Lava Iris X1 camera review: an impressive budget snapper

“We put the Lava Iris X1’s camera through its paces. Read on to see how it fared.”

Lava Iris X1 Camera

One of the key areas where the Lava Iris X1 excels among the competition, at least on paper, is in the camera department. Not only does the budget smartphone pack in an 8-megapixel shooter at the back with dual-LED flash, it even includes a 2MP snapper in the front for those all-important selfies and the occasional video call. However, specs are rarely indicative of real life performance. We put the Iris X1’s camera to the test, and here are the results. 

Here are some full resolution image samples. Click on the photos to view them in full size.

Long shot 

Lava Iris X1_long shot

Close-up

Lava Iris X1_ close up

Close-up (zoomed In)

Lava Iris X1_zoomed in

Night shot

Lava Iris X1_night shot 

Low light (without flash)

Lava Iris X1_flash off

Low light (with flash)

Lava Iris X1_flash on

So it turns out that the Lava Iris X1 has one of those deceptively vibrant displays that make images look much brighter than they actually are. When we transferred the photos to a computer, we found that colours were actually washed out, and highlights, especially red, looked blown out. That complaint aside, the Iris X1 actually takes really good macro shots, and manages to achieve a nice depth-of-field effect. Landscape shots, while again washed out, retain details even when zoomed in. 

In low light, images appear dark and grainy, so we’d advise using the flash. Night shots are noisy but usable, although slight vertical banding is visible. 

We’ll have more details on the camera for you in our full review, coming up shortly. Until then, take a peek at our Lava Iris X1 first impressions and FAQs.