Best Sony IMX686 camera phones in 2022

Sony IMX586 was the staple image sensor for many mid-range handsets. But with changing times, the competition has bounced back. Thus, mobile photophiles and spec-nerds out there were obviously looking forward to the successor. The Sony IMX686 is a 64MP camera sensor with a pixel resolution of 9248 x 6944. This sensor measures 1/1.7-inch in size, paired with a 1.6um pixel dimension.

Well, as you may already know, the Samsung ISOCELL GW1 is its direct competition. So, before we jump to the phones shipping with Sony IMX686 sensor, here’s a quick comparison between the two sensors.

Sony IMX686 vs Samsung ISOCELL GW1

*Sony IMX686 sensor details will be updated once Sony reveals them

Samsung 64MP sensor head a headstart, but Sony IMX682 which is same as Sony IMX686 except for one difference, is now the most popular 64MP sensor. The IMX682 can record 4K videos at 30fps while the IMX686 can capture 4K@60 fps

ALSO READ: Best Phones with 32MP Selfie Camera to buy in 2021 

64MP camera Phones with Sony IMX686 sensor

Here we have listed down the said phones along with the other details we know of them so far:

1. Asus Zenfone 8Z

There is a regular-looking Zenfone 8 and a slick flip camera-wielding phone this time around. Both come with Sony IMX686 in the lead. The non-flip model has OIS for the primary sensor. It lacks the telephone camera present on the Zenfone 8 Flip.

These flagship killers from Asus also employ Snapdragon 888-series chipsets, HDR10+ compliant high refresh rate (90Hz on the 8 Flip and 120Hz on the 8Z) AMOLED displays, stereo speakers, side-mounted fingerprint readers, and big batteries (4000mAh on the 8Z and 5000mAh on the 8 Flip).

2. Asus ROG Phone 5

Asus ROG Phone 5 is a gaming beast and once again Asus uses Sony IMX686 as the primary camera. This one is rich in customization options, has numerous game-centric advantages like air triggers and 6000mAh battery, and class-leading hardware including Snapdragon 888 octa-core chipset, LPDDR5 RAM, and UFS 3.1 storage.

The camera system also includes a 13MP ultrawide-angle camera and a 5MP macro camera. On the front, this one has a 24MP snapper for selfies. Considering the price, the overall camera performance is good but not impressive.

3. Realme X7 Pro

The X7 Pro (review) sports quad cameras at the back led by a 64MP IMX686 sensor. It is followed by an 8MP ultrawide sensor, a 2MP macro lens, and a 2MP portrait. On the front, it has a 32MP selfie snapper. This fascia is a 6.55-inch Super AMOLED panel with a 1080×2400 pixels resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate.

Inside it carries a MediaTek Dimensity 1000+ 5G chipset. This is bolstered 8GB RAM and up to 128GB of internal storage. The software on top is Android 11 with Realme UI. For secure unlocking, there’s an in-display fingerprint sensor. The X7 Pro is powered by a 4500 mAh battery which supports 65W fast charging.

4. Poco X2

Poco X2 (review) is the rebranded version of Redmi K30 4G that you’d be able to purchase in India. Apart from the 64MP Sony sensor, the X2 offers 120Hz refresh rate screen and up to 256GB of UFS 2.1 storage for a very alluring sub-20K price.

The Poco X2 lets you shoot in full 64MP resolution and also supports RAW capture. Other notable attractions include dual selfie cameras, 27W fast charging support, and Snapdragon 730G octa-core chipset.

5. Redmi K30

Redmi K30 is the first phone to wield the 64-megapixel Sony IMX686 sensor with an f/1.89 aperture. Well, it’s a part of a quartet, which consists of an 8MP 120-degree FoV ultra-wide-angle lens, a 5MP (2MP on K30 4G) 2cm macro lens, and a 2MP depth sensor. As for the front, you get a 20-megapixel selfie snapper coupled with a 2MP depth unit.

This is also the first phone to ship with Snapdragon 765 chipset with dual-mode 5G support. Redmi has launched a 4G version also.

ALSO READ: 15 Best Phones With 48MP Camera You Can Buy In 2019

6. Vivo X30 Pro

Vivo X30 Pro flaunts a quad-camera panel with a 64-megapixel primary sensor. This is probably the Sony IMX686 sensor. But, that’s not just the exciting news about the phone. It is announced to arrive in the month of December running on Samsung Exynos 980 SoC. This chipset has an integrated 5G modem and dedicated AI support on board.

Other specs include a 6.89-inch AMOLED screen, up to 12GB RAM, up to 256GB UFS 3.0 storage, and a 4,500mAh battery with 44W flash charge support.

List of phones with Sony IMX686 camera

Sony IMX686 didn’t get as popular as we expected it to. The next in line, Sony IMX689, with 48MP resolution is the one that we are seeing adopted more zealously.

Another reason is that manufacturers are more enthusiastic about Sony IMX682 which is similar to Sony IMX686 save for one difference. 4K capture on Sony IMX682 is restricted to 30fps as compared to 60fps on the Sony IMX686.