in general on the market. The list includes only models that were released this year. For this reason, there are no successful models in the selection, like the iPhone 6s, presented at the end of 2015. The list of devices was compiled taking into account the technical characteristics of their matrices, the real quality of the images. The opinion of expert photographers from the DXOMark resource was also taken into account.

Launched in February 2016, the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge were notable for being the first smartphones to feature Dual Pixel technology. There is nothing supernatural in it (it's just a phase autofocus mechanism brought to perfection), but previously this solution was used only in DSLRs.

The devices received 12 MP Sony IMX260 or Samsung S5K2L1 matrices, 1 / 2.5 "size, with 1.4 micron pixels. Lens aperture is f / 1.7, optical image stabilization is present. Experts rated the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge cameras at 88 points (out of 100), this is the maximum score for a smartphone at present.Front camera - 5 MP, with f / 1.7 aperture.

Smartphones differ in size and shape of displays. In the S7, it has a diagonal of 5.1", as well as a flat shape. In the S7 Edge, the diagonal has grown to 5.5", and the edges have become curved. The resolution of both matrices is 2560x1440 pixels. The devices are powered by a quad-core Snapdragon 820 processor or an eight-core Exynos Octa 8890. 4 GB RAM, built-in 32 or 64 GB, there is a MicroSD slot. Smartphones based on Android 6 OS work, an update is expected by the end of the year. The S7 is powered by a 3000 mAh battery, while the S7 Edge has a 3600 mAh battery. The device is good enough for any tasks. It is not for nothing that many other manufacturers are equal to the flagships of Samsung.

Examples of shots on the camera of the smartphone Galaxy S7

HTC 10 - familiar functionality, but on a new level

In April 2016, sales of the metal flagship HTC 10 started. It became a worthy successor to the idea of ​​"ultrapixels" used since the M7 model. The HTC 10 camera is based on a 1/2.3" Sony IMX377 sensor, which allowed to increase the pixel size up to 1.55 microns. The total number of megapixels is 12. The optics has an aperture of f/1.8.

HTC 10 received a laser autofocus mechanism, characterized by high speed. There is also optical image stabilization. Due to the combination of these features, the device also scored a maximum of 88 points in the DXOMark assessment. The front camera is not far behind either. It has a resolution of 5 MP, equipped with a matrix with 1.34 micron pixels and a lens with an aperture of f / 1.8.

The HTC 10 is equipped with a 5.2" SUPER LCD (a variation on the IPS theme) display with a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels, which makes the smartphone suitable for VR. The chipset is Snapdragon 820 with Adreno 530 graphics. The device has 4 GB of RAM, and built-in - 32 or 64 GB.I am glad that the memory card slot is present.

Android 6 is installed as an operating system on board the HTC 10. The smartphone's battery has a capacity of 3000 mAh. We can safely say that HTC 10 brought the functionality implemented in its predecessors to a new level. Especially in terms of the camera, which now not only excels in light sensitivity, but also provides decent detail (which the M7 or M8 did not have).

Sample shots on HTC 10

Sony Xperia X Performance - give more pixels?!

Another smartphone that has a good camera among the flagships is the Sony Xperia X Performance, released in February 2016. Sony is a "photographic" company even more than a "musical" one, so the photomatrices of its smartphones are pleasantly distinguished by the quality of shooting. Engineers don't take the risk of "chopping off the shoulder" and using 30-40 MP (similar to Nokia). But they do not neglect the opportunity to increase the number of megapixels without sacrificing quality.

The Sony Xperia X Performance has a 25-megapixel IMX300 on a 1/2.3" sensor (23 million effective pixels in 3:4 size). It supports phase detection autofocus and is equipped with fast f/2 aperture optics. According to experts, the device received 88 points, closing the top 3. The front camera is IMX 214 at 13 MP, previously used as the main one on Xiaomi Mi4c and HTC One A9.

The Sony Xperia X Performance screen is based on an IPS matrix with a diagonal of 5 ". Its resolution is 1920x1080 pixels. Snapdragon 820 is installed as a processor, Adreno 530 is responsible for graphics processing. The smartphone has 3 GB of RAM, about 25 out of 32 are allocated for user data GB The smartphone also has a MicroSD slot.

Works Sony Xperia X Performance running Android 6, upgrade to version 7 is planned before the end of the year. The battery of the device is 2700 mAh. You should not expect a record autonomy from it, but the battery provides an average operating time.

Sample photos on Sony Xperia X Performance

Moto Z Droid Force is a revolutionary camera phone

Announced in June 2016, Moto Z Droid Force is not expected until September 2016. But experts have already been able to evaluate his camera, and gave her a high score. The smartphone is equipped with a 21-megapixel Sony IMX230 matrix. It has a size of 1/2.4", the pixel size is 1.12 microns.

High-quality photos are provided by fast optics with an aperture of f/1.8, an optical image stabilizer and hybrid (phase-laser) autofocus. They deserved the final quality rating of 87 points. The front camera of the Moto Z Droid Force looks simpler, but it is also of high quality. The 5 MP matrix has a pixel size of 1.4 microns and is equipped with a flash.

The Moto Z DroidForce display has a diagonal of 5.5", with a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels. An AMOLED matrix with a shock-resistant glass sensor is used. The processor on board is Snapdragon 820, which is now installed in 90% of flagships. The amount of RAM is 4 GB, internal memory 32 or 64 GB There is a slot for a memory card on board.

The OS of the new Moto Z Droid Force is Android 6, no updates yet. For autonomy, the battery is responsible for an impressive 3500 mAh. A feature of the device should be modularity. It is planned to connect accessories that expand functionality to the magnetic connector on the rear panel.

Sample photos on Moto Z Droid Force

LG G5 is a modular dual camera flagship

In February 2016, the LG G5 saw the light of day, which was supposed to be a fundamentally new product. Despite the fact that the modular concept interested less buyers than expected, this does not remove the advantages. The camera of a smartphone (more precisely, as many as two) puts it in the list of the best. The LG G5 uses a 16MP main sensor based on a Sony IMX234 sensor (1/2.6", 1.12µm pixels). It is equipped with an f/1.8 aperture lens, laser autofocus and an optical image stabilization system.

To help the main camera in the smartphone, an 8 MP matrix with wide-angle (135 degrees) optics is installed. It is used when shooting landscapes and panoramas, to expand the viewing angle. Such a system of two modules received a score of 86 points. The front camera is 8 MP with f/2 aperture.

The screen of the modular flagship is 5.3", with a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels, IPS. Like other flagships in the selection, the LG G5 runs on a Snapdragon 820 processor. The amount of RAM is 4 GB, the internal memory is 32 GB. There is a MicroSD card slot .

Operating system LG G5 - Android 6, with a proprietary shell Vibe UX 5. The battery of the smartphone is removable, with a capacity of 2800 mAh. Modules allow you to install an additional battery. Also, a special module makes the device more suitable for photography by adding hardware camera control keys.

Example shots on the LG G5 camera

Moto G4 Plus is the owner of the best camera in the middle class

All of the listed smartphones with a good camera belong to the class of flagships and cost more than $500. Not everyone is ready to shell out that kind of money for a mobile device, and for budget-minded users, the Moto G4 Plus, released in May 2016 (about $ 250-300), will be a good alternative. The gadget, equipped with a 16-megapixel OmniVision OV16860 sensor, is rated (84 points) on a par with the iPhone 6s Plus. As for the matrix of a Chinese manufacturer, the result is chic.

The characteristics of the camera are as follows: matrix diagonal - 1/3", pixel size - 1.3 microns, lens aperture - f / 2. There is a hybrid laser-phase focusing. The matrix itself is created using PureCell technology, which reduces the amount of noise and artifacts from the interaction of neighboring pixels The front module of the Moto G4 Plus is an unremarkable 5 MP OV5693 matrix, the same as dozens of competitors.

Display Moto G4 Plus has a diagonal of 5.5 inches, a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, and is created using IPS technology. The smartphone is powered by a mid-range Snapdragon 617 processor. The device has 2, 3 or 4 GB of RAM, and 16, 32 or 64 GB of ROM, respectively. There is a dedicated microSD card slot.

The Moto G4 Plus operating system is Android 6. The battery capacity is 3000 mAh. In general, the smartphone looks like a very attractive competitor to Xiaomi and Meizu phablets. Although it costs more, it offers a good camera that they don't have.

Sample photos on Moto G4 Plus

Google Pixel - the reference "Googlephone"

In 2016, Google decided to stop collaborating with various manufacturers to release the Nexus series of smartphones. It was replaced by the Pixel line, created in close collaboration with HTC. The first devices were Google Pixel and Pixel XL, which differ in screen sizes. Google Pixel received a new Sony IMX378 matrix with a resolution of 12 MP. The front of the smartphone has an 8-megapixel 1/3.2" sensor.

The physical size of the main camera is 1 / 2.3", which is one of the largest sizes for smartphones. The pixels are characterized by increased dimensions to 1.55 microns, which has doubled the effective photosensitive area (compared to 1.12 microns). The matrix is ​​equipped with its own gyroscope used for electronic image stabilization.Optical aperture - F / 2.

The smartphone is equipped with a 5-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. The chipset inside is the top-end Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 at the time of the release. The capacity of RAM is 4 GB, the built-in memory is 32 or 128 GB. MicroSD slots, they offer to compensate for it with an unlimited GoogleDrive cloud.

Android 7.1 is installed on board the smartphone, it is understood that in the future it will be the first to receive updates to the next OS versions. Autonomous operation is provided by a 2770 mAh battery, which turned out to be quite tenacious.

Sample photos on Google Pixel

Apple iPhone 7 Plus - the flagship with optical zoom

The older version of the apple smartphone Apple iPhone 7 Plus differs from the younger version by the presence of a dual camera. The mechanism of their interaction has become an interesting novelty that has not been used in smartphones before. To provide a true optical zoom, the device was equipped with identical 12 MP matrices, but they were equipped with different lenses. The main one is wide-angle, with an equivalent focal length of 28 mm, the second one is a telephoto lens of 56 mm. When switching between cameras, you can use the optical zoom.

In addition to the unusual optics configuration, the main cameras have OIS. The main camera can record video in 4K at 30FPS. She also writes Slow-Mo at 240 FPS in HD resolution. Supports slow motion and 7 MP front camera. It is equipped with optics with f / 2.2 aperture.

The smartphone is equipped with a 5.5-inch FullHD touch sensitive display. The chipset is the as yet unsurpassed Apple A10 Fusion with 4 cores. The amount of RAM was increased to 3 GB, storage - 32, 128 or 256 GB. There is no slot for a flash drive, of course.

The iPhone 7 Plus is running iOS 10. The built-in battery has a capacity of 2900 mAh, and as for a 5.5-inch phablet, it provides quite good autonomy.

Sample shots on the iPhone 7 Plus camera

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Smartphones 2016 - early 2017 with optical camera stabilization

For several years now, social networks like Instagram have been popular in the world: they please self-esteem, to some extent develop ESW (a sense of self-importance) and help to communicate with friends. But in order to become a popular "instagramer" or just take high-quality photos for the family archive, it does not hurt to get a smartphone with a good camera. In the end, it's always nice to admire yourself beautiful!

Top 5 camera phones of 2016 ZOOM selection

LG G5

LG G5 () practically blew up the MWC 2016 mobile industry exhibition and left no one indifferent. While competitors are developing modular smartphones (), LG has created a device with a replaceable bottom frame that helps you replace the battery without removing the back cover. In fact, this solution is found for the first time in the smartphone market. There are several removable modules to choose from: an additional battery, CAM Plus and a Hi-Fi player.

LG G5 has a dual main camera, which means that images from two cameras are combined into one to make the photo clearer. One of them received a resolution of 16 MP, an f / 1.8 lens, an optical stabilization system and laser autofocus. The second is a wide-angle lens, f / 2.4 aperture and an 8 MP sensor. As for the front camera, its resolution is 8 MP.

The LG CAM Plus module makes the smartphone more comfortable for shooting: it has a shutter button, a zoom wheel and an LED indicator. In addition, it increases the battery capacity up to 4000 mAh.

It is worth noting that a simplified version of the smartphone is being sold in Russia - LG G5 SE.

Samsung Galaxy S7

Many experts agreed: the Samsung Galaxy S7 camera () is the perfect example of how a flagship should take pictures. Compared to the "big brother", it focuses faster and launches the camera. Due to this, the continuous shooting mode, dynamic shooting and shooting at night have improved. And if in the previous smartphone the main camera received a resolution of 16 MP, then in the Samsung Galaxy S7 only 12 MP. Despite this, the photos are no worse (and even better in the evening).

The smartphone has a Sony IMX260 camera module with f / 1.7 aperture and a pixel size of 1.4 microns. Due to the larger pixel size, more light enters the matrix compared to the S6. This is what makes the photo better. In addition, Galaxy S7 can take pictures with a beautiful blurred background.

It is worth noting the Dual Pixel function - the Koreans put two photodiodes in each pixel in order to speed up autofocus. Now not 5-10% of the pixels are involved in focusing, but all 100%.

Apple iPhone 6s

iPhone () has been a favorite among users who are fond of mobile photography for several years. And it's not just that the smartphone shoots well and works stably. For its operating system, there are a huge number of applications for processing images that are not available on other platforms.

The camera of the iPhone has improved only in megapixel terms. Now it has a resolution of 12 MP, so the pictures are even more detailed.

iOS 9 also has a new Live photo feature that lets you bring a photo to life at any time. This feature has already been on HTC and Windows Phone smartphones. In order for the photo to move, you do not need to install additional software - everything just works by default.

Huawei P9

The company introduced the smartphone in early April this year in London. The peculiarity of this camera phone is in two main cameras. And unlike the LG G5 cameras, the Huawei P9 secondary camera (http://site/publication/item/56022) has a black and white sensor and collects all the light. This increases the dynamic range and sensitivity. And the second module allows you to get apertures from f / 0.95 to f / 16. This is achieved programmatically and works better than many competitors.

Both modules received the same resolution of 12 MP, aperture f / 2.2, viewing angle 27 mm, pixel size 1.25 microns. They work as follows: the right module shoots in color, and the left module shoots in monochrome. One sensor gets more information about the dynamic range, and the second captures the color. Then the data from the two matrices are combined.

Cameras are also needed for more accurate focusing, despite the fact that there is both laser autofocus and standard slow contrast.

Another feature of the second module is the acquisition of frames with an aperture of f / 0.95, however, not without the help of software. The result is a shot with a blurred background, and we have to give credit to Huawei programmers: this time the function works much better than in other devices with soft background blur.

Interestingly, the company developed the optics together with the well-known German company Leica. So inside the smartphone is a real beast that meets German standards. Leica evaluated the image quality in terms of color reproduction, white balance, stray light reduction, exposure accuracy, aperture ratio, sharpness and noise performance.

Nexus 6P

This time, Google developed the smartphone together with Huawei. And it is worth noting that the output turned out to be a solid and budgetary camera phone. A 12.3 MP sensor is installed here and instead of increasing the number of MP, the Koreans increased their size to 1.55 microns. The Nexus 6P also has a fast camera, f/2.0 (the average is f/2.2). So even in low light, more light hits the sensor, so details with less noise can be seen in the photo. In addition, it is equipped with laser autofocus and dual multi-color flash.

The front camera received a resolution of 8 MP and an aperture of f / 2.4. It does not have autofocus, however, in terms of selfie quality, the smartphone “jumped” its predecessor Nexus 5.

Does the gadget's camera have any chips? Yes, for example:

• The Nexus 6P shoots slo-mo video at 240fps.
• The camera app supports the Smartburst feature, which allows you to hold down the shutter button to take burst photos at 30 frames per second.
• Nexus 6P supports electronic image stabilization technology, which is almost as good as optical image stabilization.

For shooting, the Google Camera application is used and it somewhat limits the possibilities of the photographer: you cannot adjust the ISO, adjust the exposure, specify the focal length, but on the screen you can tap on the object you want to focus on. However, the output is photos that are comparable in quality to the Galaxy S7 and LG G5.