There was a time not long ago when budget smartphones had abysmal camera quality. Images captured by these phone were noisy, had less details and sometimes they were just plain bad. Nowadays, the latest batch of budget smartphone can not only keep up with the high-end phones in day-to-day task, but can also give most of them a run for their money. However, not all budget smartphones offer good camera quality. There are certain phones though which offer better image quality than a majority of budget devices. So, without further ado, these are the best camera phones you can buy in a budget of Rs.15,000.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro feels like a big outlier in this budget, but it is hands down the best phone in the sub-15K price segment. It not only offers a stellar performance but a really good camera as well.
Rear camera: 12MP + 5MP, (f/2.2 aperture + f/2.0 aperture), PDAF
Front camera: 20MP, f/2.2
SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 636
RAM: 6GB
Display: 5.99-inch, 2160 x 1080p
Storage: 64GB
Battery: 4000mAh
OS: Android 7.1.2
Xiaomi Mi A1
The Xiaomi Mi A1 is still the best budget phone with stock Android interface offering a decent performance and a really capable camera.
Rear camera: Dual 12MP, (f/2.2 aperture + f/2.6 aperture), PDAF, 2X optical zoom
Front camera: 5MP,
SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 625
RAM: 4GB
Display: 5.5-inch, 1080p
Storage: 64GB
Battery: 3080mAh
OS: Android 7.1.1
Moto G5 Plus
The Moto G5 Plus is not exactly the latest phone but it still has a really good camera at the rear and is one of the few phones which offers the latest Android.
Rear camera: 12MP, f/1.7 aperture, Dual-pixel PDAF
Front camera: 5MP, f/2.2 aperture
SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 625
RAM: 4GB
Display: 5.2-inch, 1080p
Storage: 32GB
Battery: 3000mAh
OS: Android 7.0
Honor 7X
Not too far behind is the Honor 7X, which is the only phone on this list with a glass back. The phone gets sluggish at times, but the camera is quite good.
Rear camera: Dual 16MP + 2MP, (f/2.2 aperture on primary) Phase detection, HDR
Front camera: 8MP, f/2.0 aperture, can record videos in 1080p @30fps
SoC: HiSilicon Kirin 659
RAM: 4GB
Display: 5.93-inch, 1080p
Storage: 32GB
Battery: 3340mAh
OS: Android 7.0
Nokia 6 2018
The revampled Nokia 6 now comes with Zeiss optics which vastly improves the camera quality. The phone is capable of taking reliable photos, especially during the day and the photo-taking experience is particularly enjoyable thanks to the Nokia Pro camera app.
Rear camera: 16 MP (f/2.0, 1.0µm), phase detection autofocus
Front camera: 8 MP (f/2.0, 1.12µm), 1080p@30fps
SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 630
RAM: 3/4GB
Display: 5.5-inch, 1080p
Storage: 32/64GB
Battery: 3000mAh
OS: Android 8.1 (Android One)
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 might have the guts of last year’s Redmi Note 4, but the camera has been updated along with the display.
Rear camera: 12MP, f/2.2 aperture, PDAF
Front camera: 8MP, can record videos in 1080p @30fps
SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 625
RAM: 3GB
Display: 5.99-inch, 2160 x 1080p
Storage: 32GB
Battery: 4000mAh
OS: Android 7.1.2
Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1
The Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 is basically a Redmi Note 5 Pro running on stock Android. It also sports a dual camera setup at the back that takes some decent shots. It's a bit weak in low-light photography, but can take some amazing daytime shots. It's strengths are close-up shots and outdoor landscape shots.
Rear camera: 13MP + 5MP, f/2.0 aperture, Phase detection
Front camera: 8MP, f/2.0 aperture
SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 636
RAM: 3/4GB
Display: 5.99-inch, 1080p
Storage: 32/64GB
Battery: 5000mAh
OS: Android 8.1.
Xiaomi Redmi 5
If you are low on budget and still want a decent camera, we would suggest not to go below the Redmi 5.
Rear camera: 12MP, f/2.2 aperture, PDAF
Front camera: 5MP
SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 450
RAM: 2GB
Display: 5.7-inch, 1440 x 720p
Storage: 16GB
Battery: 3300mAh
OS: Android 7.1.2
In case you can stretch your budget a little more
Vivo V9 Youth
Selfie-centric cameras are all the rage these days and Vivo has established itself as a reliable performer when it comes to taking good portraits. The phone relies on AI technology to enhance your selfies.
Rear camera: 16MP + 2MP, f/2.0 aperture, PDAF, Bokeh Mode
Front camera: 16MP
SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 450
RAM: 4GB
Display: 6.3-inch, 2280 x 1080 Pixels
Storage: 32GB
Battery: 3260mAh
OS: Android 8.1
Huawei P20 Lite
The Huawei P20 Lite has the DNA of its elder sibling, but comes for much cheaper a price.
Rear camera: 16MP + 2MP, f/2.2 aperture, PDAF, Bokeh Mode
Front camera: 16MP (f/2.0 aperture, PDAF, Bokeh)
SoC: HiSilicon Kirin 659
RAM: 4GB
Display: 5.84-inch, 1080 x 2160 pixels
Storage: 64GB
Battery: 3000mAh
OS: Android 8.1
Moto X4 (4GB)
Bringing something new to the table is the Moto X4 with an ultra-wide camera along with a regular wide-angle camera. The phone is also blessed with AI capabilities that can recognise objects and even help you shop for them. AI powers notwithstanding, the Moto X4 can take some really good shots, if you have the patience for it.
Rear camera: 12MP (f/2.0, 1.4µm, PDAF, dual pixel) + 8MP, (f/2.2, 1.12µm, no AF)
Front camera: 16MP (f/2.0, 1.0µm pixel size)
SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 630
RAM: 4GB
Display: 5.2-inch, 1080 x 1920 pixels
Storage: 64GB
Battery: 3000mAh
OS: Android 8.1
Moto Z2 Play
Dual cameras are good yes, but how many phones can attach a separate camera at the back. The Moto Z2 Play surely can, thanks to its support for Moto Mods which also includes a Hasselblad camera with up to 10X optical zoom.
Rear camera: 12 MP (f/1.7, 1.4µm), phase detection and laser autofocus
Front camera: 5 MP (f/2.2, 1.4µm)
SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 626
RAM: 3/4GB
Display: 5.5-inch, 1080 x 1920 pixels
Storage: 32/64GB
Battery: 3000mAh
OS: Android 7.1.1
Samsung C7 Pro 2017
Samsung's flagship camera capabilites have a tendency to trickle down to its more affordable offerings and the C7 Pro is the perfect example. With a wide f/1.9 aperture, the phone can take some well-lit shots with good dynamic range.
Rear camera: 16 MP, f/1.9, autofocus
Front camera: 16 MP, f/1.9
SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 626
RAM: 4GB
Display: 5.7-inch, 1080 x 1920 pixels
Storage: 64GB
Battery: 3300mAh
OS: Android 7.0