Cherry Mobile Flare X3: First Camera Samples
Cherry Mobile Flare X3 is probably the only smartphone with 5 cameras in total under PHP 10K.
It uses a 12MP f/2.0 Samsung S5K2L8 RGB primary sensor with PDAF focus and BSI paired with a 5MP S5K5E9 monochrome sensor, and a 2MP depth sensor for better portrait shots.
Related: Cherry Mobile Flare X3 Unboxing and First Impressions
Personally, I would have liked it better if the 5MP sensor at the back for ultra-wide shots, but it is what it is. Besides, the monochrome sensor could be used to improve details and color accuracy on your shots.
It also has a 20MP f/2.2 Samsung S5K2T7 sensor with BSI and a 2MP depth sensor found in the notch for selfies.
The camera app is a bit barebones. You can only do the point and shoots, face beauty, and take portrait shots. It has no pro or night mode. Even the basic HDR and common Android filters are nowhere to be found.
Hopefully, Cherry will seed an update to make its camera app more robust. But if not, we will download other camera apps.
But fortunately, we were quite pleased with our initial shots. Have a look!
In daylight, the PDAF focus helped in its focus speed. Shutter speed and photo saving time are also speedy. It captured the scene the way it should be.
Details are crisp and colors are natural-looking. Contrast and dynamic range could be a bit stronger, but overall exposure and white balance of this image are quite nice.
In this gloomy rainy day shot, sharpness is on point again. Color accuracy and dynamic range are a bit better in this scene too. The background is overexposed, but what is more important is the subject. Cherry Mobile nearly nailed it.
Close-up shots are extra impressive. The shot that we got has crisp details and true to life colors. Yes, it has the best color accuracy from sub PHP 10K phones yet. The background blur that the shot produced is pleasing to the eyes as well.
This camera phone can also zoom up to 4x. The digital zoom it produced at 4x has artifacts, but it is still considered as respectable for the price.
The loss of details is evident in low light shots. Noise is present as well. BUT, compared with other point and shoot phones, it has pretty good overall night shots. The loss of colors is not that visible too. Dynamic range and exposure control are close to some phones with night mode.
It is just a bit more difficult to get your focus right in low light.
The 20MP selfie cam is also rich in details with good color science. It is considered very good for a budget phone.
The face beauty will make your face look smoother, but it won't make you look too white. The portrait mode has an impressive subject to background separation as well.
So far, my only issue is I can't use the portrait mode together with the face beauty mode unlike other phones.
Even this dim night selfie that we got is impressive. You can also use the screen flash to compensate for the lack of light at night.
For point and shoots, I think they are pretty successful so far. Cherry Mobile Flare X3 is one of the most impressive shooters in its class.
We were able to take images with crisp details, accurate colors (very accurate as a matter of fact), nice contrast, and good dynamic range in daylight. Even in low light, the loss of details is not too much. Colors are still there.
The same goes for the selfie cameras, it is quite nice in general.
My problem is I can't unlock its full potential yet. Its camera app should have been more feature-rich.
Basic features like the HDR is nowhere to be found. It would have been way better if it has a pro mode to help us be more creative with our shots and a night mode for even better low light shots.
Overall, its camera performance is still considered as quite impressive for a sub-PHP 10K device marketed as a gaming phone.
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| Triple-cam at the back |
It uses a 12MP f/2.0 Samsung S5K2L8 RGB primary sensor with PDAF focus and BSI paired with a 5MP S5K5E9 monochrome sensor, and a 2MP depth sensor for better portrait shots.
Related: Cherry Mobile Flare X3 Unboxing and First Impressions
Personally, I would have liked it better if the 5MP sensor at the back for ultra-wide shots, but it is what it is. Besides, the monochrome sensor could be used to improve details and color accuracy on your shots.
 |
| Dual-cam in front |
It also has a 20MP f/2.2 Samsung S5K2T7 sensor with BSI and a 2MP depth sensor found in the notch for selfies.
The camera app is a bit barebones. You can only do the point and shoots, face beauty, and take portrait shots. It has no pro or night mode. Even the basic HDR and common Android filters are nowhere to be found.
Hopefully, Cherry will seed an update to make its camera app more robust. But if not, we will download other camera apps.
But fortunately, we were quite pleased with our initial shots. Have a look!
Rear Camera Samples
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| Daylight shot |
In daylight, the PDAF focus helped in its focus speed. Shutter speed and photo saving time are also speedy. It captured the scene the way it should be.
Super accurate colors!
Details are crisp and colors are natural-looking. Contrast and dynamic range could be a bit stronger, but overall exposure and white balance of this image are quite nice.
 |
| Gloomy rainy day shot |
In this gloomy rainy day shot, sharpness is on point again. Color accuracy and dynamic range are a bit better in this scene too. The background is overexposed, but what is more important is the subject. Cherry Mobile nearly nailed it.
 |
| Close-up shot |
Close-up shots are extra impressive. The shot that we got has crisp details and true to life colors. Yes, it has the best color accuracy from sub PHP 10K phones yet. The background blur that the shot produced is pleasing to the eyes as well.
 |
| Normal vs 4x zoom |
This camera phone can also zoom up to 4x. The digital zoom it produced at 4x has artifacts, but it is still considered as respectable for the price.
 |
| Night shot 1 |
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| Night shot 2 |
The loss of details is evident in low light shots. Noise is present as well. BUT, compared with other point and shoot phones, it has pretty good overall night shots. The loss of colors is not that visible too. Dynamic range and exposure control are close to some phones with night mode.
It is just a bit more difficult to get your focus right in low light.
Selfie Camera Samples
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| Pretty good daylight selfie, the background is a bit overexposed |
The 20MP selfie cam is also rich in details with good color science. It is considered very good for a budget phone.
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| Normal selfie with portrait mode and face beauty level 3 |
The face beauty will make your face look smoother, but it won't make you look too white. The portrait mode has an impressive subject to background separation as well.
So far, my only issue is I can't use the portrait mode together with the face beauty mode unlike other phones.
 |
| Low light with portrait mode |
Even this dim night selfie that we got is impressive. You can also use the screen flash to compensate for the lack of light at night.
Quick thoughts
With its 5 cameras in total, it is clear that Cherry Mobile wants the Flare X3 to be a good camera phone aside from being just a gaming phone.For point and shoots, I think they are pretty successful so far. Cherry Mobile Flare X3 is one of the most impressive shooters in its class.
We were able to take images with crisp details, accurate colors (very accurate as a matter of fact), nice contrast, and good dynamic range in daylight. Even in low light, the loss of details is not too much. Colors are still there.
The same goes for the selfie cameras, it is quite nice in general.
My problem is I can't unlock its full potential yet. Its camera app should have been more feature-rich.
Basic features like the HDR is nowhere to be found. It would have been way better if it has a pro mode to help us be more creative with our shots and a night mode for even better low light shots.
Overall, its camera performance is still considered as quite impressive for a sub-PHP 10K device marketed as a gaming phone.
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