Do you need an expensive phone to take great Instagram photos?

I’m very often asked by fellow tech girls about what phone they should get. The first question the tech girl uses her phone for the most? The answer is always photos. Usually these are photos that, once taken, are then shared on social media. It got me thinking recently… do you need an expensive phone to take great Instagram photos?

The Scientist in me decided to run a little test.

The Challengers:

• A Sony Xperia Z5
• The Hisense Infinity H7 Pureshot
• The Xiaomi Mi 4

Quick note: You’ll notice there is an LG G4 stylus in the picture… unfortunately after having doing the photos, enjoying breakfast and spending a week procrastinating about this article I accidentally deleted the LG G4 submission…. OH DEAR!

The cost:

• Sony Xperia Z5 – R10 699.00
• Hisense Infinity H7 Pureshot – R3 499
• Xiaomi Mi 4 – R3 999

The specs:

• Sony Xperia Z5 – 23 Megapixels
• Hisense Infinity H7 Pureshot – 13 Megapixels
• Xiaomi Mi 4 – 13 Megapixels

What we did:

We took a picture of the same flower, at the same time, with each camera. These were the original shots:

We then put each photo on Instagram and added a Lo-Fi filter. Here was the result:

What was the point?

Cameras on smartphones have improved so much. The two “budget” options were on a par with the Sony once the images were compressed via Instagram and a filter added. Smartphones are becoming far more expensive and it is time for us to start expanding our requirements. Good camera? Great. However, it is time to start looking at storage, design and other features that could impact your life.

Next time you buy a new phone here are some questions you need to ask:

• Does it have a good camera? (Notice I said good, not great).
• What sort of memory does it offer?
• What is the battery life like? (Ask someone who has the phone, don’t always trust the write ups).
• Are their accessories readily available for this particular make and model? (sounds silly, but trying to find a cover to stop a phone being scratched can be a bitch. Don’t fall in to that trap!).
• What sort of after sale service is on offer? (Find out if fixing smashed screens or general errors is a reasonably easy process)

A quick note on the phones:

We’ve reviewed the Sony over here. I liked the HiSense but found it a bit big for my hand and, if I’m honest, it was completely outshined by the Xiaomi Mi 4. I was so impressed with this Chinese offering and think it is a great phone. Despite the price the offering is close to premium. I was impressed with battery life and the speed it ran at. Not keen to fork out for an iPhone? Don’t. The Xiaomi will make you a happy girl!