Hey guys, would just like to know your insight on not necessarily the best camera smartphone at
the budget price, but rather within the select group, which camera phone stands out most?
Ive had a few in mind…such as Xperia T and thought maybe Nexus 4, but heard their cameras are average.
If you want a camera, buy a grey import galaxy camera.
It's basically a galaxy s2 with a proper full size point and shoot camera.
Fantastic phone, the only trade off is size.
^ This
It's actually a Camera that can function as a phone (Although I think you have to flash a custom ROM to get the phone App?)
However, because it's actually a Point and shoot camera with a decent zoom lens it will make a very bulky "phone".
If you want a phone that has a decent camera, the Nokia's have very good camera quality (they pride themselves on their cameras).
Camera quality isn't going to be great in the budget Android handsets as a general rule. But if you can score a cheap deal on one of the former Flagship phones from any of the brands, they're all sporting decent cameras.
Finally, iPhones have had some of the best cameras over the years, but you'll have to buy an old model to get one at $300.
EDIT: apparently the Galaxy Camera can't - or at least hasn't - been hacked to make phone calls.. You can make Skype/Google Voice calls though.
Interestingly, Samsung have announced and updated version, the Galaxy S4 Zoom which is capable of making calls, but it'll be well out of the $300 pricerange.
I'm yet to see a smartphone which takes pictures anywhere near as good as a $150 camera.
It depends on what you want to use the piccies for. If it's just for facebook/etc then sure a smartphone will do.
But if you're hoping to make prints/posters, then I'd keep a camera spare.
But as mentioned above the Nokia or Sony (with Carl Zeiss optics) are better then most. Don't be fooled by the megapixel bigger is better trap.
I'm yet to see a smartphone which takes pictures anywhere near as good as a $150 camera.
Upcoming Nokia Lumia phones with Pureview might.
The HTC One is incredible.
Not the HTC One V I tried.
Against my 3y.o. Fuji finepix T200 (the newer version T400 is ~$150), the colours & details are so much better on the Fuji then any smartphone I've seen (IPhone 4,4s,5, S3,S4, HTC One V, Nokia Lumia, Blackberry Z10).
Don't get me wrong, the photos coming out of smartphones are getting better & for disposable photos, they're perfect! But when you see them up against a digital camera (which are made just for taking photos), the difference in quality is very noticeable.
One V is a budget phone, the One is the current flagship..
They're completely different phones!
Having said that, I agree, no cameraphone except maybe the Galaxy S4 Zoom can hope to compete with an actual camera. The difference in sensor sizes alone pretty much ensures this. (That's why the 808 Pureview stands out from the cameraphone crowd. It has a massive sensor compared to other phones)
If you can go Windows, I had a play with a Nokia 820 last week. The camera, like most top-end Nokias, was dazzling; great colours and contrast. I like the menus too.
The owner had just bought it at DSE for $288, for the 4G version. Bargain.
Nokia Lumia Lumia 920 is worth a look, especially with the Pro Camera app coming, or even the old Nokia Pureview 808 for the good 41 Megapixel camera but outdated phone.
Nokia Lumia 1020 has a great camera, like the other Nokias mentioned. But out of your price range…
Galaxy S2 or Lumia 920.
Nokia 520 for between $150-200 (locked/unlocked from allphones)
I got my one from telstra prepaid website, it was on sale at $150, normal price is $170 and all phones do it for $200 unlocked. Any win8 mobile is pretty good, simple to use and just as good as the GNOTE2 i have or the iPhone4/5. I have seen the HTC8 for as little as $120 on sale on T$ prepaid website some weekends… Ok if your with telstra or on telstras network like aldi/kogan ect…
Cheap andriods from dicksmith from $100-200 and i got my mum a mobile with supermarket points for only $50 (small 3.5" screen, i dont know how i ever thought that was ok, now 4+" min!)
TRY not to spend $300… Most handsets around this price are no better than cheaper ones, premium handsets are ?$500 checkout kogans offers of grey mobiles and save too