Two Things to Consider in Choosing the Right Camera Phone, or Do You Need One? Really?

The smartphone camera evolution is unstoppable; most brands now offer good camera features on different levels of the price segment. As proof, even the features that we never ask for as a regular consumer, brands gave it. For example, does a typical consumer like me ask Leica or Sony to partner with smartphone brands? The reality now, if you want the best camera phone, you can either choose Huawei with Leica or Vivo with Gimbal; I know there are several models and brands that we can choose from in the market, but these two (brands) so far is what we’re currently reviewing that deliver good image and video quality. However, we think, in choosing the right camera phone, you should always consider the primary objectives of having one.

And what are those?

Okay, there are many things that we wanted to suggest that you may want to consider before deciding to invest or buy the dream camera phone of your choice. For this round, we will only discuss two aspects. Digital or Print?

First, ask yourself, what will be my desired output from my camera phone? Suppose you’re a photography enthusiast and you only wanted the final product to be posted online or, let’s say, purely digital usage. In that case, it’s OK to get a mid-ranger with at least having a 48MP primary camera sensor with Ultra-wide feature and Telephoto capability. Nowadays, most smartphones have PRO mode in this range; you can maximize this feature to generate a decent shot; it’s like a DSLR in your pocket. But don’t expect too much on the functionality such as WB, aperture, and DOF settings because smartphone cameras still have specific settings limitations for now on this aspect.

Second, suppose you want your photos printed or eventually put on the wall (physically). In that case, we suggest you choose the high-end or premium camera phone with a 64MP or higher camera sensor, an Ultra-wide feature, telephoto, and macro lens capacity. With this particular camera feature, you are secured in producing extra decent quality photos. Some smartphone brands nowadays have a DSLR-like feature that makes RAW output option, in which you can edit subsequently in various professional photo editors such as Lightroom or Photoshop. Still, you need to check the compatibility remarks of your brand to be sure.

The market for camera phones is far from being matured, new specs and features are added as an improvement from the previous model, it’s never-ending because of tight competition. But at the end of the day, as regular consumers, we just wanted to enjoy the camera phone feature and maximize the hard-earned bucks we put in acquiring this gadget. Consider the golden rule, Do or Buy what makes you happy and satisfied.