Best Camera Smartphones for Night Photography to Capture the Magic..
By Himani Jha | Updated Jul 20, 2024, 5:52 PM IST
Whether you're an avid astrophotographer or an occasional photographer, these camera camera phones will help you to capture the night shot. Here are the best smartphones that are perfect for the night photography.
Best phones for night photography
Whether you are buying a high-end flagship smartphone or something that’s more pocket-friendly, a good camera system is now a standard feature. With higher-resolution image sensors relying on pixel binning, even basic smartphones of today can do impressive HDR processing and render images with great details. However, the differences start to arise as soon as the Sun sets. Night photography is tricky and when you are planning to take those dramatic portraits or those group photos around the bonfire, it all boils down to how well your phone’s camera has been tuned to take advantage of the resources available at hand.
Hence, if you love taking photos after the Sun retires for the day, we have curated a list of some of the best camera smartphones that impress us with night photography capabilities. It is obvious that most of the entrants in this list come from reputed brands like Samsung, Apple, OnePlus and Google. Although the onus falls onto your photographic skills, our chosen ones will ensure that you have the best resources at your disposal to get spectacular images.
Without waiting further, let’s have a quick look at the best camera smartphones you can buy for low light photography.
Best camera smartphones for night photography in India
1. Best Overall: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Hence, if you love taking photos after the Sun retires for the day, we have curated a list of some of the best camera smartphones that impress us with night photography capabilities. It is obvious that most of the entrants in this list come from reputed brands like Samsung, Apple, OnePlus and Google. Although the onus falls onto your photographic skills, our chosen ones will ensure that you have the best resources at your disposal to get spectacular images.
Without waiting further, let’s have a quick look at the best camera smartphones you can buy for low light photography.
Best camera smartphones for night photography in India
| Smartphones for night photography in India | Main Camera |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra | 200-megapixel |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 | 12-megapixel |
| Apple iPhone 15 Pro | 48-megapixel |
| Apple iPhone 15 | 48-megapixel |
| OnePlus 11 5G | 50-megapixel |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | 50-megapixel |
1. Best Overall: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
₹84999.00₹149999.0043% off
Display: 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED | SoC: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy | RAM: 12GB | Storage: 256/512GB
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has been one of the best camera smartphones to have launched this year and today, you can get a good deal on it. For almost INR 1 lakh, you get a brilliant 200-megapixel Samsung tuned main camera that takes amazing photos and videos in low light conditions. Samsung’s HDR processing is a notch above the competition and if you are in a creative mood, you can use its 3x and 10x zoom cameras to get the desired angles and framing around your subject. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy is a brilliantly tuned chipset to back the phone’s image processing. The 5,000mAh battery ensures you can easily last an entire day while busy clicking photos. Not to forget, the 6.8-inch QuadHD+ AMOLED display is one of the best in its segment.
Users’ review: Users have liked the camera, and premium build quality of the phone and its compact form factor. They said that the camera is at the next level, the display is world-class, and the performance is top-notch.
What do we like?
- Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra represents the best balance of camera hardware and software
- The phone was touted to have the best camera handsets launched in 2023
- S-Pen is very useful specially for those who use their phone for professional work
Pros:
- Solid performance
- Versatile camera
- Reverse wireless charging
Cons:
- Some users may find it too big to handle single-handedly
2. Best in design: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
Display: 6.7-inch FHD+ and 3.4-inch HD+ | SoC: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 256/512GB
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 doesn’t have the best image sensors or the most insane specifications, but you can be assured that it takes amazing night photographs. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 has a set of two 12-megapixel cameras that despite lacking the resolution are nicely tuned to take brilliant photos and videos at night. What helps further is the Flex Mode, thus allowing you to get tripod-like POV with even greater stability, which is a boon during night photography. The best part is that you can use its dual 12-megapixel cameras to take selfies!
Users’ review: Users have loved the striking design of Galaxy Z Flip 5 and the 120Hz AMOLED display. They mentioned that it has an amazing display, delivers exceptional results and is a great productivity device.
What do we like?
- We liked its stylish looks, handy form factor, and powerful and efficient chipset
- The versatile small screen make quick interactions like notifications, messages, and even staying connected on social media platforms easy
- Its futuristic foldable design sparks admiration wherever you go
Pros:
- Striking design
- Great performance
- Decent cameras
- Clean UI experience
Cons:
- Though Samsung has increased the size of outer cover display on the Galaxy Z Flip 5, it offers access to limited apps on the cover display
3. Best in performance: Apple iPhone 15 Pro
₹137600.00₹144900.005% off
Display: 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR | SoC: Apple A17 Pro chip | Storage: 128/256/512GB
Apple’s flagship iPhone 15 Pro is also one of the best camera smartphones for low-light photography. A revised 48-megapixel camera sensor takes in more light and better images exposure. Moreover, Apple’s SmartHDR 5 allows for brighter and clearer images even during adverse lighting conditions. You also get an improved ultra-wide camera and a 3x telephoto camera that help you get newer perspectives. Apple’s tuning leans more towards natural image tuning and hence, those interested in getting DSLR-like photos will be happy to use the iPhone 15 Pro’s camera system.
Users’ review: Customers like the in-hand feel, compact size, titanium frame and of course the camera as well as display.
What we like about this product?
- The phone has a compact size offering a great inhand feel
- Additionally, the display and the camera system are also great
- Tripple rear camera setup led by 48MP is great
- Titanium frame
- Compact form factor
- Reverse wireless charging
- The phone offers average battery life and slower charging than many of its competitors in this price range
₹70900.00₹79900.0011% off
4. Best in UI: Apple iPhone 15 Display: 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR | SoC: Apple A16 chip | Storage: 128/256/512GB
The iPhone 15 is much more affordable than the iPhone 15 Pro but makes no compromises with regards to camera performance. You have a differently tuned 48-megapixel main camera system that offers almost the same levels of low-light imaging as the iPhone 15 Pro. The SmartHDR 5 and long exposure modes help you to get clean and sharp images, regardless of the status of ambient lighting. You also have a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera that comes in handy with wider perspectives. The best part is that the same brilliant performance is transferred to the videography experience.
Users’ review: Customers like the images, smoothness, performance, and value of the cellular phone. They mentioned that the camera images were very natural, and there were no heating issues.
What do we like about this product?
- The phone has a very compact and handy size which makes it very easy to use
- The phone offers reliable performance even during the most demanding tasks
- The iOS 17 brings in several interesting features along with the clean UI
Pros:
- Great in-hand feel
- Interesting dynamic island
- Good battery life
- The 60Hz refresh rate could have been better
5. Best in battery: OnePlus 11
₹42999.00₹56999.0025% off
Display: 6.7-inch, FHD+ AMOLED | Processors: Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 2 | RAM: 8/16GB | Storage: 128/256GB
The OnePlus 11 may be on its last legs but don’t discount it for being a less capable camera smartphone. It has an extremely potent combination of a 50-megapixel Sony IMX890 main camera, a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 32-megapixel telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom. Coupled with the Hasselblad tuning, the OnePlus 11 delivers highly in low light and night photography, staying consistent with great details, natural colour tones and bright lighting. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s ISP is fast at processing HDR images and the 100W wired charging ensures that the 5000mAh battery fills up fast after a long day.
Users’ review: Customers like the sound quality, charging, appearance and quality of the cellular phone. They mention that it provides support for Dolby vision and Dolbey atmos. They say the apps open fast and it has a sleek design with rounded corners.
What do we like about this product?
- OnePlus 11 5G offers a stand-out design with premium features
- It has a robust processor that can manage even the most demanding tasks at ease
- The cameras are great
Pros:
- Powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset
- 100W fast charging
- 4 years of OS updates and 5 years of security updates
Cons:
- Though there are no major cons, but the UI could have been more polished
6. Best in budget: Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
₹38240.00₹79999.0052% off
Display: 6.-4inch, FHD+ AMOLED | Processors: Samsung Exynos 2200 | RAM: 8/16GB | Storage: 128/256GB
If you are in love with Samsung’s camera tuning but can only spend as much as a OnePlus 11, the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is your answer. It borrows the same camera system from the standard Galaxy S23 FE and delivers no less in terms of overall imaging performance. The 50-megapixel main camera is well suited for low lighting and you also have an ultra-wide as well as a telephoto camera at your disposal for going all in with your photography. The Indian variant comes with the Exynos 2200 chipset and a 4500mAh battery.
Users’ review: Customers like the camera, appearance, display, and sound quality.
What we like about this product:
- The camera is wonderful and can be used to click incredible pictures
- The Samsung One UI enable users to customise almost everything and it is a super clean UI
- The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE sports an AMOLED display
- Good build quality
- Display is great
- Good camera
Cons:
- Though there are no major cons, the Exynos Chipset is not very reliable one.
FAQs:
1. Do more megapixels translate to better photos?
Not really. Camera sensors can offer great quality with fewer megapixels. Sensor size, pixel size, and other factors make a more significant difference.
2. Can smartphones' cameras capture as good photos as DSLR cameras?
DSLR cameras are starting to phase out of the consumer market. However, professionals still prefer full systems for many reasons. They usually have larger sensors, better lens options, more customizable settings, and offer more versatility.
3. Which phone has the best camera?
The best camera phone is the Galaxy S24 Ultra, because it has many cameras with versatile options. The Galaxy S24 Ultra is the best combination of cameras.
