Images are key for event promotion and necessary for attendees to feel engaged, but paying for a professional photographer is not an efficient use of funds. We use our phones as our computers, maps and alarm clocks—and camera quality is improving, as well. Smartphones are now taking pictures that only thousand-dollar cameras used to be able to capture.
If you have always thought yourself to have a keen eye for the lens or want to save money by cutting out a photographer budget, have a look at this list of top-ranking smartphones from DxOMark Image Labs, the industry standard for image quality measurements and ratings.
1. Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
Introduced last month and bumping the Google Pixel 2 from the No. 1 spot, the latest Samsung product is the phone to get if taking beautiful photos is your priority. Scoring 99 out of 100 on DxOMark’s collective photo and video scores, DxOMark stated it is the “best [photo score] we’ve seen so far.” Producing clear and colorful images at superb resolution, even when zooming, the Galaxy S9 Plus may be the phone for you.
2. Google Pixel 2
Google’s Pixel 2 comes in second place, with a DxOMark photo and video score of 98. This phone has been recognized for its image and video quality for some time now, with autofocus, detail preservation and solid flash continuing to perform at a high level. The Pixel 2 is the best option for videographers, scoring 96 out of 100 in video quality. (The Galaxy S9 scored 91.)
3. Apple iPhone X
Apple’s latest smartphone comes in third, with a score of 97. Although the camera out-performs the Google Pixel 2 for still photographs, its video score keeps the smartphone in third place. Compared to its sibling, the iPhone 8 Plus, the X has superior zoom performance, color rending and exposure settings. Its portrait mode showcases its high quality.
4. Huawei Mate 10 Pro
Coming in at fourth place and tying iPhone X, with 97 points overall, is this Chinese-manufactured phone, which only recently became available in the United States. The Huawei Mate 10 Pro boasts Leica dual lens cameras, and has a wide dynamic range and incredible detail preservation, regardless of low light and zoom conditions.
If these four phones are out of budget, you might consider Apple’s iPhone 8 Plus and Samsung Galaxy Note 8, tied for fifth with a score of 94. Both are able to capture incredible images at less cost.
