Selfie by the beach, anyone?

After two years of restrictions and lockdowns, vacation spots across the archipelago are finally re-opening their doors to the public. This means one thing: beach selfies and the so-called #wanderlust photos are back! 

These days, carrying a smartphone that’s capable of shooting vibrant photos and videos is essential to every traveler. Taking IG-worthy snapshots and Tiktok reels aside, these mobile devices double as our digital travel guide to help us organize our trips, find information about the destination, book accommodations online, provide on-the-road entertainment, and even real-time traffic updates and map data to help us navigate through traffic. 

Here are some of our select #TechAssured budget camera phones that you can score at SM Cyberzone to bring along to your next travel hit list.  

 

Best budget camera overall: Samsung Galaxy A52

 

Rear Camera	64 MP + 12 MP + 5 MP + 5 MP
Front Camera	32 MP
Camera Modes	Pro, Super Steady, Portrait, Night, Food, Hyperlapse, AR Doodle, UHD 4K Video
Screen Size	6.5-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED
Processor	Octa-core
RAM + ROM	8GB + 256GB
Battery and Charging	4500 mAh
IP Rating	IP67

The A52 is an all-around device that’s perfect for budgetarian users yearning for a reliable performance and excellent camera features. The quad-lens setup headed by its 64MP main camera utilizes an Optical Image Stabilizer for enhanced crispness sharpness to your coveted sunset shots. The phone’s IP67 rating is perfect for taking stills and reels around the pool or by the beach. Overall, the A52 may seem out of place in the budget category. But looking beyond the slightly higher price point, it levels well with the other devices on this list. The clincher is its guaranteed support coverage on major OS and security updates for three years. 

 

Best video editing functions: OPPO Reno 5

 

Rear Camera	64 MP + 8 MP + 2 MP + 2 MP
Front Camera	44 MP
Camera Modes	AI Mixed Portrait, Ultra-Night, Expert, Soloop Templates, Dual View Video
Screen Size	6.4-inch AMOLED
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G 8nm
RAM + ROM	8GB + 128GB expandable
Battery and Charging	4310 mAh, 50W Flash Charge
IP Rating	IPX4

OPPO Reno 5 makes the perfect all-in-one smartphone for aspiring vloggers and influencers. For starters, it’s got a superb lineup of intuitive camera modes to meet all your shot requirements. One of which is the AI Mixed Portrait which provides a unique way to artsy-fy video clips for your IG stories and TikTok clips. The phone also introduces its integrated smart video editor, Soloop, which allows users to edit footage from the get-go. All this, plus a 64MP main lens on its quad-cam setup, a 44MP front-facing camera, a powerful Snapdragon 720G processor, 8GB RAM, and a 128GB base storage to cover all your content creation needs this beach season.

 

Best smartphone in night photography: realme 7 Pro

 

Rear Camera	64 MP + 8 MP + 2 MP + 2 MP
Front Camera	32 MP
Camera Modes	B&W Lens, Pro Nightscape, Starry, Super Nightscape, Expert, AI Scene Recognition, 4K Video
Screen Size	6.4-inch Super AMOLED
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G 8nm gaming
RAM + ROM	8GB + 128GB
Battery and Charging	4500 mAh; 65W SuperDart Charge
IP Rating	n/a

The 7 Pro may lack pivotal features that can go head-to-head with its other Pro and non-Pro counterpart. But it makes up for its amazing camera features, robust Snapdragon 720G gaming processor, and an upgraded battery with super-fast charging speed to ensure non-stop entertainment during road trips. Its 64MP camera is powered by Sony IMX682 sensor. This is complemented by a wide range of camera modes to render breathtaking views, spontaneous portraits, and spectacular nightscapes.

 

Smartphone with best rear camera: Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro

 

Rear Camera	108 MP + 8 MP + 5 MP + 2 MP
Front Camera	16 MP
Camera Modes	Night 2.0, Long Exposure, Photo Clone, Pro Time Lapse, Dual Video
Screen Size	6.67-inch AMOLED
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G 8nm
RAM + ROM	8GB + 128GB
Battery and Charging	5020 mAh; 33W fast charging
IP Rating	IP53

Xiaomi went a bit too overboard in squeezing in impressive specs on its latest Redmi Note 10 Pro iteration, and we’re totally digging it. It’s got a large 6.67-inch AMOLED display, a reliable 5020mAh battery, and a quad-lens setup that highlights a 108MP lens as its main snapper to capture your best vacay moments. It also has a 16MP front-facing camera to snap vibrant and sharp selfies. For a budget to mid-range level, this power-packed smartphone is a great steal mainly for its upgraded specs, swift performance, and extra features.

 

Smartphone with the best video capabilities: Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 

 

Rear Camera	64 MP + 8 MP + 5 MP
Front Camera	16 MP
Camera Modes	Time Lapse Selfie, Night, Timed Burst, Beautify, AI SkyScaping, AI Cinema
Screen Size	6.55-inch FHD AMOLED DotDisplay
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G
RAM + ROM	6GB + 64BG/128GB; 8GB + 128GB
Battery and Charging	4250 mAh, 33W Fast Charging
IP Rating	IP53

Lightweight in design, heavyweight in functions. The Mi 11 Lite comes in an incredibly thin profile, packed with excellent performance and camera features. The tri-camera setup consists of a 64MP main camera, 8MP ultra-wide, and 6MP telemacro lenses, all complete with various shooting modes for all-around shooting experience. But the scene-stealer is the Mi Lite 11’s video capabilities. It includes an AI Cinema mode that allows users to apply rad effects like Magic Zoom for parallax-like dolly movements, Freeze Time for taking cloned action shots, and Night Time-Lapse for dynamic city-by-night and sunset reels. 

 

Best 5G camera phone: Poco F3 5G

 

Rear Camera	48 MP + 8 MP + 5 MP
Front Camera	20 MP
Camera Modes	One-Click AI Camera, Magic Zoom, Time Freeze, Magic Zoom
Screen Size	6.67-inch AMOLED DotDisplay
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 870
RAM + ROM	6GB + 128GB; 8GB + 256GB
Battery and Charging	4520 mAh, 33W Fast Charging
IP Rating	N/A

What’s not to like about Poco F3 5G? It’s got a large AMOLED display with a whopping 120Hz refresh rate, a powerhouse battery that can last you through an entire day, and a high-performance Snapdragon processor that can handle multiple apps without stuttering – all for a price that won’t break the bank. Best of all, it’s already 5G supported, so you don’t have to worry about speed and signal strength when going out of town. The cameras also work wonders. It showcases a tri-lens setup on its rear plus a 20MP front-facing camera, complete with shooting modes to capture wonderful moments during your trips with absolute artistry.

 

Smartphone with the best selfie camera: vivo V20

 

Rear Camera	64 MP + 8 MP + 2 MP
Front Camera	44 MP
Camera Modes	Slo-mo Selfie Video, Eye Autofocus, Multi-Style Portrait, Steadiface Selfie, Dual-View, Super Night Mode
Screen Size	6.44-inch AMOLED
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G 8nm
RAM + ROM	8GB + 128GB
Battery and Charging	4000 mAh, 33W Flash Charge
IP Rating	N/A

Most camera phones put their effort on their rear camera performance. In the case of VIVO, it’s the other way around… literally. The V20’s front camera packs solid selfie features and other amazing extras that will improve your selfie game for both photos and videos. It is capable of shooting slow-motion videos, Eye Autofocus that tracks your eyes for guided focusing, Super Night Selfie to maintain sharp imagery even in low-light, and Steadiface Selfie Video to deter motion blur when shooting moving POV videos. This makes the perfect companion for content creators who want to document their travel experiences on the fly.

 

Smartphone with the best in performance: vivo V21e

 

Rear Camera	64 MP + 8 MP + 2 MP
Front Camera	44 MP
Camera Modes	Eye Autofocus, Multi-Style Portrait, Steadiface Selfie, Dual-View, Super Night Mode, Video Face Beauty
Screen Size	6.44-inch FHD AMOLED
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G
RAM + ROM	8GB with 3GB extended memory + 128GB
Battery and Charging	4000 mAh, 33W FlashCharge
IP Rating	N/A

Overall, VIVO’s V21e doesn’t deviate much from its predecessor when it comes to aesthetics and features. Its camera specs are almost identical to that of the V20 – prioritizing the front camera for an enhanced selfie experience. The key difference is the massive improvement of its RAM capacity. 8GB RAM aside, the V21e offers an expanded 3GB memory which is fueled by its RAM5 technology. This allowance is designed specifically to run up to 20 apps simultaneously without a hitch. That means users can switch between editing tools, games, social apps, plus more without compromising speed and performance.

 

Best manual shooting and photo capabilities: Huawei Nova 7 SE 5G

 

Rear Camera	64 MP + 8 MP + 2 MP + 2MP
Front Camera	16 MP
Camera Modes	Night, Portrait, Pro, Light Painting, Super Macro, Aperture-Priority, Dual Display, 4K Video Recording
Screen Size	6.5-inch Punch FullView Display
Processor	Kirin 820 5G
RAM + ROM	8GB + 128GB
Battery and Charging	4000 mAh, 40W SuperCharge
IP Rating	N/A

Huawei, sans Leica, still manages to offer a smartphone that’s capable of shooting vibrant photos and immersive videos with its AI Camera System. The phone’s Pro mode is still unparalleled, effectively maintaining all the essential functions to allow users to put their mobile photography prowess into practice. Adding to this is Huawei’s light painting mode, which is basically the equivalent of bulb setting, allows users to apply light trails to their night shots with sheer ease. The Nova 7 SE is also capable of shooting captivating slow motions at 960fps for cinematic, Baywatch-esque shots by the shore.

 

Smartphone with the best display coverage: Tecno Camon 17 Pro

Rear Camera	64 MP + 8 MP + 2 MP + 2MP
Front Camera	48 MP
Camera Modes	B&W, Magic Pixel, Ultra-Night, 4K Time Lapse
Screen Size	6.8-inch Dot-In FHD Display
Processor	Helio G95
RAM + ROM	6GB + 128GB
Battery and Charging	5000 mAh, 25W Flash Charging
IP Rating	N/A

A rather obscured and oftentimes overshadowed by the more popular brands, Tecno’s Camon 17 Pro is a force to reckon with and deserves a spot on this list for its built and performance. It showcases a powerful processor, reliable battery, and an impressive camera setup with an array of noteworthy modes to elevate your shooting experience. It’s got a dedicated black and white lens to shoot dramatic monochrome images, Magic Pixel to bump your photos up to 108MP, and 4K Time Lapse for shooting pro-level time lapse. “Massive” is also an understatement when describing its screen size. This mobile device highlights its 6.8-inch Dot-In FHD display, which is perfect for streaming movies, playing games, and viewing your snapshots during lengthy travel time. 

Itching to score a new mobile device this summer? Get a move on to your nearest SM Cyberzone branch for the latest #TechAssured gadgets. Make sure to LIKE, FOLLOW, and SUBSCRIBE to your official social media channels to check out sweet deals and exciting promos from your favorite tech brands.

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