Best budget camera phones to buy right now

There’s no denying that smartphones have made clicking photos more accessible and easier for us. So much so that cameras are one of the top priorities and leading purchasing factors when buying a phone. These camera phones have evolved a lot too. Earlier only high-end, flagship and premium phones used to have good cameras, but times have changed. Now, we can find a decent set of cameras in almost every price range. Phones these days come equipped with anything from 48MP to a 108MP camera, and they won’t burn a hole in your pockets either. Let’s take a look at the best budget camera phones you can buy right now.

realme phones are known to offer value for money, as well as competitive specs. The realme 9 Pro+ is no different with its triple-camera setup and improved image processing. The primary shooter is a 50MP IMX 766 sensor with optical image stabilization, which captures great details in most lighting conditions as well as good colour tones.

The 8MP ultra-wide lens offers good performance, and so does the 2MP macro lens. The 16MP selfie shooter is also decent, and is capable of capturing images that are well suited for social media.

OnePlus Nord 2T 

OnePlus’ mid-range Nord 2T also has a triple-camera setup at the back with the highlight being a 50MP primary sensor with OIS. This sensor captures sharp images with ample amounts of details, and colours that don’t look artificial. It is also quite capable in low-light conditions with noise kept to a minimum. Accompanying it is a decent 8MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 2MP macro lens.

People who like clicking selfies will appreciate the 32MP IMX615 sensor, which manages to make you look good in most scenarios. There is a night mode as well as a portrait mode available for selfies. As far as videos are concerned, in 4K mode the colours are a tad on the saturated side, which is more than fixed when switching to 1080p mode. Overall, the smartphone’s cameras are reliable and consistent in every situation.

Redmi K50i 

The Redmi K50i, with its Dimensity 8100 chipset, may focus on performance, but that doesn’t mean its cameras aren’t capable. The triple camera-setup at the back features a 64MP primary lens that captures detailed images with a high dynamic range, and colours that don’t feel over-saturated. In low light too, the photos are sharp and have enough details to be considered more than just usable. The second lens is an 8MP ultrawide which performs decently too. There is a 2MP macro camera present at the back as well.

For selfies, there’s a 16MP sensor with a wider field of view so it can capture more in a single frame. The overall package of the phone with powerful performance and a decent camera setup makes for a compelling case.

Redmi Note 11 Pro 

This value-for-money device is exactly what Xiaomi’s Redmi sub-brand is known for. Unlike the other phones in this list, the Redmi Note 11 Pro boasts a quad-camera setup at the back. The primary 108MP lens hogs the spotlight with its ability to capture sharp images with accurate colours, highlights, and the right amount of exposure. It also manages to videos with good stabilization and colour reproduction.

The ultra-wide 8MP camera captures decent photos, and so does the 2MP macro lens. Lastly, the 2MP depth sensor aids in capturing good looking portrait photos. Overall, this is a promising, value-for-money phone with a good performance and camera combo.

  Oppo Reno 8 Pro  

The Oppo Reno 8 Pro may be the most expensive device in this list, but there’s a reason for it. The triple-camera setup not only shoots good looking photos, but also excellent videos as well. The primary 50MP snapper uses Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF) to capture detailed photos with a high dynamic range. The edge detection in portrait mode is pretty good too. When it comes to videos, shooting in 4K 30fps results in amazingly stable videos. It even manages to shoot great videos at night.

The 8MP ultra-wide snapper fits more into a frame, while maintaining details and colour accuracy. The 32MP selfie shooter shoots photos that are ready to be shared on social media without the need for edits. There’s no doubt that the Reno 8 Pro’s cameras are highly capable in capture stills and videos in most scenarios.