Today’s latest smartphones offer some pretty amazing camera tech and features that are now rivalling high-quality DSLR cameras. Settings and features like 5x optical zoom, night mode, slow motion, and ultra-wide lenses can easily be found on all the newer models. The number of cameras has even increased.
The most impressive additions to smartphone camera technology, however, are AI image processing, which has become one of the biggest-selling camera features nowadays. In addition, there are a number of excellent photo apps and add-ons that you can buy to take photos that rival those with the latest camera tech. Today, let’s explore some of the best hardware and software to help guide your on-the-go photographic adventures!
Popular Smartphones for Photographers
iPhone 12 Series
Whether you go for the iPhone 12 mini, regular iPhone 12, or one of the two more premium Pro series models, you’ll get an incredible experience as a photographer. You’ll get at least two lenses – a wide and an ultra-wide that both let in even more light than ever before – as well as exceptional computational photography technology built into the device and iOS. To take things up a level, grab an iPhone 12 Pro or Pro Max, which offer a LIDAR scanner and additional telephoto lens for even further enhanced shots.
Not only that, but the Pro series iPhones enable you to take shots in Apple ProRAW mode, which allows you to shoot without compressing image quality – ideal for those Photoshop sessions where you can touch up and preserve every little detail. These are also fantastic devices for night mode and low-light shots, and to this day, Apple’s portrait mode remains one of the best out there.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
As a flagship Samsung phone, you’d expect the Galaxy S21 Ultra to pack a punch behind its lenses, and that’s exactly what it does. It includes a quad-camera array on the rear of the device, sporting a periscope lens in addition to an ultra-wide, telephoto, and 108-megapixel main sensor. This package of powerful lenses allows you to even hyper-zoom and capture up-close detail from far away. Not only that, but the S21 Ultra also has a 40-megapixel front lens for crisp and immaculate selfies.
Google Pixel 6/6 Pro
There’s nothing quite like using a Pixel phone. These devices have been highly regarded for their camera arrays for years, and the Pixel 6 as well as its larger sibling, the 6 Pro, don’t pull any stops. Depending on the model you choose, you can get up to three camera sensors including a 50-megapixel primary lens in addition to a 12-megapixel ultra-wide and 48-megapixel telephoto one. As a result, these phones are excellent for preserving detail and natural colours without losing definition or contrast, ensuring crisp shots that are vibrant without looking cartoonish.
Add-on Lens Accessories
The image sensors and processors on the latest AI-powered phones produce some crazy great results but they still lack lens options and functionality. Fortunately, you can get professional standard snaps with accessories called add-on lenses. These clip-on lenses can add a whole new range of options to your smartphone, including greater magnification, wider angles, and cool effects. Additional lenses can take your pictures to the next level with features like 230-degree fisheye options, 15x macro, and 120-degree wide angles. Most of these lenses clip right onto your phone, while others require a case for your specific model.
Stabilizers
If you love filming videos with your camera but struggle with blurry or shaky shots, you need a stabilizer to get the best video footage. Just like gimbal stabilizers for DSLR cameras, there are options for your smartphones. They use brushless motors to keep your smartphone steady when filming to produce steady footage. Most gimbals also come with installed software, advanced apps, and adjustable settings to get the most out of your camera. Just be careful that you find one that is compatible with your phone as many will only work on specific phone models.
Photo Apps
Even the best built-in camera settings have limitations and often don’t have enough manual control. That’s where a photo app can greatly improve the quality of your photos even when you have a new flagship phone. But with so many photo apps on the market, it’s hard to choose the best one for the results you want. If you want a photo editing app with a massive range of tools and filters, Snapseed, VSCO, Afterlight 2, and Adobe Photoshop Express are some of the bests out there for iOS and Android. Instagrammers who need the perfect shots should consider Visage, which makes touching up photos a breeze, and Facetune to remove blemishes or whiten teeth to help you look your best. You can even adjust the perspective of photos when they’re slightly tilted or askew with SKRWT, or remove unwanted objects with TouchRetouch.
You don’t have to go out and buy the best camera phone to get Insta-perfect pictures these days. You can save a lot of money by buying a certified pre-owned phone and adding some of the above apps and add-ons to create stunning images instead. Visit us at Mobile Klinik today. Here, you’ll be able to see our selection of meticulously inspected refurbished smartphones with exceptional camera performance, as well as a range of smartphone accessories to improve performance even further. Stop by your nearest Mobile Klinik location to get started on your photographic journey!