Tecno Camon 19 Series: Same Camon in New Housing

Tecno has announced the new Camon smartphone series at the Tecno Camon 19 launch in Lagos, the new Camon’s embraces a new and better naming convention. Now, we get only three models, the Camon 19, Camon 19 Pro and Camon 19 Pro 5G.

The new series adopts a design ethos, following the design language of current iPhones with their squared-off edges. Tecno has also cleaned up the camera arrangement, it now features two smartly designed camera models. The modern design is a clean and premium-looking design, it is one of the more significant Camon updates that users are going to enjoy. The pro editions take the premium feel up a notch with their colour options.

The Only Camera Update That Matters

The Tecno Camon series is primarily known for its cameras and upgrading them would be key in marketing the new phones. Tecno has taken steps to upgrade the cameras, even though it does not feel like they did.

Although the new main camera has the same 64MP pixel count, and the same aperture and focal length as its predecessor, its sensors are different. Tecno has opted to use a new RGBW filter in the new sensor, and for the pro series, they have changed the lenses to Glass + Plastic assembly which allows for more light intake compared to the plastic lenses. The pro series also supports optical stabilization with laser autofocus.

This all means the main camera would be able to capture more light, especially in a poorly lit environment. The problem is Tecno is previously known for blowing out highlights in certain conditions and we hope having a sensor that picks up more light does not make the problem worse.

However, it is unlikely Tecno reuses the same software processing due to the new filter. But as video reviews began to drop, we got to learn a lot about these updates. We could see the images have clearly benefited from the new filters, OIS, and image processing. My fears about exposure were confirmed when a Youtube review of the phone by Fisayo Fosudo shows Tecno Camon 19 Pro have not fixed the signature blown-out highlights in certain conditions. The good thing is the updates allow them to improve the camera’s low light performance and overall quality in good lighting.

All Other Minimal Updates

Most other components are either the same or marginally better. We typically expect processor upgrades with new phone models, but not the case with Camon 19s. Tecno has kept the same Helio G96 processor from the previous Camon and for the 5G edition, they opted for the Dimensity 810 chip because Helio G96 does not support 5G. The bad is Dimensity 810 chip does not offer performance advantages over Helio G96 but could have significant heat and power saving advantages thanks to its 6nm manufacturing process.

The new guys also get Android 12 and HiOS 8.6 with a host of new cameras and productivity features.

Storage And Pricing Options

Minimal upgrades should mean a minimal price increase and that’s exactly what we get. See the current Camon 19 Pricing relative to Camon 18 Series

Which should you buy?

Tecno has decided to keep Camon 18 series in the market and you can still find them in your local stores, if you already own any of the Camon 18s then you should not think about upgrading for now.

If not, you should consider the 19s over the predecessor. There is always going to be a debate about buying the Pro 4G model or the Pro 5G model, they are not phones that offer any clear-cut advantages over each.

The choice comes down to the choice between, better camera lenses vs potential battery life. If you are buying for use in this part of the world, then buying because of 5G should not be your top consideration. Camon 19 Pro 5G, it’s significantly more expensive without offering notable benefits besides 5G, which you would not be able to take advantage of yet.