Best Budget Camera Phones Under ₹30,000: Galaxy S23 FE, Nord 4, and Others

This year, the mid-range smartphone sector has been as competitive as it can get, with numerous smartphones providing flagship-level performance, build, and cameras for a fraction of the cost. It might be difficult to find a smartphone that can shoot good photographs and movies while still excelling at multitasking and gaming.

If you’re looking for a camera-centric phone but don’t want to spend a lot of money, here are some of the finest smartphones under Rs 30,000 from Realme, Samsung, and other brands available right now.

Motorola Edge 50 Neo

If you want a smartphone that costs less than Rs 25,000, the Motorola Edge 50 Neo is one of the better options available. It uses the Dimensity 7300 chipset, which also powers the Reno 12 Pro and CMF Phone (1), and has a 6.4-inch LTPO P-OLED screen. It is MIL-STD-810H protected and IP68 dust and water-resistant.

It is also one of the few camera phones in the lower mid-range sector to include a telephoto lens. The Edge 50 Neo has a triple camera arrangement consisting of a 50MP main camera, a 13MP ultrawide sensor, and a 10MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. While the image and video quality may not be as high as more costly models, it is enough for the majority of users.

While Motorola has a bad track record of distributing Android upgrades on schedule and retiring certain products, the firm has assured that the Edge 50 Neo would receive 5 years of OS updates. However, keep in mind that the phone’s battery is 4,310mAh, which may not last a whole day if you use it often. However, the phone can charge up to 68W by cable and supports 15W wireless charging, which is often reserved for luxury products.

The Motorola Edge 50 Neo, which features 8GB RAM and 256GB storage, is available in a variety of colours and costs Rs 23,999 on Flipkart. If you don’t mind the slightly lower battery and prolonged software support, the Motorola Edge 50 Neo is a great value for the money.

Realme 12 Pro Plus

The Realme 12 Pro Plus (review), Realme’s most costly mid-range handset, is an excellent choice for anyone seeking a phone that looks and feels luxurious while also packing a superb camera configuration.

Powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 CPU, the phone provides lag-free multitasking and good gaming performance. It boasts a 6.7-inch curved AMOLED screen with 120Hz refresh rate and runs RealmeUI 5.0 based on Android 14.

It boasts a thick fake leather back that makes the phone comfortable to grip, as well as a large circular camera island in the centre that housing three lenses. The 50MP primary shooter shoots adequate shots and videos in all lighting settings, but the 64MP periscope telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom is truly capable of producing amazing results. The 8MP ultrawide shooter, like that of other mid-range phones, is only adequate.

The standard version of the Realme 12 Pro Plus features 8GB RAM and 128GB storage and costs Rs 26,950 on Amazon, but if you can afford more, we recommend the 256GB storage model.

Honor 200

Honor’s latest mid-range handset, the Honor 200, has an all-curved design that is comfortable to handle and gives it a premium feel. The gadget features the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 CPU and a 6.7-inch 120Hz OLED screen.

The rear of the phone features a frosted appearance, with a glass back and an elliptical camera island. The Honor 200 includes a 50MP primary camera, a 12MP ultrawide snapper, and a 50MP telephoto lens with 2.5x optical zoom, making it one of the few phones priced under Rs 30,000 that has a high-resolution telephoto sensor.

Both the main and telephoto lenses provide nice images during the day and at night, but the 12MP ultrawide sensor, like with the majority of mid-range handsets, is average at best.

If you prefer the user interface of Huawei phones, the Honor 200, which runs MagicOS 8 atop Android 14, may seem comfortable and easy to use. It sports a 5,200mAh battery with 100W fast charging capabilities and, like OnePlus, Google, and Samsung, has some AI-powered features. Amazon sells the Honor 200 with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for Rs 26,998.

OnePlus Nord 4

OnePlus just introduced the Nord 4 (review) in Milan, Italy. The latest addition to the company’s mid-range series has an eye-catching dual-tone design with an aluminium frame and back, giving the phone a premium appearance and feel.

The phone is powered by the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 CPU and comes preloaded with OxygenOS 14.1 based on Android 14, with Oneplus offering four years of OS upgrades. It features a 6.74-inch AMOLED display that may become quite bright outside.

The phone’s back features two vertically floating camera lenses, akin to Samsung’s Galaxy S24 range. While the phone lacks a telephoto lens, its primary 50MP snapper is rather powerful and can capture nice images both day and night. When the light is poor, the accompanying 8MP ultrawide camera performs average. If you primarily use the primary shooter and seldom utilize the telephoto lens, the OnePlus Nord 4 may be a good fit for you.

The OnePlus Nord 4 has a 5,500mAh battery that supports 100W fast charging, and the firm claims it can be completely charged in around 28 minutes. The phone’s 8GB RAM and 128GB model is now available on Flipkart for Rs 29,999, however, specific bank cards provide discounts.

Samsung Galaxy S23 FE

Samsung’s Fan Edition phone was introduced for roughly Rs 55,000 last year, but in only one year, the price has been reduced by over 50%, making it one of the greatest value-for-money phones available today.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE has an Exynos 2200 chipset and a 6.4-inch 120Hz AMOLED screen covered by Corning Gorilla Glass 5. While the phone ships with One UI 5 based on Android 13, Samsung has already pushed out Galaxy AI capabilities for the phone, which will be upgraded to Android 17.

On the rear, there’s a 50MP primary shooter, a 12MP ultrawide sensor, and an 8MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. While the main sensor captures excellent images both during the day and at night, the 8MP telephoto and 12MP ultrawide cameras fall short of those found on top phones. However, when compared to other phones in this price range, they are among the best for photographs and videos.

Another disadvantage is that the phone has a 4,500mAh battery that allows 25W charging, so if you are a frequent user, you may need to find a power outlet in the evening. Furthermore, Samsung’s Exynos series chipsets are notorious to run hot during the summer, so if you live in a hot climate, such as Delhi, keep in mind that the device may become unbearably hot outside or in direct sunlight. The base variant of the Galaxy S23 FE with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage is currently selling on Flipkart for Rs 29,999.