The best camera phone this year is a matter for debate: what is a photograph in the age of smartphone AI? My pick for the best camera phone, the Apple iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, produce images that look more like traditional photographs, but that style may not be for everybody.
I also love the Galaxy S24 Ultra because it makes the punchiest images, and all my photos look more dramatic when I shoot with the Ultra. My food looks more delicious, my blue skies look more blue, and all the pimples disappear from my portrait selfies. A realistic photo? No, but definitely a picture I'm happy to share.
I've also seen AI applied to photo editing, and no phone edits better than the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL. It helps that these phones also take amazing photos, with the most accurate color I saw on any of the camera phones I tested. The images weren't quite my absolute favorites, but I was able to Unblur, erase bystanders, and add fun elements afterwards on the Pixel.
Why am I doubling up this time, with the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, and also the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL, sharing the same spots? For the first time in a long time, phone makers are putting the exact same cameras on the smaller phones. You don't need to pay more and stuff your pocket with a huge screen if you want the best zoom, or the most image stabilization. When I put two phones side-by-side, you can be sure I've tested the cameras and they produce exactly the same results.
Quick List
The iPhone takes photos that look like photos, with sharp details edge-to-edge, and a natural grain and bokeh blur. It shoots video that is studio quality, now with amazing slow-motion. Plus, the Camera Control is great and only getting better.
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For photos that pop with color and food shots that look good enough to eat, you need the Galaxy S24 Ultra, which is incredibly versatile, especially if you want photos that stand out from the crowd.
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The Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL take fantastic photos, but the real magic happens when you apply Google's editing tools in Google Photos, like Reimagine to add new elements, and Magic Editor. Read more below
Teenagers need a good camera. Those high school memories won't happen twice. The iPhone 15 offers great photos, plus the longevity to last five years, so they can buy the next one.
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The Pixel 8a may not have the resolution or zoom of the bigger Pixel phones, but it takes photos that look almost Pro if you don't need to look too closely, and it costs much less.
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I'm a fan of the OnePlus 12 for a lot of reasons, and its unique camera earns a spot on this list. It takes the most dramatic portraits and selfies of any smartphone, and it gives your photos a cool and artistic touch.
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The best camera phone 2024
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The best camera phone for photographers
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max camera samples
The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are Apple's most ambitious attempt to become the dominant force in smartphone cameras. Forget about adding more lenses, sensors, and features. Apple has added a whole new button to every iPhone 16: the Camera Control. Eventually it will work like a real camera's two-stage shutter button to help focus shots. For now, it just offers more control over zoom and other options.
That alone would make this the most exciting iPhone in years, but the iPhone 16 Pro takes the best photos I've seen from an iPhone in quite a while. I got pics that look more like real photos, at every zoom level. My images didn't look like they had been processed by a computer, or frozen in the middle of a video frame. This year's iPhone takes photos that look like photos. That's why I'm calling it the best camera phone for photographers.
I should include videographers as well, because the iPhone 16 Pro has gotten a major video upgrade that takes truly spectacular, cinematic shots. The new 4K / 120fps shooting mode gives you a real 1/4 slow-motion in ultra-high definition, and the effects are gorgeous.
I wish the iPhone had more shooting modes for subjects like food, kids and pets, or other neat tricks. Instead it offers a minimalist experience that delivers simply stunning results - photos that are worth printing and hanging on your wall. This is Apple's best iPhone camera ever, and it's my favorite camera phone overall.
Read our full iPhone 16 Pro review
The best camera phone for influencers
Galaxy S24 Ultra camera samples
The Galaxy S24 Ultra has been my favorite camera phone for most of the year, and it's still the phone I grab when I am taking photos that I know I'll be sharing on Instagram or Facebook. These aren't the keepsake shots that I'll cherish in a photo album, but they are delightful photos that pop with color and offer cool effects under a wide variety of shooting situations.
Samsung camera phones take the best food photos you'll ever see from a smartphone camera, and if you like sharing pics of your cooking adventures or your favorite meals, its worth considering the Galaxy S24 Ultra over the iPhone for this alone. The Ultra is also the only camera that can consistently pull off amazing photos of the moon, in any phase - photos so good that your iPhone and Pixel friends won't believe they're real.
If you want as much control as possible from your camera, without resorting to a third-party app, the Galaxy S24 Ultra has Pro controls for photo and video modes. There's even an Expert Raw app that connects to the camera for the most control possible over the whopping 200MP shots this phone can take.
I'd like to see more realistic photos from Samsung in the future, and I think that details in images are being sharpened too much. Blurry backgrounds of trees and leaves can look distracting when they should look dreamy. Still, for all of my specialty shots where I need the camera to pull off something special, I reach for the Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review
The best AI editing
Google Pixel 9 Pro camera samples
Google's latest Pixel 9 Pro is a top notch camera phone, with some of the best Pixel cameras we've seen, making it one of the best camera phones you can buy. In my testing, the Pixel 9 Pro was even better than my iPhone 15 Pro Max, with better color accuracy, better low-light performance, and more detail on zoomed-in shots.
One of the nicest things about the Pixel 9 Pro is that you don't need to buy the bigger phone to enjoy all of the Pixel's best photo features. You get all the same cameras, including the great 5X telephoto zoom lens, on the Pixel 9 Pro and the Pixel 9 Pro XL. The only difference is the screen size and the battery power, but the XL doesn't get more battery life.
Once you've taken all the photos you like, head to Google Photos in the Pixel 9 Pro for some truly astounding editing tools. The AI has taken over the asylum, and you can Reimagine the background of your photo with entirely new elements. Or you can just make your pics look less blurry, it's your call.
Even the selfie camera has been improved on the Pixel 9 Pro, and it now packs a whopping 42MP resolution. This is a great camera phone all around, and iPhone fans might be surprised how much you like Google's latest design.
Read our full Google Pixel 9 Pro review
The best camera phone for teens
Apple iPhone 15 camera samples
The iPhone 15 offers great image quality and, maybe more importantly for teens, fantastic video quality as well, whether you're shooting with the main cameras or the selfie cam up front. You get all the best iOS sharing features so you can tap to share photos with your friends, or make a new contact poster. Plus, the iPhone 15 is plenty powerful, so it will perform great whatever you're doing.
Video quality is still excellent and you can shoot up to 4K 60 fps. You'll enjoy shooting in Cinematic mode, which lets you add a short focus effect to all your videos and choose which subject or object you want to focus on while you shoot. If you didn't like your initial choice, you can always edit and select a different focus subject.
Low-light photography is good and the 12MP TrueDepth lens is an excellent selfie camera. Plus, you can transform virtually any selfie into portrait mode with a tap.
Best of all, Apple offers terrific support, and five years of OS updates for its phones, so if you buy this phone for your 9th grader, it will last until they graduate High School. Also, Apple isn't giving the iPhone 15 all of the AI features you'll soon find on the iPhone 15 Pro. Maybe that's a good thing to keep out of teenage hands for a while.
Read our full iPhone 15 review
The best budget camera phone
Google Pixel 8a camera samples
For a bargain phone, the Google Pixel 8a takes very good, unfussy photos that look as good as the images you'll get from a much better camera phone ... as long as you don't zoom in too close.
The 64MP main sensor produces images that are only 16MP resolution, using pixel binning to combine pixel data, and the images have great color and lighting, especially compared to the Pixel 8 Pro. When you zoom in close, you can see a loss of detail, but for sharing online and sending photo messages the Pixel 8a is a great choice.
You can even fix old photos that you didn’t take with the Pixel 8a, as long as they are uploaded to Google Photos. With Google Photos, you also get Magic Editor to change your photo background or move objects around, as well as the Magic Audio Eraser in the video recorder, which can isolate noises in the background of recordings.
These photography tricks are one of the Pixels' biggest selling points, and you get the same great tools on the Pixel 8a that you'll find on Google's most expensive Pixel 8 phones. Even better, Google says the Pixel 8a will also get seven years of Android OS updates, so you can keep this camera phone for a long time.
Read our full Google Pixel 8a review
The best portraits and selfies
OnePlus 12 camera samples
The OnePlus 12’s camera system caters to a specific breed of photographer, evoking the spirit of Hasselblad, those revered optics wielded by astronauts in the vast expanse of space. OnePlus has unapologetically embraced this aesthetic, and it permeates every pixel of their latest phones.
However, let’s set expectations straight: if you’re pining for jaw-dropping telephoto shots or extreme close-up macro photography, the OnePlus 12 might not be your ticket. Its longest lens merely stretches to 3x magnification, a far cry from the 5x lens gracing Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Where the OnePlus 12 truly shines is in the realm of portrait and landscape photography. Its photos exude a richness and soft color balance that elude both the iPhone and Pixel. While Apple and Google chase accuracy and stark reality, the OnePlus 12 channels the soul of a bona fide prime photography lens, inviting you to capture moments with an artistic flair that transcends mere documentation.
Read our full OnePlus 12 review
Take a look at our OnePlus discount codes for the best OnePlus offers and savings.
How we test camera phones
I've taken thousands of photos to determine which camera phones are the best overall, and which phone should be at the top of this list. Every time I get a new camera phone, I test it directly against the previous best head-to-head in the exact same conditions to determine which produces the photos I like the most.
I test cameras in bright outdoor light and dark indoor light, and every lighting condition in between. I test in mixed lighting environments, as well as under studio lighting conditions. I test the zoom capabilities, portrait photography, and macro shooting for close up images.
I test cameras by using multiple camera phones at the same time and comparing the images side-by-side. For each review, I compare the cameras to other phones in the same price range, as well as to other phones from which interested buyers may be switching.
I test video recording under the same conditions. I also test the special shooting modes, including Hyperlapse and Slow-Mo, and any other included modes that may be of interest. If photo editing tools are a highlight, I also test the included photo editing tools.
What should I look for when buying a camera phone?
When choosing a camera phone, you should consider the types of photo you want to take. If you take are taking a lot of sports photos of kids or professionals, or you enjoy nature photography, then a long zoom would help. If you take mostly portraits and photos with friends, then a good all-around camera is better. The best camera phones can be expensive, but we also have bargain options if budget is a major concern.
Which phone has the best camera?
The best camera phone is the Apple iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, because it produces photos that look like real photography, with no digital tricks or touch-ups apparent. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is the best camera phone if you need some specialized photos, like delicious food shots or astrophotography.
