Camera test: The phone with the best Portrait mode

30 December 2018
We've lined up the industry's cameraphone heavyweights - iPhone XS Max, Galaxy Note9, Huawei Mate 20 Pro, LG V40 ThinQ, OnePlus 6T, Galaxy S9, Google Pixel 3 to see how good phones have become in capturing portrait photos with defocused backgrounds. We'll also be taking some shots with a full-frame DSLR - the Nikon D750 - just to put things into perspective.

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  • o
  • onurthemonur
  • 3MD
  • 03 Jan 2019

As a fan of Mate 20 pro, I can clearly say that Note 9 nailed it! It has the most realistic colors and dynamic range. I'm impressed actually, wasn't expecting that!

    • A
    • Alex
    • snU
    • 03 Jan 2019

    Anonymous, 02 Jan 2019Look well on mate 20 pro photo quality.. Is much better tha... moreCome on, dude ... Really? The P20 Pro photos are better than the Nikon ones?
    Sure, a phone can do more things than a specialized tool. But not one of those things can it do better than the specialized tool. I don't mind if you want to settle for "good enough" instead of "best", but don't try to convince me that it's making better photos than a real camera, or that it's better for movies than a 60 inch TV, or that it's better for music than an amp with stereo speakers, or that it's better for gaming than a PC, or ... Because it's not.

      That Huawei is good!!!

        • M
        • Myself
        • Dkw
        • 03 Jan 2019

        But deep we all know only mia1 click best portraits....

          Larsen, 02 Jan 2019It s*cks, that S9 with IMX Exmor by SONY is one level bette... moreahm.. s9 was the worst in this round

            • M
            • Mark
            • tRr
            • 03 Jan 2019

            Was going to say mate 20 pro owned this comp, but a lot of commenters already did that.
            Pixel was close tho.

              • L
              • Larsen
              • TXd
              • 02 Jan 2019

              It s*cks, that S9 with IMX Exmor by SONY is one level better than Note 9 with stupid Samsung ISOCELL... Why they produce two different CMOS and sell it like one? ISOCELL is not same quality as EXMOR, but half of planet have device with this sh*t for this same price... me to.

                Wish you compared also sony.

                  • ?
                  • Anonymous
                  • XNk
                  • 02 Jan 2019

                  Anonymous, 01 Jan 2019Note that gsmarena's Nikon jpgs are not out-of-camera jpgs.... moreHow did you know that?

                    • ?
                    • Anonymous
                    • JEu
                    • 02 Jan 2019

                    AnonD-731363, 31 Dec 2018Nikon D3500 cost less than 500 bucks and does a much better... moreLook well on mate 20 pro photo quality.. Is much better than your dslr man! Even it is a phones.. It give you many and many services.. It is like a pc and a camera and some are power bank! And super fast internet connectivity! Bigger screen! Gaming! Bigger storage than the dslr.. And anyway.. It is portrait mode.. Who care about portrait mode honestly? I use it maybe once a year.. So u can't say dslr is better.. It seems very expensive when it comes to bunch or services in phones and only a 'camera' inside it and nothing else at all.. U even need to put storage in it!

                      I agree, the Mate 20 pro overall is the best....

                        • ?
                        • Anonymous
                        • gBV
                        • 01 Jan 2019

                        Note that gsmarena's Nikon jpgs are not out-of-camera jpgs. These are raw files that have been exported as jpgs with Adobe software. Otherwise the jpgs would have worse noise reduction and worse details.

                          • S
                          • Shui8
                          • KZ8
                          • 01 Jan 2019

                          AnonD-731363, 31 Dec 2018Nikon D3500 cost less than 500 bucks and does a much better... moreThis is a smartphone arena, specifically portrait mode using its camera. All the camera u mentioned cant make calls, whatsapp, browsing & all phone features can do.

                            Anonymous, 01 Jan 2019I don't bother with it too.Glad to hear I'm not the only one :)

                              • ?
                              • Anonymous
                              • vjw
                              • 01 Jan 2019

                              Macbeth, 01 Jan 2019I don't personally care about the portrait mode.I don't bother with it too.

                                • t
                                • the best
                                • tZ4
                                • 01 Jan 2019

                                AnonD-731363, 31 Dec 2018Nikon D3500 cost less than 500 bucks and does a much better... morethe dslr there was just for REFERENCE output image
                                there is none really happening here. just a comparison between those smartphone, by any mean not smartphone vs dslr as ppl arguing here

                                  I don't personally care about the portrait mode.

                                    • Z
                                    • Zoki
                                    • m@I
                                    • 31 Dec 2018

                                    Ali Bashir, 31 Dec 2018Nope, not only you, totally pointless. Where is XZ3???

                                      Anonymous, 30 Dec 2018Well, about the colors. That's quite subjective too. I do t... moreIdidnt mean the colors were accurate on Pixel they are just pleasing to look at same goes for iPhone with its warm color which imo should be just a bit less and AFAIK HDR has nothing to do with portraits cause it does not work in portrait mode

                                        • D
                                        • AnonD-731363
                                        • SH3
                                        • 31 Dec 2018

                                        Nikon D3500 cost less than 500 bucks and does a much better photos than any of theses.
                                        Nikon D3400 cost less than 350 and still surpases any of theses by thousdant of miles.
                                        Any Cannon or Nikon for just 150 bucks is a lot better than any cell phone you can name.
                                        What is this poll all about???