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Every time I tell phone camera enthusiasts that Apple iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, and Google Pixel phones have not been the best camera phones in a couple of years, they look at me like I have gone mad. And then, they launch into a winding defence of their favourite brand, depending on which it is. Like clockwork.
But facts are facts, and they do not respect our feelings. Apple iPhones and Samsung Galaxy phones are more popular, so it is easy for the idea that their top models are the best camera phones to gain traction and thrive. In reality, neither of these two brands have produced the best camera phones in at least three years.
Is Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra really the best camera phone?
- What mobile brand makes the best camera phones?
- But does Google not make the best camera phones?
- Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra is the ultimate camera phone
What mobile brand makes the best camera phones?
One word: Huawei (and by extension, Honor). The stone that the builders rejected. The phone brand that has been labelled a pariah by the West. So, even if you wanted, if you live in North America or Europe, it is difficult to buy the Honor Magic4 Ultimate and Huawei P50 Pro , the world’s best camera phones right now. And even if you are able to get your hands on the P50 Pro, the lack of Google integration will frustrate you quite a bit and make the phone a less than ideal experience.
The logical thing is to look for the next best camera phone in the world, and that honour falls to Xiaomi. Which phone? A model from 2021 – Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra. Yes; that model. It beats both the Apple iPhone 13 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra’s cameras hands down.
The Mi 11 Ultra is a 5G phone that features a 6.81-inch AMOLED 120Hz display with Gorilla Glass Victus protection, a ceramic back panel, and IP68 dust/water resistance. It is powered by a Snapdragon 888 5G chipset, and has up to 12 GB RAM and 512 GB built-in storage.
For photography and video, it is fitted with a 50 MP main camera with a large sensor, laser autofocus and OIS at the back, along with a 48 MP ultra wide angle lens, and a 48 MP telephoto lens with OIS and 5x optical zoom. the front camera is a 20 MP lens. Lastly, it has a 5000mAh battery, with 67W fast charging. There is reverse wireless charging, fast wireless charging, too. A complete premium flagship, in every sense of the word.
But does Google not make the best camera phones?
Ah, dear dinosaur. You live in the past. Some years ago, Google Pixels fell off the wagon of the top smartphone cameras. The Pixel 4 was not the world’s best camera phone in its time. Neither was the Pixel 5. And even now, the Pixel 6 Pro is not. It is not even in the top 5 list. Samsung S22 Ultra is not either. Apple iPhone 13 Pro ( not Pro Max ) manages to make the 5th position.
The top 4 best camera phones in the world today are made by Huawei, Honor (which spun off from Huawei), and Xiaomi. And for you to know how good Huawei and Xiaomi have become at this camera phone business, they have produced the best camera phones in the world for at least 3 years running. Mostly unchallenged.
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra is the ultimate camera phone
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra was the world’s best camera phone at its launch in 2021; it beat everything else available. And in 2022, it still performs head and shoulder above anything that Apple, Samsung, and Google have in the market.
Don’t take my word for it. Who else thinks that the Mi 11 Ultra is the best camera phone you can have today (if we factor in the limited availability of Huawei and Honor phones)? GSMArena has this to say: “The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra is the ultimate camera phone, if the shapely camera assembly on the back wasn’t enough of a giveaway. It captures photos and video as good or even better than any competitor…”[1]
And from DOMARK: “The numbers say it all. The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra delivers new high scores for Photo and Video and comes very close to the top in the Zoom category, making it an all-round excellent mobile imaging tool that is easy to recommend to any mobile content creator. In photo mode, it does very well across all light levels, from daylight to night shots, and at all zoom settings, from wide to long tele. It has no real weaknesses in terms of video capture either, and deservedly is the new number one in the DXOMARK Camera ranking.”
Apple and Samsung fans will disagree. They will huff and puff. But facts are facts. Forget the iPhone 13 Pro Max. Put aside the Samsung S22 Ultra. This is the camera phone you want to have in your hands. If you can’t find it to buy in your region, or do not like Xiaomi’s MIUI custom user interface, you can settle for one of the next best camera phones, and go buy an iPhone 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max, or Google Pixel 6 Pro, in that order.
Meanwhile, if you are based in North America, you will be interested in knowing which are the best camera phones in 2022 in the US and Canada .
References
- Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra review: source .
- Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Camera test: source .
- DXOMARK Smartphone Ranking: source .
Author:Mister Mobility
Digital Skills and Communication Coach | Mobile Phone Connoisseur since 2001 | Tech Blogging since 2004
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Why would you be interested in the best budget camera phones? The best camera phones are found among premium flagships, for a clear reason: advanced camera technology is expensive. It costs a lot to develop a fantastic camera. And this is why almost no cheap smartphone in the history of mobile phones, has been known for great photography. Thankfully, that does not mean that good photography cannot be found at lower price ranges.
In this article, I list a number of best budget camera phones you can buy today. As we are looking at budget smartphones, the phones considered all cost between $300 and $500 US dollars. This is the price range in which you can still find some really good phone cameras outside of the category of premium flagship phones.
Which Are The Best Budget Camera Phones To Buy?
- Xiaomi 12 Lite
- Google Pixel 7a
- Apple iPhone SE (2022)
- OnePlus Nord 2 5G and OnePlus Nord 2T 5G
- Google Pixel 6a
- The Best Budget Camera Phone To Buy: Mister Mobility’s Choice
Xiaomi 12 Lite
If you have wanted autofocus on a selfie camera, the Xiaomi 12 Lite has one. The shooter is a 32-megapixels affair as well, and produces solid quality selfies. At the back, the 108MP wide angle and 8MP ultrawide angle shooters produce great photo and video quality (up to 4k) as well.
If it is top notch photography you want at a quarter of the price of premium flagships, I doubt you can do better than the Xiaomi 12 Lite right now. This is still one of the very best budget camera phones that you can buy today .
Other features of the 12 Lite include a 6.55″ 120Hz AMOLED screen with Gorilla Glass 5, 5000mAh battery, and 67W fast charging. The phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G chipset coupled with 8GB RAM. Storage options include 128GB and 256GB.
How much does it cost? Xiaomi 12 Lite is available from $340 in the United States, C$408 in Canada, and €287 in Germany and other European Union markets.
Google Pixel 7a
In the budget smartphone market, there are few cameras that can touch what Google does with its budget models. And in 2023, the Pixel 7a delivers very good photography, and at a more pocket-friendly price than premium flagships. If you want one of the best budget camera phones available today for a little above $400, buy a Google Pixel 7a. It will set you back by just $449.
Apple iPhone SE (2022)
Apple’s latest budget model is next in line. It isn’t quite close to the Pixel 6a in terms of actual photography and video recording, if we are being honest. But if you won’t use anything other than an iPhone and you are on a budget, this is the best budget camera phone for you. How much it it? Just a little less expensive than the Pixel 6a: $429. Unfortunately for iPhone lovers, there are no other budget iPhone models from Apple. If you want budget, this is all there is.
OnePlus Nord 2 5G and OnePlus Nord 2T 5G
Were you expecting to see a OnePlus smartphone as a top budget option? You weren’t? Too bad. The OnePlus Nord 2 5G is widely acclaimed for being a well-rounded mid-range smartphone, and one of the best phones you can buy for around $400. It also has solid cameras that deliver really good photos (for the price). And it takes its place as one of the best budget camera phones available in 2023. It will set you back by just $399.
Its slightly upgraded variant, the Nord 2T 5G, has a better processor and faster charging, and it maintains the good photography that the Nord 2 is known for. if you can find the Nord 2T, it is the better of both models, and it costs a little less than, or the same as, its older sibling.
Google Pixel 6a
Last on this list is the Pixel 6a, a solid camera phone that will cost you just about $400. It is well built and delivers the pure Google experience that Pixel loyalist swear by. Just be ready to deal with some of the issues that have plagued Pixel phones for some years now, especially that overheating problem . You shoot a few photographs or capture a few minutes of video, and the phone warms up significantly. I know that first-hand, because I have used one. If you live in a cold/temperate climate, you might have little to worry about concerning the overheating. But if you live in tropical climes, give it some thought.
The Best Budget Camera Phone To Buy: Mister Mobility’s Choice
if you really are into mobile phone photography and do not want to spend premium money, these are the best budget camera phones you can buy. If I had to pick one device, my choice as the nest budget camera phones to buy today is the Xiaomi 12 Lite . It is a fantastic camera phone that doesn’t get talked about much.
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Author:Mister Mobility
Digital Skills and Communication Coach | Mobile Phone Connoisseur since 2001 | Tech Blogging since 2004
