The realme 12 Series 5G is known for having a good camera system so let’s see if we can get good photos using the realme 12 5G, the vanilla variant in the series.
Actually, we already reviewed this realme 12 5G 3 months ago but in this article, we will only do a dedicated camera review. This device had already received several software updates, camera fixes, and improvements during that period.
To recall, this device boasts a 108MP main camera along with a 2MP portrait camera for the rear camera setup, while an 8MP AI selfie shooter is at the front.
Rear Camera Setup
Food Photography
In terms of food photography, I appreciate the image processing, especially the color rendering. Many other phones tend to oversaturate food photos, but the realme 12 5G maintains a natural look even with warm lighting and in low-light scenarios.
The device sometimes struggles with effectively handling highlights and shadows. To manage this, I locked focus on the subject and reduced brightness to prevent the highlights from blowing out.
The photos we captured were indeed sharp, yet when zooming in, they appeared slightly lacking in details. Nevertheless, this camera is adequately suited for casual food photography.
Selfie
Many users prefer taking selfies with the rear camera setup, so we tested this feature both in normal and portrait modes. In normal mode, the quality is satisfactory. However, I find the skin tone slightly warm, possibly due to the warm lighting.
The realme 12 5G excels here, providing clarity and texture that isn’t too pronounced, offering a subtle smoothness even with beautification turned off. Besides, the background separation is fine here in normal mode, the bokeh is decent even with only 1x zoom.
Portrait mode produces a nice bokeh and a well-defined subject outline, though the image is somewhat darker than in normal mode. Despite having the beautification turned off, the subject’s face appears smoother than it does in normal mode. So if you want your selfies to stand out, I recommend using the rear camera.
Zoom
The notable zooming capability of the realme 12 5G is very advantageous in certain conditions. Even at 3x zoom, it manages to deliver detailed images in low-light environments.
However, it’s crucial to keep your hands steady as the image can easily become blurry due to increased shakiness when zoomed in. Note that the device lacks Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), making it important to maintain stability while taking pictures.
Additionally, I observed that the image becomes noticeably brighter when zoomed to 3x, compared to 1x zoom, which offers a better dynamic range and more effective highlight handling.
Front Camera
Although the selfie camera is only 8MP, it still produces decent images. However, these images are not as sharp and detailed as those from the rear camera. Compared to the rear camera earlier, I liked the color of the photos we got from the front camera more since the white balance was more correct and the color of my skin looked natural.
Unfortunately, in portrait mode, the camera failed to detect the frame of my glasses, resulting in a blurred effect. Even so, the subject separation from the background remains commendable. I can say that using its portrait mode produces more than enough image quality.
Conclusion
The realme 12 5G is equipped with impressive features, both in terms of camera and overall performance. Our camera review today revealed that the image quality it produces is excellent. Furthermore, its zoom capabilities are remarkable, maintaining detailed photos even at 3x zoom. Although it is extremely useful in almost all scenarios, it does not feature an ultra-wide lens, which would be useful in tight spaces or for taking group selfies. lastly, given that the price is somewhat expensive, purchasing during a sale or with vouchers is recommended.
realme 12 5G Specifications
- Display: 6.72-inch IPS LCD, FHD+ resolution, 391 PPI, up to 950nits max brightness
- CPU: 2.6GHz 6nm MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ octa-core processor
- GPU: Mali-G57 MC2
- RAM: 8GB, up to 8GB Dynamic RAM Expansion
- ROM: 256GB, up to 2TB microSD card
- Rear Camera: 108MP + 2MP portrait lens + LED flash
- Front Camera: 8MP
- Battery: 5,000mAh, 45W SUPERVOOC (Type-C)
- OS: realme UI 5.0, Android 14
- Connectivity: 2.4GHz & 5GHz WiFi, 4G LTE, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS, Dual SIM (nano)
- Sensors: Accelerometer, light, orientation, proximity, gyroscope
- Colors: Woodland Green, Twilight Purple
- Weight: 188g
- Dimensions: 167.7mm (L) x 76.1mm (W) x 7.69mm (D)
- Others: Side-mounted fingerprint sensor, AI face unlock, USB-C, IP54 rating, Hi-Res Audio, Dual speakers, Google Assistant, 3.5mm headphone jack
Price and availability
realme 12 5G – PHP 14,999 | Shopee link | Lazada link
The new realme 12 5G is now available in realme Flagship store on Shopee and Lazada for PHP 14,999.
