Smartphones have transcended from being small devices that allow us to check social media and emails as well as capture memories to being almost laptop-like devices in our pockets. This is thanks to improvements in technology, from better performance battery capacity and charging speeds to being equipped with professional-level smartphone cameras.
Gone are the days when even flagship-level devices featured a single rear camera that went as high as 5MP on the very first Samsung Galaxy S device in 2010. Now, we live in an age where the norm is at least two cameras with a main camera that can go up to 200MP.
However, phone manufacturers have generally differed in their rear smartphone camera setups. We have devices mid-range devices like the Nothing Phone (1) and Phone (2) with a dual rear camera with a main and an ultrawide lens or a more normal main + ultrawide + macro/depth setup. Then there are the utter beasts in the flagship segment – the Galaxy S23 Ultra with a quad rear camera with a main + ultrawide + telephoto + periscope telephoto setup and the Xiaomi 13 Ultra with a similar setup.
The stark difference in camera configuration depends on the price point and the company. This gets us to the question, What is your ideal smartphone camera configuration? Yes, we’re talking about an ideal world where price doesn’t matter.
My Ideal Smartphone Camera Configuration
After attending the Dreamcatcher: Under the Moonlight concert last August 28, 2023, I realized that the dual rear setup of the Nothing Phone (2) while generally good, just doesn’t cut it when attending events like concerts where sometimes you’re just a bit too far to get decent photos for memories.
Thankfully, I was close enough that 2x was just right to capture the members on stage. If I were any further though, I’d be using the phone’s digital zoom which isn’t ideal because I wanted high-quality photos for the memories. Which had me thinking, a telephoto lens, maybe a periscope telephoto, would be perfect.
That said, I think my ideal rear smartphone camera setup would be a main + ultrawide + telephoto (maybe even periscope telephoto). Any more lenses than these, for me, will be overkill or borderline fluff to be able to market a quad-camera setup.
Here’s a quick explanation to why these cameras along with a main lens is perfect for me:
I have a greater appreciation for good ultrawide cameras especially when capturing buildings or a landscape that doesn’t fit in the main frame. I’m glad to see it more as a secondary camera in smartphones nowadays.
As someone who attends events for work and even for leisure, I think a telephoto lens would just give me a solid all-around camera. It would be extra sweet if this could double as a macro lens. I may not take a lot of macro shots, but sometimes I just want to be a bit more artsy than usual.
Well, that’s my ideal rear smartphone camera setup. Tell us what yours is in the comments below.
I recently took a deeper look at the camera performance of the Nothing Phone (2) and Phone (1), if you’re interested in checking that out, click here. Meanwhile, if you’re interested in picking either Nothing device for yourself, check out Digital Walker.
Ram found his love and appreciation for writing in 2015 having started in the gaming and esports sphere for GG Network. He would then transition to focus more on the world of tech which has also began his journey into learning more about this world. That said though, he still has the mentality of "as long as it works" for his personal gadgets.
