A decade ago, people would have laughed at the very idea of having a useful camera, let alone a good one, in a phone priced in the vicinity of Rs 15,000. The only way to get a phone with a good camera in that price range was to look out for a discounted version of a very old flagship. Not any more. Today, you can step into the market with a budget of Rs 15,000 and choose from a wide variety of devices that come with good cameras, and innovative shooting options.
Features like large sensors with big megapixel counts, multiple cameras, and OIS are no longer the preserve of high price points, but can be had for as little as Rs 15,000 or if you play your deal cards right, even less. If that sounds difficult to believe, here are five phones that deliver a lot of photographic punch for around Rs 15,000:
Realme Narzo 60 Pro 5G: Big Megapixels, With OIS
Price: Rs 14,999 onwards
Realme's Narzo 70 Pro 5G might be making more news right now, but its predecessor, the Narzo 60 Pro 5G remains a very good option for anyone looking for a very good camera phone on a tight budget.
The Realme Narzo 60 Pro is the only phone in this list to have not just a massive megapixel main sensor, but one with OIS as well - its 100-megapixel main camera is capable of delivering not just a lot of detail but also some handy 2x lossless zoom, and also shoots 4K video.
The 2-megapixel depth camera accompanying it is of not too much use, but the 16-megapixel selfie camera takes some very good selfies. That apart, the phone is one of the most striking in terms of appearance, thanks to a large spherical camera unit on a vegan leather back.
It also packs in good specs - a 6.7-inch FHD+ AMOLED display, a MediaTek Dimensity 7050 processor a huge 5000 mAh battery with support for 67W charging, and a 67 charger in the box.
iQoo Z7s 5G: Bringing Some Camera Magic To The Budget Zone
Price: Rs 14,999
Vivo's sub-brand has been rattling many budget segment brand cages with its excellent value-for-money offerings. One of the core strengths of most iQoo devices has been camera performance, and the iQoo Z7s is a prime example of this.
The iQoo Z7s comes with a Samsung GW3 64-megapixel sensor with OIS, making it one of the best in this list. It takes some very good low-light shots (it has a special Super Night mode) and even has Vivo's much-hyped bokeh flare portrait option, adding a spin to regular portrait snaps. The 2-megapixel secondary depth camera is frankly of little use, but the 16-megapixel selfie camera takes some great vanity snaps.
You also get a 6.38-inch FHD+ AMOLED display and decent mid-segment performance, courtesy of the still very efficient Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 processor. The phone runs on a 4,500mAh battery, which might seem small by some standards, but charges at a very brisk 44W. It looks very smart too.
Moto G54: Hello, Very G(ood) Camera Moto!
Price: Rs 14,999
In terms of sheer camera numbers, the Moto G54 brings a lot to the Rs 15,000 table. It comes with a 50-megapixel main sensor with OIS, and unlike most devices in this list, its other cameras are decent too - an 8-megapixel ultrawide on the back which not only gives you a wider perspective but thanks to the presence of autofocus, can also double up as a very good macro camera.
Round that off with a very good 16-megapixel selfie camera and you have a camera array in which every camera has a significant role to play. Yes, the interface is a little on the plain side (this is a Moto G), but there is plenty of camera muscle to flex here.
The phone also boasts a 6.5-inch FHD+ AMOLED display and runs on the MediaTek Dimensity 7020 processor. It comes with a massive 6,000mAh battery, with support for 33W charging (and a charger in the box too). Of course, it being a Motorola, you get a very clean Android interface too.
Samsung Galaxy M34 5G: Plain Jane With Tarzan Camera
Price: Rs 15,490
Yes, we know that its price tag seems slightly above Rs 15,000, but the Samsung Galaxy M34 is frequently available for Rs 14,999 on many e-commerce portals. It looks a little plain with a very 2021-type waterdrop notch, but if you are looking for a seriously good camera on a tight budget, then the 50-megapixel main sensor with OIS on the Galaxy 34 would be a terrific option.
The camera itself is very good, but Samsung's special shooting options (some of which come from its flagship devices, such as Nightography) add a new dimension to it - it is also one of the few cameras in the list to be able to shoot 4K video.
Also on board is a handy 8-megapixel ultrawide camera and a very good 13-megapixel selfie camera, but the token 2-megapixel camera on the back is of little to no use. Cameras apart, this is one of the best-specced devices in the list with a 6.5-inch FDH+ Super AMOLED display, a very capable Exynos 1280 processor, a massive 6,000mAh battery (with support for 25W charging), and four years of assured software updates as well as five years of security updates.
Poco X6 Neo 5G: The 108MP Sensor In The Mix
Price: Rs 15,999
If you are looking for a big megapixel sensor in this budget, well, we would advise you to spend just a little more or maybe wait for the right offers to come along and grab the Poco X6 Neo. The phone is the only phone in this list to have a three-figure camera - its main sensor is a 108-megapixel sensor, and although its colours can seem a little dull, it scores on detail and even gives you the option to zoom in 3x without losing too much detail.
The secondary 2-megapixel is of very limited (if any) use, but the 16-megapixel camera takes very good selfies. You also get a very stylish-looking phone with a 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED display running on a good MediaTek Dimensity 6080 chip with a large 5,000mAh battery that charges at 33W. This is a great phone for those wanting high-resolution images.