The realme 9 sets itself apart from the crowd with its 108MP primary camera (Samsung ISOCELL HM6) at the rear, but how does it actually perform on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 processor?
We have had the device for a few weeks and have tested the Camera capabilities, from video to the normal pixel binned rear shots and even the full 108MP (9000 by 12000 pixels).
Before that though, the realme has a lot more to offer, you get a 90Hz AMOLED screen, Android 12 OS, a 5,000 mAh battery, 33W fast charging, and a 3.5mm audio jack, you can check out our first impressions and full specs here.
Realme 9 Camera Review
108MP Primary Camera
By default, the realme 9 uses the NonaPixel Plus layout (3×3 binning), which captures 123% more light compared to the Samsung ISOCELL HM2 sensor used in other phones, this in return gives you some of the best picture shots in the sub Sh30,000 price range easy.
The pictures taken in daylight are super bright, and the colors are shockingly accurate with so much detail.
As you can see from the images above, the budget device also overperforms in low-light conditions. You get bright photos that have colors close to real life and a good enough amount of detail.
From the picture of the wildflower, you can see how great the portrait shots are, the device is great with edge detection and naturally blurs the background to create very beautiful shots.
8MP Ultrawide Camera
You don’t want to use this lens, the images I got on the 8MP ultrawide camera were over-saturated and lacked fine details. However, I don’t think you’ll get a good ultrawide at this price point, if you want to shoot wide angles, I’d advise going to the midrange category
2MP Macro Camera
There is also a 2MP macro camera which allows you to capture images of a subject from a really close distance (4cm). I don’t think anyone uses this, I did not. I don’t care for it. Just use the108MP primary camera in the 108MP mode and crop in for closer shots.
16MP Selfie Camera
The 16MP selfie camera of the Realme 9 is exactly what you’d expect. The images are bright and have good color accuracy and enough details. given it’s a selfie shooter, expect a good amount of noise and lower dynamic range. I had no issues with this.
Video
I recently came to a conclusion that high-megapixel cameras on midrange chipsets are not that good but this is mostly on video and the realme 9 proved me right. Getting on with the cons, despite the 108MP camera, the phone can only shoot 1080p resolution at 30 frames per second, and even those videos aren’t any good. The EIS sucks and as a result, you get shaky and grainy videos.
Conclusion
The realme 9 is the go-to budget device for me right now, the device is perfect for photography, and I will easily recommend this over the Reno7 4g. It retails for Sh30,999 and is actually really good, you will struggle to get better for this price. However, if you’re looking to shoot video content, this is not the device for you, you will have to go back in your pocket for a midrange device.
What device should we put to the test next? let us know in the comments down below or on our telegram channel
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