Honor recently launched its latest smartphone series at an event in Paris – the Honor 200 lite, the Honor 200 and the Honor 200 Pro. I tried the mid-range Honor 200 model and for only 499 €it is a worthy rival to top Android phones in the same price range, such as the Google Pixel 8a and the Nothing Phone 2(a).
The camera is its highlight and compared to the competition, this phone is particularly good at taking photos of people. Whether you take portraits before going out or enjoy taking group photos of friends and family, with the Honor 200 the results will look stunning.
The camera system consists of a 50MP main camera for portraits, a 50MP telephoto camera, a 12MP ultra-wide camera and a 50MP selfie camera for portraits. It’s a strong setup and not much different from the Pro model, which just uses a slightly different sensor for its main lens. The Honor 200 still has a larger sensor than most similarly priced phones, so it should let in more light for better results in lower light conditions.
I took the Honor 200 out and about in Paris and the results speak for themselves. Before I say more, take a look at the gallery below to see some examples of unedited photos taken with the handset.
The images I took are detailed and bright, with lots of depth and plenty of color that give the scene a vibrant glow. They are slightly oversaturated, but this makes them look full of energy. It’s a shame the ultra-wide angle lens doesn’t produce sharper shots, but you can’t have everything!
The Honor 200 really comes into its own when it comes to portrait photography. Whether you use the rear or front camera, this smartphone takes flattering shots of people thanks to the dedicated portrait mode with beauty settings and bokeh blur.
The rear camera takes things a step further with its AI-powered Harcourt Portrait mode, developed in collaboration with the legendary French photography studio that has shot everyone from Karl Lagerfeld to Edif Piaf and Audrey Hepburn. I tried it out and you can see some of the shots I got below.
You can shoot dramatic black and white in Harcourt Classic mode, or use two color options for more vibrant, lifelike results. They all play with light and shadow to make photos look like they were shot by a professional.
In addition to the impressive snapper, the Honor 200 is super slim, sleek and seriously stylish. I tried out the emerald green device and it looks a lot more premium than it actually is, with its soft curves, metallic details and a bright 6.7-inch OLED display. There’s also a huge 5200mAh battery, super-fast 100W charging and a Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 processor under the hood.
I’ve only just started using the Honor 200, but so far I’m impressed with what it has to offer. The best smartphones for photography usually come with eye-watering prices, but the Honor 200 offers solid hardware and clever AI camera features for under £500.
Look out for the full DS A review of the Honor 200 will follow shortly.
The Honor 200 is available to pre-order now from Honor and will also be available to pre-order from other major UK retailers such as Amazon from June 21, 2024.
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