Learn About Mobile Cameras

What is it?

It is the part that captures photos or videos on your mobile.

How does it work?

Cameras work by doing the following (over simplified) steps:

1. Capture photo or video
2. Save photo or video

Look for

• Photo Quality

  Check the photo produced by the camera

• Video Quality

  Check the video produced by the camera

• Optical Zoom

  Check the optical zoom range

  Optical zoom is the actual zoom the camera can do from the lens configuration. Modern mobiles can zoom-out (x0.5) or zoom-in (x2 or x5 or x10). Do not confuse it with digital zoom.

• Digital Zoom

  Check the digital zoom range

  Digital zoom is the zoom the camera software can apply on your photos or videos. Modern mobiles can digital zoom-in up to x100.

• FPS

  Check the video's FPS (Frames per second) produced by the camera

  Higher FPS makes videos look smoother, but take more storage. Also, higher FPS makes low light performance worse.

• Slow Motion

  Check the slow motion produced by the camera

  When FPS is very high (120 FPS or more) it gives the ability to make slow motion videos. Due to the very high FPS required, most mobiles capture slow motion videos at lower resolutions and quality.

• Resolution

  Check the resolution of photos and video

• Low light

  Check the low light performance of photos and video

• Autofocus

  Check the autofocus performance of the camera

• Field of View

  Check how wide is the field of view, the wider, the more people can be viewed at the same time

• Sound Quality

  Check the sounds produced by the built-in Mic

• HDR

  Check if it can capture HDR videos

• Flash Light

  Check the flash light if any

  Flash light can come in handy when there is no light at all.

• Noise Cancelling

  Check how the built-in Mic can cancel background noises

• Check all Cameras

  Check the performance of all cameras front and back

Avoid

• High Mega Pixels

  Camera performance depends on many metrics, not just higher Mega Pixel count

• Spec Comparisons

  Avoid comparing camera specs

  Cameras are very complex systems, and they are all designed differently. If a camera has what it seems like better specs does not mean it will produce better photos or videos. The best thing to do is check the photos and videos it produces and judge for yourself. Modern mobiles have advanced image processors that can make photos look great after processing. Nowadays, most of the photo and video quality comes from image processor and software improvements.

• Digital Zoom

  Avoid using Digital Zoom

• Flash Light

  Avoid using flash light when you can