My first “real” smartphone was a Tecno Camon CX from the Camon series. I loved that phone. As a photographer at heart, I found the CX series impressive. It had a 13 MP camera on both the front and back of the device, and both camera units had dual flashes. This was back in 2017, and the phone was hugely impressive. Our relationship sadly ended, and I had to move on and leave Tecno to sort out their software issues. Eight years have passed, and a Camon series phone has caught my eye, which could be aggressive marketing or genuine interest. But the point is, I am interested. So, what’s on offer?

First impressions

Let us talk looks. The device is giving off Samsung Galaxy S21 vibes. It is suspiciously similar to the base Galaxy S21 model, more like a modern take on the same device. But I like the design. It looks modern and isn’t as busy as you tend to see with midrange devices. I dare say, it has a very unique design, unmistakable, something that modern devices struggle to achieve. They have me sold with the design and in their blue color (Tecno calls it green), there is no mistaking this for any other device.

Now the specs

Rubs hands, the fun part. My Camon from 8 years ago had a plastic back and a glass front(obviously) with very large bezels. But 8 years is a long time and we have come so far. Let’s begin with proportions. The screen is an impressive 6.78-inch AMOLED panel, so an acceptable size in today’s market. 120 Hz is the refresh rate on offer here, also acceptable in today’s market and at this price point. It rises to 144 Hz on the top-spec models. The Camon 40 comes in three variants, or four if you count the 5G equipped 40 Pro, The base model is the Camon 40, then the Camon 40 Pro 4G and 5G with the top-spec being the Camon 40 Premier. The Camon 40 has an IP66 water and dust resistance rating which jumps to IP68 on the Pro model. The Pro and Premier model also ships with Corning Gorilla Glass 7i.

All devices use Mediatek processors, a Helio G100 ultimate for the base model, and Dimensity 7300 and Dimensity 8350 for the Pro and Premier respectively. The battery is a 5200 mAh cell able to charge up to 70W on the Premiere. Storage is aplenty with up to 256GB of storage and 12 GB RAM. And finally, the displays begin at 1080P on the base model and up to 1260 x 2800 pixels on the Premier 5G. The specs are looking good then.

How about Software?

The mention of software and Tecno in the same statement awakens bad memories. But like an ex, I will not talk about it but I’ll mention what is on offer on the Camon 40. Simply it ships with Android 15, and Tecno promises up to 5 years of software support or 3 major updates. I have a friend who has this device and I’ll check with them in a year and revert since I have not gained the trust of manufacturers for a review unit.

The cameras

I still think cameras are a huge selling point for the Camon series. And the numbers are looking juicy. Well, the primary shooter is a 50 MP unit with optical image stabilization and so are the telephoto and ultrawide. 4K shooting is available on all but the base model, which also drops the ultrawide to 8 MP. The base modem has a 32 MP front-facing camera which is bumped up to 50 on the Premier. I have interacted with the Camon 40 Pro and it still had the photographer’s interests at heart. The images are decent and you can dive into the settings for more control while shooting.

The good and the bad

Let’s start with the good. Tecno always scores big, especially in our African market. They are under threat from competitors such as Poco, Xiaomi, Samsung, and RealMe. I have explored the reasons behind their popularity in a previous article but I always attribute it to pricing. With that then, a big pro is the price point. The design also looks nice and elegant.

The bad? Hmmm, I have to hold on for when I will publish a six-month real-world review. One thing I have to say though, The Camon 40 seems starved of features but I know it is an intentional move aimed at disassociation. They have to justify the existence of the more expensive Premier.

Is it good then?

Looks good on paper, but battles are won out on the field. No complaints so far from the users I have talked to but with features such as the dedicated camera button and the word on everyone’s lips now; AI, and the powerhouse of cameras, this device is a contender and one to look out for. What do you think? Would you buy it? Indulge me. And don’t forget to look out for the real world six month review.

The Camon 40 Series; Intriguing