BEST CAMERA PHONES: HUAWEI Nova 5T

By: Berlinda Ivy Etornam Dormeakpor

The Huawei Nova 5T is unlikely to compete for the title of the best camera phone still, it does deliver an all-screen display with a small 32MP punch-hole selfie camera, glass, and metal design and the same processor found in the flagship.
The highlight feature, however, is its quad-camera, the 5T serves up a 48MP primary camera, a 16MP ultra-wide camera and two 2MP modules, one depth sensor, and another macro snapper.

Despite its four cameras, the Huawei Nova 5T doesn't include a telephoto camera module - a notable omission which is found on most dual and triple-camera phones like the Google Pixel 4 and iPhone 11 Pro. What you do get is a 48MP primary camera with an f/1.7 aperture, 26mm lens, and a 1/2in sensor, with 0.8µm pixels.

MODES

The Nova 5T features all the standard Huawei shooting modes. Automatic mode is loaded up with an 'AI' feature that recognizes objects and scenes, Portrait mode blurs backdrops, and flatters subjects. In contrast, Night mode delivers a well-exposed handheld shot with an artificial shutter speed of over five seconds.

The Nova 5T also carries forward the extended shooting modes featured in more premium Huawei devices, including Light Painting, Pro Mode, Aperture, and Document scanning, to name a few; these are all found in the 'More' tab.
Additionally, the Super Macro mode engages the phone's 2MP fixed-focus macro camera for high-impact close-up shots when the light is right.


Photos taken on the Huawei Nova 5T's camera is captured at 12MP by default, despite the fact the camera phone features a 48MP primary camera. Generally speaking, while phones with the same sensor tend to perform similarly, capturing impressive shots with plenty of detail but nuances lost in the dark shadows and bright highlights, the Nova 5T's images impress on the whole.

 If you fire up pro mode, you're in for a treat. For starters, the ISO can be bumped all the way up to 102,400 - mightily impressive for a smartphone, especially considering the fact results don't look bad at all. As for the maximum shutter time, it's 30 seconds, so if you find a steady surface, you can capture impressive night sky shots.

Noise

Noise handling in automatic mode is reasonably good, but Huawei's Night mode is one of the best around at this kind of price, and on the 5T, it performs very well. This compensates for a lack of optical image stabilization nicely.
In good light, the AI mode can boost dynamic range too, which helps shots along, and there's also an HDR mode if the AI scene detection doesn't cut it.

Video 

Video is shot at up to 4K, 30fps, and is stabilized electronically at up to full resolution - something you don't always see in midrangers. As for quality, it's impressive, provided the light is right, though, as with most smartphones, grain creeps into footage quickly when the lights go down.
 The Nova 5T can also capture 960fps slow-motion video and its 32MP front camera, very good looking selfies.
At its current price,Huawei Nova 5T is seen as the best in its league.