Compare the best photography smartphones in 2017

Mobile cameras are better every year, but this year is really a jump. When it comes to smartphones with the best cameras, we don't just listen to Apple, Samsung or Google names. Interestingly, after the megapixel race, shooting wide angle made the phone almost the same for the past 2 years, now there are many differences.

Point the name of the best photography smartphone in 2017 including iPhone X, Google Pixel 2 XL, Samsung Galaxy Note 8, HTC U11 and LG V30 . These are the top-of-the-line camera phones.

Also remember that the camera of Pixel 2XL and Pixel 2 is the same. Note 8 also has a wide-angle camera like Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus. iPhone X has a larger aperture when telephoto compared to 8 Plus.

The photos below are completely taken automatically, on the same frame to compare the cameras of these phones in different shooting conditions.

Low light shooting

Lack of light is the challenge of taking the first shot with cameras, where they show the most obvious difference.

The HTC U11 offers great results because it doesn't reduce noise as much as other smartphones, of course, the image is a bit noisy, but it keeps the details. HTC does so by exposing too much exposure, it's okay on some side, but losing detail in bright areas.

Pixel 2 XL is also quite detailed, but Google's HDR + is just like an upgrade of HDR. When you press it, it will take a variety of shots and combine it into 1 but there is not much effect here.

Photos taken with LG V30 look very dark, Even the viewfinder is dark even if you adjust the screen brightness.

The second challenge was taken in a place with more light but still a dark setting. Most of them can handle it, LG V30 photos look a bit too smooth.

To assess the difference, look at the image resolution. Pixel 2 XL may give the best results, getting more details in darker areas without blinding light areas. iPhone X is second or third, depending on whether you like HTC U11's photos more. Details on the tree are quite clear except for some bright areas. The iPhone's way of handling is a bit like a drawing, though not too bad, but it also shows that the iPhone sometimes has trouble shooting straight lines. (See the power lines in the image above).

The example below shows that the iPhone usually doesn't get the details with the HTC U11 or Pixel 2 XL.

In this case, Pixel 2 XL is the best, natural and lively photo. Photos from HTC U11 are a bit bright, orange but don't hold much detail.

You may be a bit surprised not to say much about the iPhone X. But it is better to take a low-light shot than to choose Pixel or U11. Google's HDR + is clearly a great advantage and also has better quality on PIxel 2.

In the previous image, the iPhone X and HTC U11 gave quite similar results, but this example shows a big difference between the iPhone X and the other two smartphones. iPhone X does not have red renders but also takes many details on the tree. The Pixel 2XL still recognizes the small branches on the HTC U11 very well.

Note 8 has not been mentioned much because the image quality is poor even on iPhone X. For example, in the above image, the leaf behind the sign almost disappears. Photos taken with Note 8 are often blurred, making it difficult to create details.

In the example below, most smartphones do their job well. This challenge is difficult because not only many light but also many opposing light. The most obvious difference is in the middle of the train. Pixel 2 XL retains the details of rails and red and white stripes while other smartphones do not.

Shoot with natural light

Pixel 2 XL gives the most detailed image but the iPhone X has a better color and exposure. Snow scenes are difficult to capture because cameras are often tricked into reducing exposure and turning gray. Photos taken with the Note 8 look very green. LG V30 is far behind because of its sandy color and rough details.

In the picture above, the HTC U11 is a bit struggling, iPhone surpassed with better exposure, more detailed images. Pixel 2 XL is slightly darker. The reason is that with the dark light difference is not too big (too bright or too dark), HDR + does not have much to do. The image here is still quite sharp but the iPhone X is still more beautiful.

With full light, the results are quite similar. The iPhone X and Pixel 2 XL for detailed images are equivalent, then U11, while the Note 8 and V30 are far removed. The difference is mainly in color. HTC U11 gives the sky a vivid color, the Note 8 slightly deflects color, iPhone X is a bit reddish and Pixel has a warm color, keeping details in the white part of the building without losing much detail of the shadow. In this challenge, it depends on your preferences to evaluate. Only the V30 is left behind.

This challenge is brighter than the color of the car. Pixel 2 XL offers the best colors, but the iPhone X and HTC U11 offer more accurate car and snow colors. The image of the iPhone is warmer, more detailed than the U11.

In this example, the LG V30 gives the image a fairly accurate color, but the best is still the Pixel 2 XL. iPhone X makes the image quite warm but also detailed, similar to U11.

And this is a flower shot. The Note 8 and LG V30 are slightly overexposed, and the Pixel 2 XL and HTC U11 give him a bit of glamor while the iPhone X has a higher contrast.

Capture portrait mode

There are only 3 phones out of these features called Portrait Mode (Samsung called Live Focus): it is iPhone X, Pixel 2 XL and Galaxy Note 8.

In this mode, the smartphone tries to create the depth of field as if you were shooting with a long, large aperture on the camera. There are two ways: Apple and Samsung use two lenses to calculate depth and create effects based on that data. In this mode, iPhone X beat Note 8 with more detailed and beautiful photos. Note 8 makes the face too smooth, looks like wax.

Google said that it uses the depth information of the image from nearby pixels on the sensor to determine how much blur and how much blur to make. This makes portrait photos with Pixel 2 XL look like a face transplant to the scene. If taken with the camera, the blur will gradually increase behind the subject, but Google has not done this.

In contrast, the iPhone has better depth information because it collects from two cameras, capable of better translating blurring than Pixel. It also has the advantage of using a telephoto lens to capture portraits, helping to separate the subject from the background. But Pixel found better borders around the face and hair than the iPhone.

Generally Pixel 2 XL still gives the best detail and color images, iPhone X is second and followed by Note 8. One thing that is on the Note 8 that the other two smartphones is not the ability to adjust the blur level, both before and after shooting. Pixel only for on / off when taking portraits, iPhone, only choose light effect.

Take a selfie

Now the most probably important part, the front camera. Above photo taken between daytime, lots of light. Pixel 2 XL for the most balanced color, long and impressive color. The front camera of the iPhone X as well as the rear camera, makes the image slightly warm but very useful for light challenge as in the second photo. Here the character face has a light while the background is an interior lamp. Pixel 2 XL makes the background color not too bright but the iPhone X gives better images and colors on the face.

The front camera of HTC U11 is very good when shooting outdoors in the morning even though it does not handle the light very well, when shooting in low light, the color is not good. Note 8 is the same even if the face is smooth.

Dual camera

The V30 has been criticized for quite a while now because it doesn't really work very well. But at the very least, its ultra-wide-angle camera can also be saved. The second V30 camera is very wide, though not always good, sometimes looking a bit rough. Anyway, it can capture very impressive photos that no smartphone can do. It's just that you want to trade or not.

Photos taken by LG V30

The telephoto camera of iPhone X and Note 8 is very useful. But is it the same as when zooming the image from another phone, for example PIxel 2 XL? Test results show that iPhone X and Note 8 give close-up details, only slightly different in color, but better than Pixel photos.

Video

Of course the camera not only captures images, it also records 4K videos, slow-motion videos and 1080p videos. To say details is very much, but can summarize some ideas like this.

1. Note 8 is not the best shot but video recording is the most flexible. It has 2 rear lenses, a quad HD (2K) dial with a front camera, which no other phone can do. It also filmed 4K, slow-mo and sound is also good.
2. Pixel 2 XL incorporates anti-shake and digital shake, bringing the smoothest video among 5 smartphones but the sound quality is poor.
3. All these smartphones, except Pixel 2 XL and U11, capture slow-mo 1080p 240 frames per second (Google and HTC recorded 1080p 120 frames per second video). iPhone turns 1080p, 240 frames with a tele camera, Note 8 doesn't.
4. With LG V30 video quite disappointing.

A few other things

Samsung's camera is still generally the best, fast autofocus, quick to open. You can press twice the power button to turn on the camera on the Note 8, Pixel 2 XL and HTC U11 but Samsung's quick turn-on feature is still faster. Apple uses 3D Touch to open the camera with the camera icon on the lock screen but using the physical key is still more.

iPhone X, Pixel 2 XL and Note 8 all have what Apple calls Live Photos, record videos for a few seconds to make GIF images, but the conversion is a bit complicated. Apple does better. With iOS 11, you can use Live Photos to re-select images, avoid taking photos with closed eyes, moving, and creating a long exposure time.

Live Photos with iOS

Conclude

Based on the Pixel 2 XL test results, there are the best cameras out of 5 smartphones, continuously giving images with accurate colors, details even with light challenges. Google brought Pixel 2 XL into the leading smartphone this year in terms of cameras and perhaps more to expect in the coming years.

The second position is very difficult to choose. The HTC U11 has a great rear camera, sometimes beating the Pixel 2 XL, but if you say it all, the iPhone X is good. With telephoto lenses, Portrait Mode, Live Photos and camera for selfie shooting better. iPhone X also records videos better than HTC U11.

Note 8 is a good video recording but it is still far behind the iPhone X and Pixel 2 XL. Finally, LG. LG still thinks of itself as the best camera phone manufacturer and has always done it as they say. But V30 is clearly not the same as the rest of the smartphones mentioned this year.

See more:

1. Admire the short film shot entirely by iPhone X
2. Compare camera iPhone X and all other iPhone
3. The best camera app for Android