The best photo smartphones under 200 euros in the UK 2023

Today, you don't have to break the bank to get a smartphone with an excellent photo module. Gone are the days when cheap photo smartphones had to make do with the hardware and features of the previous generation's high-end smartphones. Now the market is full of smartphones under 200 euros with excellent photographic qualities. Follow the guide.

Xiaomi Poco X3 1
9/10

Best value for money

Xiaomi Poco X3

The best photo smartphone under 200 euros in 2021

The Xiaomi Poco X3 is probably the smartphone under 200 euros that offers the most powerful photo module. It has features most often seen in high-end photophones.

173 £ on Amazon

The Xiaomi Poco X3 has a large and well-designed display. It is a 6.67-inch IPS LCD panel that offers a resolution of 2400 x 1080 px with a refresh rate of 120 Hz. This model also benefits from powerful stereo speakers and its Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G SoC handles titles like Fortnite much better than smartphones with a Snapdragon 665 or Exynos 9611 available at the same price. The Xiaomi Poco X3 has a rear camera module consisting of three cameras and a depth sensor. The main 64 MP camera is the same one found on the Realme X2 Pro. It is the latest IMX682 sensor from Sony. It combines pixel binning with an f/1.89 aperture and a sensor size of 1/1.73".

By combining 4 pixels into one and shooting 16MP images, it offers an effective pixel size of 1.6 μm. The second camera is a 13MP ultra-wide sensor that has a focal length equivalent to 119 °, about 14 mm, and the sensor measures 1/2.55". Finally, the third and last camera on the back is a macro camera intended to create a blur effect.

Blackview A80 Pro 2
7/10

Best value for money

Blackview A80 Pro

The best entry-level photo smartphone under 200 euros

The Blackview A80 Pro has a decent battery life. The performance is also convincing, as is the main camera. However, the 3 auxiliary lenses are mostly to complete the design.

See price

The plastic casing of the Blackview A80 Pro hardly stands out from its competitors. Weighing in at 180g, this camera smartphone isn't very heavy, but there are lighter things to do for less than 200 euros. The Blackview A80 Pro is equipped with a 6.49-inch IPS panel that displays a resolution of 1560 x 720 px. The brightness and contrast are acceptable for a smartphone at this price.

With the MediaTek Helio P25 as the processor, Blackview made a wise choice. This entry-level processor holds its own against much more expensive smartphones in terms of graphics performance and pure power. For applications, it's perfect. But for games, it remains limited.

On the back, there are 4 sensors. Apart from the main 13MP sensor from Sony, the other sensors offer very low resolutions and can't be used to take independent pictures either. Nevertheless,the shots taken with the main camera are bright and sharp under favorable conditions, even under a cloudy sky. Finally, when the light comes to miss, one observes a low of the clearness and the appearance of a strong blue dominant.

Smartphone photo à moins de 200 euros – Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S 3
9/10

Best value for money

Smartphone photo à moins de 200 euros – Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S

The best high-end photo smartphone under 200 euros

The Redmi Note 9S offers one of the most complete experiences on a camera smartphone at less than 200 euros, and the same goes for overall performance. At this price, you'll be hard pressed to find anything better.

See price

For less than 200 euros, Xiaomi offers us this smartphone with a large 6.67-inch IPS LCD display, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal memory. With the 5,020 mAh battery, the Redmi Note 9S can easily last a whole day in heavy use.

Performance has never really been an issue on many Xiaomi smartphones, and the Redmi Note 9S is no exception. It's powered by the Snapdragon 720G SoC, which offers a nice balance between performance and battery life. It still lags on power-hungry games though, but in almost all other scenarios, it does the job well!

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro was one of the first entry-level models to feature a 64MP camera. The Redmi Note 9S, on the other hand, packs a 48MP main camera, using the 1/2" Samsung ISOCELL Bright GM2 sensor with an f/1.8 aperture. There is also an 8MP ultra-wide sensor on the back with a field of view equivalent to 13mm and a lens with an aperture of f/2.2. A 5MP macro sensor and a 2MP depth sensor complete the photo arsenal.

Smartphone photo under 200 euros - Honor 9X 4
7/10

A great choice

Smartphone photo under 200 euros - Honor 9X

The best value

The Honor 9X is an excellent and inexpensive photo smartphone. It offers impressive performance, which has nothing to envy to Xaomi. Its long-lasting battery and its photo module are worth the detour.

See price

For a smartphone offered at less than 200 euros, the Honor 9X has a large and beautiful screen. It is a 6.59-inch IPS LCD panel with a density of 391 dpi. The Honor 9X has one of the best LCD screens on the market today, regardless of price range. Of course, it doesn't outperform OLED panels. Also, the maximum brightness is not too high though.

On the performance side, the Honor 9X is powered by Huawei's Kirin 710F processor. Although this processor supports multitasking very well, Honor could have made the effort to opt for a newer processor that will ensure the longevity of the smartphone. The Honor 9X packs a rear camera module consisting of two cameras and a depth sensor. The main camera has a resolution of 48MP with an aperture of f/1.8.

By default, this camera captures images with a resolution of 12MP. If you want to take pictures with a resolution of 48 Mpx, you go to the photo application menu and manually change the resolution. Then there is a super wide-angle camera of 8 MP that has an aperture of f/2.4. The depth sensor has a resolution of 2 MP.

Buying guide • November 2023

Best photo smartphone under 200 euros

Any specific needs?

The best photo smartphone under 200 euros in 2021

The best entry-level photo smartphone under 200 euros

The best high-end photo smartphone under 200 euros

The best value

Your guide : Samuel

Rate this buying guide :
4.1/56 votes

By rating this buying guide, you are helping us to reward our best writers. Thank you!

Comparison table of the best photo smartphones under 200 euros

TOP OF THE TOP CHEAP TOP OF THE LINE EXCELLENT
Xiaomi Poco X3 5
9/10
Blackview A80 Pro 6
7/10
Smartphone photo à moins de 200 euros – Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S 7
9/10
Smartphone photo under 200 euros - Honor 9X 8
7/10
OUR SELECTION
Xiaomi Poco X3
Blackview A80 Pro
Smartphone photo à moins de 200 euros – Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
Smartphone photo under 200 euros - Honor 9X
The Xiaomi Poco X3 is probably the smartphone under 200 euros that offers the most powerful photo module. It has features most often seen in high-end photophones.
The Blackview A80 Pro has a decent battery life. The performance is also convincing, as is the main camera. However, the 3 auxiliary lenses are mostly to complete the design.
The Redmi Note 9S offers one of the most complete experiences on a camera smartphone at less than 200 euros, and the same goes for overall performance. At this price, you'll be hard pressed to find anything better.
The Honor 9X is an excellent and inexpensive photo smartphone. It offers impressive performance, which has nothing to envy to Xaomi. Its long-lasting battery and its photo module are worth the detour.
Main camera resolution
64 Mpx
13 Mpx
48 Mpx
48 Mpx
Aperture
f/1.9
f/2.2
f/1.8
f/1.8
Sensor size
1/1.73"
1/3.06"
1/2"
1/2"
Pixel size
0.8 µm
1.12 µm
0.8 µm
0.8 µm
Additional sensors
- Ultra wide: 13 Mpx, f/2.2, 119˚, 1.0 µm
- Macro: 2 Mpx, f/2.4
- Frontal: 20 Mpx, f/2.2, 1/3.4″, 0.8 µm

- 2 px- 0.3 Mpx- Frontal : 8 Mpx
- Ultra wide: 8 Mpx, f/2.2, 119˚, 1/4″, 1.12 µm- Macro: 5 Mpx, f/2.4- Frontal: 16 Mpx, f/2.5, 1/3.06″, 1 µm
- Ultra wide: 8 Mpx, f/2.4, 13 mm,-Frontal: 16 Mpx, f/2.2, 1/3.06″, 1 µm

Help us improve this table:
Report an error, request the addition of a feature to the table, or suggest another product. Thank you for your kindness!

Buying guide - photo smartphone under 200 euros

Primary Item (H2)Sub Item 1 (H3)

Why can you trust us?

Why you can trust us
Our mission
How to support us
We do NOT accept any sponsored posts or advertising.

We spend thousands of hours each year studying the major specialized websites, analyzing products of hundreds of brands and reading user feedback to advise you on the best products.

Our mission is to simplify your purchasing decisions.

We are a product review company with a single mission: to simplify your buying decisions. Our research and testing helps millions of people every year find the best products for their personal needs and budget.

We are a small team of geeks and enthusiasts.

To support us you can: use our links to make your purchases (which often earns us a small commission), share our articles on social networks, or recommend our site on your blog. Thanks in advance for your support!

How to choose your photo smartphone under 200 euros

There are many factors to consider if camera quality plays an important role in the decision to buy a smartphone under 200 euros. Here are the main ones.

#1 - The sensor

This is probably, if not definitely, the main factor that contributes to the image quality of any digital camera, not just smartphones. It is also one of the main reasons why smartphone cameras lag behind more traditional cameras in terms of image quality. Size is really important for sensors. A large sensor means it can hold a lot of small pixels or accommodate fewer but larger pixels. Each of these options has its own advantages.Compared to a "normal" camera sensor, smartphones have very small sensors. A full-frame DSLR sensor is 35 mm. To date, the largest smartphone camera sensor is a 1-inch sensor. The sensor size on smartphone camera modules is expressed in fractions of an inch. A good smartphone camera will have a sensor that is very close to a full inch. So if one phone is supposed to have a 1/3″ sensor, and the other has a 1/1.7″ sensor, the latter is the larger of the two.

#2 - Pixel size

The pixels (or photosites) on a sensor are the elements responsible for capturing the light that enters the camera. The larger the pixel, the more light it will capture. This results in well-exposed images, even in situations with little or no light. A good photo smartphone will not only have a large sensor, but it will also have fairly large pixels. If the pixels are too small, the images will be plagued by apparent digital noise. The size of the pixels on a smartphone's photo sensor is measured in micrometers/microns and expressed using the symbol "µm" or simply "µ". 1,000 µm is equivalent to 1 mm. So if a phone's camera has a very small sensor and very small pixels, there is a good chance that the resulting images will be of poor quality.

#3 - The resolution

The surface of the sensor is composed of many pixels. The total number of these pixels is called megapixels. "Mega-" is a prefix that means "one million". So, a 12MP camera means that it has 12 million pixels that capture light to reproduce an image. In simple terms, this means that the image could be 4,000px wide and 3,000px high. This is called resolution. Many people think that the more pixels, the better. But that's not quite true. Obviously, the resolution or detail of an image is determined by the number of megapixels in the camera. A picture taken with a 5MP camera will not have as much detail as a picture taken with a 20MP camera. So the more megapixels a camera has, the higher the resolution of the images it will produce. Also, since smartphone photo sensors are very small, the more pixels they have, the smaller their size will be. As mentioned earlier, large pixels are perfect, as they are able to capture more light and display excellent results in low light. Because smartphone camera sensors are so small, it would make sense to try to equip them with pixels large enough to capture as much light as possible. So unless you want to print large image sizes from your smartphone, a smartphone camera with 16MP is more than enough.

#4 - The opening

The aperture refers to the diameter of the opening through which light enters the camera. This works much like the iris in our eyes, which expands or contracts to regulate the amount of light hitting the photoreceptors at the back of the eye. Thus, the degree of darkness or brightness of the image is determined by the size of this aperture which is expressed in f-stops. The smaller the number of f-stops, the wider the aperture and, therefore, the more light reaches the sensor. The aperture can be adjusted on traditional camera lenses, but the aperture on a smartphone camera works differently: it is fixed. This means that if a smartphone is supposed to have an f/2.2 aperture, you won't be able to change it. This may sound limiting (and it is), but because of their size, smartphone cameras need their aperture to be as large as possible to allow enough light to reach the small sensor. So a sensor with an aperture of f/1.5 will let in more light than one set at f/2.2.

#5 - Image stabilization

It is said that camera shake affects the sharpness of the image. This is very true. When you take pictures with any camera, the slightest movement of the camera can cause blurred shots. And if you take a picture with a slow shutter speed, the blur will be even more noticeable. That's where image stabilization comes in. As the name implies, its purpose is to keep the image stable in order to keep the image sharp. When you hold your phone to take a picture, it's inevitable that your hands will move, even slightly, mainly due to the general lack of ergonomics in smartphones for photography. A smartphone with optical image stabilization (OIS) is better equipped to deal with this type of problem. This system will make it easier to capture sharp images. However, OIS cannot prevent blurring if the subject moves or if the smartphone's movement exceeds what it can handle. For this, you will need to keep the subject still.

#6 - Capturing images in RAW format

When you take a picture with your smartphone, the image is usually processed and compressed, and then saved to your mobile as a JPEG file. While this may work fine for the average user, it may not be the best option for someone who wants to do more with their mobile photos. This is because when an image is saved in JPEG format, it loses detail and quality due to compression. This makes the image less flexible as far as editing is concerned, as some data has been removed. The solution? To be able to shoot in RAW format. Unlike a JPEG image, a RAW file is uncompressed and unedited. In other words, the camera will not apply its own contrast and white balance to the recorded image. Instead, the raw image data is stored in the phone's memory. The advantage of shooting RAW is that it gives you a lot of data to work with when editing your images. Where JPEG can store information for up to 16 million colors, RAW can store 68 billion colors or more.

The rise of smartphone photography

The best photo smartphones under £200 9

Every time Google, Apple or Samsung release a new smartphone, they go to great lengths to highlight the improvements that have been made to the camera module. They dazzle us with the latest technical specs, show us their new capture modes, and wow us with examples of images that don't look like they were taken with a smartphone. Why? Because the quality of a smartphone's camera is one of the most important, if not the most important, factor driving consumers to switch smartphones.

All major smartphone manufacturers want you to know that they have a camera that fits your budget. Apple encourages iPhone users to share their best photos on Instagram with the hashtag #ShotOniPhone and often shares the best of these images in iPhone TV commercials.

So, is it hype or are the best photophones really capable of replacing a Nikon and Canon DSLR, or a mirrorless camera from Sony or Olympus? From the perspective of a professional photographer, with high-end equipment, the answer is clearly no.

You won't see professional photographers using smartphones as their primary camera when covering a wedding or sporting event. But what about amateur photographers? What about parents, teenagers and everyone else? Could the average person with little or no formal training really take better pictures with a DSLR than with a modern smartphone? That's a little less obvious.

SLR camera or smartphone camera?

SLR camera

SLR cameras, which are also called DSLRs are very versatile and will probably always be able to do things that a smartphone can't. For example, you can't attach a 200mm telephoto lens to your smartphone, and even if you could, you would probably look ridiculous.

The resolution of photos taken on DSLR and mirrorless cameras is also far superior to the resolution of smartphone cameras thanks to their larger sensors of up to 40MP. But as we discussed above, more megapixels doesn't mean a better photo, but that brings us to the next point.

DSLR sensors are much larger than smartphone cameras, which means they can let in a lot more light and produce better photos, with a higher dynamic range, in low light environments.

A DSLR will also usually give you more creative control over exposure. You have absolute control over shutter speed, aperture and ISO settings. Finally, DLSR cameras have excellent batteries that should easily last a day or more of shooting.

Smartphone photo

Your smartphone isn't going to give you the range of a 200mm lens, but what it loses in range, it makes up for in spontaneity. People carry their smartphones everywhere they go. This is less true with an SLR camera. Just think of how many pictures you would miss if you didn't have your smartphone with you.

A DLSR with a 200mm lens will be great in many scenarios, but it will also be heavy, a bit bulky and add extra weight to your neck and shoulders. Finished shooting with your smartphone? Put it in your pocket and move on.

Modern smartphone batteries tend not to last more than a day, but that's plenty, as we all charge our phones regularly. And, at the end of the day, when you're done shooting, you can edit your photos in Lightroom, post the best ones on Instagram, and back up your photos to the cloud without ever removing a memory card or connecting your smartphone to a computer. Try doing the same thing with your DSLR. You'll take much longer.

Verdict

Is a smartphone good enough for your photographic needs? Two or three years ago, the answer might have been no. But today, a smartphone is the go-to camera for millions of people. A DLSR is not a bad choice, but it is increasingly becoming a niche product. It's a camera for specific people in specific situations, as convenience and practicality are a big factor these days.

Of course, nothing says you can't have both at your fingertips. The smartphone can be your everyday camera for spontaneous moments of creative sharing, while your DSLR can be reserved for those occasions when you know you're going to need a professional camera capable of capturing the highest quality images possible.

Tips

Look for the light

Smartphones have very bright lenses, including on some models under 200 euros, but the sensors are much smaller than those on a high-end compact camera with a 1-inch sensor like the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II. This gives them a distinct disadvantage in terms of image quality in low light. To get the best photos with your sub-$200 smartphone, look for opportunities where your phone's sensor can shine. If you're indoors, try setting up your shot so that the light falls on your subject. This is always a better option for finding good light than using your phone's underpowered LED flash.

Adjusting the exposure

Smartphones are really modern point-and-shoot models, but the apps that run their camera modules usually offer some level of manual control. The most basic adjustment you can make is exposure (lightening or darkening a scene). Use it to spruce up your fancy dinner party photo to make it perfect for a Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram post, or to darken the shadows of a portrait to give it a more dramatic look.

Discover the features of your camera

The

imaging capabilities of the photo modules that equip modern smartphones, even the sub-$200 models, are staggering. It is already possible today to blur the background of images, mimicking the appearance of a wide-aperture lens and a large image sensor, and some handsets can also already capture slow-motion video. Your sub-$200 photo smartphone probably also has a good burst mode, and it's never a bad idea to take a few frames in a sequence to get the best one.

Capture in RAW format

More advanced photographers can enable capture in RAW format, if their smartphone allows it. This format offers much more leeway for editing shots.

Use an external microphone

When

capturing video, good sound is just as important as sharp images. Your phone's internal microphone is designed for making phone calls, not for recording high-quality sound. You'll find many models of external microphones on the market that plug directly into your USB or Lightning port, or that work with your phone's audio dongle.

FAQ

What is the best photo smartphone under 200 euros?

The best photo smartphone under £200 depends on your needs and budget. Read our buying guide to find out which products are the best at the moment.

Are there any smartphone camera modules with optical zoom?

For the longest time, smartphone cameras could only zoom in digitally. The problem is that digital zooming degrades the image quality more and more as you zoom in. In an effort to improve image quality when zooming in with a smartphone, manufacturers added optical zoom to their cameras when they introduced smartphones with multiple camera modules on the back.

What is a periscope camera on a smartphone?

Still on the subject of zoom, more and more smartphone manufacturers, even on models under 200 euros, are starting to include what is called a periscope camera in their smartphones. A periscope camera is essentially a camera system placed on the side inside the body of the phone. So, instead of having the zoom lens array and sensor in parallel on the back of the phone, they are arranged perpendicularly. The periscope is what allows some smartphone models to achieve 2x, 3x or 5x optical zoom.

What is HDR?

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. It's a technology that allows you to capture images that have an excellent balance between the darker and brighter areas of the photo. This way, the resulting image will not be overexposed or underexposed. When HDR mode is activated, the camera takes several photos at different exposure levels. Then software combines the different photos to create a picture with balanced highlights and shadows.

What are the different types of flash available on a smartphone?

The two main types of flash found on smartphones are LED and xenon. LED flash is by far the most common type of flash available on smartphones. It is relatively inexpensive and saves energy. There are single and dual LED flash models. Xenon flash is popular in the professional photography community. It is therefore more common on compact, hybrid and SLR cameras than on smartphones. Not only is xenon expensive, but it also consumes a lot of energy.

Sources

Note: Below are some of the sources we have consulted in writing this article. Links to other sites are not continuously updated. It is therefore possible that a link may not be found. Please use a search engine to find the desired information.
  1. , samsung.com
  2. , fr.wikomobile.com
  3. , leblogphoto.net
  4. , quechoisir.org
  5. , choisir.com
  6. , fnac.com
  7. , thesmartphonephotographer.com
  8. , timesofindia.indiatimes.com
  9. , techradar.com
  10. , echosdunet.net
  11. , davfi.fr
  12. , lesnumeriques.com
  13. , frandroid.com
  14. , presse-citron.net
  15. , cnetfrance.fr
  16. , clubic.com
  17. , papergeek.fr
  18. , phonandroid.com
  19. , phonandroid.com
  20. , journaldugeek.com
  21. , lesnumeriques.com
  22. , 01net.com
  23. , hitek.fr
  24. , ma-reduc.com
  25. , kimovil.com
  26. , 01net.com
  27. , lemonde.fr
  28. , cdiscount.com
  29. , photosavi.com
  30. , m.leparisien.fr
  31. , masculin.com
  32. , leclaireur.fnac.com
  33. , clubic.com
See more

Updates

March 2022 : Translation of this buying guide from our partner meilleurtest.fr

See more
Our selection
Xiaomi Poco X3 10
Xiaomi Poco X3
Blackview A80 Pro 11
Blackview A80 Pro
Smartphone photo à moins de 200 euros – Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S 12
Smartphone photo à moins de 200 euros – Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
Smartphone photo under 200 euros - Honor 9X 13
Smartphone photo under 200 euros - Honor 9X

Lecteurs

Every month we help more than 1 000 000 people buy better and smarter.

Copyright © 2022 - Made with by buyingbetter.co.uk

Your reviews and buying guides 0% advertising, 100% independent!