Android phone with good camera for around $250-300


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I'm not into Android phones, so here's my question:

I am looking - maybe instead of the iPhone 5x - for an Android phone with a good camera.

Latest Android KitKat preferred to be installed.

What is a good phone for around 250 - 300 US or 200-250 EUR? No plan, unlocked & contract-free.

Size comparable with iPhone (or slightly larger) but no phablet please.

Exchange mail/business apps need to be installed, although I currently don't know which ones. WhatsApp (but that is available on Android). Currently BlackBerry devices - with email - are being used.

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Best you're going to get for that price range and in Holland: http://www.smartphoneshop.nl/product/272748/category-161308-smartphones/sony-xperia-z.html or ?317 at Redcoon. (have a look at the Tweakers Pricewatch for the most interesting store for you).

 

You've got an excellent camera, waterproof phone, good display, KitKat update has been released, great Exchange support, ... Most of the hardware specs are equal to the Nexus 4, just has a much better camera.

 

If you're willing to go up to a little over ?400 (or an incredibly good deal at Amazon Germany: ?379) the Xperia Z1 Compact is a bit smaller, has a slightly better camera and is quite a bit faster.

 

There's also the Nexus 5: https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=nexus_5_black_16gb - never a bad choice, but the camera isn't the best and I'm not sure if stock Android has very good Exchange/enterprise support.

 

I just noticed your price range actually stops at ?250 (only seem to have taken in the USD price). In that case you're going to struggle finding a decent camera. If you really don't want to go over that and still want good pics, get a Moto G or Moto E and a real compact camera.

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@Ambroos, thx for the extensive post.

Xperia Z1 Compact looks OK.

Do you (guys) happen to know how this phone compares to the iPhone 5S or 5S camera-wise and performance-wise.

I know the iPhone costs twice as much, but just for comparison-sake.

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I am going to ask but why not a Nokia? (I dont know the pricing over there as I am in Canada) but Nokia's have the better cameras in my opinion and over here I can pick up a cheap Nokia Windows Phone if I wanted to.

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Nokia doesn't have a great app store/market place.

Business wise I have a Lumia 620, and it perfectly suites those needs, but I still miss apps I have on my iPhone (like games, photo editing apps).

But I sure can take a look at it....

Like the Lumia 925?

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@Ambroos, thx for the extensive post.

Xperia Z1 Compact looks OK.

Do you (guys) happen to know how this phone compares to the iPhone 5S or 5S camera-wise and performance-wise.

I know the iPhone costs twice as much, but just for comparison-sake.

 

Performance-wise, probably better. The SoC in the Z1 Compact is the same one that powers full-HD phones, but thanks to the Z1C's small size it only has a 1280x720 display (which is perfectly fine) and the performance is stellar because of it. Probably the fastest phone you can get nowadays. Worth reading the review (in Dutch): http://tweakers.net/reviews/3386/sony-xperia-z1-compact-klein-en-fijn.html

 

Camerawise it's more or less the same. They're both top-end.

 

The nice thing about the Z1 Compact is that it's really just a Z1 but smaller, which still is a top-notch smartphone that is in the same class as the HTC One M8 and Samsung Galaxy S5. The camera and SoC are exactly the same.

 

And really, if you come from an iPhone you will sorely miss all the apps if you move to Windows Phone. Even on Android you don't have the amount of quality apps and games you get on iOS, but it's still a much bigger amount than Windows Phone. (Try Monument Valley, amazing game, iOS and Android.)

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Nokia doesn't have a great app store/market place.

Business wise I have a Lumia 620, and it perfectly suites those needs, but I still miss apps I have on my iPhone (like games, photo editing apps).

But I sure can take a look at it....

Like the Lumia 925?

 

How many apps from the marketplace do you really need that doesn't exist on the WP/Lumia marketplace ?

 

or in other words compared to the Android marketplace, how many fart apps and copy apps do you really need ?

 

Either way, Lumia 920 and up are the best you're going to find when it comes to photo, though sony has some good ones to. 

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Nexus 5 is a great phone, its cost is a little higher(349?) than your request.

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Performance-wise, probably better. The SoC in the Z1 Compact is the same one that powers full-HD phones, but thanks to the Z1C's small size it only has a 1280x720 display (which is perfectly fine) and the performance is stellar because of it. Probably the fastest phone you can get nowadays. Worth reading the review (in Dutch): http://tweakers.net/reviews/3386/sony-xperia-z1-compact-klein-en-fijn.html

 

Camerawise it's more or less the same. They're both top-end.

 

The nice thing about the Z1 Compact is that it's really just a Z1 but smaller, which still is a top-notch smartphone that is in the same class as the HTC One M8 and Samsung Galaxy S5. The camera and SoC are exactly the same.

 

And really, if you come from an iPhone you will sorely miss all the apps if you move to Windows Phone. Even on Android you don't have the amount of quality apps and games you get on iOS, but it's still a much bigger amount than Windows Phone. (Try Monument Valley, amazing game, iOS and Android.)

 

Another thing to add in favor of the Z1 Compact: The battery, easily, last three days with moderate to mild heavy use. Easily.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Lumia 925 is good value for money.

For usage/apps it will be basically camera, email, calling, whatsapp & facebook (there's WP apps for that) and maybe some browsing (purely business use with camera)

 

My Lumia 620 is a decent phone and the 925 is even better performance wise and has a better camera.

 

Is, with abovementioned purposes of the phone, a 100 EUR/$ 135 extra worth getting the Xperia Z1 Compact? Or will the Lumia 925 suffice?

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