Evaluating the POCO F8 Pro’s Camera Capabilities Against Photography-Focused Phones

The POCO F8 Pro steps into 2025 with a stronger photography focus than any previous POCO model. It brings a refined main camera, optical image stabilisation and a dedicated telephoto lens, all aimed at boosting its credibility in a market where camera-centric phones continue to dominate. For UK buyers, the key question is whether this setup truly competes with photography-first devices or simply offers good everyday performance without challenging the very best.

The main sensor on the F8 Pro is a noticeable upgrade. It captures sharper detail, more balanced exposure and more stable shots thanks to its improved stabilisation. Users coming from older POCO phones will immediately see clearer photos and better image consistency. In daylight and indoor conditions, the F8 Pro performs confidently, producing images that feel polished and ready for social sharing without heavy editing.

A major selling point is the addition of a dedicated telephoto lens, something many mid-range and value flagships still skip. This lens allows cleaner zooming and sharper portrait shots, giving the F8 Pro more versatility than most phones in its price range. While it doesn’t match the extreme zoom capabilities of camera-focused flagships, it still adds real photographic flexibility that enhances everyday shooting.

The ultra-wide lens performs well for casual landscape shots and group photos but doesn’t reach the same quality level as the main and telephoto sensors. Camera-centric phones typically invest heavily in their secondary lenses, ensuring consistent performance across all focal lengths. In comparison, the F8 Pro’s ultra-wide camera delivers decent results but shows limitations in detail and low-light reliability, making it more suitable for simple compositions.

Low-light photography is an area where the F8 Pro shows improvement but still trails behind specialist camera smartphones. Its stabilisation and processing help control noise and maintain clarity, yet larger sensors and advanced night modes on photography-focused devices produce superior results. For users who frequently shoot evening scenes or indoor environments, this difference may be more noticeable.

Video performance on the F8 Pro is well balanced for social and everyday use. Stabilisation helps keep footage smooth, colours remain natural and focus performance is generally reliable. However, advanced video features found on camera-centric flagships—such as stronger HDR video, enhanced microphones and deeper manual controls—are areas where the F8 Pro cannot fully compete. Casual vloggers will find it capable, but professional creators may want more.

The overall balance of the F8 Pro’s camera system is one of its strengths. Rather than excelling in one area, it performs consistently across a wide range of shooting scenarios. Everyday UK users who capture travel moments, food shots, portraits or general lifestyle content will find the F8 Pro dependable. It aims to deliver strong, reliable results without overwhelming users with complex photography tools.

Where it falls short is in specialist use-cases. Camera-centric phones offer features like periscope zoom, superior ultra-wide sensors and more advanced processing pipelines that handle challenging lighting better. These devices are built to push boundaries, while the F8 Pro focuses on offering a strong but balanced photographic experience that suits the majority of buyers without targeting niche enthusiasts.

For UK buyers considering price as well as performance, the F8 Pro becomes even more appealing. It delivers a serious photography setup at a far more accessible cost than the flagship models known for elite camera performance. This makes it an excellent choice for users who want high-quality images without paying premium-level prices, especially when photography is important but not their single top priority.

In everyday use, the F8 Pro behaves like a dependable all-rounder with occasional standout moments. Portraits, daylight shots and moderate zoom images show the biggest improvements, while ultra-wide and low-light shots remain more modest but still usable. This combination makes the phone versatile and capable, even if it doesn’t claim the top spot in mobile photography.

Overall, the POCO F8 Pro’s photography setup is serious for its segment and represents a major step forward for the brand. It doesn’t replace a true camera-focused flagship, but it gets closer than any POCO device before it. For most UK users, it offers more than enough quality, flexibility and everyday reliability to feel like a meaningful upgrade, especially at its price point.