Here is a subjective choice of the best phone cameras available in South Africa right now, based on general use. Specifications all courtesy GSMArena.com:
1. Huawei P20 Pro
If this phone was allowed in the USA, we’d hear constant references to hitting the ball out of the park. Their loss is also Huawei’s loss, but the rest of the world is making up for it as the absurd specs shake up the smartphone market. In South Africa, the P20 range has far outsold its cheaper predecessor, the P10, in the first six weeks of availability. Except it to lead a trend to triple-lens devices, in the same way that the P9 Plus led the dual-lens revolution. The P20 Pro’s front or selfie camera is the best on the market. An artificial intelligence detects the type of scene being captured, and optimises the settings for the scene. Leica optics on all three lenses and 3x optical zoom make this the camera to beat.
Back (main camera):
Triple 40 MP (f/1.8, 27mm, 1/1.7″) + 20 MP B/W (f/1.6, 27mm) + 8 MP (f/2.4, 80mm), OIS, Leica optics, 3x optical zoom, phase detection and laser autofocus, LED flash
Front (selfie camera):
24 MP (f/2.0, 26mm), 1080p
Software features:
Geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, HDR, panorama
Video capability:
2160p@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@960fps
2. Samsung Galaxy S9+
There is a magic to the photos taken by the Galaxy S series all the way back to the S6 edge. Purists dislike its artificial sharpening and saturated colours, but for the average user that translates into images that often astonish. The latest flagship’s f1.5-2.4 variable aperture makes this the best phone on the market for low-light photography. It is also the market leader in selfie features and functionality, offering dual-video recording for incorporating selfie video into the main video.
Back:
Dual 12 MP (f/1.5-2.4, 26mm, 1/2.55″, 1.4µm, Dual Pixel PDAF) + 12MP (f/2.4, 52mm, 1/3.6″, 1µm, AF), OIS, phase detection autofocus, 2x optical zoom, LED flash
Front:
8 MP (f/1.7, 25mm, 1/3.6″, 1.22µm), autofocus, 1440p@30fps, dual video call, Auto HDR
Software:
Geo-tagging, simultaneous 4K video and 9MP image recording, touch focus, face/smile detection, Auto HDR, panorama
Video:
2160p@60fps, 1080p@240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR, dual-video rec.
3. Samsung Note 8
The Note 8 just beat Apple to market with optical zoom, but it’s still the only game in town for stylus interfaces. The selfie camera matches the S9+for widest aperture in a front camera.
Back:
Dual 12 MP (f/1.7, 26mm, 1/2.5″, 1.4µm, Dual Pixel PDAF) + 12MP (f/2.4, 52mm, 1/3.6″, 1µm, AF), OIS, phase detection autofocus, 2x optical zoom, LED flash
Front:
8 MP (f/1.7, 25mm, 1/3.6″, 1.22µm), autofocus, 1440p@30fps, dual video call, Auto HDR
Software:
Geo-tagging, simultaneous 4K video and 9MP image recording, touch focus, face/smile detection, Auto HDR, panorama
Video:
2160p@30fps, 1080p@60fps, 720p@240fps, HDR, dual-video rec
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