Today, a smartphone is more than just a phone – in some cases, it’s a digital camera, a camcorder, and even a webcam! So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the best android cameras for live streaming, videography, and photography.
Live streaming
Live streaming is increasingly becoming part of the norm for our entertainment media. From ‘retailtainment’ to vlogging, streamers to social media, live streaming is on the rise in a wide range of different sectors, allowing for both professionals and amateurs to pick up their phones and get involved.
Just take something like online casinos. Many online platforms offer live table games which are streamed in real time to players. For example, players can try their hand at blackjack for real money through games such as Live All Bets Blackjack, Live Lightning Blackjack, and Live Majority Rules Blackjack, allowing players to interact with the dealer and other players in real time. The live aspect of the streamed media makes the experience more immersive for viewers and participants.
This exemplifies just how important a good streaming camera can be. Traditionally, front-facing cameras used for entertainment live streams have been less powerful than their rear-facing peers as they have most popularly been used for taking selfies. However, with this rise in demand for high-quality front-facing video, so too has their quality.
Perhaps the best smartphone for front-facing video is the Huawei P40 Pro. This device has a 26mm 30MP selfie camera that can capture 30/60fps in either 4K or 1080p high definition (HD) quality. The autofocus is top-notch in all lighting conditions, with clear exposure control, and video stabilization for smooth recording. That said, another range of phones are known for their cameras – the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra certainly pips the P40 Pro to the post in terms of video color rendering in low light.
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Video capture
Smartphones have long since replaced the bulky camcorder, not least because you can get instant playback rather than having to wait to plug the device into a monitor. Over the past few years, this move towards smartphones for video capture has further increased, even for professional filmmakers.
As reported by the Guardian, smartphones are hailed as a step towards the next generation of filmmaking, as it encourages innovation, and improves accessibility into the industry, ultimately boosting diversification. With this in mind, whether you use smartphones for work or for fun – to create professional clips or capture memories – the quality of smartphone video capture is consistently improving.
The best Android device for video might not be a shock to some – the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. This device has four rear cameras (200MP, 50MP, 12MP, and 10MP) which can capture ultra-HD 8K video at a rate of up to 30fps. It also has a slow motion capture, which films at 240fps in full-HD or 120fps in ultra-HD.
Other notable devices include the Google Pixel 8 Pro. Google’s Pixel devices are renowned for video capture, and this phone boasts 4K resolution and 60fps. There is also a Cinematic video mode and an Audio Eraser tool to tailor the capture to suit your needs.
Those used to Sony cameras might also consider the Sony Xperia Pro I. In fact, the user interface of the video recording is based on that of their pro cameras, and features include stabilization and subject tracking.
Photography
Now, it may come as no surprise that some of the best smartphones for photography are already on this list (we see you Google Pixel 8 Pro and Samsung S24 Ultra!) so we won’t bore you by repeating ourselves. Instead, let’s take a minute to highlight some of the excellent smartphones that are great choices for people who are only interested in the photography function.
The Google Pixel 8a, for example, is one of the more affordable choices that still has an excellent camera. The phone has a dual camera of 64MP and 13MP, allowing wide and ultrawide shots to be captured in ultra-HD. The camera also has a best-take function, dual-LED flash, automatic pixel shift, and panoramic capture.
Perhaps the coolest-looking choice is the OnePlus 12. This phone has a triple camera (50MP, 64MP, and 48MP) that can shoot in wide, ultrawide, and periscope telephoto in HD. Additional features include Hasselblad Colour Calibration, 3x optical zoom, and multidirectional phase-detection autofocus.
As you can see, there are a wide range of different options depending on which camera you used, how you intend to use it, and where you’re hoping to use the end result. That said, for a clear all-rounder, the key standouts are the Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy Ultra series.
