The best camera phone is probably in my pocket right now, because I'm always taking photos and testing the best smartphone cameras against each other. I have a Galaxy S25 Ultra, an iPhone 16 Pro, and a OnePlus 13 tucked away, charged and ready for any situation.
That's because the only way to decide which camera phone is best is to use the camera, take the photos, and compare them side-by-side in a blind survey. I don't rely on specs, because specs tell a tiny portion of the camera story. Oh, you've got megapixels? I'm not impressed. I want to see the results, so I take literally thousands of photos every year to understand what each of these camera phones does well.
I'm looking for a camera that makes a photo that looks like the world I see before me. I can edit or embellish my images later - what I want foremost is an image with accurate color, fine details, and a dynamic range that adds drama without flattening the scene.
What I don't want is a photo that looks like it was taken by a smartphone. I don't want details that are over-sharpened or backgrounds that look digitally and unnaturally blurred. I don't want colors that are saturated beyond the visible light spectrum. I don't want a photo that looks like a still image from a video camera.
Besides the photos, the Camera app itself is also important. It needs to be easy to use, with enough settings to let me adjust the camera and get the photo I want in every situation. I like having good editing tools in the Gallery or Photos app as well, but it's more important to have a great Camera app that is as fun and easy to use as a real camera.
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 in 4K resolution. Plus, the Camera Control has finally matured so it's now a useful photography tool.
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The Galaxy S25 Ultra takes dramatic photos that explode with color - maybe a bit too much explosion for a pro photographer, but if you're sharing with friends or fans, these pics will be perfect. Samsung phones take the best food photos by far, and the camera did a nice job with artistic bokeh portraits as well.
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The OnePlus 13 packs stellar cameras with Hasselblad tuning, which means they emulate the best portrait lenses for amazing selfies and candid shots. But it really shines when the action starts, with cameras that can freeze droplets mid-air and catch all the action without any blurring.
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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. We saw great deals on these phones for Black Friday, so always be on the lookout for a price cut on a Pixel.
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Teenagers need a good camera; those memories won't happen twice. The iPhone 15 offers great photos, all the features their friends use, plus the longevity to last five years, so let them buy the next one.
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The Pixel 8a takes photos that look almost Pro (if you don't need to look too closely), and it costs much less. Plus, you get all the great Google AI features that help make your pics stand out. Of course, rumors say the Pixel 9a could be right around the corner, so maybe hold off on buying this unless you find a great price.
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Do megapixels matter?
Should I buy a camera phone with more megapixels?
No. Megapixels don't matter at all. What matters is the size of the sensor. A sensor is like a pie. The Galaxy S25 Ultra has 200 megapixels, but it's sensor is the same size as the iPhone 16 Pro, which only has 48 megapixels. Samsung cut the pie into 200 million pieces, but those pieces, or pixels, are tiny, and you need to eat four at a time to get as much pie as one of Apple's pixels. A bigger pie, or sensor, is what you want, and it doesn't really matter into how many pieces it's cut.
The best camera phone 2025
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The best camera phone for photographers
Apple iPhone 16 Pro camera samples
The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are standout cameras, capturing the most impressive images I've seen from any iPhone. At every zoom level, my photos look authentic and natural, like real photographs instead of computer-processed images or frozen video frames.
The iPhone 16 Pro (and Pro Max) captures everyday moments beautifully, which is why it's the best camera phone for photo enthusiasts. Photos may not have the same pop and vibrance you'll see on a Galaxy S25 Ultra, but that's because the iPhone is more accurate, and iPhone photos touch up beautifully using good editing software.
Of course video is also thrilling. The iPhone 16 Pro produces truly cinematic footage. The new 4K / 120fps mode delivers stunning slow-motion in ultra-high definition. The results are simply breathtaking.
With the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, Apple introduced a new button: Camera Control. Unfortunately, the early promise of Camera Control seems wasted as it isn't a helpful shutter button, and it mostly serves as an entry to the failing Apple Intelligence. I've also noticed that the Camera app fails to open or crashes much more often now, though that could be a problem just on my demo unit.
While I'd love to see more specialized shooting modes for subjects like food or pets, Apple has opted for a minimalist approach that prioritizes exceptional quality. The photos are so good, you'll want to print and frame them. This is undoubtedly Apple's finest camera phone to date, and the best camera phone you can buy.
Read our full iPhone 16 Pro review
The best camera phone for influencers
Galaxy S25 Ultra camera samples
The Galaxy S25 Ultra might be your favorite camera phone, and it can pull off shots that even my mirrorless camera can't manage easily. It focuses closes than the iPhone 16 Pro and includes far more camera modes for a more versatile camera all around. While iPhone images need a bit of touch-up, Galaxy S25 Ultra photos are alive with color and dazzling dynamic range, ready to be shared.
The only problem is when you want the world to look the same in your photos and real life. The Galaxy S25 Ultra can be wildly inconsistent. A photo may look one way on the wide lens but when you zoom in the camera gives you a whole new color palette. Even Macro mode produced a big shift in color and light when I engaged it to take photos.
I took the Galaxy S25 Ultra to an orchid show and my photos showed flowers in brighter hues than I have ever seen in person. On the one hand, it made the show look even more surreal, and my pics got a big reaction from friends; on the other hand, the photos didn't accurately portray the orchids I saw.
Sometimes that's exactly what you want. Samsung's Camera app has a food mode that makes everything you cook look delicious. The more accurate iPhone often renders food more lifeless, but the Galaxy lets you share your culinary adventures with drama and style.
That's why this is my favorite camera phone for influencers and folks who take photos to share. The Galaxy S25 Ultra adds drama and vibrance to your photos, without sacrificing quality. If you're a stickler for accuracy, go for the iPhone, but if you want to impress, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is the camera phone for you.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review
The best action camera phone
OnePlus 13 camera samples
OnePlus has been trying to break into the top of this list for years, partnering with Hasselblad to coax a professional portrait look from its camera phones. With the OnePlus 13, it's finally achieved something truly remarkable, but not for the reason I expected.
Portrait, landscape shots, selfies - all look great when taken with the OnePlus 13 cameras. But the company has taken extra strides to capture fast motion, and the results are extraordinary.
You can use a normal burst mode with the OnePlus 13 and simply hold the shutter button, or you can tap as fast as your fingers can fly and the camera will snap multiple shots with a technique that OnePlus says captures a short and long exposure at once, then combines them.
The results are photos without any blur, no matter how fast the action is moving. You can see my surfer shots above, with visible water drops hanging in the air, even at night.
I also took plenty of photos of my kid playing football. Where the iPhone and Galaxy left him blurry or lost in graininess, the OnePlus 13 rendered him sharp, with a clear look at his jersey number. Just like I needed.
Read our full OnePlus 13 review
The best AI editing
Google Pixel 9 Pro camera samples
Google's Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL are top-tier camera phones, easily the best Pixel cameras yet. In my tests, The Pixel 9 Pro outperformed my iPhone 15 Pro Max, with superior color accuracy, low-light performance, and detail in zoomed shots.
One of the best things about the Pixel 9 Pro is that you get all the same great camera features, including the 5X telephoto zoom lens, whether you choose the Pixel 9 Pro or the Pixel 9 Pro XL. The only differences are screen size and battery. That makes the Pixel 9 Pro my pocketable AI camera companion pick.
After snapping your pics, head to Google Photos on the Pixel 9 Pro for some mind-blowing editing tools. AI is the name of the game, letting you Reimagine backgrounds with entirely new elements. Or you can just sharpen blurry images, if you're feeling boring.
Even the selfie camera gets a boost on the Pixel 9 Pro, with a whopping 42MP resolution. This is a fantastic all-around camera phone, and iPhone-friends have often remarked on Google's new premium design.
Read our full Google Pixel 9 Pro review
The best camera phone for teens
Apple iPhone 15 camera samples
The iPhone 15 delivers awesome photos and – maybe even more important for teenagers – fantastic video, whether you're using the main cameras or the selfie cam. You get all the best iOS sharing features, so you can instantly share pics with friends and create cool contact posters. Plus, the iPhone 15 is a powerhouse, so it can handle whatever games you throw its way.
Video shooting is a standout feature, and you can record in up to 4K/60 fps. Young influencers will love Cinematic mode, which adds a shallow depth-of-field effect to videos and lets you choose the focus subject to track. If you change your mind later, you can even edit and refocus!
Low-light photos are good, and the 12MP sensor up front makes a superb selfie camera. Best of all, Apple provides top-notch support and five years of OS updates. Buy this phone for your ninth-grader, and it'll last them through high school graduation (maybe buy a case). Plus, Apple's holding back some of the more aggressive AI features found on the iPhone 15 Pro. Maybe that's a good thing for teenagers.
Read our full iPhone 15 review
The best budget camera phone
Google Pixel 8a camera samples
The Google Pixel 8a is a great value, and if history is a guide, and we saw great phone deals recently that dropped the price even further. This budget-friendly phone takes fantastic photos that rival those from much pricier Pixels... as long as you don't zoom in too close.
The 64MP main sensor uses pixel binning to produce 16MP images with vibrant colors and excellent lighting, especially compared to the Pixel 8 Pro. You might notice some loss of detail when zooming in, but for sharing online or sending quick pics, the Pixel 8a is a winner.
The Pixel 8a even offers a cool trick: you can enhance old photos you didn't take with the Pixel 8a, as long as they're uploaded to Google Photos. With Google Photos, you get access to the amazing Magic Editor, which lets you change backgrounds or move objects around. Plus, there's the Magic Audio Eraser in the video recorder for silencing annoying background noises.
These photography tools are a major selling point for the best Pixel phones, and you get the same great AI editing on the Pixel 8a that you'll find on Google's most expensive phones. Google also promises seven years of Android OS updates, so you can hang onto this camera phone for ages.
Read our full Google Pixel 8a review
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 in the real world directly against all of the previous best. I test them 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.
FAQ
What should I look for when buying a camera phone?
Picking the perfect camera phone starts with knowing what you like to shoot. If you're snapping action shots of your kids' games or capturing wildlife in their natural habitat, a good zoom is a must-have. But if your Gallery is mostly filled with portraits and group pics with friends, a solid all-around camera will do the trick. If video is more important than photos, or if you plan on mostly sharing shots of sumptuous desserts, you'll want a camera phone that excels at those tasks.
Which phone has the best camera?
The best camera phone for most types of photos 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, or landscape photos with bright blue skies and the greenest grass.
If you're a Leica fan, you might consider the OnePlus 12, which produces more artistic portraits and shots with a softer and more neutral look.
What about the Xiaomi 14 Ultra?
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is a phenomenal camera phone, and our UK reviewer Paul Hatton was enthused by the camera capabilities. We've left the phone off this list for now due to its lack of availability in the US, but we are currently testing the phone in our New York Offices and we may change our mind if this phone proves too good to ignore.
Whether or not it's the best camera phone, I'd warn US buyers against importing a phone without a local warranty. Buyer beware, it may be hard to fix, and impossible to fix under its own warranty, but if you want to see what we're missing, it's been a lot of fun so far.
How to choose the best camera phone?
Should you choose a phone based on the camera? Absolutely. After the messaging features, the camera is probably the feature you'll use most on your smartphone. You don't need the most expensive and expansive camera options, so it's best to consider what sort of photos you care about the most.
I'd suggest you take a look at the camera samples in this article and read our reviews, we try to offer a selection of the best images the camera produced in our brief review period, and we don't rely on studio testing. We also compare the cameras to all of the other phones you might consider, so you can trust our judgment is up to date and considering the competition.
