Modern smartphones have almost entirely eliminated the market for point - and - shoot cameras , and many of today ’s flagships can even rival the good DSLRs for all but the most demanding professional picture taking projects . It ’s not just the old saw that the unspoilt camera is the one you always have with you ; most ofthe best smartphonesnow count their camera systems among their most of import selling points .
Much of the magic in today ’s smartphone camera goes beyond the lenses . Powerful chip with advanced AI - powered image signaling processing and computational photography in software program allows even the most run - of - the - mill camera sensors to make outstanding issue . That ’s something that most standalone cameras ca n’t compete with , so it ’s small curiosity that smartphones now dominate the photographic landscape .
While it ’s hard to go wrong with the cameras on any flagship smartphone , it can be a piece more challenging to wade through the sea of options if your master focal point is getting the best possible camera phone available . The good news show is that we ’ve used them all , and even pitted many of them head - to - head . Here ’s a rundown of the honorable of the best .
The best camera phone
Xiaomi 15 Ultra
Why should you grease one’s palms this : It has the absolute best camera you could get on a smartphone thanks to the Leica partnership .
Who ’s it for : Those who take mobile picture taking very gravely .
Why we picked theXiaomi 15 Ultra :
Like it ’s harbinger , the Xiaomi 15 Ultra leans more hard into its camera system than any other smartphone we ’ve take care , and this year ’s modelling even reckon the part to make out the overall photographic camera phone vibration .
This phone has stupefying camera specs , starting with the 50 - megapixel Sony LYT-900 one - inch sensor with an f/1.63 aperture on the main photographic camera , which include both electronic and optical image stabilization and a 23 mm focal length . That ’s join by a 50MP wide - angle Samsung JN5 camera with a 115 - degree field of purview and an f/2.2 aperture , and a twain of telephoto cameras that merge a 200MP periscope and a 50MP floating telephoto . They ’re all covered by Leica ’s Vario Summilux lenses to enhance image quality and better light gather for well guesswork in low - light weather .
The powerful camera system is digest by the usual computational and AI photography features power by Xiaomi ’s AISP imaging system and the imporved ikon signaling processor on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite . This chip also make this earphone a powerhouse in many other ways , putting in on par with the former Samsung and OnePlus phones for raw functioning .
On the software package side , Xiaomi allow it own take on the photographic style you ’ll find on Apple ’s and Samsung ’s latest phones , plus the power to tune the colour of each pel to the lighting and even bokeh core in your photos .
Xiaomi ’s Leica partnership pass beyond the lens , with the Xiaomi 15 Ultra supporting Leica tones , filter , and even a dedicated street photography mode . You also have 16 - bit UltraRAW photo modal value for professionals , long - exposure modes , and MasterCinema telecasting modes for bud filmmakers .
The biggest reason to buy the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is what ’s prominently shown on the back : the camera . While it ’s inarguably a fun camera system that provide a lot of latitude for exploring , it also miss the manually varying aperture of its harbinger , and the photos can arrive off a bit mroe overprocessed . Some of this could be addressed in succeeding software update , andthe possibility of a " Photography Kit"has the electric potential to up its plot further .
Nevertheless , ill-use back from the excellent tv camera system and what you ’re getting is a distinctive Android phone that offers the same specs as comparable flagship like the Galaxy S25 Ultra and OnePlus 13 . The other catch is that the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is n’t available in the U.S. , and with a starting price of around $ 1,640 , it does n’t come tacky .
The best camera phone runner-up
Google Pixel 9 Pro
Why should you buy this : It has the near all - round tv camera you could buy in the U.S. and many markets around the humans .
Who ’s it for : Those who require a great all - around tv camera without require to spell it .
Why we picked theGoogle Pixel 9 Pro :
The Google Pixel 9 Pro does n’t have the best camera on this listing , but it does have the just all - around camera you’re able to corrupt on a smartphone in the U.S. The encompassing availableness and local warranty think of this is probably the best choice for most the great unwashed over our safe overall pick .
The Pixel 9 Pro practice a 1/1.31 - inch , 50MP main television camera that has an f/1.68 aperture lens with an 82 ° field of view . This is paired with a 48MP ultrawide photographic camera with f/1.7 aperture and 123 ° arena of thought and a 48MP periscope zoom camera with promote sensor and f/2.8 aperture that offers 5x optical rapid climb . Many of the improvement in the Pixel 9 Pro fare from Google ’s algorithm change and a new HDR+ imaging word of mouth that promises to better capture shadows , textures and skin tones .
There are also flock of AI features that are designed to aid make the most from this fantabulous tv camera bundle . Super Res Zoom and Video Boost allow you to zoom further than before , and enhance the quality of the last video .
The magic of the Pixel 9 Pro is Google ’s ability to achieve outsize results using software and AI , whereas its competitors swear on physical computer hardware . Like the Pixel 8 Pro and other Pixel earpiece that came before it , the Pixel 9 Pro proves once again that it ’s not the ironware that matters , but the software and color science that is paired with it .
The best versatile camera phone
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Why should you buy this : This powerful smartphone will last you for years .
Who ’s it for : phratry looking for a mainstream camera phone that ’s unbelievable versatile .
Why we pick theSamsung Galaxy S25 :
Samsung ’s Galaxy S25 Ultra continues the fellowship ’s custom of drive home a powerful phone with impressive camera specs . Although it ’s no longer the top game in town when it come purely to photography , it ’s a solid pick for anyone look for a well - rounded phone that can do more than just take great picture .
To be clear , the Galaxy S25 Ultra still load down in a very unspoilt camera system . You ’re puzzle the same 200 - megapixel independent photographic camera and dual telephotos as last year ’s model , but these are joined by an entirely newfangled 50MP detector that ’s a serious improvement over the 8MP that came before . Samsung has also been dialing back on its overprocessing and oversaturation in late years , so if you ’ve shy off from older models it ’s definitely worth impart the S25 Ultra a bracing smell . The photograph it produce are much more balanced and nuanced .
The latest model also stay the conclusion Samsung made on last year’sS24 Ultrato dump the traditional 10MP telephoto camera of in favour of a 5x optical crystalline lens with a 10x hybrid zoom that rely on sensor - cropping . This raw 10x zoom is of dubious value , but the phone do very well in the purely optical kitchen range , and the two telephoto lenses give you solid 3x and 5x choice .
Samsung also continues to lean heavy into AI tools , and theGalaxy AIsuite on the S25 Ultra not only provides a powerful computational photography pipeline backed by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip , but also a nice compendium of drug user - face tools to enhance and delete your photos in mail service - production .
These are join by support for Google ’s Gemini Live , replacing Samsung ’s Bixby as the nonpayment vocalism help , plus a fresh One UI 7 software port , Samsung ’s classic S Pen , and enough office to handle anything you could throw at it .
The best iPhone camera for Pro users
Apple iPhone 16 Pro
Why should you buy this : The Apple iPhone 16 Pro is an amazing all - around smartphone and it include the practiced camera on an iPhone .
Who ’s it for : People who want an iPhone with the best photographic camera .
Why we picked the iPhone 16 Pro :
Unlike in previous years , theiPhone 16 Prodelivers the same great photographic camera as theiPhone 16 Pro Max , but in a smaller body . There are many similarity with theiPhone 15 Pro , but an upgraded 48MP ultrawide camera and newCamera Control tricksmake for a advantageously all - around photographic camera experience .
Photos captured with the master 48MP Fusion camera default to 24MP resolution , which means your photos will have more detail than old iPhones . The iPhone 16 Pro has the same 5x telephoto electron lens plant on the iPhone 15 Pro Max , which is a big improvement over the 3x telephoto found in the iPhone 15 professional , while the 48MP ultrawide camera enable better macro photography .
The iPhone 16 Pro also comes withApple ’s new Photographic Styles . They influence similar to Instagram filter , and allow you to individually change the note and colour of your photos to achieve the everlasting looking . Previously , you had to choose the filter and look before you took the pic , but the iPhone 16 television camera allow you to capture this after the you ’ve taken it .
Exclusive to the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max is Apple ProRAW shot and night manner portraits , while for those who record videos , there ’s 4 K Dolby Vision television recording at 120fps , ProRes and Log video recording , and a four - mic setup . Unlike previous days , there are fewer differences between the non - Pro and Pro phone , so unless you need the telephoto television camera and improved ultrawide sensor , theiPhone 16and iPhone 16 Plus are likely secure pick .
The iPhone 16 Pro is powered by the new A18 Pro chipset , which is ground on TSMC ’s 3 nm process . It ’s designed withApple Intelligencein head , and offers important improvements in AI performance over previous chipsets .
The best iPhone camera for most people
Apple iPhone 16
Why should you purchase this : The Apple iPhone 16 offers the honest non - Pro camera ever on an iPhone .
Who ’s it for : Anyone who wants an iPhone camera , but does n’t need a telephotograph lens .
Why we picked theiPhone 16 :
The non - Pro iPhone has always had many compromises , not least in the photographic camera , but this time , those compromise are fewer than ever before . It ’s the best non - Pro iPhone television camera ever made , and the acclivity mean that this is potential the best iPhone camera for most people .
Apple gave the base role model iPhone 16 some major upgrades in the photographic camera , include the newfangled 48MP Fusion television camera and an upgraded ultrawide camera with the same 12MP resolution . The ultrawide tv camera gains autofocus , and this enable Macro photography on a non - Pro iPhone for the first clock time . The new 48MP Fusion camera captures photos at 24MP resolution , and enables a new 2x telephotograph option — achieved by cropping the middle of the sensing element — that offers a faster aperture than any previous dedicated 2x telephotograph on an iPhone .
The television camera upgrade also mean that the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus can conquer spacial photo and videos to use with the Apple Vision Pro . The cornerstone model iPhone 16 also has a Camera Control button , include the same feature as the iPhone 16 Pro , so it can also get at Apple’sVisual IntelligenceAI feature of speech . The base iPhone 16 models — as well as the Pro sound — also bring in access to Audio Mix , which allows you to align the sound captured in a telecasting with dissimilar effect .
The iPhone 16 is power by the A18 processor , marking the first time in three days that Apple ’s base mode iPhone has been powered by a chipset of the same generation as its Pro siblings . The six - core CPU boast two performance magnetic core and four efficiency cores , and is design to be up to twice as fast for on - gadget machine encyclopedism . CPU functioning has been increased by up to 30 % , while the background - social class five - sum GPU is up to 40 % quicker than the iPhone 15 .
The non - Pro iPhone render a nearly selfsame camera experience to its Pro sib . If you do n’t need a telephoto lens or an improved ultrawide television camera , the iPhone 16 delivers the same groovy iPhone camera at a significantly lower damage .
The best value camera phone
OnePlus 13
OnePlus 12 review : the raw Android phone to beat in 2024Why should you grease one’s palms this : OnePlus has always graph its own course for smartphones , and the late theoretical account continues to imagine outside the corner .
Who ’s it for : Anyone look for a unique experience .
Why we pick theOnePlus 13 :
OnePlus smartphones have long birth neat value , and while the OnePlus 13 has gotten a tenuous terms bump , that ’s more than justify by this year ’s improvements .
Some of that comes from the Snapdragon 8 Elite and its AI - powered figure of speech signal processor , but the hardware is no slouch . Three 50 - megapixel shooters provide the usual combination of broad , ultrawide , and 3x telephoto lenses . Add Hasselblad ’s color tuning to the mix and the OnePlus 13 develop some of the most vivid , detailed , and balanced photo we ’ve seen , surpassing many of its pricier contender . It ’s one of the rare phones that systematically produces photos that are quick to share without the pauperization for any additional editing .
The OnePlus 13 also deliver a unique aesthetic , with a gorgeous novel Midnight Ocean shade that sports a novel micro - fibre vegan leather destination and feels great in the hand . The Snapdragon 8 Elite offers power to spare , and while OnePlus ' OxygenOS has n’t always been everyone ’s cup of Camellia sinensis , the latest OxygenOS 15 it transport with has been a pleasant surprisal , add together some nice UI elements and AI tools while rid of some of the foibles of the previous versions . OnePlus also continues to extend some of the fastest charging f number useable , with 80W wire and 50W wireless charging , provided you have the right accessories . The 80W SuperVOOC battery charger is included in North America , but may need to be purchase separately on international models . However , with the OnePlus 13 easily delivering two - 24-hour interval battery life , the dissipated charging almost seems unnecessary .
The best budget camera phone
Google Pixel 8a
Why should you buy this : It ’s a rattling camera on a passably price smartphone .
Who ’s it for : Someone who wants a great tv camera , but does n’t need to pay flagship prices .
Why we pick theGoogle Pixel 8a :
Not everyone wants or even needs a flagship smartphone just for the photographic camera . That ’s why the Pixel 8a is such a near option if you ’re on a budget .
The Pixel 8a is outfit with a three-fold - camera arrangement with a 64MP main camera with f/1.89 aperture and visual and electronic stabilization . You also get a 13MP ultrawide camera with a 120 - point field of persuasion .
For a $ 500 phone , the Pixel 8a television camera is very good . A signature feature of all Pixel phones is the ability to take good photos , and that confine lawful even with the Pixel 8a . The colors are bright and pop up on the screen , there ’s flock of item in your shooter , and it ’s very consistent overall . Even gloomy - lightness image add up out fairly well .
The best folding camera phone
OnePlus Open
Why should you buy this : If you require the secure foldable phone on the grocery with a potent photographic camera system , this is the one to get .
Who ’s it for : Those who want a foldable with great cameras .
Why we pick theOnePlus Open :
The OnePlus Open has a threefold - crystalline lens camera system that is quite telling for a foldable . It even continues OnePlus ' Hasselblad partnership , just like the OnePlus 12 . On the OnePlus Open , you have a 48MP Sony LYTIA - T808 " Pixel Stacked " detector , a 48MP ultrawide lens system , and a 64MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom . It also has 6x in - sensor zoom capability , and 120x Ultra Res zoom for when you really ask to get close . The cover presentation selfie television camera is 32MP , while the inside show selfie camera is 20MP .
A folding phone gives you many more possibilities of taking photos . you’re able to get a preview of your selfie on the binding display when using the rear camera to help you get that sodding snapshot . You could even shore up it up and take pic without having to deplumate out a nomadic tripod if the slant works . There are a lot of options .
Since the OnePlus Open also has Hasselblad , you get finely - tune semblance profiles and white rest in your exposure . The details are impeccable with the gamy closure , and the color are naturalistic and exact . Portraits will have a innate bokeh issue , and skin tones are genuine to life . And with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip with 16 GB RAM , the OnePlus Open is quite fast and reactive , so you should be able to capture pretty much any moment .
by from the great television camera , the OnePlus Open is also tremendous for multitasking with the opened Canvas feature , giving you almost infinite distance for multiple windowpane . The screens are also crisp and discriminating with vibrant colors , and the inner video display also has an anti - reflective program to make it much more usable than the competition .
The best fun camera phone
Galaxy Z Flip 6
Why should you buy this : If you ’re looking to live on the cutting edge of the next - gen insolent phone food market .
Who ’s it for : Anyone looking for the best impudent headphone on the market .
Why we picked theSamsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 :
When it do to the tv camera setup , users of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 will find that the Flip 6 is a passably sizable upgrade . The Flip 6 boasts an all - new 50MP primary camera with an f/1.8 aperture and optical image stabilization and a 12MP ultrawide camera with a 123 - degree field of perspective . Furthermore , there ’s a 10MP selfie television camera place on the main display .
The Modern main tv camera promises fat photograph with more detail , and the ultrawide camera has an upgraded sensor that boosts all - around carrying into action . The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 ’s improved effigy sign processor grow practiced color reproduction . The principal and ultrawide television camera have the same " clean lens system coat " to keep lens flares as the Flip 5 . These improvement can importantly affect the caliber of the exposure and picture capture by the phone .
Thanks to its fold up intention , the Z Flip 6 has a unparalleled tv camera feature that allow you to expend the principal tv camera as a selfie camera , even when the phone is closed . It is made possible by the cover charge screen , which provides loose access to snap , review , and edit your pic through the Flex Window . alike to theFold 6 , you may also prop up the Flip 6 half - open and habituate it as a improvised tripod , should the need arise .
Overall , the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is an telling twist that builds on the potency of what came first while making primal improvements in certain areas . It wo n’t win award for its camera , but it ’s the most fun to blast with and the new principal camera helps assure you could take good photos in all lighting condition .
What to consider when buying a camera phone
Most of the better camera earpiece are also the best smartphones overall , and while it ’s hard to go wrong with any of them for chance photography , there are a few thing you ’ll want to calculate at when choosing the best television camera phone for your specific indigence .
Sensor size and resolution
It ’s tempting to think that more megapixels translates to higher quality photos , but that ’s not always the instance . The sizing of the sensor plays a far more significant persona in any digital camera , smartphone or not . After all , 50 million pixel are n’t deserving much if they ’re crammed onto a sensing element a poop of the size of one with half the megapixels .
large sensors capture more item and more light , which result in better photos . Sensor sizes are typically expressed in fractions of an inch , with most phones featuring sensors in the 1/1.28 " to 1/1.4 " range . A few , like the Xiaomi 15 Ultra , boast very large one - in sensing element that set them asunder from the rest .
Modern advances in persona processing and computational picture taking also do a great deal to compensate for smaller sensor , so be careful when comparing phones from different generations , as the image sign C.P.U. on the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chip can do a fate more with a 1/1.4 " detector than previous generation of silicon , which may have needed a larger 1/1.3 " detector to get the same results .
Selection of lenses
The potpourri of lenses is another important element , but it ’s a adept estimation to ask yourself whether you ’ll apply everything that a give smartphone offers . While some of the most serious camera earphone provide multiple telephotograph lens , those could be more than you need . Even dual - lens of the eye earpiece like Apple ’s iPhone 16 can provide a 2x visual - quality rapid climb from its single main lens .
Along the same lines , nearly every New smartphone has an ultrawide lens , but the spec on these are often less important unless you contrive on taking landscape and with child group shooter . However , keep in intellect that the ultrawide lens also doubles as a macro lens on some earpiece .
Low-light performance
Producing great guess under gainsay inflammation condition is probably the individual area where smartphone makers have most focalize their endeavour over the twelvemonth . While most phones sport an LED flash , that ’s often a tool of last recourse as it can wash out exposure and be trouble in some environments . Being able to capture exposure indoors or even at night without give quality is vital for most the great unwashed , as is ingest tight enough shutter speeds to avoid blur .
As remark earlier , larger sensor size make a big difference here , but computational picture taking processing has been the secret sauce in bring in out the detail and concentrate graininess and randomness in blue circumstance . Google pioneered this wthNight Sighton its early Pixel sound , and others have taken a Thomas Nelson Page out of that book to bring their own nighttime mode processing .
Be aware that there an also be a snotty-nosed side to this . Some smartphonesoverdo the humbled - light processing to the item where it ’s heavy to take a proper scene in the dark . In some cases , many photos that are really taken at Nox look more like they were shoot at dusk or earlier .
Video capabilities
If you contrive to use your smartphone for more than just still photography then you ’ll also want to consider video transcription capableness . While 4 K at 60 frames per secondly is pretty much mesa bet , some are pushing the boundaries with 8 super acid video and other feature film like high - frame charge per unit deadening motion video that can reach out up to 480 form per 2nd for extreme slo - mo . gamey - ending camera telephone set also support Dolby Vision , HDR10 , and professional video formatting like ProRes and Log and Apple has been venturing into special Cinematic Video and Audio modes in late years .
Storage Capacity
Lastly , deal how many picture and videos you want to keep on your phone and plan accordingly . Even if you plan to use Google Photos , iCloud Photos , or another result to offload things to the cloud , that may be dispute when you ’re travelling and away from a data connection . While photos do n’t typically take up much space unless you ’re photograph in RAW formats , 4 K videos can chop-chop eat up up your memory board , and that increases by an order of magnitude if you plan to scud in a data format like Apple ’s ProRes , where a single minute of video can eat up 6 sarin or more .
How we tested
When it total to go over camera phones — and we ’ve used them all — we do n’t just take a few casual shots and call it a day . We deliberately look for dispute conditions to push the gasbag and see how each tv camera arrangement perform when it ’s confront with low indoor and dark clock time ignition , profligate motion , bright day , snow shaft , and beyond . We discuss this in each of our smartphone reexamination , and furnish sample distribution of the show we ’ve take so you may see the outcome for yourself .
We also go beyond reviews withcamera shootoutswhere we liken two smartphones head to manoeuver to see which one will give us the best pictures under identical conditions — and the solution often surprise us .
Why trust us?
Here at Digital Trends , we ’re passionate about all things tech , and specially the exciting humankind of smartphones . We ’ve been reviewing telephone and cameras since the days of flip speech sound , long before the iPhone was a gleam in Steve Jobs ' eyes , and our squad has conjointly used well-nigh every flagship smartphone ever made . Many of the television camera phones you see on this inclination are n’t just one - off reviews — they ’re the phones and cameras we use ourselves every day to capture the most important moments in our lives . you could be confident that the camera phones we urge are the ones that work for us , and if we witness one that does n’t , we wo n’t pause to say you why .
