12 Best budget camera phones: (2023 Guide & Reviews)

Last Updated on September 15, 2023 by Sharon Advik

Phones are an enthralling piece of technological advancement.

I cannot emphasize enough how resourceful a pocket device can become.

Besides fundamental utilization for making calls, watching content, and exploring the internet, mobile phones are spectacular devices for cameras.

The mobile phone has high-resolution pixels and broad focus integrations, giving a dynamic picture quality.

The best thing is that phones cost much less than professional cameras.

Moreover, one of the many advantages of using a phone camera for taking pictures is that both rare and selfie cameras give apparent picture quality and broaden the range of angles at which snapshots can be captured.

Even when the budget is limited to around 500-700, good photo results are achievable without concerns.

Which are the best budget camera phones?

Here are my recommended top 12 best budget camera phones:-

Google Pixel 6a: (Best budget camera phones)

My cousin’s marriage truly brought blissfulness and excitement to our family after a long time.

Even though it was a minimal function and only close family members and friends were invited, we all were eager to make the event the best in our memories.

Besides being the bride’s maid, I was also entitled to be the camera girl of the event.

Unfortunately, I forgot to bring my professional camera to the church; however, the Google Pixel 6a saved my day.

I had never used my phone to cover any event before, and I only bought this inexpensive smartphone for casual use.

To my surprise, the Pixel 6a was one of the Best budget camera phones.

It helped me click shots from various angles and poses; every picture was better than the previous one.

Features:

Battery/Display:

The battery life of pixel 6a is an absolute delight.

It works for up to 24 hours, but let us be clear that the working can also decrease depending upon individual usage.

One of the features I admire the most is that the battery usage gets adjusted automatically as it learns about the apps I use the most and does not waste power over the apps I rarely use.

However, when I used its camera more at my cousin’s wedding, the battery showed no significant drainage, and I successfully covered the entire event.

The 6.4-inch FHD display is glossy and comes with water-resistant tech, but beware that the protection may be lost over time, as in most electronic devices.

Speed processing:

Google has started introducing its chips in the phone, and the technology is remarkable; this chip has a fast processing rate.

I can launch apps and load images quickly.

The Google Tensor used in 6a pixel is very responsive and smooth in its functions.

The Tensor also enhances the picture quality by introducing a Magic Eraser that automatically omits unwanted objects.

Moreover, Google’s core is bound to cope with demanding computational AI tasks, and this feature is the show’s highlight here.

Camera:

The 12-megapixel rare and eight 8-megapixel front cameras make the images sharp and dynamic without compromising the raw beauty of the object I captured.

I was impressed by the color tone stabilization of the camera.

The portrait Mode is the one I like the most. The pixels come out better in this mode.

The processing software used in this device helps the camera make up for the 12-megapixel installation.

I noticed the 5a series had a 16 MP camera, but both picture qualities are similar.

Storage/sensor:

The Pixel 6a has 128 GB storage, enough to hold my photo library.

I can save and transfer files from a phone to a USB or laptop without glitches.

The phone uses a 50 MP sensor for the primary camera, less than the 64 MP sensor in a similarly priced Galaxy A53.

However, the sensor manages to hold its quality delivery in every aspect.

Conclusion:

With a custom-built chip from Google, the Google Pixel 6a performs highly in all tasks.

I genuinely admire the customizable pixel interference that compliments the wallpapers I chose for my screen.

The 6a also offers a fantastic night mode, a quality I did not observe in the phone SE, making this device one of the best budget camera phones.

Click here to buy

Pros
  • Brand: Google
  • Main Camera: 12 Megapixel
  • Selfie Camera: 8 Megapixel
  • Resolution: 1080* 2400
  • Protection: IP67 water-resistant
  • Capacity: 128 GB
  • RAM: 6 GB
  • Wireless Technology: GSM, UMTS, LTE
  • Operating system: Android 12.0
  • Cellular Technology: 5G
  • Dimensions: 15.22 x 7.18 x 0.88 cm
  • Weight: 178.42 Grams
  • Battery: Non-removable one lithium polymer
  • Charging time: Fast
Cons
  • No headphone jack
  • No wireless charging
  • Lacks microSD card slot

iPhone SE: (Best budget camera phones)

On my trip to Mauritius with my friends, Black River Gorges National Park was our next destination after spending much time at the beaches of Flacq District.

Black River is renowned for hiking and picnicking, as it is a rather hilly area, so we planned to explore the humid forest.

I could not take my heavy camera to capture the wonders of nature in the upland due to hiking.

Consequently, at that moment, mobile phone and power bank was the only rational choice to lessen some bag load.

My iPhone SE, which became one of the best budget camera phones for me, brought the true greens of the park to life.

The color saturation and picture clarity were terrific.

The SE truly focused on bringing out the details of the scenes, and I did not miss my camera at all.

Features:

Battery/Display:

The battery life of the iPhone SE works better than its predecessors, and it quickly gave me 9-10 hours of capacity while capturing the terrific scenery of the National Park.

The battery also gets charged fast, taking about half an hour to set to about 75%.

The 4.7-inch display of SE is not full HD, but the picture quality is still exceptional, as I never noticed any smudges.

Speed processing:

The iPhone SE comes with the A15 Bionic chip, which delivers a very efficient performance.

The 6-core CPU has four performance and two efficiency cores, adding to the chip’s working capability.

The 16-core neural system is one of its kind, and as I checked the Benchmarks, I was genuinely impressed by the results.

Camera:

The camera performance of iPhones is known for their clear quality, and this model comes with a 12-megapixel rare and 7-megapixel front camera.

The Rear camera has an f/1.8 aperture, while the front is installed with an f/2.2 gap.

The scenery of the National Park was excellent, especially when I captured the close-ups of some forest herbs and rare plants.

The waterfall picture was too apparent as the camera managed the light falling off the object well.

Thanks to the A15 Bionic Chip’s HDR that handled the lighting while retaining the details of the thing.

I have only one issue with SE: it does not have a proper night Mode, and I could not capture anything past dawn.

Storage/sensor:

The iPhone SE has three storage capacities: 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB.

It gives multiple options depending on individual needs.

The model I bought has 128 GB of storage, which seems fine for handling normal data flow.

The model relies on fingerprint, accelerometer, proximity, gyro, and barometer sensors.

Conclusion:

The Rear camera of the phone supports Quad-LED dual-tone flash and HDR, while the front one also gives HDR quality, making the iPhone SE one of the Best budget camera phones.

The phone is a true performer when used as a photography device, excluding Night Mode’s absence.

I wholeheartedly recommend this phone to anyone interested in photography and looking forward to switching from Android.

Click here to buy

Pros
  • Brand: Apple
  • Main Camera: 12 MP
  • Selfie Camera: 7 MP
  • Resolution: 1344* 750
  • Protection: water-resistant 1P67 tested
  • Capacity: 64 GB/ 128 GB/ 256 GB
  • Wireless Technology: GSM, CDMA, LTE
  • Operating system: IOS
  • Cellular Technology: 5G
  • Dimensions: 5.45 x 2.85 x 0.29 inches
  • Weight: 5.9 ounces
  • Battery: 1 Lithium Ion
  • Charging time: fast
Cons
  • Display is small and outdated
  • Single camera
  • 20-watt USB-C charger not included

Samsung Galaxy A53: (Best budget camera phones)

My Little brother is a photo enthusiast; he is always on a tour of the northern sides of the country to explore and click the magnificent scenes.

He had an old camera that was originally my father’s and needed to bring more picture perfection to his shots.

Hence, I decided to give him a Samsung Galaxy A53 with a striking camera to enhance his photography experience.

I have used this camera phone myself during my days of street photography, and it is truly one of the best camera phones ever.

This little gadget can replace good quality digital cameras for people who want to use mobile phones for capturing snapshots.

Features:

Battery/Display:

One of the reasons I bought this device for my brother is its battery life and fast charging.

As someone continuously traveling in rural areas, the battery must have the potential of fast charging and low drainage that Galaxy delivers without concern.

The AMOLED 6.5-inch display adds the true meaning of the view while focusing on the object.

It is bright, and I noticed around 800 cd/m2 of maximum brightness, which enhances the photography experience.

Speed processing:

The phone is equipped with Exynos 1280 chipset.

The octa-core processor on Benchmarks was impressive. I explored many laboratory tests for this device and was pleased with the results.

The phone scored 745 on the GeekBench 5 single-core test, enough to go through daily tasks, and 2268/14 on 3D Mark Wild Life Unlimited, outracing the pixel 5a phones.

Camera:

I am writing detailed specs for the camera, as it is one of the most demanding features when buying camera phones.

The front camera of the A53 has 32 MP with f/2.2 aperture.

The camera is 26 mm wide and delivers accurate selfie quality with enhanced skin tone.

The Rare camera is the show’s star here with 64 megapixels with f1.8 aperture, OIS Ultra Wide angle, and f/2.4 depth.

The features give the latest touch and quality insurance while capturing the photos.

I thoroughly considered this specification to make my brother’s photography adventures more joyful.

Storage/sensor:

The model I gifted my brother has 128 GB with 6 GB RAM, which suffices the need for multitasking and routine usage.

However, multiple sets are available with 128 GB/4 GB, 128 GB/8GB, and 256GB with 6 GB/8GB RAM.

The device’s responsive sensors have a Virtual proximity sensor, gyro, and fingerprint reader.

Conclusion:

Samsung Galaxy A53 is at the top of the list of the Best budget camera phones if considering its use for traditional photography.

It has some of the most high-end specifications to elevate the picture.

120 Hz display does not come under budget devices, and as I have mentioned above, it outperforms many competitors in the market.

Click here to buy

Pros
  • Brand: Samsung
  • Main Camera: 64 MP
  • Selfie Camera: 32 MP
  • Resolution: 1080*2400
  • Protection: IP67 rated water-resistant
  • Capacity: 128 G
  • Technology: GSM, LTE, 5G
  • Dimensions: 0.33*6.3*2.96 inches
  • Weight: 6.7 ounces
  • Battery: 1 lithium-ion
  • Charging time: fast charging 25W
Cons
  • No support for wireless charging
  • Doesn’t ship with a power adapter

OnePlus Nord 2T: (Best budget camera phones)

I took a gap year during my undergraduate due to financial crises.

Therefore, I took photography as a profession to meet my needs in a foreign country.

I have always been skilled in capturing images, so I took a job for a traveler’s website.

The company was paying sufficiently, so I took the job and froze my seventh semester of media studies.

I had to take this step to make some savings for college fees and gain more experience as a photographer.

This gap year, I shaped my skills so that when I returned to university this year, I was also offered a job as a photographer at the university media club.

The only problem I faced was I needed a digital camera.

So, in the first few months, I covered all the events with my OnePlus Nord 2T, one of the best budget camera phones.

2T enabled me to click amazing photos on every occasion without a DSLR. Of course, DSLR has its benefits, and I bought one later, but the Nord 2T was a much-appreciated companion during my early days of part-time employment at the club.

Features:

Battery/Display:

The battery life of Nord 2T is exponentially good and gives approximately 26 hours when I checked in 3G-talk time.

The video playback test also delivered excellent battery life with almost 16 hours of stability.

The AMOLED display has a 90 Hz refresh rate.

It is supported on HDR10+, making my photo’s color contrast even more accurate while editing the media club shots for a university magazine.

The display has water-resistant tech with Corning Gorilla Glass 5, much-needed protection as I often slip my phone.

Speed processing:

1+ is installing some of the latest processes to enhance the processing.

This model has an Octa-core CPU with 1*3.0 GHz cortex-A78 and 3*2.6 GHz Cortex A78, ensuring fast computational task delivery.

Without sweating the CPU, I can use the phone in every possible demanding aspect.

Camera:

The central triple camera has 50MP and f/1.9 aperture, PDAF, and OIS along with 2 MP, f/2.2 depth, and 8 MP f/2.2 120˚ Ultra wide angle, giving me every possible view without any distraction from light.

I also admire its selfie camera performance with 32 MP featuring auto HDR.

Even when clicking from a distance, my photos are accurate and detailed due to the High Dynamic Range.

The Zoom quality of the rare camera is much better than many of the devices I used over time, and it does not break the pixels

Storage/sensor:

This model does not have a card slot for expanding capacity, but the 128 GB storage seems enough for routine use as it provides enough space for even larger files that I store on my phone.

However, if someone wants more, they can buy a 256 GB set with 12 GB RAM.

The 2T supports an accelerometer, gyro, proximity, and fingerprint sensors, each responsive and quick in action.

Conclusion:

What else can someone expect from such a low-priced but highly sturdy performer?

From battery life to its camera and performance, every technicality brings out more for its users, making the OnePlus Nord 2T one of the Best budget camera phones.

Click here to buy

Pros
  • Brand: 1+
  • Primary Camera: 50 MP
  • Selfie Camera: 32 MP
  • Resolution: 1080*2400
  • Protection: water-resistant
  • Capacity: 128 GB
  • Technology: GSM/HSPA/LTE
  • Dimensions: 6.26* 2.88*0.32 inches
  • Weight: 6.70 Oz
  • Battery: Li-Po 4500 mAh
  • Charging time: 80W fast charging
Cons
  • The speakers’ audio output could have been better tuned.

OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G: (Best budget camera phones)

Cameras for photography can be cheaper than usual DSLRs.

Some mobile phones also come with built-in digital cameras that serve the purpose of photos, especially for aspirants.

My friend is a photo geek with a great library of urban areas of America because he loves exploring human interactions in its modern environment.

He uses his mobile phones for photography and recently used the OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G.

I am not an admirer of phone cameras; I have always used professional ones for my projects.

Still, I was impressed by the pictures my friend clicked with Nord.

Although many expensive phones fail at capturing a perfect photo, the OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G pushes them further low with its excellent image processing, making it one of the best budget camera phones.

Features:

Battery/Display:

The first thing I asked my friend about the qualities of the CE was battery life, as a camera phone is only helpful if it delivers good battery life.

He told me the battery has around 15 hours of longevity when tested on the Benchmark video player.

The display also seems much more fluid, with a 90 Hz refresh rate and 409 PPI density.

The Gorilla glass protection was true to its word for protecting the screen without any additional glass cover.

Speed processing:

The CE is installed with MediaTek MT6877 chipset, one of the latest integrations by 1+.

The CPU performance is also high-speed, as I checked its benchmark test.

The Octa-core CPU and Mali-G68 MC4 GPU have their advantages regarding prompt actions.

Camera:

The camera is the most crucial feature of CE, as I was so astonished by the picture results that I did not even realize that these pictures were captured by a camera phone.

The Triple Rare camera has 64 MP with f/1.8 aperture supporting PDAF, and the ultra-wide camera has 8 MP with f/2.2 aperture.

The camera also features HDR and panorama with LED flash.

What amazed me the most about this camera was that it retained the originality of the scenes by adding the ting of deeply contrasting colors that made the photos outstanding.

The detailing it could capture due to HDR is also very impressive.

Storage/sensor:

I inquired about the storage capacity of the CE from my friend, and he told me his device has 128 GB capacity with 6 GB RAM.

The sensor launch was instantaneous, and the machine was installed with an accelerometer, gyro, and proximity sensor.

Conclusion:

After experiencing the quality of the OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G, I decided to buy my device, which did not cost me much.

I truly valued every aspect of the device, from its charming build, sharp display, and camera quality to its robust CPU.

The only thing I was planning to upgrade for my machine was capacity.

Thus, I  bought 128 GB with 8 GB RAM that even elevated the photography experience, and I cannot hold myself without expressing my likeness for one of the best budget camera phones.

Click here to buy

Pros
  • Brand: 1+
  • Main Camera: 64 MP
  • Selfie Camera: 16 MP
  • Resolution: 1080*2400
  • Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass 5
  • Capacity: 128 GB
  • Technology: GSM/HSPA/LTE/5G
  • Dimensions: 6.32 *2.88* 0.31 inches
  • Weight: 6.10 Oz
  • Battery: Li-Po 4500 mAh
  • Charging time: 65W fast charging
Cons
  • Android 11
  • No adaptive refresh rate

Google Pixel 6: (Best budget camera phones)

My honeymoon was one of my life’s most important and beautiful times.

My wife took me to Bali, Indonesia, for our honeymoon.

The out-of-the-world beaches and amazingly built resorts in the middle of forests make it a perfect destination for nature lovers.

I was astonished by the beauty of Bali and wanted to capture every moment of our stay.

I am quite a photography master; I was looking forward to taking and processing some terrific pictures, but my camera did not work then, so I had to capture all the photos with my wife’s Google Pixel 6.

Although I am very eagle-eyed regarding photographs, the Google Pixel 6 did not dissatisfy me.

Comparing its reasonable price with the fantastic results, it is the best budget camera phone.

Features:

Battery/Display:

The battery life stood terrific throughout our trip as we were out of the hotel most of the time.

I used to take many pictures and make many video shots, but the battery remained great without any significant drainage for an extended period.

The display is one of the features that urged me to use my husband’s phone instead of mine.

The 6.4-inch AMOLED display is supported by HDR, which makes the view look even more gorgeous.

Speed processing:

The Google tensor chip is too fast when integrated with an Octa-core processor.

The combination makes the phone perfect for routine tasks.

I could launch the system, wander around the phone, and multitask without any glitches, thanks to the 2*2.80 GHz Cortex of the Pixel 6.

Camera:

The Wide and ultra-wide rare camera has 50 MP f/1.9 and 12 MP f/2.2, respectively.

Although I have used cameras with 64 MP, still the processing units of the smartphone provide a footing for better picture outcomes even with a 50 MP cam.

For instance, the introduction of Google Tensor makes it possible to use Magic Eraser, which omits unwanted objects while capturing pictures.

The focus, angle, and color stabilization are edgy, and the pixel never seems broken, even when I developed some photos from my honeymoon.

Storage/sensor:

Storage is one of my most important features, as my photo galleries are always extensive.

Fortunately, I could store all the data from my trip on 256 GB storage.

However, a lower-capacity model with 128 GB/8 RAM is also available so that buyers can choose any model depending upon need.

All the sensors work perfectly, including the fingerprint and proximity sensor.

Conclusion:

Concluding the topic, I recommend the Google Pixel 6 for aspirant photographers because it is one of the best budget camera phones.

A very charming device with compact internals permits multiple usages of the smartphone.

Click here to buy

Pros
  • Brand: Google
  • Main Camera: 50 MP
  • Selfie Camera: 8MP
  • Resolution: 1080*2400
  • Protection: gorilla glass, water resistant
  • Capacity: 128 GB
  • Technology: GSM, LTE, 5G
  • Dimensions: 158.6×74.8×8.9mm
  • Weight: 207g
  • Battery: 4614 mAh
  • Charging time: 50% in 30 minutes
Cons
  • Slow fingerprint sensor
  • Android 12 has some quirks

Moto G200: (Best budget camera phones)

I work for a newspaper and am assigned to capture the latest photographs of high-profile politicians and celebrities. Controversy and spicy news are what keep the newspapers going.

Therefore, in my work, I have to wander throughout the City a lot to be present in the exact moment.

It is tiring to take my camera everywhere, so I often use my phone to click the shots.

I have a Moto G200, one of the best budget camera phones, especially for paparazzi who are always on the run.

It delivers the perfect job by quickly focusing on the scene.

The zoom-in quality is also excellent, making the shots from a certain distance clear and possible.

Features:

Battery/Display:

The battery gets charged quickly and remains stable for around 10 hours.

I accomplish my routine tasks with this much battery life, even when I use it for shooting most of the time.

The display is 6.8-inch and offers an extensive view with a 144 Hz refresh rate.

I enjoy the 20.5:9 aspect ratio, which makes everything look more comprehensive.

Speed processing:

The QUALCOMM SM8350 Snapdragon 88+ 5G and the Octa-core processor are very snappy in performance.

The brains behind Moto ensured the delivery of spot actions when prompted.

I can multitask and operate the system in the blink of an eye.

There is no stutter while going through the phone daily.

Camera:

The rare camera has 108 MP, making it even more suitable for clicking distant shots.

I usually see 50 or 64-megapixel cameras in budget devices, but Moto has pushed that barrier to another end.

The camera zoom-in is a much-required spec, and I am always satisfied with the results.

Regarding the aperture, I noticed the rare camera has f/1.9 with 119 degrees 13 MP ultra-wide angle.

Storage/sensor:

At first, I planned to buy a 128 GB storage model, but then, considering the bulk data, I paid a little more daily and bought 256 GB/ 8 GB RAM capacity.

I never felt any problem storing larger files and loading apps that I often use to edit and transfer data to a hard drive.

The 128 GB will be sufficient for anyone who uses less storage routinely.

Conclusion:

One feature that makes the Moto G200 one of the best budget camera phones is its 108-megapixel rare cam.

It is an exception and an ultimate requirement to capture fine details and dynamic colors compared to other inexpensive devices.

The battery life and process also increase the durability of the machine.

Click here to buy

Pros
  • Brand: Motorola
  • Primary Camera: 108 MP
  • Selfie Camera: 16 MP
  • Resolution: 1080* 2460
  • Protection: Water-repellent
  • Capacity: 128 GB
  • Technology: CDMA. LTE, GSM
  • Dimensions: 2.97*0.35*6.62
  • Weight: 7.1 ounces
  • Battery: 5000 mAh
  • Charging time: 33W fast charging.
Cons
  • No stereo speakers.

Realme C35: (Best budget camera phones)

After almost a year of continuous travel for my photo project, I was happy to be at home and was not planning on taking on any project for a few months.

My mother took advantage of the situation and asked me to help her start a baking channel.

Thus, during the summer, I helped film my mother’s baking shots and captured terrific photos of the food for thumbnails.

Although I made most of the content through my professional camera, I still made short videos and pictures for the channel from my Realme C35, my favorite and one of the best budget camera phones.

I made some great vlogs with its selfie camera and captured some aesthetics of the food for thumbnails.

Features:

Battery/Display:

The 18W fast charging proves to be snappy in its charging. I can get around 75 % of the charging in 45 minutes.

I have noticed that the battery drains fast in some phones, but in Realme, it stays the same for most of its usage and drains faster only after it remains 20%.

The display looks good when editing photos and videos for my mother’s channel.

The display is bright enough to make the details prominent.

Speed processing:

The C35 runs on the Unisoc Tiger T616 processor.

The CPU is not one of the most impressive, but it serves its purpose without cracking.

I only checked the CPU performance test and was pleased to infer that it scored 30% more than many similarly prized devices on the multi-core GeekBench test.

Camera:

The content posted on YouTube often gets blurry if the camera results are not good, but Realme, with a 50 MP rare camera, successfully came out of that blurry range.

However, I am more focused on making pictures for thumbnails, and this triple camera with f/1.8 aperture, 2MP, f/2.4 macro, and 0.3 MP, f/2.8 depth makes the baked cakes and pastries look delicious.

What makes this camera setup the best is that the colors of the food do not look filtered, as it just increases the depth and saturation without making the content look too filtered.

The selfie camera also captures the details with 8 MP, f/2.0.

Storage/sensor:

Storage has a variety of options in the market.

The Realme starts from 64 GB/4GB, 64 GB/6 GB, and 128 GB/ 4GB/ 6GB RAM.

The lower configuration seems too low for bulk use, so I suggest buying a 128 GB/6GB configuration.

The phone’s sensors make quick responses when launched.

It has all the critical essentials, including an accelerometer, gyro, proximity, and fingerprint mounted to the side of the device.

Conclusion:

Realme C35 is among the Best budget camera phones in its eternity.

The crisp display and competent campers make this device editor’s choice for photographic use, and the bold design looks good in the hand.

The processor performance and battery life are also reasonable and complete the filling of this budget device.

Click here to buy

Pros
  • Brand: Realme
  • Main Camera: 50 MP
  • Selfie Camera: 8 MP
  • Resolution: 1080*2408
  • Protection: Panda Glass
  • Capacity: 128 GB/4 GB RAM
  • Technology: GSM/ HSPA/LTE
  • Dimensions: 6.47 * 2.98* 0.32 inches
  • Weight: 6.67 Oz
  • Battery: Li-Po 5000 mAh
  • Charging time: 18W fast charging
Cons
  • Non-removable battery
  • No reverse charging
  • No wireless charging

Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G: (Best budget camera phones)

I have seen that only some photographs consider using a mobile phone camera for capturing photos, but I am an exceptional case.

Sometimes, I prefer camera phones to digital cameras because of their convenience.

I feel reluctant to carry a camera and laptop on my project sites, so I use a camera phone to click and edit the pictures.

It saved me a lot of load and space while traveling from one place to another.

I have used many smartphones during my years of photography, but the edgy results I got with the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G were incredible.

I bought this device a few months back when I got wary of my previous phone.

Mi 11 did not cost me much and gave me exponential experience during my quarterly photography Tours, making it one of the best budget camera phones.

Features:

Battery/Display:

While on my tours, I need my device to be fully charged to keep up with my working hours.

My previous machine used to take too much time for 100% charging, and once the battery gets lower than 50%.

The problem was solved by my Mi 11, which delivers fast charging with stable battery time, and I can quickly complete my working hours.

The 6.55-inch AMOLED display has 1B color tech with HDR10 +, making the content look charming when I edit my photos or watch movies.

Speed processing:

There is an 8-core CPU that is outfitted in this device bound to deliver high-speed performance.

The cores include one 2.4 GHz Kryo 670, three 2.2 GHz Kryo 670, and four 1.90 GHz Kryo 670 with Adreno 642 GPU.

It is 40% faster than my previous device, and I can now conduct multiple tasks without lags.

Camera:

I mostly do landscape photography and always need wide angles and focal lengths.

The rare camera of Xiaomi has a triple-lens setup with 64 MP, f/1.8 aperture, and 26 mm focal length.

The Ultra wide lens has 8 MP, f2.2 119 degrees angle, and the macro lens is 5 MP, f/2.4.

These combined make the picture look clear, dynamic, and detailed.

The front 20 MP camera is also 27 mm wide, making the vlogs and selfies much more exciting.

Storage/sensor:

The storage capacity of my model is 128 GB with 8 GB of RAM.

Lower and higher-end models are also available.

The 64 GB model may need help to keep up with extensive data, so I recommend buying the 128 GB configuration.

The 64 MP 1/1.97″ sensor detects light efficiently.

Other sensors also work to give responsive system operations every time I use the phone.

The sensors include a Fingerprint mounted on the side of the device, an accelerometer, a gyro sensor, and a Virtual Proximity Sensor.

Conclusion:

The overall technical specifications of the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G make it one of the Best budget camera phones.

I am still waiting to notice any feature that does not work to its peak capacity.

The phone is proficient and perfect for making photography journeys exceptional.

Click here to buy

Pros
  • Brand: Xiaomi
  • Main Camera: 64 MP
  • Selfie Camera: 20 MP
  • Resolution: 1080*2400
  • Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass 6
  • Capacity: 128 GB
  • Technology: GSM/ CDMA/ HSPA/EVDO/LTE
  • Dimensions: 6.32 x 2.98 x 0.27 inches
  • Weight: 5.61 Oz
  • Battery: Li-Po 4250 mAh
  • Charging time: 33W fast charging
Cons
  • Average Audio Quality
  • Small Battery Size
  • No 3.5mm Jack

Moto G Power (2022): (Best budget camera phones)

I was recently working on a project in the middle of Mozambique, working with a wildlife team to explore the Tuskless elephant population.

I was taking pictures for the wildlife magazine where the research would be published.

The DSLR that I initially used on the project broke, and it was an utter disappointment for me during the project.

However, my work was nearly complete, and I needed to take more pictures of the population.

One of my colleagues hinted that I should use my phone’s camera for the remaining photos.

I used my phone for taking casual shots, which works great, but I had never used it for professional work.

After showing a bit of reluctance, I finally agreed to it because I had no other choice.

I took the remaining photos with my Moto G Power (2022), which was out-class.

My whole team was impressed by the quality of the pictures, and even though it’s not a very expensive device, it still turned out to be one of the best budget camera phones I have used.

Features:

Battery/Display:

The 5000 mAh battery is claimed to work for around three days; that is only a promotion.

However, battery life is enough to get through ordinary days.

I used it for about 11 hours while capturing photos and listening to music.

The 6.5-inch display with a 20:9 aspect ratio makes the content look excellent on the widescreen.

The warm color display gives lifelike visuals when I watch movies.

Speed processing:

I can get boosted speed and efficiency from an octa-core processor.

The device is equipped with HyperEngine technology.

The MediaTek G37 Helio 2.3 GHz processor allows prompt actions, faster refresh rates, and a convenient network connection.

Camera:

The rare camera is triple set up with 50 MP, f/1.8, 0.65µm, PDAF, 2 MP, f/2.4, (depth) and 2 MP, f/2.4, (macro).

The camera also features LED flash and HDR, one of the reasons I could capture delicate details of the elephants’ skin.

The Selfie camera is 8 MP with f/2.0 aperture, which is also very reasonable in making the pictures smooth and clear.

One of the reasons I was delighted by the results was that this camera can capture bright images even in low light due to its quad-pixel technology.

Storage/ sensor:

Internal storage options vary from 64GB 4GB RAM to 128GB 4GB RAM, and both are supported by the latest eMMC 5.1.

My device has 64 GB of capacity as I do not store much data on the phone, but 128 GB will be better for bulk storage.

It also offers MicroSDXC (dedicated slot) to expand the storage.

That is why I am satisfied with my 64 GB configuration.

The responsive sensors include fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, and barometer.

Conclusion:

Considering the device’s price and the latest technology, such as a micro vision camera and depth sensor, Moto G Power (2022) is one of the best budget camera phones.

The dual capture Technology lets me a shot with both front and back cameras synchronously, and the display makes the content look incredible.

Click here to buy

Pros
  • Brand: Motorola
  • Primary camera: 50 MP
  • Selfie camera: 8 MP
  • Resolution: 750*1600
  • Capacity: 128 GB/ 64 GB
  • Protection: water-resistant coating
  • Technology: GSM / HSPA / LTE
  • Dimensions: 167.2* 76.5* 9.4 mm
  • Weight: 203 g
  • Battery: 5000 mAh
  • Charging time: 70% in 20 minutes
Cons
  • No 5G connectivity
  • Comes with Android 11
  • Underwhelming audio
  • Slow charging

Nokia G50: (Best budget camera phones)

When I came to California for my BFA in photography, I had an old camera and started working as a tourist guide.

I have been doing this part-time job for four years now as I have connected with these sites, and I love to capture photos of tourists.

I enjoy my job, but the only problem I faced after capturing the images was that I needed more time to develop them for my clients.

Therefore, I thought of clicking pictures on my phone and sending them immediately to the clients.

I have specialized expertise in connecting photographs from various angles and sometimes process the photos to the client’s liking.

I do all this work on my Nokia G50.

It became one of the best budget camera phones ever, crucial to my earnings and growth as a photographer.

Features:

Battery/Display:

The battery life of this device is what makes it worth buying.

Its 18W fast charging takes less than 45 minutes in 100% charging as I only have about 1 hour to prepare for my part-time job after classes, so fast charging considerably serves my reasons and needs.

The 6.82-inch display is wide but not sharp.

Its typical faded look sometimes irritates me, but the camera and battery quality make this budget device worthy of my choice.

Speed processing:

Qualcomm SM4350 Snapdragon 480 5G (8 nm), the Octa-core CPU, and Adreno 619 GPU still need to be faster in their capacity.

However, I can do all my essential tasks for the day-to-day computation.

Camera:

The 48 MP solid camera gives accurate details in the picture and is backed by 5MP ultra-wide and 2 MP depth subordinate.

I can easily take photos in wide angles with the 48 MP camera with f/1.8 aperture.

Additionally, the camera feature with HDR and panorama due to the combination of these spaces, I could retain the raw quality of the pictures with enhanced skin tone, the part that my clients always cherished.

Storage/sensors:

The capacity of the model I use is 128 GB. It is a good enough space for most of the storage, but I have to use MicroSD for backup to preserve my client data, as 128 GB sometimes gets down due to bulk data.

The 48 MP sensors are very sturdy and do an adequate capturing job.

The other sensors included in this device are fingerprint, gyro, accelerometer, and proximity.

Conclusion:

Apart from the washed-out IPS display and slightly underperforming processor compared to the competitors, I am satisfied with the Nokia device.

The battery life and excellent camera performance make the Nokia G50 one of the best budget camera phones.

Still, if someone wants a faster CPU, they might need to consider other options.

Click here to buy

Pros
  • Brand: Nokia
  • Primary camera: 48 MP
  • Selfie camera: 8 MP
  • Resolution: 720*1560 pixels
  • Capacity: 128 GB
  • Protection: water-repellent
  • Technology: GSM / HSPA / LTE
  • Dimensions: 6.84* 3.0*0.35 inches
  • Weight: 220 g
  • Battery: 5000 mAh
  • Charging: 18W fast charging
Cons
  • Performance sluggish at times

Honor 50: (Best budget camera phones)

Mobile phones are indispensable devices that can be used for many activities, such as watching and streaming.

In addition, regular phones have good camera quality.

However, some things must be considered while buying an edgy camera phone specifically for photography.

I have evaluated that optics are essential features to enhance a picture’s clarity, depth, and saturation.

Any camera with a brighter aperture and decent megapixels would be sufficient for getting the job done.

Although the marketplace options are extensive, I have selected the Honor 50, which is the best budget camera phone with many built-in camera features for high image stimulation.

Features:

Battery/Display:

The battery life of any camera phone is as significant as its camera results because what will we do if the set cannot keep running?

I checked the Life of Honor, which came out to be exceptional.

It can deliver around 18 hours of longevity without any problem.

I could charge the phone to 70% in 20 minutes and 100 % in 45 minutes.

The display also looks good to me as its OLED display with an 89.7 % screen-t-body ratio makes the scenes look broader and brighter.

Speed processing:

The Octa-core processors and Qualcomm SM7325Snapdragon 778G 5G chip are one fast performer, and it takes much less time to run the operation than other budget devices I evaluated over time.

The CPU compliments the camera performance in true meaning by overcoming the computational processing of the pictures.

Camera:

As mentioned above, megapixels and apertures make any picture look astonishing without editing.

The Honor 50 has a 108 MP back camera with an f/1.9 aperture based on PDAF.

Its Quad camera also includes 8 MP, f2.2 120 degrees and 17mm Ultra-wide, 2 MP f/2.4, macro and 2 MP, f/2.4 depth lenses that convey intricate details of the pictures and enhance the color dynamics specularly.

The front camera also has a 32 MP lens with f/2.2 aperture and a 22 mm wide focal length to capture the everyday landscape.

Storage/sensor:

The storage capacity depends upon what is the daily utilization of the phone.

If the phone’s storage is not much used, 128 GB with 6 GB or 8 GB RAM would suffice.

If the phone is the only device for capturing and storing photos, buy 256 GB with 8GB or 12 GB RAM.

Apart from the 108MP, 1/1.52″ sensor, it is also outfitted with multiple other sensor options such as fingerprint, accelerometer, and proximity sensors.

Conclusion:

I have given a good view of what a good camera phone looks like, and the reader can buy the desired device after reading this article.

Undoubtedly, the options for budget camera phones are comprehensive in the market.

Still, my experience exploring photography gadgets allows me to rank the Honor 50 as one of the Best budget camera phones available.

Click here to buy

Pros
  • Brand: Huawei
  • Primary Camera: 108 MP
  • Selfie Camera: 32 MP
  • Resolution: 1080* 2340
  • Protection: water-resistant
  • Capacity: 128 GB
  • Technology: GSM/CDMA/HSPA/LTE
  • Dimensions: 6.30* 2.9*0.31 inches
  • Weight: 6.17 Oz
  • Battery: 4300 mAh
  • Charging time: fasting charging 66W
Cons
  • No ingress protection, no stereo speakers.
  • The software feels unfinished, with many Magic UI features missing.

CONCLUSION:

Alright, guys, that concludes all the phones we will discuss today in this article.

Do you guys have any experience with these phones? What are your thoughts on them?

Which are your Best budget camera phones?

Is there a phone you love to use that I didn’t mention in this article?

Would you please leave your thoughts and comments below?

Related posts:

Best camera phones:

2 thoughts on “12 Best budget camera phones: (2023 Guide & Reviews)”

Leave a Comment