The budget and the mid-range segments are now stacked with a number of smartphones with respectable camera units and while they might not offer you superior DSLR like quality, there still are some which have quite impressive cameras. Here are the best and recommended smartphones available from Rs. 6,000 to Rs.20,000 which not only feature a quality camera but a decent performance package as well.
Xiaomi phones have always been value for money devices and the redmi 2 has been no different. The phone offers competitive specs and an 8MP camera with f/2.2 aperture and a 28mm wide lens. It uses a 5 element lens system for better picture quality making it on the best camera phone at its price.
Price: Rs. 6,999
Just like the Redmi 1S, this too has an 8MP sensor and manages to capture good looking shots in broad daylight. However, it is slightly underpowered when compared to the Redmi 1S. Still, it is a goof option to buy if you want the latest hardware.
Rs.6,999
The Redmi Note features a 13MP rear camera with an f/2.2 aperture and the capability to record 1080p videos at 30fps. Now it isn't the finest that we have seen, but for the money you get a feature packed camera and a pretty good smartphone as well.
Rs.9,999
Micromax's very own CM based smartphone features a 13MP camera which surprisingly performs better than you'd imagine. In some instances the camera on the Yureka managed to beat the OnePlus One. The smartphone is also pretty impressive in terms of specs.
Rs. 8,999
The Zenfone is a great looking smartphone and it features an 8MP snapper with an f/2.0 aperture and Asus' own PixelMaster technology. The camera software is quite a treat as it offers a number of features including a special night mode, which gives you slightly acceptable results in low light.
We don't usually expect HTC to offer a good camera equipped smartphone in the affordable segment, but the Desire 526+ offers imaging capabilities similar to the Zenfone 5, if not better. The smartphone comes with an 8MP sensor with EIS (Electronic Image Stablisation) for better video capture.
If you don't mind investing in an indigenous brand, then the Micromax Nitro is a pretty good option in the sub-12k segment. It features a 13MP CMOS sensor made by Sony with an f/2.2 aperture that can shoot full HD videos and decent pictures. It is also one of the best smartphones in terms of performance and hardware.
Micromax Canvas Selfie is the new entry in Selfie centric smartphones and it easily trumps the competition with its 13MP front-facing camera. At the back the smartphone sports another 13MP camera. But the spotlight remains on the 13 MP front-facing camera which is coupled with a soft flash for night time selfies. Both cameras are equally good and selfie lovers should definitely give this a try.
Price: 14,999
Samsung Galaxy S3 Neo
Launched as a budget smartphone, the S3 Neo comes with a decent set of specs including a Snapdragon 400 SoC, an AMOLED display and an 8MP camera. The smartphone is actually a great deal minus the old design philosophy, and we know Samsung does employ some good measures when it comes to the camera software.
Samsung Galaxy Grand Max
The newest member of the Grand family, the Grand Max feels much better than the older gen devices. The camera is now a 13MP unit that can capture full HD videos. The hardware is also quite good with the latest Snapdragon 410 chip and a 720p display.
Rs.15,999
The Lumia range usually comes up with some impressive camera quality and the Lumia 730 is a fine example. The camera contains a 6.7MP sensor with Carl Zeiss optics and an f/1.9 aperture which allows it to capture detailed pictures even in low light. A highly recommended smartphone if you are a camera buff.
The mid-range Desire 816 is another entry from HTC which features a 13MP camera with a BSI sensor and zero-shutter lag. The image quality and the software is quite impressive and very swift to operate. Overall the smartphone also looks pretty slick and the hardware is also pretty good.
Being a flagship device, the Galaxy S4 not only has an impressive 13MP camera but also a great octa-core processor. The camera software is also impressive giving you options to play around with the settings. If you want a camera with flagship level quality, then go for the S4.
The Huawei uses a similar 13MP camera with a BSI sensor which can shoot good looking pictures in bright conditions although it is a bit grainy at times. The smartphone itself is quite impressive running on an in-house chip from Huawei which is faster than the mid range Snapdragon processors.
Rs. 17,999
Nokia Lumia 830 sports a 1/3.4-inch 10MP PureView camera with Carl Zeiss lens. This is the only phone in our list with OIS (optical image stabilization). This enables the Lumia 830 to take high quality pictures in any conditions. Video capture is done at 30fps with an option to record in Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 making the video quality equally good as the still camera.
Price: Rs. 19,700
The so-called flagship killer is one of the very few smartphones that offers RAW image capture with its 13MP camera. While it can be slightly slow at times, it offers much better quality than most of the 13MP smartphone cameras out there. Not to mention the flagship-like specifications to sweeten the deal.
The flagship smartphone from Xiaomi, the Mi4 has an excellent and super fast 13MP camera which captures sharp and vivid pictures, although low light performance is not the best. The smartphone is also a powerhouse when it comes to specs and costs just Rs. 19,999.
Rs.19,999