Smartphones with dual-camera setup started gaining attention not too long ago and one thing that sets this devices apart is the kind of photos they can produce. If you’ve ever wanted that DSLR-like background blur effect on you mobile photos, perhaps you need to consider getting a phone with a dual camera setup.
Although a lot of smartphones now offer manual camera settings for professionals to adjust ISO, exposure and more, only devices with dual camera will let you adjust the aperture. Well, not the aperture exactly in the real sense, but the dual camera lets the software work this out through certain algorithms we’re not discussing in this article.
Another big advantage these phones have is the ability to measure depth and re-focus an image after it has already been taken. This means you can have different versions of the same image with the focus on different objects.
These devices also tend to have superb low-light photography since the two cameras allow more light to come in through both lenses. Phones with dual camera go as far back as 2011 when HTC released HTC Evo 3D. The technology had not really matured back then and it was all about capturing 3D images.
There are reports that even more manufacturers will adopt the feature and the latest iPhone 7 rumor suggests Apple might slam two cameras at the back of the upcoming iPhone 7. If you intend to get one of these phones, we list some in this article that are available presently.
Huawei Honor 6 Plus
This comes first because it my primary device at the moment and the only reason I bought it last year was primarily because of the dual camera layout. The device comes with a 3GB RAM and it’s powered by an octa-core processor (HiSilicon Kirin 925). The camera looks inefficient on paper considering the dual 8MP sensors at the back but both combined produce image up to 13MP. The device has a 5.5″ screen with a 1080p resolution.
LG G5
At the moment this is the latest flagship from any manufacturer with dual-camera setup and it was officially announced a few weeks ago. LG G5 has a 5.3″ screen with a 2k resolution and it’s powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 plus 4GB RAM (though there’s a cheaper version with Snapdragon 652 and 3GB RAM).
The dual-camera setup features a 16MP sensor and a second 8MP sensor. The camera comes with optical image stabilization (OIS).
HTC One M8
HTC One M8 was released only in 2014 and by 2016 standards it’s an old phone already. Besides, HTC’s choice with camera resolution has never been in their products’ best interest. The device has a 4MP (Ultrapixel) camera accompanied by a 2MP depth of field sensor. It has a 5MP display with 1080p resolution. The device is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chipset and has a 2GB RAM.
Other devices
- Other devices in the market with this technology include:
- HTC Evo 3D
- HTC Butterfly 3
- XOLO Black
- ZTE Axon (Lux, Pro, Elite)
- Qiku Q Terra
- Lenovo Vibe S1 (dual selfie camera)
- LG V10 (dual selfie camera)
- Starmobile Knight Spectra
Upcoming Devices
With 2016 said to be the year OEMs will start taking dual-camera setup even more seriously, rumors have been flying around about some upcoming devices that might have two cameras at the back. They include:- Huawei P9
- Samsung Note 6
- Xiaomi Mi Note 2
- iPhone 7
- HTC 10
- ZTE Star 3
It should be noted that the devices listed are only speculations arising from rumors and leaks. Nothing is certain till the devices actually hit the market.