Over the past few years, smartphone cameras have been catching up with DSLRs at an astonishing speed and we have almost reached the limit of what we can do, this includes shooting professional videos. A good video isn’t just about its image quality since there are a lot of other factors to consider. A lot of YouTubers today are setting a trend that’s spreading like wildfire where using their smartphone cameras to film for big, expensive projects has become a norm. The surge in young videographer aspirants also poses a challenge for them in terms of owning expensive equipment, however with easier financing options today, the expensive smartphones with flagship features are now available on no cost.
What’s also remarkable is that smartphone cameras today are capable of recording 4K videos and we have carefully curated a list of 5 best smartphones for all the young vloggers who can take their video recording skills to the next level.
1. Google Nexus 6P
The Google Nexus 6P has a 12.3 MP rear camera and an 8 MP front. Google threw in one of the newest sensors available, which was said to be used for hand-held camcorders. The camera app has undergone some major improvements where it has a double tap gesture so you just need to double tap the power button and you’ll launch straight into the camera. It also has a new auto HDR+ mode that decides whether to stay in that mode based on the scenario. It does not have optical image stabilization; however, at 1080p it activates the electronic image stabilization. The colors and the general dynamic range are excellent. The Nexus 6P excels even in very low light conditions. You also get a natural bokeh effect due to the larger 2.0 aperture.
2. Galaxy S8 Plus
The Galaxy S8 Plus has a 12 MP camera with an f 1.7 Aperture lens. It comes with optical image stabilization and records 4K videos at 30 FPS. It also supports the slow motion at 240 FPS. It has an 8 MP front camera with an f 1.7 Aperture lens. It also has autofocus built in. While recording, the video quality reflects colors that are vibrant and heavily saturated. The optical image stabilization is a good addition to the phone especially if you’re going to be walking around which will prevent any camera movement. The low light capabilities of this camera stand out. When you kick in the camera into slow motion mode, you drop the resolution to 720p where you shoot at 240 FPS. It results in crisp and clean footage.
3. iPhone X
The iPhone X has a dual rear camera set up with 12 MP + 12 MP while the front camera is a 7 MP shooter. When it comes to straight up image quality, the iPhone X is a definite step above the others. This smartphone captures crisper footage with more information in the brightest and darkest parts of a scene. It means, this device handles challenging lighting situations better and more consistently than the others. The iPhone X has a telephoto rear camera, which means you can capture a greater variety of photos. It lets you shoot slow motion at 240 FPS with the telephoto lens and has a really vibrant color profile baked right in.
4. One Plus 5
The One Plus 5 has a dual rear camera setup with 16 MP + 20 MP while the front camera is a 16 MP shooter. The phone now enables electronic image stabilization and software image stabilization to help smooth out the shakiness. The electronic image stabilization is such that when you shoot and the phone moves, the sensors in the phone memorize all the little movements like shakes and jitters. The video is then cropped and the frame is adjusted to coincide with those hand movements. Shooting with the rear camera also provides you with a good performance. Software stabilization is enabled on the zoom sensor which isn’t seen on the iPhone 7. It allows 4K videos and the One Plus 5 is now a much stronger option competing against flagship smartphone cameras. In most of your daily shooting scenarios, instances where you have the least bright indoor lighting, this camera will do a much better job of capturing your memories.
One Plus 5 is definitely one of the better video shooters of the year.
5. Galaxy S6 Edge Plus
The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus has a 16 MP rear camera and a 5 MP front camera. The rear camera can record videos up to 4K, whereas the front camera records videos up to 2K. It has tracking autofocus which is a new feature which means when your subject moves, your focus will be locked on that subject. The rear camera can record stills which are very natural in saturation and hue. It does not over saturate the color pallets, not even the maroon and red colors which many smartphone cameras stand to do. The Galaxy S6 Edge Plus’ camera is definitely what you can rely on, capturing images as real as you see them.
Author Bio:
Dev Bhatt is a tech enthusiast and loves to review and write about gadgets of all sorts – smartphones, tablets, or any electronics. He’s impulsive to check out what’s new in the market and share his findings with his readers so they can make informed decisions when buying electronic devices. In sync for this love for gadgets, he is also an avid gamer who loves to travel.
