Best Android smartphone for photographers our top five

Almost every smartphone owner takes an occasional picture with their handset, but these portable devices are increasingly being used as the primary tool for taking snaps. A high quality camera may not be a necessity for everybody when deciding on a new smartphone, but if you happen to be interested, we've got you covered with our list of best Android smartphones for the mobile photographer! ​

The Sony Xperia Z2 (pictured) features one of the best camera sensor currently available on Android. / © ANDROIDPIT

HTC One (M8): bright and unique

HTC took a lot of criticism for the use of its "ultra pixel technology" in its HTC One series. "Only a marketing ploy," "subpar picture quality with little detail," "poor implementation of a good idea" etc. Perfect, HTC's camera is not, but the HTC one (M8) makes some important arguments. The dual-camera setup, combined with the ultra pixel technology, does result in fewer details when pictures are magnified. However, it produces noticeably stronger light, making pictures taken in low-light conditions look far superior (and less noisy) than most of the competition.

• HTC One M8 camera test: this is how good the camera really is

Despite only housing a 4 MP sensor, the HTC one (M8) performs brilliantly in certain conditions. / © AndroidPIT 

The HTC One (M8) lets you manually change values ​​such as shutter speed, white balance, sharpness level and the ISO value in the camera menu, as well as offering a simple way to store presets. All of the setting combinations that you make can be conveniently saved and then switched as you view photos - allowing you to tinker with your own photo filters.

Sony Xperia Z2: high resolution and good software

There is a solid reason to favor the Sony Xperia Z2 over others on our list: it has the highest resolution camera at 20.7 megapixels. It's a figure bettered by none of the other established manufacturers in the Android sector, and means the Xperia Z2 is capable of some seriously impressive shots. Sony is already an expert in the field of digital photography, and the Z2 comes with numerous, sophisticated software features like the continuous shooting mode "Timeshift Burst" or the infinitely adjustable focal length (which changes the focus of the foreground and background objects). Instead of attempting a "less is more" approach to pixel density like HTC, Sony has gone all out with a high-definition camera which is more than capable of getting great shots.

• Post-focus/lens blur: Galaxy S5 vs Xperia Z2 vs One (M8) vs Google Cam

The background blur can be adjusted on the Xperia Z2. / © ANDROIDPIT

Samsung Galaxy S5: Best all-rounder

The Galaxy S5 is, in short, the best overall package for photos with an Android smartphone. Although Samsung's software capabilities sometimes means the photos look better after some processing, making up for some of the visual artifacts in the initial picture, the average photographer will probably look at the S5 as the best camera. It's fast, with an accurate focus, and maximum resolution of 16 megapixels in the 16: 9 format. The HDR mode comes with real-time preview and blur effect, with which one can achieve the look of a professional SLR smartphone photos.

• Samsung Galaxy S5 camera: the best features for quality pictures [Video]

The camera interface of the Galaxy S5. / © ANDROIDPIT

Oppo Find 7: Not just for specialists

To see the real benefit of the Oppo Find 7 you have to expand your horizons. The camera produces decent pictures and satisfactory recordings, but it also brings with it a special feature: the Oppo Find 7 can take pictures in RAW format. RAW files are, as the name suggested, uncompressed data files, which means they are primed editing on a PC with professional programs after they have been taken. The advantage of this is that, while a JPEG is already compressed and processed by the camera software, a RAW file is open for the photographer to get the best from the image. White balance, exposure, saturation, contrast and brightness levels can be adjusted much more effectively by an expert.

• Oppo Find 7 vs the competition: Galaxy S5, Xperia Z2, HTC One (M8), LG G3

The camera of Oppos Find 7 offers some interesting options not just limited to experts. / © ANDROIDPIT

In addition, the Find 7 photos can be taken with a super-resolution of around 50 megapixels! With only a 13 MP camera, this is a software trick of course, but the results, for those looking for incredibly fine detail, are fantastic. If you are somebody who likes large format prints and want to hang your photos on the wall, the Find 7 may be your best bet.

Samsung Galaxy K Zoom: the smart camera

The Galaxy K Zoom is the successor to the Galaxy S4 Zoom, another attempt by Samsung at creating a smartphone/camera hybrid, rather than a smartphone with a camera. It is the only Android handset to feature an optical zoom, capable of zooming-in on details without sacificing quality like with a digital zoom. Also, the K zoom brings a 20.7 megapixels sensor, and Xenon flash instead of the usual, and significantly duller LED light. It's definitely one to check out for camera enthusiasts.

© Samsung

There you go, those are our top picks. If you want some further reading, check out our best Android camera app article to discover some other cool ways to improve your snaps. What is your favorite smartphone for taking pictures?

Source fromhttp://www.androidpit.com