From Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra to Redmi 9 Prime, these are the best smartphone cameras across every budget

The camera is arguably the most important feature for most smartphone buyers, especially in the flagship and mid-range market. Additionally, smartphone makers are heavily vested in advertising camera features that very rarely live up to the hype. With so many devices popping up every month, finding the best smartphone camera is not easy, especially in a competitive market like India. That is why we’ve put in the time and effort to research the best smartphone cameras in India across different budgets.

Best Premium Smartphone Camera | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra | Rs 97,999 | 108 MP, f/1.8 + 48 MP, f/3.5 (Periscope) + 12 MP, f/2.2 (Ultrawide) + 3D ToF | 40 MP, f/2.2 | The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is our pick for the smartphone with the best camera setup in India. With the S20 Ultra, Samsung offers a capable camera setup that can offer excellent consistency, detail, exposure, dynamic range, and colour. Apart from fixable autofocusing issues, it is hard to fault the S20 Ultra’s camera setup. The Galaxy S20 Ultra also features one of the most capable selfie cameras on the market.

Best Flagship Smartphone Camera | OnePlus 8 Pro | Rs 54,999 | 48 MP, f/1.8 + 8 MP, f/2.2 Telephoto (OIS) + 48 MP, f/2.2 Ultrawide (PDAF) + 5 MP Colour Filter | 16 MP, f/2.5 | You don’t need an over-the-top budget to get a smartphone with a flagship-grade camera, and the OnePlus 8 Pro proves that outright. OnePlus has significantly improved its camera hardware on the flagship OnePlus 8 Pro. Additionally, the company has added the main camera on the OnePlus 8, as the ultrawide on the Pro, offering more consistency when switching between lenses. It is worth noting that the Samsung Galaxy S20 and the iPhone 11 both possess equally capable camera setups, and even better selfie cameras.

Best Smartphone Camera under Rs 50,000 | Vivo X50 Pro | Rs 49,990 | 48 MP, f/1.6 + 8 MP, f/3.4 (Periscope) + 13 MP, f/2.5 (Telephoto) + 8 MP, f/2.2 (Ultrawide) | 32 MP, f/2.5 | Our pick for the smartphone with the best camera under 50K has to go to the Vivo X50 Pro. While the X50 Pro lacks the flagship chipset, it does offer a flagship camera experience, with a formidable camera setup. The X50 Pro also does a great job in low light, with selfie performance its only caveat. Additionally, the X50 Pro also brings gimbal-level stabilisation, a first for smartphone camera setups. Another alternative in this category is the Xiaomi Mi 10, which does offer a flagship chipset and camera. However, Xiaomi’s quad-camera setup on the Mi 10 comprises of a main, ultrawide, depth, and macro, the last two of which, we believe, have no business being on a 50K smartphone without a telephoto camera.

Best Flagship Killer Camera | Oppo Reno 10x Zoom Edition | Rs 32,490 | 48 MP, f/1.7 + 13 MP, f/3.0 (Periscope) + 8 MP, f/2.2 (Ultrawide) | 16 MP, f/2.0 | India’s flagship killer market is one of its most competitive. But very few phones in this space have cameras comparable to premium smartphones, and the one that comes closest is the Oppo Reno 10x Zoom Edition. Despite being over a year old now, the Reno 10x Zoom Edition has an amazing camera setup for its price. The Asus 6z is also worth consideration, not because it is better than the Reno, but because you can use the phone’s main camera setup for selfies, making it a category leader when it comes to front cameras. However, we suggest waiting for the Asus 7z or Zenfone 7, which could be on its way soon.

Best Mid-range Smartphone Camera | Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro | Rs 22,999 | 48 MP, f/1.8 + 8 MP, f/2.4 (Telephoto) + 13 MP, f/2.4 (Ultrawide) | 20 MP, f/2.2 | If you are looking for the smartphone with the best camera setup under Rs 25,000, then the Redmi K20 Pro is the phone for you. While 2020 has given rise to many capable mid-range smartphones like the OnePlus Nord, Realme X3, and Vivo V19, last year’s Redmi K20 Pro is still a cut above the rest.

Best Smartphone Camera under Rs 20,000 | Poco X2 | Rs 17,499 | 64 MP, f/1.9 + 8 MP, f/2.2 (Ultrawide) + 2 MP (Depth) + 2 MP (Macro) | 20, f/2.2 | India’s sub-20K smartphone segment is rifled with competition from brands like Samsung, Motorola, Xiaomi, Realme, etc. However, in terms of camera performance, none of them performs as well as the Poco X2. The 64 MP Sony sensor coupled with Xiaomi’s camera software, give it a slight edge against the competition. Other close competitors to the Poco X2 are the Realme 6 Pro, Motorola One Fusion+, and Galaxy M31.

Best Budget Camera Smartphone | Xiaomi Redmi 9 Prime | Rs 9,999 | 13 MP, f/2.2 + 8 MP, f/2.2 (Ultrawide) + 2 MP (Depth) + 5MP (Macro) | 8 MP, f/2.0 | The Redmi 9 Prime is our pick for the smartphone with the best camera setup on a budget. The Redmi 9 Prime is a sub-10K smartphone with a quad-camera setup that certainly leads the way in the price segment. In our view, the Redmi 9 Prime doesn’t just have the best camera but is the best smartphone under Rs 10,000 you can buy in India.