While there are plenty of smartphone out there offering good image reproduction during the day, the parameters change when you move towards low light photography. In addition, it is really hard to have a sub-20K smartphone, which can provide adequate picture quality, details and dynamic range. You can definitely get better image quality going up the price ladder, but if your budget is limited, your options are also pretty limited. Today we are taking a look at the top three smartphones you can buy under Rs 20000 which can tackle low light photography.
We have shortlisted these devices based on the overall image quality including detail retention, dynamic range, grain level, and high shutter speed. All of these aspects are equally important while clicking pictures in low light and you should take these into account if you are buying a phone with camera as the priority. So, let’s go over the three sub-20K phones we believe can offer you good low light images.
Honor 8
Launched late last year, the Honor 8 has seen a big price drop and is currently the best smartphone to have if camera is your priority. The Honor 8 packs a dual 12MP camera setup, which offers all round good quality images in all kinds of lighting conditions. The camera captures true to source colours and retains sharpness quite well. The camera app offers fast focusing and low noise level, adding to its low light capabilities. The dual camera setup provides Bokeh effect as well and you can make use of the numerous filters and tweaks Honor provides within the camera app. There is a pro-mode as well that gives you manual controls over the camera, including ISO, shutter speed, white balance, exposure as well as the focus.
Samsung Galaxy On Max
The Samsung Galaxy On Max is an online only smartphone from Samsung built on the J7 Max frame but offering a better camera. The device features a 13MP rear camera with an f/1.7 aperture lens. For this camera Samsung has reworked its camera algorithm, which removes grain from low light images almost completely. Yes, the images do look a little smoother but the camera cleverly masks the the output by slightly upping the exposure balancing the image out. We did find some posterization issues in some images, but the images look quite good most of the times. You can take better images if you switch manual mode and then you can really play with the exposure as the camera is really fantastic in clicking silhouettes.
Moto G5 Plus
The next best thing in the sub-20K smartphone range is the Moto G5 Plus. The G5 Plus features a 12MP rear camera at the back. This is the same camera sensor Google employed on the Nexus 6P. However, to make it even better Motorola added dual pixel autofocus and combined the sensor with an f/1.7 aperture lens. This allows the Moto G5 Plus to take really vibrant low light images. The only concern we have is the lack of an OIS, which could have made it a much better camera phone, than it currently is. Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 platform and featuring a relatively compact form factor, the Moto G5 Plus is one of our all time favourite mid-tier smartphone. Although, the long standing champion of the category will soon be replaced by the newly launched Moto G5S Plus, but will the new phone be as good as this in low light, is yet to be seen.
Honorable mentions
Honor 6X
Going further down the price tree we get to the Honor 6X, which presents a dual-camera setup slightly above Rs 10000. The Honor 6X uses its dual camera setup in the same format as its elder cousin “Honor 8 Pro”. So, you get a 12MP primary camera which is taking pictures in RGB and the secondary 2MP camera at the back, takes the same image in monochrome. This allows the phone to click more detail rich images with better depth of field. The images taken in low light are not as good as the three phones mentioned above but it does a decent job nonetheless. The dual camera setup also allows users to click “bokeh” images, creating good looking portraits.Buy Honor 6X from amazon at Rs 11999.
Oppo F3 Plus
Going above the 20K price bracket, the Oppo F3 Plus is a phone worth considering if smartphone photography is something you are interested in. The phone is fast, provides two days of battery life and offers a brilliant 16MP rear camera with f/1.7 aperture. The larger display might not as ergonomic as some other 5 or 5.5-inch devices, but is still a good display nonetheless.Buy Oppo F3 Plus from Flipkart at Rs 27990.