Four totally different smartphones, with two things in common - they can all be obtained for less than £400 and they all still - justifiably - claim to have world class imaging. And, with some decent weather in the UK for once, it's a golden opportunity to do a four way camera shootout. Can the AAWP champion Lumia 950 be bettered by such 'budget' Android imaging pretenders? Let's find out.

The contenders then:

• Lumia 950/XL (the gold standard in many ways, though bettered through zoom functions by the Huawei P30 Pro in recent times) - price variable, as only found in clearance bins now!
   
• Motorola One Vision (an OIS-stabilised 48MP main sensor, reduced by quad-Bayer techniques to 'clearer' [in theory] 12MP images, though not in typical 'PureView' fashion) - £269 in the UK
   
• Google Pixel 3a/XL (a standard stabilised 12MP sensor, but backed up by unrivalled multi-exposure proprietary 'PureView next-gen' algorithms) - from £369 in the UK
   
• Samsung Galaxy S9+ (large stabilised 12MP sensor plus 2x telephoto, also stabilised) - included because, well, it's my main phone for the last 15 months and is still a worthy benchmark and typical of the 'main plus telephoto' brigade - available now second hand from £350

So yes, you don't have to spend £1000 to get a smartphone with imaging that matches your Lumia. At least, that's the theory, so let's get on with the tests.

With four crops to examine each time, I'll present them in a grid form, for easier comparison on the page. Sorry, no interactive comparator this time, though if there's enough interest I could do a separate two-way test with the One Vision and the 950 XL later?

NOTE: in a desktop browser the grid is ordered in clockwise fashion, as described below. On a smartphone (i.e. linear, vertical) display, the order will probably end up being rendered in a strip of crops, with order Lumia 950, One Vision, Google Pixel, S9+.

Test 1: Sunny landscape

A picturesque pub, lit in super light. A walk in the park for each of the budget phone cameras. Here's the overall scene, as shot on the Pixel 3a XL (chosen because its colours have tended to be the most accurate overall):

If you want to grab the original photos for your own analysis, they're here, from the Lumia 950 XL, Motorola One Vision, Pixel 3a XL, and Galaxy S9+, just right click each link and 'Save as'.

And here are central 1:1 crops for detailed analysis. Clockwise from top left, we have a crop from the Lumia 950 XL, from the Motorola One Vision, from the Galaxy S9+ and from the Pixel 3a XL (i.e. the latter is bottom left):

No problems here for the sign and windows, so I'm turning my attention to the hanging basket and flowers/greenery - which looks most like real life? The Lumia 950 and S9+ get closest, while the Pixel's image isn't quite vibrant enough. The One Vision, in a theme which will continue below (I suspect), has a lack of absolute detail which causes a very slight blurriness if you look closely. And which is surprising, given the underlying 48MP sensor - pixels should be pin sharp and accurate.

Score: Lumia 950 XL: 9 pts; One Vision: 7 pts; Pixel 3a XL: 8 pts; Galaxy S9+: 9 pts

Test 2: HDR

A favourite test scene, in the sun but with shade and greenery aplenty to examine. Here's the overall scene, as shot on the Pixel 3a XL:

If you want to grab the original photos for your own analysis, they're here, from the Lumia 950 XL, Motorola One Vision, Pixel 3a XL, and Galaxy S9+, just right click each link and 'Save as'.

And here are central 1:1 crops for detailed analysis. Clockwise from top left, we have a crop from the Lumia 950 XL, from the Motorola One Vision, from the Galaxy S9+ and from the Pixel 3a XL (i.e. the latter is bottom left):

Despite the overdone yellow 'golden' cast from the Lumia 950, it still produces the image with the best detail and contrast, partly down to the high quality optics, partly down to the PureView image processing. The S9+ isn't far behind and also gets the colours right. While the Pixel image is a bit too contrasty and the greenery a little too dark. The new Motorola One Vision brings up the rear again, by a whisker, thanks to a slight lack of definition.

Score: Lumia 950 XL: 9 pts; One Vision: 6 pts; Pixel 3a XL: 7 pts; Galaxy S9+: 8 pts

Test 3: Zoom testing, part 1: 1x

A light aircraft in the sun at 50m. We'll start at 1x and then move up to 2x and 4x. Here's the overall scene, as shot on the Pixel 3a XL:

If you want to grab the original 1x photos for your own analysis, they're here, from the Lumia 950 XL, Motorola One Vision, Pixel 3a XL, and Galaxy S9+, just right click each link and 'Save as'.

And here are central 1:1 crops for detailed analysis. Clockwise from top left, we have a crop from the Lumia 950 XL, from the Motorola One Vision, from the Galaxy S9+ and from the Pixel 3a XL (i.e. the latter is bottom left):

Roughly the same order of merit as in previous shots, the Lumia 950 photo has the highest IQ, with the S9+ not far behind, the Pixel a bit contrasty but a notch behind. And then the One Vision yet again making a tiny bit of a mess of details and colours. See the comments in my conclusions below though - this is the first firmware for the phone, etc.

Score: Lumia 950 XL: 9 pts; One Vision: 6 pts; Pixel 3a XL: 7 pts; Galaxy S9+: 8 pts

Test 4: Zoom testing, part 2: 2x

The same scene but zoomed to roughly 2x in the phone camera UIs...

If you want to grab the original 2x photos for your own analysis, they're here, from the Lumia 950 XL, Motorola One Vision, Pixel 3a XL, and Galaxy S9+, just right click each link and 'Save as'.

And here are central 1:1 crops from the zoomed shots for detailed analysis. Clockwise from top left, we have a crop from the Lumia 950 XL, from the Motorola One Vision, from the Galaxy S9+ and from the Pixel 3a XL (i.e. the latter is bottom left):

The Galaxy S9+ wins here by some margin because of its dedicated 2x telephoto lens, which works superbly. The Lumia 950 uses part PureView zoom and part digital and comes in next, with artefacts aplenty but not enough to ruin the shot. The Pixel 3a XL shot is probably third, despite me zooming too far - all a little smoother, but it looks great when taken as a 'whole'.  

The One Vision should be good at zooming, using smart cropping into that 48MP sensor, but it's clear from the grass and from the edges that Motorola is simply being way too over-eager in the edge enhancement department - more subtlety needed!!

Score: Lumia 950 XL: 8 pts; One Vision: 6 pts; Pixel 3a XL: 7 pts; Galaxy S9+: 10 pts

Test 5: Zoom testing, part 3: 4x

The same scene but zoomed to roughly 4x in the phone camera UIs...

If you want to grab the original 2x photos for your own analysis, they're here, from the Lumia 950 XL, Motorola One Vision, Pixel 3a XL, and Galaxy S9+, just right click each link and 'Save as'.

And here are central 1:1 crops from the zoomed shots for detailed analysis. Clockwise from top left, we have a crop from the Lumia 950 XL, from the Motorola One Vision, from the Galaxy S9+ and from the Pixel 3a XL (i.e. the latter is bottom left):

The variety of zooming techniques produce very different results at the pixel level. The Galaxy S9+ starts from a 2x baseline and so even with 2x digital zoom added its results are unsurprisingly superior. The Pixel 3a XL, from its single 12MP sensor, produces surprisingly good zoomed results - though rather over-smoothed and interpolated. Meanwhile, the Lumia 950 XL camera does what it's worst at - digital zoom, with jagged edges, blotches and artefacts. And there's something not quite right about the One Vision's image. Colours are wrong, details are clobbered by image processing. Again, early firmware to blame? 

Score: Lumia 950 XL: 6 pts; One Vision: 6 pts; Pixel 3a XL: 7 pts; Galaxy S9+: 9 pts

Test 6: Indoor, artificial light

Plenty of detail on these drinks in a shop, shot at a metre. Here's the overall scene, as shot on the Pixel 3a XL:

If you want to grab the original photos for your own analysis, they're here, from the Lumia 950 XL, Motorola One Vision, Pixel 3a XL, and Galaxy S9+, just right click each link and 'Save as'.

And here are central 1:1 crops for detailed analysis. Clockwise from top left, we have a crop from the Lumia 950 XL, from the Motorola One Vision, from the Galaxy S9+ and from the Pixel 3a XL (i.e. the latter is bottom left):

Very similar results in pretty optimum conditions for modern smartphone cameras. I'm giving the win to the 950 XL and the S9+, which balance contrast and edge purity the best here. The Pixel adds just a touch too much edge enhancement, while the One Vision produces details that need more clarity.

Score: Lumia 950 XL: 10 pts; One Vision: 9 pts; Pixel 3a XL: 9 pts; Galaxy S9+: 10 pts

Test 7: Darkest room

A favourite test scene, in a very gloomy church side annex, to the eye there's almost no light in here, despite what the photos show in cranking up the levels - the window on the right of the room lets in almost nothing, being heavily stained and partially blocked. A super test of how much light each phone camera can acquire. Here's the overall scene, as shot on the Pixel 3a XL, roughly ten times as bright as it seemed to me in real life!:

If you want to grab the original photos for your own analysis, they're here, from the Lumia 950 XL, Motorola One Vision, Pixel 3a XL, and Galaxy S9+, just right click each link and 'Save as'.

And here are central 1:1 crops for detailed analysis. Clockwise from top left, we have a crop from the Lumia 950 XL, from the Motorola One Vision, from the Galaxy S9+ and from the Pixel 3a XL (i.e. the latter is bottom left):

The bibles in the crop really are a slightly 'off' shade of blue, so I'm going to state that for once the Lumia is the one that has got the colours right. Remember that these shots are in very low light indeed, and all four phone cameras did amazingly well. Helped by OIS, details are crisp across the board - how far we've come! The Lumia takes the win here, for unexagerated detail and low noise, while the Pixel gets close, with sharpening enhancing detail but with higher noise levels. The One Vision, for once, keeps up, and I'd put its result as level with the Pixel, while the S9+'s shot isn't far behind. Terrific for all four, considering the environment.

Score: Lumia 950 XL: 9 pts; One Vision: 8 pts; Pixel 3a XL: 8 pts; Galaxy S9+: 7 pts

Test 8: Night time

Dead of night, the usual test of light gathering ability on landscape scale, with bright streetlights here and there. Here's the overall scene, as shot on the Pixel 3a XL:

If you want to grab the original photos for your own analysis, they're here, from the Lumia 950 XL, Motorola One Vision, Pixel 3a XL, and Galaxy S9+, just right click each link and 'Save as'.

And here are central 1:1 crops for detailed analysis. Clockwise from top left, we have a crop from the Lumia 950 XL, from the Motorola One Vision, from the Galaxy S9+ and from the Pixel 3a XL (i.e. the latter is bottom left):

All four photos are very good, really, considering the light levels. Four ago just the Lumia 1020 could have shot this scene and now we have 'budget' phones which do a very good job as well as being modern smartphones in the OS department. 

Of the four crops here, the Lumia 950 XL just edges it - this is the Lumia's party trick - gathering light with minimal noise, all PureView-ed out. But the One Vision's attempt is very credible, spoiled only by a slight red tint and by no hint of colour from the trees in the crop. The Pixel is one notch back again, with noise creeping in and some artefacts, while the S9+'s shot is crisper but has plenty of digital noise and artefacts. Relatively speaking!

Score: Lumia 950 XL: 9 pts; One Vision: 8 pts; Pixel 3a XL: 7 pts; Galaxy S9+: 7 pts

Test 9: Night scene again, 'Night mode' allowed

Of course, with modern smartphones now offering multi-exposure, multi-second, auto-aligned 'Night Modes', it's only right that I give these a test too. In this case our local Holiday Inn against a darkening dusk sky. Note that the Lumia doesn't HAVE a 'Night mode', but its 'auto' capture of night shots is already so exceptional that it doesn't really need one. Here's the overall scene, as shot on the Pixel 3a XL and, as usual, made brighter than it seemed to the eye:

If you want to grab the original night mode photos for your own analysis, they're here, from the Lumia 950 XL, Motorola One Vision, Pixel 3a XL, and Galaxy S9+, just right click each link and 'Save as'.

And here are central 1:1 crops for detailed analysis. Clockwise from top left, we have a crop from the Lumia 950 XL, from the Motorola One Vision, from the Galaxy S9+ and from the Pixel 3a XL (i.e. the latter is bottom left):

In terms of colour consistency, looking in particular at the lit 'H' panel, the Pixel 3a XL just edges a win in its acclaimed 'night sight' mode, over the 950 XL, which doesn't seem to have nailed the focus quite right. While the S9+ is level overall but starting to show noise and artefacts, with the One Vision also introducing some blotchiness to what should be solid colours.

Score: Lumia 950 XL: 7 pts; One Vision: 6 pts; Pixel 3a XL: 9 pts; Galaxy S9+: 7 pts

Test 10: Party time

My archetypal party test shot, mimicking low light with moving people(!) Here's the overall scene, as shot on the Pixel 3a XL and yes, that's how I 'dad dance' - sue me!:

Here are central 1:1 crops for detailed analysis. Clockwise from top left, we have a crop from the Lumia 950 XL, from the Motorola One Vision, from the Galaxy S9+ and from the Pixel 3a XL (i.e. the latter is bottom left):

Although never up with the Lumia 1020's Xenon flash, the Lumia 950 range's triple LED flash has usually produced useable 'party' results. But it's having an 'off' day here, I think, and this was the best of three attempts! It also goes to show how much the competition have upped their game in terms of larger apertures, faster and more efficient sensors, plus intelligent multiple fast exposure combination. Here the S9+ produces a super lit and crisp result, albeit with 'red eye', the Pixel's software produces the best balanced shot, in terms of subject and background (though still with red eye), while the One Vision's shot is crisp and 'red eye-less' but its flash is too weak to really light the scene and capture colours properly.

Score: Lumia 950 XL: 5 pts; One Vision: 6 pts; Pixel 3a XL: 9 pts; Galaxy S9+: 8 pts

Verdict

Adding up the points gives:

1. Samsung Galaxy S9+: 83/100
2. Lumia 950/XL: 81/100
3. Pixel 3a/XL: 78/100
4. One Vision: 68/100

Giving me some takeaway conclusions:

• Physics still wins - having an extra, stabilised 2x telephoto lens makes the difference (again) between the Galaxy S9+ and the famed Lumia 950. Just. Still, as I've done, picking up a second hand, year old S9+ (or Note 9) is a very cheap way to get an awful lot of camera - and a lot of general smartphone too.
• The Pixel 3a/XL (and the premium 3/XL) camera is still terrific, with all the software intelligence, but yet again it can't quite match the Lumia 950's PureView prowess. However, whereas the premium 3/XL are still £700-£900 (depending on variant), to have the same camera system on the budget 3a line here makes getting close to top notch imaging more affordable than ever.
• The Motorola One Vision is currently held back. Hopefully by software and I've lost count of the number of camera-centric smartphones that have improved markedly after a few firmware updates, so I'm not going to write off the One Vision just yet. As it stands at the moment though I couldn't really recommend it whole-heartedly.

Comments welcome - top imaging for less than £400, eh?(!)