Finding a smartphone with a good camera and powerful optical zoom under Rs. 70,000 has become easier, but the choices are still limited compared with flagship phones.
A high-resolution main camera is useful for everyday photography, but a dedicated telephoto or periscope camera can make a much bigger difference when shooting distant subjects. It can also be useful for portraits because optical zoom can provide a more natural perspective than simply cropping an image.
Best camera phones under Rs. 70,000 with optical zoom.
These five smartphones are worth considering.
1. Vivo V70 Elite
The Vivo V70 Elite is designed for users who want a compact smartphone with a dedicated telephoto camera. It features a 6.59-inch AMOLED display, Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor and a 6,500mAh battery with 90W charging.
Its camera setup is particularly interesting. The phone has a 50-megapixel ZEISS telephoto camera with 3X optical zoom and OIS, alongside a 50-megapixel main camera and an 8-megapixel ultrawide camera. Vivo also advertises up to 100X zoom and 4K 60fps video recording with zoom clarity.
Vivo V70 Elite Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.59-inch AMOLED, 2750 × 1260, up to 120Hz |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 |
| RAM | 8GB / 12GB |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB |
| Rear Camera | 50MP main + 50MP telephoto + 8MP ultrawide |
| Telephoto | 50MP, OIS, 3X optical zoom |
| Front Camera | 50MP |
| Battery | 6,500mAh |
| Charging | 90W |
| Protection | IP68 + IP69 |
| Weight | 187g–194g |
| OS | OriginOS 6, Android 16 |
Vivo V70 Elite Price and Buy Link
The 8GB + 256GB variant is currently listed at Rs. 66,999 on Vivo’s official Indian store.
Buy Vivo V70 Elite – Official Vivo Store
2. OPPO Reno16 5G
The OPPO Reno16 5G is another camera-focused smartphone in this price segment. Its biggest attraction is the combination of an all-50-megapixel rear camera setup and a dedicated telephoto camera.
The telephoto sensor supports 3.5X optical zoom and OIS, making the phone suitable for portraits as well as distant subjects. OPPO also lists 4K video recording at up to 60fps.
The phone is powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 processor and has a 6,700mAh battery with 80W SUPERVOOC charging.
OPPO Reno16 5G Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.32-inch AMOLED, 2640 × 1216, 120Hz |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 |
| RAM | 8GB / 12GB LPDDR5X |
| Storage | 256GB UFS 3.1 |
| Rear Camera | 50MP main + 50MP telephoto + 50MP ultrawide |
| Telephoto | 50MP, OIS, 3.5X optical zoom |
| Front Camera | 50MP autofocus |
| Battery | 6,700mAh |
| Charging | 80W SUPERVOOC |
| Protection | IP66/IP68/IP69/IP69K |
| OS | ColorOS 16 |
| Video | Up to 4K 60fps |
OPPO Reno16 5G Price and Buy Link
The 8GB + 256GB model is listed at Rs. 66,999, while the 12GB + 256GB version is listed at Rs. 72,999. Therefore, only the base model falls below the Rs. 70,000 price point.
Buy OPPO Reno16 5G – Official OPPO Store
Also read : Best Tablets for Students in India 2026: Top Picks.
3. Motorola Signature
The Motorola Signature takes a slightly different approach by combining flagship-level hardware with a dedicated periscope telephoto camera.The phone is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor and features a 6.8-inch LTPO AMOLED display with a refresh rate of up to 165Hz.
For photography, Motorola uses three 50-megapixel rear cameras, including a 50-megapixel periscope telephoto camera with 3X optical zoom and OIS. It also supports 8K Dolby Vision video recording at 30fps.
Motorola Signature Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.8-inch Extreme AMOLED, 2780 × 1264 |
| Refresh Rate | Up to 165Hz |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 |
| RAM | 12GB / 16GB LPDDR5X |
| Storage | Up to 1TB UFS 4.1 |
| Rear Camera | 50MP main + 50MP ultrawide + 50MP periscope |
| Telephoto | 50MP, 3X optical zoom, OIS |
| Front Camera | Noted as a flagship camera system with advanced video features |
| Battery | 5,200mAh silicon-carbon |
| Wired Charging | 90W |
| Wireless Charging | 50W |
| Protection | IP68/IP69 + MIL-STD 810H |
| Weight | 186g |
| Video | Up to 8K Dolby Vision 30fps |
| OS | Android 16 |
Motorola Signature Price and Buy Link
Motorola’s India website currently lists the Motorola Signature at Rs. 59,999, against an MRP of Rs. 74,999.
Buy Motorola Signature – Official Motorola India
4. Vivo X200T
The Vivo X200T is another strong option for photography enthusiasts. It features a flagship-oriented Dimensity 9400+ processor and a triple 50-megapixel rear camera system.
The highlight is its 50-megapixel ZEISS super telephoto camera, which uses a Sony IMX882 sensor and offers a 70mm equivalent focal length. Vivo lists up to 100X ZEISS HyperZoom and up to 20X telephoto macro capability.The phone also packs a 6,200mAh battery and supports both 90W wired and 40W wireless charging.
Vivo X200T Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.67-inch AMOLED, 2800 × 1260, 120Hz |
| Processor | MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ |
| RAM | 12GB LPDDR5X Ultra |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB UFS 4.1 |
| Rear Camera | 50MP main + 50MP super telephoto + 50MP ultrawide |
| Telephoto | 50MP Sony IMX882, OIS, 70mm equivalent |
| Zoom | Up to 100X ZEISS HyperZoom |
| Front Camera | 32MP |
| Battery | 6,200mAh |
| Wired Charging | 90W |
| Wireless Charging | 40W |
| Protection | IP68 + IP69 |
| OS | OriginOS 6, Android 16 |
| Weight | About 203–205g |
Vivo X200T Price and Buy Link
The Vivo X200T starts at Rs. 59,999 for the 12GB + 256GB variant according to the listed Indian configuration.
Buy Vivo X200T – Official Vivo India
Also read: Best Mobiles Under ₹40000 in India (2026): Top 5 Smartphones Compared.
5. Nothing Phone (4a) Pro
The Nothing Phone (4a) Pro stands out because of its distinctive metal unibody design and dedicated periscope telephoto camera.Nothing says the phone features a 50-megapixel OIS periscope camera with 3.5X optical zoom and up to 140X Ultra Zoom. It also uses a three-camera setup and a 50-megapixel Sony main camera with OIS.The phone also features a 6.83-inch 1.5K AMOLED display with a 144Hz adaptive refresh rate and a Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 processor.
Nothing Phone (4a) Pro Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.83-inch 1.5K AMOLED |
| Refresh Rate | Up to 144Hz |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 |
| RAM | LPDDR5X |
| Storage | UFS 3.1 |
| Rear Camera | 50MP main + 50MP periscope + ultrawide |
| Telephoto | 50MP OIS periscope |
| Optical Zoom | 3.5X |
| Maximum Zoom | Up to 140X Ultra Zoom |
| Front Camera | 32MP |
| Battery | 5,400mAh in India |
| Charging | 50W |
| Protection | IP65 |
| OS | Nothing OS based on Android 16 |
| Weight | 210g |
Nothing Phone (4a) Pro Buy Link
Nothing’s official India product page currently lists the Phone (4a) Pro and provides a Shop on Flipkart purchase option.
Buy Nothing Phone (4a) Pro – Official Nothing India
Also read : Best Projectors Under Rs. 20000 for Home Theatre in India (2026).
Camera Phones Under Rs. 70,000: Quick Comparison
| Phone | Telephoto | Optical Zoom | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vivo V70 Elite | 50MP OIS | 3X | ₹66,999 |
| OPPO Reno16 5G | 50MP OIS | 3.5X | ₹66,999 |
| Motorola Signature | 50MP Periscope OIS | 3X | ₹59,999 |
| Vivo X200T | 50MP Super Telephoto | — | ₹59,999 |
| Nothing Phone (4a) Pro | 50MP Periscope OIS | 3.5X | Check official listing |
Note: Prices and availability can change. The prices mentioned below are based on the manufacturers’ currently listed Indian pricing where available.
What Makes a Good Zoom Camera Phone ?
When buying a phone specifically for zoom photography, don’t look only at megapixel numbers.A dedicated telephoto or periscope camera is generally more important because it provides actual optical magnification before computational processing takes over.Other specifications worth checking include:
- Optical image stabilisation (OIS)
- Telephoto sensor size
- Optical zoom level
- Autofocus
- Low-light telephoto performance
- Portrait focal lengths
- Video zoom quality
- Image-processing software
A phone with a 50MP telephoto camera can therefore be more useful for zoom photography than a phone advertising a much higher megapixel count on its main camera but without a dedicated telephoto lens.
Do These Phones Support 8K Video ?
Video capabilities vary significantly between models. The Motorola Signature supports 8K Dolby Vision recording at 30fps according to Motorola’s specifications. The Vivo V70 Elite and OPPO Reno16 5G focus on 4K recording, with Vivo advertising 4K 60fps and OPPO listing 4K 60fps recording.
The under-Rs. 70,000 segment now offers several smartphones with dedicated telephoto or periscope cameras. The Vivo V70 Elite, OPPO Reno16 5G, Motorola Signature, Vivo X200T and Nothing Phone (4a) Pro all bring different approaches to zoom photography.
If zoom photography is your priority, pay attention to the type of telephoto hardware, optical zoom, OIS and image processing, rather than choosing a phone solely based on its main-camera megapixel count.
