Modern smartphones have almost entirely eliminated the market for point-and-shoot cameras, and many of today's flagships can even rival the best DSLRs for all but the most demanding professional photography projects. It's not just the old adage that the best camera is the one you always have with you; most of the best smartphones now count their camera systems among their most important selling points.
Much of the magic in today's smartphone cameras goes beyond the lenses. Powerful chips with advanced AI-powered image signal processing and computational photography in software allows even the most run-of-the-mill camera sensors to produce great results. That's something that most standalone cameras can't compete with, so it's small wonder 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 bit more challenging to wade through the sea of options if your main focus is getting the best possible camera phone available. The good news is that we've used them all, and even pitted many of them head-to-head. Here's a rundown of the best of the best.
The best camera phone
Xiaomi 15 Ultra
- Unique camera-like design
- Highest performance processor
- Bright screen
- Incredible camera specification
- Camera can take astonishing photos
- Two-day battery life
- Software is complex and sometimes unreliable
- Camera requires dedication to get the most from it
| Specification: | |
| Dimensions | 161.3 x 75.3 x 9.48mm (6.35 x 2.96 x 0.37 inches) |
| Weight | 229 grams (8.08 ounces) |
| Display | 6.73-inch AMOLED, 1-120Hz, 3200 x 1440, 3200 peak brightness, 1920Hz PWM dimming |
| Durability | Aluminum frame, Xiaomi Shield Glass 2.0, IP68 |
| Colors | Black and Chrome, Black, White |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite |
| RAM | 16GB |
| Storage | 512GB, 1TB |
| Software | Xiaomi HyperOS 2, Android 15 |
| Updates | Four years of Android updates; six years of security updates |
| Rear cameras | 50MP main, 50MP wide-angle, 50MP telephoto, 200MP periscope telephoto |
| Front camera | 32MP front camera |
| Battery | 5,410mAh |
| Charging | 90W HyperCharge wired, 80W Hypercharge wireless. |
Why should you buy this: It has the absolute best camera you can get on a smartphone thanks to the Leica partnership.
Who's it for: Those who take mobile photography very seriously.
Why we picked the Xiaomi 15 Ultra:
Like it's predecessor, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra leans more heavily into its camera system than any other smartphone we've seen, and this year's model even looks the part to complete the overall camera phone vibe.
This phone has astonishing camera specs, starting with the 50-megapixel Sony LYT-900 one-inch sensor with an f/1.63 aperture on the main camera, which includes both electronic and optical image stabilization and a 23mm focal length. That's joined by a 50MP wide-angle Samsung JN5 camera with a 115-degree field of view and an f/2.2 aperture, and a pair of telephoto cameras that combine a 200MP periscope and a 50MP floating telephoto. They're all covered by Leica’s Vario Summilux lenses to enhance image quality and improve light gathering for better shots in low-light conditions.
The powerful camera system is supported by the usual computational and AI photography features powered by Xiaomi's AISP imaging system and the imporved image signal processor on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite. This chip also makes this phone a powerhouse in many other ways, putting in on par with the latest Samsung and OnePlus phones for raw performance.
On the software side, Xiaomi provides it own take on the photographic styles you'll find on Apple's and Samsung's latest phones, plus the ability to tune the color of each pixel to the lighting and even bokeh effects in your photos.
Xiaomi's Leica partnership goes beyond the lenses, with the Xiaomi 15 Ultra supporting Leica tones, filters, and even a dedicated street photography mode. You also have 16-bit UltraRAW photo mode for professionals, long-exposure modes, and MasterCinema video modes for budding 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 provides a lot of latitude for exploring, it also lacks the manually variable aperture of its predecessor, and the photos can come off a bit mroe overprocessed. Some of this could be addressed in future software updates, and the possibility of a "Photography Kit" has the potential to up its game further.
Nevertheless, step back from the excellent camera system and what you're getting is a typical Android phone that offers the same specs as comparable flagships like the Galaxy S25 Ultra and OnePlus 13. The other catch is that the Xiaomi 15 Ultra isn't available in the U.S., and with a starting price of around $1,640, it doesn't come cheap.
The best camera phone runner-up
Google Pixel 9 Pro
- Beautiful hardware and display
- Compact size without compromises
- It's pink!
- Long battery life
- Great cameras
- Mostly good AI tools
- Seven years of updates
- Slow charging speeds
- 128GB base storage
| Specification: | |
| Dimensions | 152.8 x 72.0 x 8.5 mm (6 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches) |
| Weight | 199 grams (7 ounces) |
| Display | 6.3-inch Super Actua OLED display, 1280 x 2856 resolution at 495 ppi, 1-120Hz refresh rate, 2,000 nits (HDR)/3,000 nits (peak) |
| Durability | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, IP68 |
| Colors | Obsidian, Porcelain, Hazel, Rose Quartz |
| Processor | Google Tensor G4 |
| RAM | 16GB |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Software | Android 14 |
| Updates | Seven years of OS, security, and Pixel Drop updates |
| Rear cameras | 50MP main, f/1.68, 82-degree FOV 48MP ultrawide, f/1.7, 123-degree FOV 48MP telephoto, f/2.8, 22-degree FOV, 5x optical zoom |
| Front camera | 42MP with autofocus, f/2.2, 103-degree FOV |
| Battery | 4,700mAh |
| Charging | 30W wired charging (55% in 30 minutes) 21W wireless with Google Pixel Stand 12W wireless with Qi-compatible chargers Reverse wireless charging |
Why should you buy this: It has the best all-round camera you can buy in the U.S. and many markets around the world.
Who's it for: Those who want a great all-around camera without needing to import it.
Why we picked the Google Pixel 9 Pro:
The Google Pixel 9 Pro doesn't have the best camera on this list, but it does have the best all-around camera you can buy on a smartphone in the U.S. The wide availability and local warranty mean this is probably the best pick for most people over our best overall pick.
The Pixel 9 Pro uses a 1/1.31-inch, 50MP main camera that has an f/1.68 aperture lens with an 82° field of view. This is paired with a 48MP ultrawide camera with f/1.7 aperture and 123° field of view and a 48MP periscope zoom camera with upgraded sensor and f/2.8 aperture that offers 5x optical zoom. Many of the improvements in the Pixel 9 Pro come from Google's algorithm changes and a new HDR+ imaging pipeline that promises to better capture shadows, textures and skin tones.
There are also plenty of AI features that are designed to help make the most from this excellent camera package. Super Res Zoom and Video Boost allow you to zoom further than before, and enhance the quality of the final video.
Add Me uses AI to help you capture photos that has everyone in the shot, including the photographer. Reimagine allows you to change photos by adding or removing people or objects in Magic Editor after you've taken the photo. Auto Frame uses AI to guide you to better frame a photo after you've already captured it. Zoom Enhance allows you to zoom in and then uses AI to fill in the high-quality details that may be missing.
The magic of the Pixel 9 Pro is Google's ability to achieve outsize results using software and AI, whereas its competitors rely on physical hardware. Like the Pixel 8 Pro and other Pixel phones that came before it, the Pixel 9 Pro proves once again that it's not the hardware that matters, but the software and color science that is paired with it.
The best versatile camera phone
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
- Lighter than previous models
- Anti-reflective screen looks amazing
- New wide-angle camera takes great photos
- Powerhouse processor
- Long software update commitment
- One UI 7 is the best version yet
- No Bluetooth on the S Pen
- Galaxy AI features have limited appeal
- Main camera disappoints
- Qi2 wireless charging not built in
| Specification: | |
| Dimensions | 162.8 x 77.6 x 8.2mm (6.4 x 3.1 x 0.32 inches) |
| Weight | 162.8 x 77.6 x 8.2mm (6.4 x 3.1 x 0.32 inches) |
| Display | 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X 3,120 x 1,440 pixels (QHD+) 1-120Hz HDR10+ 2,600 nits peak brightness |
| Durability | IP68, titanium frame, Gorilla Armor 2 glass |
| Colors | Retail: Titanium Black, Titanium Gray, Titanium Silverblue, Titanium Whitesilver Online Exclusives: Titanium Jetblack, Titanium Jadegreen, Titanium Pinkgold |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen Elite for Galaxy |
| RAM | 12GB |
| Storage | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Software | One UI 7 based on Android 15 |
| Updates | Seven years |
| Rear cameras | 200MP primary, OIS 50MP wide-angle 50MP periscope telephoto, 5x optical zoom 10MP telephoto, 3x optical zoom 100x Space Zoom |
| Front camera | 12MP, f/2.2, autofocus |
| Battery | 5,000mAh |
| Charging | 45W wired charging 15W Wireless charging (Qi2 Ready) Reverse wireless charging |
Why should you buy this: This powerful smartphone will last you for years.
Who’s it for: Folks looking for a mainstream camera phone that's incredible versatile.
Why we picked the Samsung Galaxy S25:
Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra continues the company's tradition of delivering a powerful phone with impressive camera specs. Although it's no longer the top game in town when it comes purely to photography, it's a solid pick for anyone looking for a well-rounded phone that can do more than just take great pictures.
To be clear, the Galaxy S25 Ultra still packs in a very good camera system. You're getting the same 200-megapixel main camera and dual telephotos as last year's model, but these are joined by an entirely new 50MP sensor that's a serious improvement over the 8MP that came before. Samsung has also been dialing back on its overprocessing and oversaturation in recent years, so if you've shied away from older models it's definitely worth giving the S25 Ultra a fresh look. The photos it produced are much more balanced and nuanced.
The latest model also continues the decision Samsung made on last year's S24 Ultra to ditch the traditional 10MP telephoto camera of in favor of a 5x optical lens with a 10x hybrid zoom that relies on sensor-cropping. This new 10x zoom is of dubious value, but the phone performs very well in the purely optical ranges, and the two telephoto lenses give you solid 3x and 5x options.
Samsung also continues to lean heavily into AI tools, and the Galaxy AI suite 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 collection of user-facing tools to enhance and edit your photos in post-production.
These are joined by support for Google's Gemini Live, replacing Samsung's Bixby as the default voice assistant, plus a fresh One UI 7 software interface, Samsung's classic S Pen, and enough power to handle anything you can throw at it.
The best iPhone camera for Pro users
Apple iPhone 16 Pro
- Beautiful display
- Powerful performance
- Camera Control is a nice addition
- Great battery life
- Improved ultrawide camera
- Varied ecosystem, reliable software
- Apple Intelligence lacks compelling reason to use
- Dull color options
- Too large for some
| Specification: | |
| Dimensions | 163 x 77.6 x 8.25 mm (6.42 x 3.06 x 0.32 inches) |
| Weight | 227 grams (7.99 ounces) |
| Display | 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display 2868 x 1320 pixel resolution at 460 ppi 1-120Hz refresh rate 1,000 nits (typical) / 1,600 nits (HDR) / 2,000 nits (outdoor), 1 nit minimum |
| Durability | Ceramic Shield glass, IP68 |
| Colors | Black Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium, Desert Titanium |
| Processor | Apple A18 Pro |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Software | iOS 18 |
| Updates | At least five years |
| Rear cameras | 48MP Fusion (main), f/1.78 48MP ultrawide, f/2.2 12MP telephoto, f/2.8, 5x optical zoom |
| Front camera | 12MP, f/1.9 |
| Battery | 4,685mAh |
| Charging | 30W fast charging (50% in 30 minutes) 25W MagSafe wireless 15W Qi2 wireless |
Why should you buy this: The Apple iPhone 16 Pro is an amazing all-around smartphone and it includes the best camera on an iPhone.
Who’s it for: People who want an iPhone with the best camera.
Why we picked the iPhone 16 Pro:
Unlike in previous years, the iPhone 16 Pro delivers the same great camera as the iPhone 16 Pro Max, but in a smaller body. There are many similarities with the iPhone 15 Pro, but an upgraded 48MP ultrawide camera and new Camera Control tricks make for a better all-around camera experience.
Photos captured with the main 48MP Fusion camera default to 24MP resolution, which means your photos will have more detail than previous iPhones. The iPhone 16 Pro has the same 5x telephoto lens found on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which is a big improvement over the 3x telephoto found in the iPhone 15 Pro, while the 48MP ultrawide camera enables better macro photography.
The iPhone 16 Pro also comes with Apple's new Photographic Styles. They work similar to Instagram filters, and allow you to individually change the tone and color of your photos to achieve the perfect look. Previously, you had to choose the filter and look before you took the photo, but the iPhone 16 camera allows you to capture this after the you've taken it.
Exclusive to the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max is Apple ProRAW shooting and night mode portraits, while for those who record videos, there's 4K Dolby Vision video recording at 120fps, ProRes and Log video recording, and a four-mic setup. Unlike previous years, there are fewer differences between the non-Pro and Pro phones, so unless you need the telephoto camera and improved ultrawide sensor, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are probably better picks.
The iPhone 16 Pro is powered by the new A18 Pro chipset, which is based on TSMC's 3nm process. It's designed with Apple Intelligence in mind, and offers significant improvements in AI performance over previous chipsets.
The best iPhone camera for most people
Apple iPhone 16
- Fun, refreshing new design
- Stunning colors this year
- Camera Control is so, so good
- The Action button rules
- Excellent camera system
- Reliable battery life
- 60Hz display, no always-on display
- Slow charging speeds
- Apple Intelligence not yet available
| Specification: | |
| Dimensions | 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8 mm (5.81 x 2.82 x 0.31 inches) |
| Weight | 170 grams (6.00 ounces) |
| Display | 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, 1179 x 2556 resolution at 460 ppi, 60Hz refresh rate, 1,000 nits (HDR)/2,000 nits (peak) |
| Durability | Ceramic Shield glass, IP68 |
| Colors | Black, white, pink, teal, ultramarine |
| Processor | Apple A18 |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB |
| Software | iOS 18 |
| Updates | At least five years |
| Rear cameras | 48MP main, f/1.6 12MP ultrawide, f/2.2, 120-degree FOV |
| Front camera | 12MP with autofocus, f/1.9 aperture, wide angle FOV |
| Battery | 3,561mAh |
| Charging | Fast wired charging (50% in 30 minutes), 25W MagSafe wireless charging, 15W fast wireless charging |
Why should you buy this: The Apple iPhone 16 offers the best non-Pro camera ever on an iPhone.
Who’s it for: Anyone who wants an iPhone camera, but doesn't need a telephoto lens.
Why we picked the iPhone 16:
The non-Pro iPhone has always had many compromises, not least in the camera, but this time, those compromises are fewer than ever before. It's the best non-Pro iPhone camera ever made, and the upgrades mean that this is likely the best iPhone camera for most people.
Apple gave the base model iPhone 16 some major upgrades in the camera, including the new 48MP Fusion camera and an upgraded ultrawide camera with the same 12MP resolution. The ultrawide camera gains autofocus, and this enables Macro photography on a non-Pro iPhone for the first time. The new 48MP Fusion camera captures photos at 24MP resolution, and enables a new 2x telephoto option — achieved by cropping the middle of the sensor — that offers a faster aperture than any previous dedicated 2x telephoto on an iPhone.
The camera upgrades also mean that the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus can capture spatial photos and videos to use with the Apple Vision Pro. The base model iPhone 16 also has a Camera Control button, including the same features as the iPhone 16 Pro, so it can also access Apple's Visual Intelligence AI features. The base iPhone 16 models — as well as the Pro phones — also gains access to Audio Mix, which allows you to adjust the sound captured in a video with different effects.
The iPhone 16 is powered by the A18 processor, marking the first time in three years that Apple's base mode iPhone has been powered by a chipset of the same generation as its Pro siblings. The six-core CPU features two performance cores and four efficiency cores, and is designed to be up to twice as fast for on-device machine learning. CPU performance has been increased by up to 30%, while the desktop-class five-core GPU is up to 40% faster than the iPhone 15.
The non-Pro iPhone delivers a nearly identical camera experience to its Pro siblings. If you don't need a telephoto lens or an improved ultrawide camera, the iPhone 16 delivers the same great iPhone camera at a significantly lower price.
The best value camera phone
OnePlus 13
- Great design, colors, and balance
- Excellent cameras
- Long battery life
- Slick, feature-packed software
- Durable
- Alert Slider
- Unreliable notifications
- No proprietary charger in the box
- Screen is highly sensitive
| Specification: | |
| Dimensions | 162.6 x 76.5 x 8.9mm (Midnight Ocean) 162.6 x 76.5 x 8.5mm (Arctic Dawn/Black Eclipse) |
| Weight | 210 grams (Midnight Ocean) 213 grams (Arctic Dawn/Black Eclipse) |
| Display | 6.82-inch, 1440 x 3168 resolution, 1-120Hz refresh rate, 1,600 nits (typ)/4,500 nits (peak) |
| Durability | IP68, IP69 |
| Colors | Arctic Dawn, Black Eclipse, Midnight Ocean |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite |
| RAM | 12GB or 16GB |
| Storage | 256GB, 512GB |
| Software | Android 15, OxygenOS 15 |
| Updates | Four years of OS updates, six years of security updates |
| Rear cameras | 50MP main, f/1.6, 23mm, OIS and EIS 50MP wide-angle, f/2.05, 15mm, EIS 50MP telephoto, f/2.65, 73mm, OIS and EIS, 3x optical zoom |
| Front camera | 32MP, f/2.45 |
| Battery | 6,000mAh |
| Charging | 80W SuperVOOC wired charging 50W AirVOOC wireless charging |
OnePlus 12 review: the new Android phone to beat in 2024Why should you buy this: OnePlus has always charted its own course for smartphones, and the latest model continues to think outside the box.
Who’s it for: Anyone looking for a unique experience.
Why we picked the OnePlus 13:
OnePlus smartphones have long delivered great value, and while the OnePlus 13 has gotten a slight price bump, that's more than justified by this year's improvements.
Thanks to its longstanding partnership with renowned professional camera-maker Hasselblad, OnePlus has always delivered impressive camera systems on its flagship phones that stand out from the rest of the sub-$1,000 pack. The OnePlus 11 and OnePlus 12 took great photos, and the OnePlus 13 takes that photographic prowess to new heights.
Some of that comes from the Snapdragon 8 Elite and its AI-powered image signal processor, but the hardware is no slouch. Three 50-megapixel shooters provide the usual combination of wide, ultrawide, and 3x telephoto lenses. Add Hasselblad's color tuning to the mix and the OnePlus 13 produces some of the most vivid, detailed, and balanced photos we've seen, surpassing many of its pricier rivals. It's one of the rare phones that consistently produces photos that are ready to share without the need for any additional editing.
The OnePlus 13 also delivers a unique aesthetic, with a gorgeous new Midnight Ocean shade that sports a new micro-fibre vegan leather finish and feels great in the hand. The Snapdragon 8 Elite offers power to spare, and while OnePlus' OxygenOS hasn't always been everyone's cup of tea, the latest OxygenOS 15 it ships with has been a pleasant surprise, adding some nice UI elements and AI tools while eliminating some of the foibles of the previous versions. OnePlus also continues to offer some of the fastest charging speeds available, with 80W wired and 50W wireless charging, provided you have the right accessories. The 80W SuperVOOC charger is included in North America, but may need to be purchased separately on international models. However, with the OnePlus 13 easily delivering two-day battery life, the fast charging almost seems unnecessary.
The best budget camera phone
Google Pixel 8a
- Compact and light
- Vibrant camera
- AI photo-editing suite
- Easy to use Android software
- Long update commitment
- Cheap-feeling body
- Slow charging
- One-day battery life
| Specification: | |
| Dimensions | 152.1 x 72.7 x 8.9 mm (5.99 x 2.86 x 0.35 inches) |
| Weight | 189 grams (6.67 ounces) |
| Display | 6.1-inch Actua OLED display 2400 x 1080 at 430 pixels per inch |
| Durability | Gorilla Glass 3, IP68 |
| Colors | Aloe, Bay, Porcelain, Obsidian |
| Processor | Google Tensor G3 |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB |
| Software | Android 14 |
| Updates | Seven years of OS, security, and Pixel Feature Drop updates |
| Rear cameras | 64MP Quad PD wide camera, 13MP ultrawide camera |
| Front camera | 13MP selfie camera |
| Battery | 4,992mAh |
| Charging | 18W fast charging 7.5w Qi wireless charging |
Why should you buy this: It's a fantastic camera on a reasonably priced smartphone.
Who’s it for: Someone who wants a great camera, but doesn't want to pay flagship prices.
Why we picked the Google Pixel 8a:
Not everyone wants or even needs a flagship smartphone just for the camera. That's why the Pixel 8a is such a good option if you're on a budget.
The Pixel 8a is equipped with a dual-camera system with a 64MP main camera with f/1.89 aperture and optical and electronic stabilization. You also get a 13MP ultrawide camera with a 120-degree field of view.
For a $500 phone, the Pixel 8a camera is very good. A signature feature of all Pixel phones is the ability to take good photos, and that holds true even with the Pixel 8a. The colors are bright and pop on the screen, there's plenty of detail in your shots, and it's very consistent overall. Even low-light images come out fairly well.
The Pixel 8a also has Google's AI magic baked in within Google Photos. You have access to Magic Eraser, Magic Editor, Photo Unblur, and even Best Take. And even though there's no optical zoom since there's no telephoto lens, the 2x zoom shortcut is still good enough if you want to snap a photo of something to share on social media.
The best folding camera phone
OnePlus Open
- Great compact and lightweight size
- Powerful cameras
- Beautiful screens
- Anti-glare inner display
- Opens flat easily
- 67W fast charging
- Intuitive multitasking
- Hinge isn't firm enough
- Large camera bump
- Macro and 120x Super Res are not great
| Specification: | |
| Dimensions | 153.4 x 143.1 x 5.8 mm (6.04 x 5.53 x 0.23 inches) |
| Weight | 239 grams (8.43 ounces) |
| Display | Main: 7.82-inch inner Flexi-fluid AMOLED, 2440 x 2268 pixels (426 pixels per inch) Cover: 6.31-inch inner Super Fluid AMOLED, 2484 x 1116 pixels (431 pixels per inch) |
| Durability | Ceramic Guard glass, IPX4 |
| Colors | Emerald Dusk, Voyager Black |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| RAM | 16GB |
| Storage | 512GB |
| Software | Android 13 with OxygenOS 13.2 |
| Updates | Four years |
| Rear cameras | 48-megapixel primary + 48-megapixel ultrawide + 64-megapixel telephoto |
| Front camera | 32-megapixel (cover display) and 20-megapixel (inner display) |
| Battery | 4,805mAh |
| Charging | 67W SUPERVOOC wired charging |
Why should you buy this: If you want the best foldable phone on the market with a powerful camera system, this is the one to get.
Who's it for: Those who want a foldable with great cameras.
Why we picked the OnePlus Open:
The OnePlus Open has a triple-lens camera system that is quite impressive 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" sensor, a 48MP ultrawide lens, 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 need to get close. The cover display selfie camera is 32MP, while the inner display selfie camera is 20MP.
A foldable phone gives you many more possibilities of taking photos. You can get a preview of your selfie on the cover display when using the rear camera to help you get that perfect shot. You could even prop it up and take photos without having to pull out a mobile tripod if the angle works. There are a lot of options.
Since the OnePlus Open also has Hasselblad, you get fine-tuned color profiles and white balance in your photos. The details are impeccable with the high resolution, and the colors are realistic and accurate. Portraits will have a natural bokeh effect, and skin tones are true to life. And with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip with 16GB RAM, the OnePlus Open is quite fast and responsive, so you should be able to capture pretty much any moment.
Aside from the great camera, the OnePlus Open is also fantastic for multitasking with the Open Canvas feature, giving you almost infinite space for multiple windows. The screens are also crisp and sharp with vibrant colors, and the inner display also has an anti-reflective coating to make it much more usable than the competition.
The best fun camera phone
Galaxy Z Flip 6
- Top-notch hardware
- IP48 dust and water resistance
- Very good inner display
- Fast, snappy performance
- New 50MP camera is great
- Seven years of updates
- Bad cover screen
- Slow charge speeds
- Frustrating price increase
- Extremely similar to the Flip 5
| Specification: | |
| Dimensions | Unfolded: 165.1 x 71.9 x 6.9mm (6.5 x 2.8 x 0.27 inches) Folded: 85.1 x 71.9 x 14.9mm (3.3 x 2.8 x 0.59 inches) |
| Weight | 187 grams (6.59 ounces) |
| Display | Cover screen: 3.4 inch AMOLED 2X, 720 x 748 pixels, 1-120Hz Inner screen: 6.7 inch AMOLED 2X, 2640 x 1080 pixels, 1-120Hz |
| Durability | IP48 |
| Colors | Silver Shadow, Yellow, Blue, Mint, Crafted Black. White, Peach |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
| RAM | 12GB |
| Storage | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Software | Android 14 and One UI 6.1.1 |
| Updates | Seven years |
| Rear cameras | Dual lens 50-megapixel wide, 12MP ultrawide |
| Front camera | 10MP |
| Battery | 4,000mAh battery |
| Charging | 25W wired charging 15W wireless charging 4.5W reverse wireless charging |
Why should you buy this: If you're looking to live on the cutting edge of the next-gen flip phone market.
Who’s it for: Anyone looking for the best flip phone on the market.
Why we picked the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6:
When it comes to the camera setup, users of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 will find that the Flip 6 is a fairly sizeable 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 view. Furthermore, there's a 10MP selfie camera located on the main display.
The new main camera promises richer photos with more detail, and the ultrawide camera has an upgraded sensor that boosts all-around performance. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3's improved image signal processor produces better color reproduction. The main and ultrawide cameras have the same "clear lens coating" to prevent lens flares as the Flip 5. These improvements can significantly affect the quality of the photos and videos captured by the phone.
Thanks to its folding design, the Z Flip 6 has a unique camera feature that allows you to use the main camera as a selfie camera, even when the phone is closed. It is made possible by the cover screen, which provides easy access to snap, review, and edit your photos through the Flex Window. Similar to the Fold 6, you can also prop the Flip 6 half-open and use it as a makeshift tripod, should the need arise.
Overall, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is an impressive device that builds on the strengths of what came first while making key improvements in certain areas. It won't win awards for its camera, but it's the most fun to shoot with and the new main camera helps ensure you can take good photos in all lighting conditions.
What to consider when buying a camera phone
Most of the best camera phones are also the best smartphones overall, and while it's hard to go wrong with any of them for casual photography, there are a few things you'll want to look at when choosing the best camera phone for your specific needs.
Sensor size and resolution
It's tempting to think that more megapixels translates to higher quality photos, but that's not always the case. The size of the sensor plays a far more important role in any digital camera, smartphone or not. After all, 50 million pixels aren't worth much if they're crammed onto a sensor a quarter of the size of one with half the megapixels.
Larger sensors capture more detail and more light, which results 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-inch sensors that set them apart from the rest.
Modern advances in image processing and computational photography also do a great deal to compensate for smaller sensors, so be careful when comparing phones from different generations, as the image signal processor on the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chip can do a lot more with a 1/1.4" sensor than previous generations of silicon, which may have needed a larger 1/1.3" sensor to get the same results.
Selection of lenses
The assortment of lenses is another important factor, but it's a good idea to ask yourself whether you'll use everything that a given smartphone offers. While some of the most serious camera phones provide multiple telephoto lenses, those could be more than you need. Even dual-lens phones like Apple's iPhone 16 can provide a 2x optical-quality zoom from its single main lens.
Along the same lines, nearly every modern smartphone has an ultrawide lens, but the specs on these are often less important unless you plan on taking landscape and large group shots. However, keep in mind that the ultrawide lens also doubles as a macro lens on some phones.
Low-light performance
Producing great shots under challenging lighting conditions is probably the single area where smartphone makers have most focused their efforts over the years. While most phones sport an LED flash, that's often a tool of last resort as it can wash out photos and be distracting in some environments. Being able to capture photos indoors or even at night without sacrificing quality is critical for most people, as is having fast enough shutter speeds to avoid blur.
As noted earlier, larger sensor sizes make a big difference here, but computational photography processing has been the secret sauce in bringing out the details and reducing graininess and noise in darker conditions. Google pioneered this wth Night Sight on its early Pixel phones, and others have taken a page out of that book to bring their own night mode processing.
Be aware that there an also be a flip side to this. Some smartphones overdo the low-light processing to the point where it's hard to take a proper shot in the dark. In some cases, many photos that are actually taken at night look more like they were shot at dusk or earlier.
Video capabilities
If you plan to use your smartphone for more than just still photography then you'll also want to consider video recording capabilities. While 4K at 60 frames per second is pretty much table stakes, some are pushing the boundaries with 8K video and other features like high-frame rate slow motion videos that can reach up to 480 frames per second for extreme slo-mo. Higher-end camera phones also support Dolby Vision, HDR10, and professional video formats like ProRes and Log and Apple has been venturing into special Cinematic Video and Audio modes in recent years.
Storage Capacity
Lastly, considering how many photos and videos you want to keep on your phone and plan accordingly. Even if you plan to use Google Photos, iCloud Photos, or another solution to offload things to the cloud, that may be challenging when you're travelling and away from a data connection. While photos don't typically take up much space unless you're shooting in RAW formats, 4K videos can quickly eat up your storage, and that increases by an order of magnitude if you plan to shoot in a format like Apple's ProRes, where a single minute of video can eat up 6GB or more.
How we tested
When it comes to reviewing camera phones — and we've used them all — we don't just take a few casual shots and call it a day. We deliberately look for challenging conditions to push the envelope and see how each camera system performs when it's faced with low indoor and night time lighting, fast motion, bright days, snow scapes, and beyond. We discuss this in each of our smartphone reviews, and provide samples of the shows we've taken so you can see the results for yourself.
We also go beyond reviews with camera shootouts where we compare two smartphones head to head to see which one will give us the best pictures under identical conditions — and the results often surprise us.
Why trust us?
Here at Digital Trends, we're passionate about all things tech, and especially the exciting world of smartphones. We've been reviewing phones and cameras since the days of flip phones, long before the iPhone was a gleam in Steve Jobs' eyes, and our team has collectively used nearly every flagship smartphone ever made. Many of the camera phones you see on this list aren'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 can be confident that the camera phones we recommend are the ones that work for us, and if we find one that doesn't, we won't hesitate to tell you why.
