Best Cameraphones 2013
Gone are the days when phones were good only for making calls and sending text messages. Today's top models can give us driving directions, play movies, run complex applications, and most importantly, capture photos and videos. In fact, cameraphones have evolved so much that many people don't bother carrying a dedicated point-and-shoot camera with them anymore, relying solely on their mobile device for snapping shots.
Nokia Lumia 1020
Hardly a surprise, the Nokia Lumia 1020
gets a prime spot on our list of honored cameraphones. And why wouldn't
it? Thanks to its outstanding 41MP camera – a notable technological
achievement on its own – the handset is capable of capturing images of
unsurpassed detail and clarity, as we've proven numerous times already
with our camera comparisons. And that's not only because of the sensor's
high megapixel count. The optical image stabilization takes a key part
in the image-capturing process as well, keeping the frame steady thus
reducing motion blur. Videos look beautiful as well, enhanced by the
option to get closer to the action with the Lumia 1020's 4x lossless
zoom. A perk worth mentioning is the bright xenon flash on the
smartphone's back, helping out when taking low-light shots. Last but not
least, there's the Nokia Camera application enabling the photographer
to take full control over the image with its manual controls. Simply
put, the Nokia Lumia 1020 might very well be regarded as the ultimate
cameraphone of 2013 and we can't wait to see what Nokia has in stock to
succeed it with next year.
Samsung Galaxy Note 3
All
of Samsung's recent high-end devices have been outfitted with very
capable cameras, and the Galaxy Note 3 is no exception. In fact, it is
definitely one of the best shooters out there, striking a good balance
between image and video quality, shooting speed, ease of use, and manual
control over the image. Plus, its rich feature set includes 4K video
recording and 120fps slo-mos – modes that the very few other smartphones
can offer. Quality-wise, photos taken with the Note 3 are almost always
excellent, low on noise and high on details. Even at night – a case
where many smartphone cameras disappoint – the Note 3 still manages to
snap a pretty photo. All in all, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is a phone
well worthy of being on today's list.
iPhone 5s
Yup, the iPhone 5s
gets a mention as well! Why is that? Well, just think about it. On one
hand, we know that there are better cameras with more megapixels and
fancy features like optical image stabilization and the likes. But on
the other hand, the iPhone remains one of the fastest and easiest to use
cameras in existence. You just aim, shoot, and let the phone take care
of the rest! More often than not, its photos would look great despite
having a resolution of "only" 8 megapixels. Besides, the camera on the
5s got a welcome upgrade this year, allowing it to take better low-light
shots with its larger sensor and improved LED flash. To wrap it up, if
you're looking for an easy to use camera that excels in a wide variety
of conditions, look no further than the iPhone 5s.