In one short decade phones and social media have destroyed the cheap digital camera market, and we now take pictures at every event and post them on the internet, for better or worse. Thankfully phone cameras are exceptionally good these days. If you want to find the best phone camera then you’ve come to the right place. We fully test and review all the latest high-end, mid-range, and budget phones on the market, and camera quality is one of the main factors in deciding their final scores. The very best smartphone cameras are inevitably found on the more expensive devices, but you can also get solid quality for less if you know where to look. We assess megapixel count, dynamic range, ultra-wide lenses, zooms, low-light quality, night modes, and everything else in between to see where phone cameras shine, and where they could do better. Because no phone is the same, the one at the top of this list might not be the best fit for you wants and needs. It could be the phone at number ten. This is because it’s not just about the hardware of the camera lenses themselves that determines what photos and videos from a phone look like – different manufacturers apply different effects with software in their camera apps to improve images and give them a specific look. You might prefer the look of Samsung photos to iPhone photos, or like the colours of Honor over Oppo. Here’s our rundown of the best camera phones you can buy.
Great 108Mp lens Incredible 10x zoom Excellent low-light
Large phone 100x zoom is a gimmick
Its 108Mp main lens captures a stunning amount of detail with superb low-light photos thanks to a sensor that can take in more light. Improvements over the already excellent S21 Ultra keep shots and video very sharp and the software processing is less aggressive than older Samsung phones, though images are more vibrant and saturated than you’ll find on Apple’s iPhone 13 range. The ultrawide lens does a good job of capturing scenes without a fish-eye effect but the S22 Ultra’s secret weapon is its astonishing two (2!) optical zoom lens. Thanks to optical image stabilisation (OIS) on both, you can capture pin sharp 3x optical zoom images and even 10x optical, with results better than rivals thanks to Samsung’s software smarts keeping everything looking good, and a laser autofocus system rounding off the premium experience and a top of the line 40Mp selfie camera. If you want the most capable camera phone with the best software support – five years from launch – the Galaxy S22 Ultra is it.
Superlative still images Excellent dynamic range 4x zoom is great
Very big handset
That’s mostly down to Google’s incredible software image processing, which gives Pixel photos a very attractive contrast that is true to life with a touch of film camera grain – shots are superbly rendered, and Google ensures skin tones are kept accurate. The new 50Mp sensor also helps, and is the first time a Pixel phone hasn’t used a 12Mp lens as its main camera. The 4x telephoto lens is also one of the best in the business, and excellently creates true background blur effect without needing a software portrait mode (though the Pixel’s portrait mode is also superlative). An ultrawide camera completes the three very strong lenses on the 6 Pro. Compared to the regular Pixel 6, which doesn’t have the telephoto lens, the Pro also has a selfie camera with a wider field of view so you can get more people into the shot. Add to that software genius like Magic Eraser that lets you erase photobombers and other object from the background of your best shots and you have one of the best phone cameras ever made.
The best for video Wonderful still photos Useful software tricks
Photos a tad washed out
Beyond a familiar 6.1in Super Retina XDR display – now enhanced by 120Hz ProMotion visuals and a top-tier 5nm Apple A15 Bionic chipset – the iPhone 13 Pro boasts an astounding set of cameras. Expect bigger sensors and faster apertures than its predecessor – meaning improved low light performance – far more comparable quality when switching to the phone’s ultrawide (which now offers macro shooting capabilities) and a 3x telephoto snapper (up from 2x), letting you zoom further than ever before on an iPhone with compromising on quality. What’s more, the iPhone still leads when it comes to video capture, gaining some smart new features, like Cinematography Mode, alongside ProRes and Dolby Vision at up to 4K at 60fps; not to mention some of the best native mobile video editing capabilities out there.
Phenomenal photos Clever gimbal system Best Android for video
Ugly camera design Messy software
But – if you do take the plunge – you will be rewarded with what is arguably the best phone camera out there. The still shots are something to behold thanks to the main 50Mp sensor’s ability to take in tons of light and outperform most rivals in low light conditions. The way Vivo gets HDR to balance out bright lights in dark scenes is unrivalled, and it’ll push you to take more photos in more challenging conditions. Any phone camera that makes you want to take more photos is a winner in our book. Video is also very good on the X80 Pro thanks to excellent stabilisation on three of the phone’s four rear lenses (main, 2x telephoto, and periscope telephoto). Add to that physical gimbal stabilisation on the 2x telephoto lens that means portrait photos are near flawless, and you have close to the perfect package. If you can hack some somewhat unpolished Android software, you’ll be richly rewarded.
Cheaper than Pro model Amazing video chops Great for selfies
No telephoto Only 60Hz screen
The main and ultrawide deliver pleasing consistency, while the setup also embraces the sensor-shift OIS (optical image stabilisation) that was exclusive to last generation’s iPhone 12 Pro Max. Outstanding dynamic range, colour and contrast between the rear sensors, and Cinematic Mode – as on the iPhone 13 Pro – are only really offset by the standard 13’s lack of a telephoto sensor or support for Apple’s ProRes and ProRAW capture standards. Apple’s expertise in the selfie department persists on the iPhone 13 too, whose front-facing 12Mp TrueDepth camera gets most of the same image processing features as the rear snappers, not to mention Cinematic mode. Beyond the camera, losing out on the 13 Pro’s high refresh rate display is one of the few other notable shortcomings on this otherwise stellar entry.
Dual 50Mp lenses 13Mp telephoto Image processing chip
Telephoto only 2x
While the ‘microlens’ camera from its predecessor’s setup is no longer in the mix, the Find X5 Pro leads with a dual 50Mp sensor setup across its main and ultrawide snappers, as well as a 13Mp 2x optical zoom lens, and a 32Mp selfie camera. The benefits of that NPU are most prominent with the phone’s low light shooting, which outpaces rivals like the iPhone 13 Pro series, however, dynamic range isn’t quite as broad as the likes of the Pixel 6 line, in the Android camp. The Hasselblad partnership – pulled over from OnePlus – manifests in some UI tweaks and some unique shooting modes, but is more cosmetic than anything else, while the phone as a whole is an elegant blend of power and performance that makes for a nice refinement over last year’s Find X series.
Mid-range price Amazing still images Same ultrawide as Pixel 6 Pro
No telephoto Lacks the Pixel 6 Pro's 50Mp lens
A 12Mp main sensor is paired with the same 12Mp ultrawide found in the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. The main in particular takes exceptionally good photos with attractive contrast and the high dynamic range we’ve come to expect – and love – from Google’s Pixel phones.
Much improved cameras over Z Fold 3 Same 50Mp main lens as S22 Impressive dynamic range
Under-display inner camera is bad
The Fold 4 has a mish-mash of cameras, sporting the same 50Mp main and 10Mp telephoto sensors found on the Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus as well as the 12Mp from the Fold 3. This means the folding phone/tablet has superb photo and video chops with excellently detailed results from the 50Mp sensor the main draw here. Low-light performance is very good – combining the great rear lenses with the Fold 4’s superior chipset and user experience make this the one to pick over the Galaxy Z Flip 4 if cameras on a foldable are your priority. But the under-display 4Mp camera on the inner large display is really bad, and Samsung should not have sacrificed its quality in trying to hide it. Also if you want hands down the best cameras on any foldable, the one on the Huawei Mate X2 are better than the Fold 4 – but thanks to Huawei’s lack of Google apps and service support, the Fold 4 remains our folding photo pick.
Strong triple rear lenses Has improved with updates Good colour reproduction
Selfie camera not the best
At its launch the phone had some inconsistencies that have now been ironed out with software updates, leaving a mature phone that you can rely on to take good shots all of the time. It was one of the first phones with a 150 degree angle ultrawide lens, which really can capture an awful lot and capture it well, while the optical zoom here beats many more expensive Android phones for reach and quality. Colours are accurately and naturally recreated and only the pickiest mobile photographer will take issue with what this phone can capture.
50Mp main lens excels Great dynamic range Solid 3.5x 64Mp telephoto
Low light not the best Poor portrait photos
The 50Mp ultrawide and 64Mp 3.5x telephoto sensors make up the accomplished trio of lenses, though that circular camera island design might not be to your tastes. That telephoto has a shorter optical range than other phones in this list but we like how Honor has done this to preserve detail at that length rather than stretch the hardware and software too far (10x optical is impressive, but can be overkill). Colour profiles between all three lenses are quite good too, but the main sensor is the start of the show here. If you miss Huawei phones then the Honor Magic 4 Pro feels like a successor to the great P30 Pro, and that can only be a good thing. Henry is Tech Advisor’s Phones Editor, ensuring he and the team covers and reviews every smartphone worth knowing about for readers and viewers all over the world. He spends a lot of time moving between different handsets and shouting at WhatsApp to support multiple devices at once.
