The A17’s camera hardware is basically the same as the A16’s. It has a 50MP main shooter with an f/1.8 aperture, a 5MP ultra-wide camera at f/2.2, and a 2MP macro camera at f/2.4. By default, the main camera captures 12MP images, but you can also take full-resolution 50MP snaps. Samsung added optical image stabilization (OIS) this year, which I’m happy to see.
This inexpensive phone produces impressive results. Generally, images have realistic color and good detail. Colors are a little dim and could use more contrast. However, for a sub-$200 phone, the A17’s camera outperforms the competition.
Main camera, 12MP (Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)
Main camera, 50MP (Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)
The 5MP ultra-wide’s images look great at a glance, but zooming in reminds you that 5MP isn’t a whole lot and the results are less sharp than I like.
Ultra-wide camera (Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)
The 2MP macro camera captures details up close, but its resolution produces images that are muddy overall.
Macro camera (Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)
The phone’s 13MP f/2.0 selfie camera takes the same kinds of photos as the rear shooters. Contrast could be boosted, and colors are mildly muted, but in all, they are good enough for social media.
Left to right: Selfie, portrait (Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)
Video recordings top out at 1080p at 30 fps on both the front and rear cameras. The rear camera’s OIS produces steady video while the front-facing one preserves shake and jostling.
