There are plenty of factors to consider when choosing your next smartphone, and it`s not a decision that should be made based solely on any individual feature. But we hear from a lot of folks that camera performance is right at the top of the list of considerations when it`s time to upgrade, and we`re often asked which smartphone camera is the best.
While we rank the Google Pixel 3 as the best all-around smartphone camera, it`s important to consider your unique photographic needs. Here are the smartphone cameras we think are worth consideration for a range of use-cases.
If you`re well-versed in smartphone imaging terminology, skip right ahead. But if you`d like a quick primer, here are some of the terms you`ll see referred to frequently in this guide:
Computational photography: Image capture and processing techniques that replace traditional optical processes with digital, or computational, ones.
Portrait mode: A photo mode that mimics the blurry-background effect known as bokeh. It`s used commonly for portraits, but isn`t necessarily limited to that use case.
Night Sight: Specifically, a proprietary Google camera mode that captures multiple frames and combines them to create a final image with more detail and less noise in dark situations. Other manufacturers offer their own, similar, modes but the Pixel 3`s is especially impressive, thanks to its use of super resolution that makes the mode useful even for daytime shooting.
Hybrid zoom: A method for zooming that combines traditional optical zoom with computational techniques, allowing for better detail rendering at intermediary focal lengths than digital zoom alone.
Best all-around: Google Pixel 3
It`s certainly not flawless, but if there`s one mobile device to recommend above all others for pure imaging prowess, it`s gotta be the Pixel. Sure, you`ll have just one main camera lens at your disposal, but Google`s clever multi-frame image processing brings capabilities to a s ...
|
