Well, this article doesn’t quite fall under the “reviews” category. It was supposed to be one, but it turned out to be a general rant about mobile phones.
So, a phone. Not essential for sketching, but handy. Sometimes I snap a photo of a sketch instead of scanning it — modern phones make this easy with document recognition. But a phone becomes truly valuable for capturing paintings and graffiti. For the past decade, I’ve photographed all my graffiti with a phone and rarely missed my Canon EOS 60D DSLR. I still use it for high-detail shots of canvases, but under good lighting, a phone is more than enough.
I admit — I’m a phone addict, as my wife politely calls me. Not in the sense of staring at it all day, but in constantly upgrading the device. My first real smartphone was an iPhone 4, followed by Nokia N9, iPhone 5, multiple Samsung Galaxies, Sony Xperia, Honor 8, Huawei, and Oppo models. Now I have a Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus.
And I always return to Samsung. Their phones deliver exactly what they promise. Apple, despite its heavy marketing, doesn’t justify its premium price. While iPhones are reliable and retain resale value, they fall short in photography. I take a lot of pictures, often in difficult lighting, and always edit them on a computer. iPhone photos often appear grainy or overly processed when viewed in detail. On a phone screen, everything looks fine, but for serious editing, quality matters. Apple seems to prioritize software enhancements for people photography, while Android manufacturers take different approaches.
When I got the Huawei Mate 20 Pro, I thought I’d found my perfect brand — excellent camera, great battery. For me, the camera and file transfer ease are deal-breakers. iPhones’ restrictive file management frustrates me. I listen to my own MP3s and want my phone to function like an external drive — drag, drop, done. Android makes this seamless; Apple does not. But when it was time to upgrade from the Mate 20 Pro, U.S. sanctions on Huawei made it difficult to consider their phones anymore. Google services are essential for an Android device, so I had to look back in Samsung’s direction.
I’ve read about Google Pixel’s strong camera software but never tried one. Their limited availability and rising prices haven’t convinced me. For that cost, I stick with Samsung flagships.
One brand I haven’t tested yet but want to is OnePlus. Their flagships are pricey but occasionally discounted — just never when I’m upgrading. My kid has the Nord 3, and I’m impressed by its daylight camera and battery life. In fact, my S24 Plus, which costs 600 € more, pales in comparison in battery performance. If I find a good deal on a OnePlus, I might give it a shot.