The best camera phone can be an Android phone or an iPhone, because no matter which platform you prefer, you'll find a fantastic camera that exceeds your expectations of what a smartphone camera can do.
Our favorite premium Android camera, the Galaxy S24 Ultra, is so versatile it's like carrying the best cameras with a bag full of lenses. We're also big fans of the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max, which takes amazing photos and shoots some of the best video you'll see outside a Hollywood sound stage.
We can't forget the OnePlus 12, which shoots in a unique style backed by Hasselblad tuning. We're also checking out the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, and it's proven impressive in our tests, but its lack of global availability make it hard to declare the best camera phone in the world.
Check out our proven favorites below, with plenty of image samples. Then click through to the full review for each to read even more about the cameras, photo editing, and other new features.
Quick List
The S24 Ultra is legendary for its camera features, and AI plays a big part. When you take that stunning moon photo, AI recognizes the scene and adjusts your settings to make sure it's perfect.
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The Pixel 8 Pro is the smartphone leader for the latest AI models from Google, so if you want to see what all the fuss is about (and prepare for the future), check out the latest Pro model.
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The best iPhone that Apple makes has a titanium frame, a 5X zoom lens, and Apple's A17 Pro processor, which can handle the upcoming Apple Intelligence beta features.
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The Apple iPhone 15 is a fantastic phone all around, with software that is intuitive and fun to use, and all of the advanced features you need, like tap payments and more.
The Pixel 8a will get seven years of software updates, which hopefully includes seven years of AI advancements. Sound too good to be true? For this low price, you can take the risk.
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The OnePlus 12 is one of the coolest looking phones ever, with a unique marble finish or sparkling black, an iconic bump, and a textured feel. It performs well, so if you want to stand out, go for it.
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The best camera phone 2024
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The best premium Android camera
Galaxy S24 Ultra camera samples
The Galaxy S24 Ultra retains the Ultra title as our best camera phone for its versatility, but Samsung has also taken strides to improve image quality all around, making this phone a great choice for every photo situation. Photos from the Galaxy S24 Ultra look more natural than images we've taken with past Samsung phones, and even the iPhone 15 Pro could look cold and lifeless by comparison.
The 200MP main sensor is still around, and this time it's been greatly improved with better color and more dynamic range than before. The blurry background in photos looks more natural than digitized, and the camera was very consistent in its results.
Of course, the big question is whether the 5X zoom camera on the Galaxy S24 Ultra is a downgrade from the 10X zoom on the Galaxy S23 Ultra. While you might not see as many fine details on images from the newest Ultra, the photos are still much better all around. Noise is greatly reduced, and color is improved, which makes most images just look better, even though the zoom isn't looking as far.
Samsung phones excel in their shooting modes and options, and there are plenty of great choices on the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Food mode will make your food look delicious and not insipid, and Portrait mode does a great job blurring the background behind your subject.
Overall, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is the camera I reach for most often when I need to make every shot count, and I'm not sure what sort of shooting I'll be doing. It can handle everything, just like it's predecessor, and it delivers more consistent results than any competitor.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review
The best Android camera for most people
Google Pixel 8 Pro camera samples
The main camera on the Pixel 8 Pro is considerably better than the camera on the Pixel 7 Pro, but the improvements can be hard to explain.
The lens on the camera has a f/1.65 aperture, which is wider than the f/1.9 aperture in last year’s lens, and while the number is lower, a wider aperture is better because it lets in more light, and the improvement is exponential and not linear.
The f/1.65 lens on the Pixel 8 Pro is an amazIng feat, while the f/1.9 aperture on last year’s Pixel 7 Pro was a thoroughly unimpressive spec. See, the numbers are confusing, and it’s just not an easy spec to boast about. The iPhone 15 Pro uses an f/1.8 lens on its main camera, which won’t let as much light through, but of course there are plenty of other factors to consider.
Compared to my iPhone 15 Pro Max, some photos looked better when shot with the Pixel 8 Pro, but others, especially night pics and low-light images, looked better taken with the iPhone. That’s surprising, but there are still some reasons for Google to brag.
Macro photography is better on the Pixel 8 Pro than on the iPhone, and even if you aren’t going for a macro look you can still get closer to your subject with the Pixel. The Pixel 8 Pro also handled food photos much better than the iPhone. That natural look the iPhone tends towards can make dishes look unappetizing in bad lighting. It’s better to have a camera that can do some enhancements.
Once you’ve taken your photos, it’s off to Google Photos to edit them, and Google Photos on the Pixel 8 family is a special app. It has features you won’t find on other Pixel phones, Android phones, iPhones, or even on the desktop.
Read our full Google Pixel 8 Pro review
The best premium iPhone camera
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max camera samples
Apple has finally embraced zoom, with periscope technology that folds lenses and mirrors to give us real, 5X optical zoom on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Unfortunately, the iPhone 15 Pro got left behind with less range, but that makes the iPhone 15 Pro Max the easier choice if you want the best iPhone camera, hands-down.
The big iPhone 15 Pro Max doesn't just get superior zoom range, it also uses a 6-axis stabilizer, which can move in any direction to keep the camera steady while you're taking photos or shooting video. It makes a big difference, especially when you zoom in all the way.
For every type of photography, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is a great improvement over past iPhone cameras, and it holds its own against any other smartphone you can buy. For video recording, the iPhone 15 Pro Max truly excels. It has dynamic range and a level of detail and quality that are unparalleled, especially when you are recording in Apple's ProRes format at the highest resolution and frame rate.
It may not be quite as versatile as Samsung's overstuffed Galaxy S23 Ultra, and Apple doesn't give us all the fun shooting modes in which Samsung indulges, but the iPhone 15 Pro Max is a high quality, reliable camera that can shoot great photos and amazing video in any situation.
Read our full iPhone 15 Pro Max review
The best iPhone camera for most people
Apple iPhone 15 camera samples
There are still just two lenses on the back of the iPhone 15, but they are not the same pair as you found on the iPhone 14. Okay, the 12MP ultrawide is basically the same, but the main camera is now the same 48MP lens that you'll find on the iPhone 14 Pro. That's not the same sensor as the larger one that now resides inside the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, mind.
Even so, this is a significant upgrade from the iPhone 14's 12MP main camera, and all of the cameras are backed by the last-gen A16 Bionic and an upgraded image pipeline technology (photonic engine and computational photography) that affords a few cool, new photography features.
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.
This is unquestionably the best set of cameras we have ever seen on an iPhone base model. They're not as good as those on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and they lack both stronger telephoto and macro capabilities. If you want that, you'll pay more, but for the price, this is all you should want or need in an iPhone that doesn't have "Pro" in its name.
Read our full iPhone 15 review
The best cheap 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 portrait camera phone
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 naturalness 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
We have fully reviewed all of the best camera phones on this list, testing all of the camera and video capabilities under a wide variety of lighting and motion conditions.
We test cameras in bright outdoor light and dark indoor light, and every lighting condition in between. We test in mixed lighting environments, as well as under studio lighting conditions. We test the zoom capabilities, portrait photography, and macro shooting for close up images.
We test cameras by using multiple camera phones at the same time and comparing the images side-by-side. For each review, we compare the cameras to other phones in the same price range, as well as to other phones from which interested buyers may be switching.
We test video recording under the same conditions. We 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, we 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 Galaxy S24 Ultra, because it has many cameras with versatile options. The Galaxy S24 Ultra is the best combination of cameras, but the main camera on the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max, for instance, may produce better images under certain conditions.
