Top 5 camera phones under Rs 25,000 (Aug 2019): Honor View 20, Realme X and more

Looking for a flagship-grade phone that’s great for photography under Rs 25,000? You have come to the right place. Here are five such devices that can give some of the current flagships a run for their money with features like triple cameras, 48 MP sensors, full-screen display and more. In case you are on a tighter budget, here’s our list of the best camera phones under Rs 15,000. [caption id=“attachment_7008011” align=“alignnone” width=“1024”]  Redmi K20 Pro. Image: tech2[/caption]

Best camera phones under Rs 25,000 in India

Redmi K20

The new K20 series phones from Xiaomi/Redmi have made quite a splash. While the **Redmi K20 Pro (Review)** has a faster processor, the rest of the specifications are pretty similar on the non-Pro version too. The most striking feature being the triple camera setup on the Redmi K20 comprising a 48 MP main camera with Sony IMX582 sensor, 13 MP ultra-wide camera with a 125-degrees FOV and an 8 MP telephoto lens that facilitates 2X optical zoom. They manage to capture some really sharp images in varied lighting conditions. You also get an option to record super slo-mo 720p videos at 960 fps. And did I mention the 20 MP pop-up selfie camera that adds to the cool quotient of this device? The Redmi K20 has many more things going for it beyond the camera department. It has one of the most attractive designs among mid-range phones with a glass body and Aura Prime design. There’s a 6.4-inch Full HD+, all-screen, notch-less AMOLED display protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5. There’s also an in-display fingerprint scanner. The phone is powered by a new Snapdragon 730 SoC and comes bundled with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage. There’s also a 64 GB storage variant for Rs 2,000 less, but it’s better to opt for the 128 GB variant as there is no memory card slot here. A 4,000 mAh battery keeps the phone running for over a day of moderate usage. The Redmi K20 runs Android Pie with MIUI 10 on top.

Redmi K20 price in India: Rs 23,999 for 6 GB RAM / 128 GB storage

Honor View 20

The **Honor View 20 (Review)** has received a massive price cut in this Amazon sale and is selling for less than 25K, which makes it an absolute steal. It has an eye-catching design with a 6.4-inch Full HD+ notch-less display and an in-display punch-hole front camera. At the back, you get the Aurora Nanotexture finish that displays multicoloured V-shaped lines running from top to bottom when you hold the phone at an angle. The optical illusion is bound to grab attention. Just like all the new Huawei/Honor flagships, the Honor View 20 is powered by Huawei’s current flagship Kirin 980 chip and comes bundled with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage. The View 20 has just two cameras at the back but its 48 MP rear camera does an excellent job in different lighting conditions and the output is at par with most phones priced close to 30K in India. It uses pixel binning, which combines data from four pixels into one to capture more details. A 4,000 mAh battery provides ample power for over a day of moderate usage. At its current selling price, it offers great value for money for something as powerful and stylish.

Honor View 20 price in India: Rs 24,999 for 6 GB RAM / 128 GB storage

Nokia 8.1

This one’s for those who prefer stock Android. But since this article is about camera phones, let me shed some light on that aspect. **Nokia 8.1 (Review)** has 12 MP+13 MP dual camera combination at the back that boasts of Zeiss optics, dual-pixel autofocus and optical image stabilisation. The cameras produce some vibrant photographs with the right amount of sharpness and detail. One interesting thing here is the Live Bokeh (portrait) mode that saves depth data and lets you tweak your photos in the Google Photos app after you shoot them. The Nokia 8.1 is powered by the Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 710 SoC, which is par for the course in this segment. It is accompanied by 6 GB RAM and 128 GB of storage. The storage can be expanded further by 400 GB. It has a sharp, 6.18-inch Full HD+ notched display. The phone has the trademark Nokia metal and glass design with dual-tone anodised metal frame. Like most Nokia phones these days, the 8.1 is also a part of the Android One program. So you get stock Android UI and regular OS and security updates. The phone currently runs Android Pie. [caption id=“attachment_5705071” align=“alignnone” width=“1280”]  Nokai 8.1[/caption] Nokia 8.1 price in India: Rs 22,999 for 6 GB RAM / 128 GB storage

Best camera phones under Rs 20,000 in India

Realme X

I have thoroughly enjoyed the tussle between Xiaomi and Realme in recent times. They have really pushed each other to new heights in the midrange segment. Realme X is another stylish phone from the Oppo sub-brand that offers great features at an attractive price. This too has a 48 MP rear camera with a Sony IMX586 sensor that uses pixel binning for better results. There’s a 5 MP depth-sensing secondary camera too. The rear cameras manage to capture excellent shots with a great amount of detail, accurate colours and sharpness. They do a great job with night photography too. The 16 MP pop-up front shooter will have the selfie enthusiasts interested. It has a 6.53-inch all screen notch-less AMOLED display with a layer of Gorilla Glass 5 on top to protect it from scratches. It is powered by a Snapdragon 710 chip and comes with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage. Just like the Redmi K20, it has an in-display fingerprint scanner. There’s a 3,765 mAh battery that comfortably lasts for a day of moderate usage. And in case it is running low, the company bundles a 20 W VOOC fast charger to charge it in double-quick time. It runs ColorOS 6.0 based on Android Pie, which is one of the better UIs around courtesy of its new design language, colour scheme, and presence of an app drawer.

Realme X price in India:  Rs 19,999 for 8 GB RAM / 128 GB storage

Asus Zenfone 5Z

Asus Zenfone 5Z was the first Snapdragon 845 phone to be priced under Rs 30,000 in India. And that was the price of the base variant then. Now, you can buy the mid variant with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage under 20K in this Flipkart sale, and that’s a mind-boggling deal. You can get the 8 GB RAM / 256 GB storage variant for 4K more. It has 12 MP + 8 MP dual rear cameras that do an impressive job in most lighting conditions courtesy of a bright 24mm f/1.8 wide-angle lens with large pixels, and 4-axis optical image stabilisation. It can also record 4K videos at 30 FPS and slow-mo videos at 1080p and 720p resolution at 120 and 240 FPS respectively. The **Asus Zenfone 5Z (Review)** looks and feels premium courtesy of its glass and aluminium body. The 6.2-inch Full HD+ notched display is really sharp and feels just right. It is powered by Qualcomm’s previous flagship chip, Snapdragon 845, which is still a powerhouse. It comes in various RAM and storage options. The storage can be expanded further up to 2 TB with a microSD card. Long story short, the Asus Zenfone 5Z is a solid all-round phone with premium looks, very good cameras, a powerful SoC, and now at an awesome price. That right there is VFM overload. [caption id=“attachment_4681341” align=“alignnone” width=“1280”]  Asus ZenFone 5Z, Zenfone Max Pro M2, ROG phone to get Android Pie update this year. Image: tech2 / Sheldon Pinto[/caption] Asus Zenfone 5Z price in India: Rs 19,999 for 6 GB RAM / 128 GB storage Note: All prices mentioned in this article are those at the time of writing and some are courtesy of the ongoing Amazon and Flipkart sales. Some of the prices may change in the future.