iQOO’s Neo series has always provided a power-packed smartphone in a budget price segment, that is mostly desired by gamers. However, in today’s day and age, cameras are equally important. iQOO’s latest offering — the iQOO Neo 9 Pro, aims to hit that sweet spot between a reliable camera and jaw-dropping performance.
The phone is set to launch in India on 22nd February, but in an exclusive pre-release experience, I tested the cameras on the streets of Mumbai. While our full review will be coming soon, let’s take a look at what to expect from the cameras.
iQOO Neo 9 Pro: Camera Specifications
| Cameras |
Specifications |
| Primary camera |
50-megapixel IMX920 night vision camera with f/1.88 |
| Secondary camera |
8-megapixel (ultra wide angle) with f/2.2 |
| Selfie camera |
16-megapixel CMOS with f/2.45 |
| Video recording capabilities |
Up to 8K at 30fps |
iQOO Neo 9 Pro features a 50-megapixel Sony IMX920 sensor as the primary camera with OIS and EIS. The same sensor can be found on the Vivo X100 (Review) — a camera-focused smartphone priced at about Rs 60,000.
While the Neo 7 Pro (Review) offers a triple camera setup, the Neo 9 Pro comes with a dual-camera setup. It essentially skips the lower-resolution macro camera. In comparison, the newer model offers better results in terms of details and dynamic range.
iQOO Neo 9 Pro: Camera modes and samples
The iQOO Neo 9 Pro takes cues from the iQOO 12 (Review) and spawns two smaller squircles at the rear that house the cameras. If you have used older iQOO or Vivo phones, the camera application will feel right at home. It comes with a plethora of modes that let you experiment with the camera. You also get the portrait styles from the iQOO Z7 Pro (Review), which is good.
iQOO Neo 9 Pro - Daylight Camera Samples
The details in these images are excellent and crisp, but the dynamic range can sometimes be inconsistent. In most scenarios, the portrait mode clicks good photos with proper edge detection.
iQOO Neo 9 Pro - Dynamic Range Test
In indoor lighting conditions, the photos have good colour balance and maintain the temperature tone well. In the image below the iQOO Neo 9 Pro nails the dynamic range with a well-exposed interior of the room and the scenery outside.
iQOO Neo 9 Pro - 3x Zoom Samples
While it does not have any optical zoom capabilities, the digitally zoomed shots at 3x capture great shots, and allow a tighter frame for more experiments. The flowers decorated on the table have true-to-life colours, sharpness and details that add up to make the image great.
iQOO Neo 9 Pro - Lowlight and Selfie Camera Samples
In low light conditions, I did not notice noise in the photos. However, shots captured with the ultra-wide camera had noticeable barrel distortion and noise in the corners. Selfies shot in broad daylight and low light were also pretty good, with decent contrast and natural skin tones.
There are a lot of things to unravel in the iQOO Neo 9 Pro — like its performance, battery life, display, and more. We’ll delve into those soon in our review, so stay tuned to MySmartPrice.
*Disclaimer: iQOO sponsored the author’s flights and hotel for the trip to Mumbai, India. However, our take on the phone will not be affected by this.
