Dual camera smartphones: Here's how to choose the best budget ones

Dual camera phones — not only are they becoming more common but they’re also becoming a lot more affordable. Price revisions and new contenders under the Rs 15,000 mark mean that everyone can enjoy the shallow focus and bokeh effects that dual cameras are known for.

Lenovo K8 Note (Rs 12,999 onwards)

The K8 Note is the first device from Lenovo to come with a dual camera system and that too on a budget. The phone has a 13MP + 5MP dual camera setup which enables a user to go as low as f1.2 aperture via the camera interface for bokeh effect. On the front is a 13MP selfie camera with a soft LED flash for low light. For the price, you get a 5.5-inch full HD display, deca-core processor, 3/4GB RAM, 32/64GB storage, a 4,000mAh battery and it runs stock Android 7.1.




Lenovo K8 plus (Rs 10,999)



Lenovo K8 Plus is a compact version of the Lenovo K8 Note. It comes with a similar dual camera setup — 13MP + 5MP and has a dual-tone LED flash. Like the K8 Note, the K8 Plus has the same camera interface with real-time bokeh effect with f1.2 aperture via software. However, the front has an 8MP camera with a LED flash for selfies. It has a 5.2-inch full HD display, octa-core Helio P25 processor, 3GB RAM, 32GB storage, 4,000mAh battery and stock Android 7.1.

Coolpad Cool 1 (Rs 8,999 onwards)

While Coolpad has recently launched the Cool Play 6 with a dual camera, the Cool 1 launched earlier this year also has a great dual camera setup. It has a dual 13MP setup — a primary color lens and a secondary monochrome lens which enables the phone to capture images with excellent details. The interface also offers the option to change the aperture value after capture as per preference. There is a 5.5-inch full HD display, Snapdragon 652 processor, 4GB RAM, 32GB storage (non-expandable) and a 4,060mAh battery.

Xiaomi Mi A1 (Rs 14,999)



This one was quite a departure for Xiaomi: a phone with stock Android instead of the heavily customised MiUI. This special version of the Mi 5x was launched in some markets due to customer demand. But it also has one of the best dual camera setups on this bench. The dual 12MP cameras enable 2x optical zoom and portrait mode.

One is a wide angle (26mm) with f2.2 aperture while the other is a telephoto (50mm) with f2.6 aperture. Other specs include a 1080p 5.5-inch screen, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage, 3,080mAh battery and a weight of 165 grams.

Honor 6x (Rs 9,999 onwards)



Honor 6x was amongst the first budget phones to come with a dual camera setup earlier this year. It has a 12MP + 2MP camera and offers an aperture range of f0.95 to f16 via the camera interface.

The interface also offers a plethora of shoot modes including light paint, colour splash etc. On the front is a wide-angle 8MP fixed focus camera. Other specifications include a 5.5-inch full HD display, octa-core Kirin 655 processor, 3/4GB RAM, 32GB storage and a 3,340mAh battery.

Zopo Speed X (Rs 11,999)


(zopomobile.com)

Zopo’s mid-range dual camera smartphone features a 13MP + 2MP rear camera system. On the software side it has a dedicated bokeh mode that uses both cameras to add a background blur effect that makes the subject stand out. It has a 5-inch full HD display in an all metal body and runs Android 7.0.

Hardware specifications include octa core Mediatek MT6753 processor, 3GB RAM, 32GB storage and a 2,680mAh battery.

Honor 8 (Rs 14,999)



Snap this one up if you like deals because it used to be priced at `29,990. The glittery back panel small size hides the fact that this phone boasts the same kind of dual camera smarts seen in the more expensive Huawei P9 (which was co-branded with Leica). Despite the small size, it has a clickable fingerprint scanner ‘smart key’, IR blaster, 3.5mm out and dual 12MP cameras that sit flush with the phone. One of the cameras only captures monochrome, serving to add detail to info from the primary. It also has shallow depth/portrait and you can adjust the aperture level and area of focus after capturing the photo.

Common Questions Answered

For Cameras — Are Two Heads Better Than One?

For decades, we’ve been told that SLR and large format cameras are the best at photography. It simply has to do with size (of the film — and later, of the image sensor). Size wins in a traditional world but smartphones are anything but. Particularly in the camera department, manufacturers have found clever ways to eke out better quality every year. This explains why dual (and triple and quad…) cameras are a trend. Having multiple sensors and lenses can overcome some of the limitations of a smartphone — a device that has to be thin, light, efficient and durable. In fact, the technology exists to make a camera with 16 sensors and lenses.

The Light L16 camera is only slightly larger than a 5.5-inch smartphone but claims to capture DSLR-beating, 81 Megapixel photos. That’s the next step for smartphones. It won’t end with just two cameras, that’s for sure.

Budget Dual vs Premium Dual — What’s The Difference?

Just slapping on an extra lens does not mean you’ll instantly get better photos. Plus, there are different approaches to the dual camera setup. One approach is to have two lenses of different focal lengths so that you can zoom in on a subject. Another approach is to have one ultra-wide angle lens to offer an interesting perspective. Or the secondary camera could be monochrome, simply capturing additional light, which is to be merged with the results from the main camera for better overall quality.

Whatever the approach, the kind of sensor used (size of pixels, size of sensor, quality), lens quality/aperture and image processing engine/algorithms go a long way in determining image quality.

Why Better Quality? Aren’t Smartphone Cameras Good Enough?

Not by a long shot. Most of them still struggle to capture good photos in low light. And when you compare the noise levels and resolving power of a smartphone with a DSLR, there’s still a massive difference. According to a recent report by analytics firm InfoTrends, of the roughly 1200 billion digital photos that are going to be captured by the end of 2017, 85% of those photos will be captured by smartphones. Only 10.3% of those photos will be taken by digital cameras and that number is falling. Once you recognise this irreversible trend, you’ll understand why the multi camera is here to stay.