Micromax Canvas 2 A110 vs Karbonn A21 vs iBall Andi 4.5h: Camera shootout

We’ve pitted the Micromax Superfone Canvas 2 A110 against the Karbonn A21 and the iBall Andi 4.5h in a grudge match and on paper, the Canvas 2 manages to edge out the A21 while losing the battle with the Andi 4.5h. It’s now time to put that 8MP sensor to the test to see if it can outperform the same sensor on the iBall and the smaller 5MP sensor on the A21. All the phones are somewhat on an even playing field as they are all running stock Android Ice Cream Sandwich and have LED flashes.

We’ve put together different shooting scenarios to test the camera’s ability to adapt under various lighting conditions. Let’s have a look at the results and find out which handset is the best when it comes to snapping pictures.

The first image was shot indoors with multi-coloured light strings as the light source. These lights were kept static and not flashing or in any pattern, so we had the same lighting condition for all the handsets. Flash was off for this test.

Click for a larger image

The Micromax A110 produced an overbearing red tinge that we simply couldn’t get rid of, no matter what angle we tried. We didn’t get much detail either. The Karbonn A21 fared a little better, but the colours were extremely muted and the image wasn’t very sharp either. The Andi 4.5h managed to produce more accurate colours and also capture a lot better detail. The first round goes to iBall.

The second test was outdoors, in natural light. Touch focus was used to focus on the rose petals. Once again, flash was turned off.

Click for a larger image

The A110 fares a lot better outdoors than it does indoors. The level of detail is decent and the colours are also not bad. The A21 tends to overexpose the image quite a bit, but the level of detail is much better. The water droplets are also a lot more pronounced. The Andi 4.5h was a bit disappointing here as it just didn’t seem to get the focus right. It does, however, manage to get the colours right, and the level of detail on the leaves is not bad. This round goes to the A110 for much overall focus and good level of colour and detail capture.

Our third test is also outdoors and this time, we see how the sensors fare when trying to capture fur. And for the record, that is a real live cat and not a stuffed one.

Click for a larger image

The A110 seems to have the best overall image once again. The colours are accurate and the level of detail is also very good. The A21 once again tends to over sharpen images and the white balance is gone for a toss. The iBall is not bad here, but the image is a little softer than it should be.

Next, we come indoors again, but this time under fluorescent lighting. We put the macro modes to the test here and, of course, no flash was used.

Click for a larger image

The Karbonn A21 is clearly ahead when it comes to focus and overall sharpness of the image. You can clearly read all the text on the motherboard around the socket, which is not possible in the other two images. The white balance is a little off, but nothing which can’t be corrected using an app. This round goes to the Karbonn A21.

Our final shot was taken in complete darkness to see how powerful the flash is. Remember, the Micromax A110 has a dual LED flash as compared to the other two. The distance between the camera and the objects was approximately one foot.

Click for a larger image

Despite having just a single LED, the iBall Andi 4.5h manages to capture very good colours and detail. It also manages to illuminate the objects evenly. The flash is a little overpowering in the A110, whereas the A21 fails to capture good colours or even illuminate the objects properly.

The bottom line
What should have been quite straight forward turns out to be quite a tough battle where each phone is suited for certain conditions. Let’s start with the iBall Andi 4.5h. The only test where it aces the other two is in the flash test. It lags behind in other tests, which puts it out of the competition. The real competition is between the Micromax A110 and the Karbonn A21. The latter is very good when it comes to macro shots. It’s able to focus on a much wider area and the level of sharpness and detail is pretty amazing. It also has a tendency to over sharpen though, which is not a pretty sight for landscape shots. It also has trouble with the white balance and colours tend to be muted. The A110 turns out to be the overall best performer out of the three. It has a healthy blend of detail and does a good job with the white balance for outdoor shots.

If you tend to shoot most of your pictures indoors and are obsessed with macros, then the Karbonn A21 is what you should be looking at. Else, if you want an all-round performer, then the 8MP in the Micromax A110 fits the bill.