Cheaper Phone 3a Pro vs Flagship Phone 3: Camera Test Results

Key Takeaways

1. The Nothing Phone (3) excelled in main camera performance, consistently ranking high in the evaluation.
2. The Nothing Phone (3a) Pro performed well, particularly in selfie images, low-light conditions, and audio quality.
3. In video performance, the Nothing Phone (3) was the clear leader, especially in stabilization and zoom capabilities.
4. Both the Nothing Phone (3a) and (3a) Pro underperformed in macro and tele-macro photography, while the Phone (3) and CMF Phone 2 Pro delivered better results.
5. Despite the Nothing Phone (3) being a flagship device priced at nearly double the (3a) Pro, the performance difference was found to be disappointing.

In a recent camera comparison video released two days ago, Versus conducted a thorough evaluation of various devices. The assessment included different categories such as main camera, ultra-wide camera, portrait, video, audio, slow motion, zoom, macro, low light, selfie, and more.

Main Camera Showdown

When it came to main camera photos, the Nothing Phone (3) emerged as the frontrunner and kept its position throughout the evaluation. Nevertheless, it faced some tough competition from the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro, which was not far behind and even surpassed the Phone (3) in several categories. The (3a) Pro excelled in capturing selfie images, low-light scenarios, and audio quality.

Video Performance

In the video categories, which included outdoor and indoor testing as well as stabilization and slow-motion capabilities, the Nothing Phone (3) clearly stood out as the top performer. For zoom photography, it outperformed the competition by a significant margin, thanks to its advanced AI-powered image processing.

Macro and Tele-Macro Results

Surprisingly, the macro and tele-macro performance was a letdown for both the Nothing Phone (3a) and the (3a) Pro. On the other hand, the flagship Phone (3) and the budget-friendly CMF Phone 2 Pro (currently priced at $299 on Amazon) delivered satisfactory results. The CMF Phone 2 Pro produced well-colored images, while the Phone (3) captured finer details in its pictures.

In conclusion, the rankings showed that the Phone (3) claimed the top position. However, the difference in performance was rather disappointing, especially considering it is marketed as a flagship device and was priced at nearly twice that of the Phone (3a) Pro, which retails for $799.