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Best Android Phones for Photographers in 2018

No matter how serious you are about photography, you've probably found yourself increasingly using your smartphone as a camera for certain situations. We look at some of the best Android smartphone cameras for anyone serious about their photography.
By David Cardinal
Google Pixel 2 HDR+ Example -- David Cardinal
If you're serious about photography, you probably still own at least one standalone camera. But if you're not working as a pro or really obsessive, you are probably also taking an increasing number of photos with your smartphone. It's the one camera we always have with us. Conveniently, images come out geotagged and are also instantly shareable. This poses the question of which smartphone camera is the right one for you. We've been using a few of the top models, and they all have different strengths, weaknesses, and unique features. So here are some of our favorites and the reasons you might want to use one of them or another.

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

Google's Pixel 2 does amazing work with a single camera but lack of a second camera affects its test scoresIf you want an Android phone where you can simply pick up and press the shutter, the Pixel 2 family may be your best option. Google's HDR+ automatically combines a series of frames nearly instantly into a carefully-optimized finished product. Since the camera is recording images even before you press the shutter, this is one of the few HDR offerings that comes with zero shutter lag.

The rear fingerprint sensor means you can unlock it faster than you can pick it up to compose your image. The 2 is also a bit smaller than some of the other flagship phones, which means it is easier to maneuver quickly. Of course, it also means a smaller display for reviewing or editing your images. If you want a larger screen, then the Pixel 2 XL might be a better alternative.

At their default settings the Pixel 2 (left) did a better job with the mid-tones while the Mate 10 Pro rendered an impressive skyAt their default settings the Pixel 2 (left) did a better job with the mid-tones while the Mate 10 Pro rendered an impressive sky Since the Pixel 2 family only features a single camera, they struggle a bit compared with dual-camera phones when it comes to zooming in and portrait effects. Uniquely, they use their dual-pixel sensors to estimate depth (other brands only use them for autofocus), so they can provide depth effects, but with some limitations. Another thing that differentiates the Pixel 2 family from most other current flagship phones is that Google has so much faith in HDR+ that its default camera app doesn't even allow you to capture RAW (.DNG) images. That's a drawback for anyone who wants to do their own post-processing. Of course you can easily load one of a number of third party camera apps that have that capability

Huawei Mate 10 Pro

Huawei Mate 10 Pro has excellent Photo test scores across the board from DxOMarkHuawei hasn't gotten as much press here in the US as Apple, Google, or Samsung, but it has been turning out some amazing phone cameras, including the Mate 10 Pro (See on Amazon)(Opens in a new window). In cooperation with Leica, Huawei has designed a unique dual camera system that uses a traditional RGB sensor coupled with a monochrome sensor. In the Pro version of the Mate 10, the main camera is a fairly-standard 12MP, while the monochrome sensor provides 20MP of high-resolution detail. Because the monochrome sensor doesn't need a color filter, every pixel is able to capture all the light falling on it. That results in better low-light performance, and provides the potential for more detail in images.

The monochrome sensor also means you get a true black and white shooting mode, which those used to black and white film photography will enjoy. The only unfortunate limitation is that for some reason you can't capture RAW images in monochrome mode, which will limit your throwback darkroom options for post processing.

More importantly, for most of us who primarily shoot in color, is that Huawei uses the monochrome image to enhance the output of the primary color sensor in a couple interesting ways. First, the cameras work together to provide increased resolution for zoomed images. That means that even though the phone doesn't include a dedicated telephoto lens, it has excellent zoom performance up to 2x, and reasonable performance up to 4x. Second, the dual cameras make for a very good Portrait capability at both 1x and 2x.

The Mate 10 Pro's dual camera does a very good job of creating a depth effect, even on non-human subjects in this 2x zoomed shotThe Mate 10 Pro's dual camera does a very good job of creating a depth effect, even on non-human subjects in this 2x zoomed shot

Finally, Huawei uses the two cameras to offer a unique Wide-Aperture mode. For those who remember the Lytro re-focusing cameras, this mode essentially puts a knock-off of that feature in a smartphone. I'm always really skeptical about trick features like that, as I was about the original Lytro camera, but I've been having a lot of fun using the wide-aperture mode on the Mate 10 Pro. It doesn't record a true light field, the way Lytro's cameras do. Instead it records the RGB image alongside a lower-resolution depth map that it generates using the dual cameras. Since it doesn't require any additional captures, it doesn't slow down the camera.

Huawei's Gallery app then allows you to simulate varying depth of focus (DOF) by letting you pick a focus point and then simulating the optical blur of a synthetic lens aperture based on the depth map. The app allows you to specify apertures from .95 to 16, but in reality you are confined to the original image, so f/16 is actually the same as the camera's native f/1.6. Similarly, while you can nominally refocus anywhere in the image simply by touching it, anything that wasn't sharp in the initial capture isn't going to spring into focus. Not surprisingly, the Wide-Aperture feature only works from 1x to 2x zoom, but that is enough for most situations. Like the other specialty modes, this one is limited to JPEGs. It'd be very cool if there was a way to shoot RAW plus a depth map and then edit it later on a computer.

The refocusing capability on the Mate 10 Pro is more of a trick than a light field but it works surprisingly wellThe refocusing capability on the Mate 10 Pro is more of a trick than a light field, but it works surprisingly well, as shown in this screenshot of two versions of an image If you're not in a hurry, Huawei will be introducing a new flagship phone, apparently called the P20, fairly soon. According to leaks it will push its camera design even further, with a 3-camera rear camera system.

Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

By the numbers Samsung's Galaxy S9 Plus is the best smartphone camera for photographyBy the numbers, the S9 Plus is king of the hill when it comes to smartphone cameras. If you have the budget and want the very best camera, the S9 Plus delivers. It meets or exceeds all the current benchmarks for both traditional image quality and Portrait, Depth, and Bokeh demanded of flagship models. In addition, it has a brand-new trick up its sleeve -- a dual-aperture main camera. Using a physical aperture (opening) it can switch from f/2.4 to f/1.5. This allows it to combine the low-light capability of a wide aperture like f/1.5 with the increased depth of focus and image sharpness you get with a smaller f/2.4 aperture. By default the phone will automatically switch between apertures depending on light levels, but in Pro mode you can choose yourself.

Specialty Add-on Camera Options

Just because you're shooting with a smartphone doesn't mean you can't beef it up with an auxiliary camera. We've looked at a few that provide unique capabilities.

The DxO ONE allows you to add a 1-inch format sensor camera to your smartphone. It's been out for a couple years for iOS, but DxO has an Android version in the works through an early-access program. The larger sensor and a unique multi-frame RAW capture capability mean you get better image quality at the expense of carrying another device and working with a new UI. Hasselblad's True Zoom Moto Mod brings a true 10x optical zoom capability to Motorola Z-family smartphones. It doesn't get amazing reviews, as the sensor is small and the lens isn't very fast, but if you really want extended zoom on a smartphone it is just about your only option.

Finally, one of my personal favorites is the FLIR ONE. It captures thermal infrared for an entirely different look at the world:

Viewing this Burmese Silversmith at work using thermal IR highlights the dramatic nature of his otherwise hard to see welding torch workViewing this Burmese Silversmith at work with a FLIR ONE using thermal IR highlights the dramatic nature of his otherwise hard-to-see welding torch work

Which Phone Camera is Right For You

If you're already carrying another camera, and simply need a smartphone for quick shots to show a scene to a client, share with family, or because it's easy, then the Google Pixel 2 (or Pixel 2 XL) may be right for you. They provide the best "point-and-shoot" experience. But if you're more serious about using your phone for shots where you're going to take some type getting the settings right, or are willing to post-process a RAW image, you should definitely consider either the Mate 10 Pro or the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus. The Mate 10 Pro gives you a little more artistic control, with its monochrome second camera and wide-aperture mode, while the S9 Plus provides a unique true multi-aperture lens, and more effective zooming thanks to its second, telephoto, lens.

Just as importantly, you'll want to match the particular strengths of a smartphone's camera to the type of photography you value most. For starters, you can look at the DxOMark photo category sub-scores we show alongside each phone in this article as a way to compare their specific performance in correct Exposure, Color, Autofocus, and more.

[Image credit: David Cardinal(Opens in a new window)]

Tagged In

Photography FLIR ONE Mobile Photography Phones Huawei Mate 10 Pro

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