Ahead of its launch, we tested the cameras on the iQOO 12 in the scenic location of Jaisalmer. Here’s a look at what upgrades you can expect in the flagship.
For the last four years, iQOO has been screaming at the top of its lungs that they are a performance and gaming-centric smartphone company. While they often set the benchmark for precisely that, we have seen iQOO focus more on cameras lately. The iQOO 12, launching on December 12, might just be the most well-rounded phone ever made by the company due to this shift in focus (pun intended). While we will continue to rigorously test the iQOO 12 for its performance chops, battery, gaming, and other aspects — in this article we will highlight what to expect from its cameras.
Table of Contents
iQOO 12: Camera Specifications
Revamp is the theme for iQOO this year — and it starts with the design. The rear camera module now comes in a squircle shape and is said to be inspired by a submarine window — interesting. Inside the module, you’ll find a triple-camera setup, somewhat similar to last year — but with major and much-needed upgrades.
Instead of a telephoto camera, you now get a periscope telephoto lens — which allows you to optically zoom up to 3x, and digitally zoom up to 100x. Moreover, iQOO is also focussing on astrophotography with the primary camera. To recall, this is the mode that Samsung popularised with the Space Zoom on its flagships.
64-megapixel, 3x Periscope Telephoto, f/2.57, 100x Digital Zoom
Tertiary camera
50-megapixel, Ultra-Wide Angle, FOV – 119°
Selfie camera
16-megapixel
Video recording capabilities
Up to 8K at 30fps and 4K at 60fps
iQOO 12: Camera modes and samples
The iQOO 12 has a myriad of camera modes to mess around with. You can find professional and basic tools in the ‘more’ tab. Here you’ll find the newly introduced Astro Mode, which does not require you to have a tripod for stable shots. Also new is the Supermoon mode, which is self-explanatory. But at 100x zoom, you must be extremely stable to capture the money shot.
Rest, the entire UI of the camera app is the same as before. You also get colour profiles such as Vivid, Textured, and Natural.
iQOO 12: Daylight Camera Performance
Images captured in daylight were bright and crisp. The colours in these images are balanced and do not go overboard with the vibrancy and saturation meter. The ultra-wide angle camera also takes good photos, with no distortion at the edges. The quick shutter speeds help you capture fast-moving objects as well. The autofocus speed is commendable, and the subtle sound cue upon locking focus will remind you of a good ol’ point-and-shoot camera.
iQOO 12 Daylight Camera Performance
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Ultra-Wide Angle Camera
10x Zoom
3x Zoom
2x Zoom
Ultra-Wide Angle Camera
iQOO 12: Periscope Telephoto Camera Performance
I usually found myself using the telephoto camera more often. This paired with the portrait mode can capture DSLR-like photos, with immaculate edge detection. However, the skin tones can be a bit off-balance, with more focus on the highlights. This is something I hope can be fixed with a software update.
iQOO 12 Periscope Telephoto Camera Samples
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iQOO 12 Super Macro Mode (3x)
iQOO 12 Super Macro Mode (3x)
iQOO 12 Super Macro Mode (3x)
iQOO 12 Super Macro Mode (6x)
iQOO 12 Super Macro Mode (6x)
10x zoom
iQOO 12 Super Macro Mode
iQOO 12 2x Portrait sample (favours warmer tones)
iQOO 12 3x Portrait sample
iQOO 12 SuperMoon mode (100x)
The iQOO 12 captures the local Rajasthani folks’ skin tones well, but we noticed a colour disparity between the 2x (from the primary camera) and 3x (from the telephoto) modes. The latter relies more on warmer tones. Photos of ancient Rajasthani haveli’s captured at up to 10x zoom had a decent amount of details. There’s also a Super Macro mode, which essentially uses the telephoto lens for super-close captures. You can take these in 3x and 6x options, both offer good details.
iQOO 12: Low-Light Camera Performance
The iQOO 12 performs well in low-light conditions as well. The camera handles the dynamic range in the image very well, especially when there are bright light sources around. Photos taken in extreme low-light conditions lose out on details, but the image contains little to no noise. Night mode is kicked in automatically, but there is no option to disable it.
iQOO 12 Low-Light Camera Samples
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iQOO 12: Selfie Camera Performance
The 16-megapixel selfie shooter on the iQOO 12 is capable of taking photos with good skin tones in daylight conditions. The portrait mode also works well, but we noticed a certain halo effect around the subject when taking a photo against the light. The details in these images were good and the colours are neutral.
iQOO 12 Selfie Camera Samples
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iQOO 12 Camera: Verdict
The iQOO 12 seems like a worthy successor to the iQOO 11 with flagship-level camera upgrades. There are a lot of other things to delve into about the cameras, and also about the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, considering it is the first handset with Qualcomm’s top-end SoC. But we will save them for the full review of the iQOO 12, coming soon on MySmartPrice, so keep your eyes peeled for that.
*Disclaimer: iQOO sponsored the author’s flights and hotel for the trip to Jaisalmer, India. However, our opinion on the phone and its capabilities is not affected by this.
