Google Pixel 2 XL:
The newest iteration of Google’s much-awaited Pixel phone, the Pixel 2 features a 12 megapixel camera which, on the surface, is nearly identical to the original. However, the new Pixel has a wider aperture, which means that the camera lets in more light when it takes pictures. This leads to industry benchmark performance in low light conditions, in addition to improved white balance in comparison to the first model. Google has also developed the phone’s HDR+ processing algorithms, which essentially means that the device is now quicker at capturing images than its predecessor.
Samsung Galaxy S9+:
The recently-launched Galaxy S9+ follows Samsung’s development of a dual rear lens for the Note 9, as the Korean company focused on improving camera tech for its latest phones. The second rear lens is responsible for a feature Samsung calls Live Focus, which allows you to blur the background of your picture, an ability that has been restricted to DSLR cameras in the past. Enforcing the comparisons with professional cameras, the S9+ offers a Pro Mode which provides more manual control options over your photo.
Apple iPhone X:
Apple has traditionally held the popular vote in terms of smartphone camera performance, and it continues to deliver a strong product with the iPhone X. Like the Galaxy, this version of the iPhone also comes with dual rear lenses, in the form of a 12 megapixel wide-angle shooter and another 12 megapixel telephoto lens. These work together to give the X the best optical zoom on the market, providing comparable image clarity up to a 2x optical. The X has also features an upgraded front-facing camera, as a wider secondary aperture and improved sensor technology deliver significantly better quality portraits than any iPhone in the past.
LG V30 Plus:
The LG V30 shines with its range of effects in its Cine Video feature. The phone has 16 programmed filters to provide readymade editing features to video. The 4k-capable cameras stores video in a LOG format, which allows you to color-grade your footage with more precision. The phone also boasts a Point Zoom feature, which lets you focus on an object which may not necessarily be in the center of the frame, as is the case with other phones, and zoom in effortlessly towards it.
OnePlus 5T:
The OnePlus 5T follows in the smartphone trend of dual rear cameras, with 16 and 20 megapixel Sony-developed sensors on the back. OnePlus increased the aperture of the 5T model, which, in addition to the reconfiguration of the 20 megapixel camera, allows for heightened low-light performance over the OnePlus 5. OnePlus has also packed in its ‘Intelligent Pixel Technology’, which merges four pixels into one to provide improved clarity and reduced noise and blur. The phone also features an impressive 12 megapixel front camera, with more developed background defocusing than the OnePlus 5. While not quite in the same tier as the other phones on this list, the OnePlus 5T offers a genuinely competitive product at a far lower price.
Song Xperia XZ1:
While the XZ1 has the same 19 megapixel Exmor RS rear camera as the XZ Premium, Sony has spruced up the new model with a few pleasing bells and whistles. The phone now has the ability to capture a burst of shots while focused on a moving object, allowing you to take up to 100 pictures in 10 seconds. The device also features a smile-detection mode, sensing smiles before you even press the shutter key to make sure you don’t miss a subject’s smile. Video is where the XZ1 displays its prowess, with 4k-capability and the ability to record slow-motion video at up to 960 fps.
