Let me get to the point: these are the best camera phones you can buy right now. These picks are based on extensive testing, knowledge of what makes a good smartphone camera set up based on a mass of cumulative knowledge and hands-on testing.
You won't see much movement on this list until we see next-generation Google Pixel phones, likely around August time, or new iPhones in what's likely to be a September announcement window. So for now you can view this list as TechRadar's definitive selection of the leading camera phones.
Currently, the iPhone 17 Pro Max leads the pack thanks to its unmatched balance of photo and video performance, though power users will appreciate the unparalleled shooting flexibility of the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which unseated its predecessor as our top Android recommendation.
Extensive real-world testing of the iPhone 17 family and Google's Pixel 10 lineup have solidified their positions, while the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. replaces its predecessor as the king of foldable phone photography.
If you're ready to buy now, read on for our definitive rankings for the best camera phones.
Editor's note: You might be wondering where the OnePlus 15 is on this list, given we praised the phone with a 5-star review and it used to have a spot. Well OnePlus has pulled out of US and European markets, and as TechRadar has a big presence in both those areas, we don't feel it's right to have OnePlus on this list anymore, as impressive as the phone is. It's a sad time, as this editor (Roland Moore-Colyer) remembers when OnePlus used to offer excellent camera phones for very compelling prices. The OnePlus 15 entered full-fat flagship pricing, as did a few of its predecessors, which perhaps blunted some of the appeal in the face of Apple and Samsung photography powerhouses, but it was still a very impressive phone. We wish OnePlus all the best and maybe one day we'll see its phones back in this list.
The best camera phone overall
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max camera samples
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The Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max is the best camera phone you can buy. It takes photos that are lifelike, rich in color, nicely balanced, and appealing to share. There are unique options to tweak the look of your photo or apply filters but you won't need them. Photos look great straight out of the camera, better than I've seen on any previous iPhone I've tested (ie. all of them).
If you shoot video, you need an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max. Other camera phones can claim to match the resolution and might come close to the same frame rate, but no other smartphone shoots video from start to finish that is so reliably smooth, with no hiccups or dropped frames. Other camera phones can record video, but the iPhone is the true videographer's tool.
We might complain about the lack of shooting modes on the iPhone, but in our testing photos didn't suffer for it. There is no Food mode like you'll find on a Samsung phone, and no Long Exposure mode like many camera phones offer. Those are usually AI tricks anyway. The iPhone 17 Pro Max doesn't need tricks. It just takes great photos.
Why the Pro Max? The iPhone 17 Pro has the exact same camera specs, so it will take equally amazing photos. If you're choosing between the two, we suggest going for a larger viewfinder to help you frame shots and see fine details,. The bigger battery also helps.
Read our full Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max review
The best camera phone for Android users
Galaxy S26 Ultra camera samples
There are a lot of Android phones that have really good cameras, even going into the cheaper end of what's on offer. But if you want the very best cameras coupled with a compelling, fast and slick Android experience, then the Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra is the smartphone to consider.
It's array of four rear cameras might seem like overkill but it gives users a very flexible system, especially when it comes to zooming in at different optical ranges. THe photos the phone produces are excellent; from sharp high-resolution shots, to expansive ultra-wide photos, and zoomed-in shots that actually look usable compared to some of the other phones' telephoto capabilities on this list. And with each generation of Galaxy phone, Samsung has curtailed some of the oversaturation of colors, though kicking out photos that are punchy and had good dynamic range.
We still feel the latest iPhones capture video a little better than the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which is why it's not at the very top of this list. Plus its large size might mean its a little to big for non-power users.
There's also the little wrinkle that when comparing the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra to the Galaxy S25 Ultra, the cameras are very similar, though the newer phone does pull slightly ahead when punching into the details, according to our reviewer Editor-at-Large Lance Ulanoff. But if you're already got a Galaxy S25 Ultra it might now be worth upgrading to the S26 Ultra; for those on older Galaxy phones, the S26 Ultra might be the phone to get.
There's a suite of AI-powered editing tools and features to get the most out of your smartphone photography, and can help rework shots that might not have quite worked out.
When you combine all of this, we reckon the Galaxy S26 Ultra is the best phone for Android fans and people who a camera system that's got the flexibility to snap a range of phones they are keen to share.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra review
The best AI camera
Google Pixel 10 Pro XL camera samples
The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL is the best AI camera, a mighty feat considering every smartphone today is using AI to improve its photography. If the idea of an AI camera is unappealing, it shouldn't be. The Pixel 10 Pro XL helps you become a better photographer, it doesn't use AI to create something fake.
The new Camera Coach is an AI helper than looks at the photo you're thinking of taking and offers real improvements. It doesn't take the photo for you, it teaches you how to improve your settings, your framing, and your camera position to get the shot you want. If you're not a photo pro, you might be after spending time with the Pixel 10 Pro XL.
The Pixel 10 Pro XL is also the best camera for AI photos like portraits. Most cameras fake the blurry background in portrait shots, but do a terrible job figuring out what should be sharp and what should be blurry. The Pixel creates portraits that look like real camera shots, with just the right amount of focus.
Reviewer Phillip Berne was also very impressed with the digital zoom photos he took with the Pixel 10 Pro XL. All camera phones sharpen your photo past 4x or 5x zoom, and the Pixel does the best job creating a natural looking photograph that he might want to share. Other cameras zoom in and look blurry and smudged.
There's a big caveat, and that's the Pixel 10 Pro XL uses a slower Tensor G5 processor that causes some lag in the camera, especially if you use advanced settings like night mode or take high resolution photos. "I had trouble in the Camera app, especially when I changed to the higher 50MP resolution," said Berne. "The camera sometimes stalled after I hit the shutter button, and made me wait for a few moments until I could snap my next shot."
As such, Beren said missed a few shots because of the slow performance; the good news is the shots he took looked fantastic. So the Pixel 10 Pro XL, and indeed the smaller Google Pixel 10 Pro, are well worth your consideration.
Read our full Google Pixel 10 Pro XL review
The best foldable camera phone
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra camera samples
While it may have the Ultra moniker, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is basically the flagship upgrade on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 (which has also been replaced by the more compact Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8).
Looking virtually identical to the Fold 7 that was on this spot for the past 12 months, the Fold 8 Ultra has one new design trick up its sleeve: it folds flat. This should make viewing photos snapped on the phone's myriad of cameras a slightly more enjoyable experience if you're laying it on a table for others to crowd around.
But what of the actual cameras? Well, they are expectantly excellent, as per Samsung's flagship phone standards. Reviewer Lance Ulanoff found that the image processing on the camera suite, comprising a trio of rear cameras, a cover front-facing camera and a main screen selfie camera, to be the best he's seen on a Samsung phone to date.
"In anecdotal side-by-side shots, Samsung's photography is now as good as, and sometimes better than, what I can get with the iPhone 17 Pro Max," said Ulanoff.
And while the trio of rear cameras don't at first appear to have had sweeping changes, the addition of a 50-megapixel ultra-wide camera is a decent upgrade. Expect sharper expansive images when shooting with this lens. Plus there's a suite of tweaked and new AI capabilities, such as editing photos with voice prompts, which impressed Ulanoff,
Such a camera suite along with the tablet-like screen a flagship foldable phone offers, means the Fold 8 Ultra easily takes the spot as the best foldable phone for photography, especially if you want to dive into editing your photos on the go without moving to a laptop or PC.
And while the cameras on the Fold 8 Ultra don't exactly match those of the Galaxy S26 Ultra, wee'd not say they play second fiddle to the non-folding Samsung flagship anymore.
Read our full Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra review
The best budget camera phone
Google Pixel 10a camera samples
The Google Pixel 10a continues the solid work of its predecessors by delivering class-leading phone photography for a very attractive price. We'd say that when it comes to getting great cameras for a compelling price, you really don't need to look beyond the Pixel 10a.
This latest iteration of the budget Pixel phone see the pair of rear cameras sit flush with the phone's back, removing the bump of its predecessor and making for a phone that feels that bit cleaner on the design side.
But putting that aside, the Pixel 10a's cameras excel at taking crisp, bright and well-balanced photos with excellent colors; the latter are some of the most natural and have a bounty of dynamic range that Pixel phones have been doing well for years. Add in some new AI features like Camera Coach, which uses AI and haptic feedback to effectively nudge you into the right position to take what the phone's smarts decide makes for the best photo, and you've got a fantastic camera phone.
A lack of meaningful upgrades over the Pixel 9a means you don't need the 10a if you've got that older phone. But for others on Pixels that are longer in the tooth, or are looking to step up from some other budget Android phones, the Pixel 10a is the best budget camera phone to buy right now.
Read our full Google Pixel 10a review
Also consider
There are so many great camera phones available; far more than what we can fit in this list. So here are a suite of phones with great cameras that are also worth your consideration if the ones above don't quite meet your needs.
- The Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus and Galaxy S26 offer a trio of rear cameras that snap great photos and have access to Samsung solid image processing and AI tools; they simply lack the sheer flexibility of the S26 Ultra but are notably more affordable.
- An iPhone 17 might be limited to two rear cameras, but the photos it captures and video it records are excellent. The camera array mostly keeps up with that of the Pro iPhone 17 models, only lacking in telephoto capabilities. For most iPhone users, the iPhone 17 will be more than enough.
- Now with a telephoto camera, the Google Pixel 10 offers a lot of what the Pixel 10 Pro models offer, only with lower-resolution cameras. But it still captures great shots and has a suite of AI tools to use. So if you want to save a bit of money, not going Pro with the Pixel 10 is no bad thing.
How we test camera phones
Our reviewers take a whole range of photos on the smartphones they test to really assess the the quality of the cameras on the phones. We'll judge photos in isolation, in addition to comparing them against shots from other phones in a similar price range and their predecessors, as well as against some of the popular phones.
We'll test these phones' cameras in bright sunlight outdoors, at night, in shade, inside and in other diverse shooting conditions. And we'll test the cameras as a set, helping identify any big shifts in colors from ultra-wide and telephoto cameras compared to the main camera. We also flirt with some of the AI features, but do generally judge the quality of these phone cameras in their default modes or similar modes to each other.
While harder to assess in a shot-by-shot photos comparison, we also test out video capabilities, looking for ease of shooting clear and usable video with solid white balance and colors.
FAQ
What phone has the best camera?
All of the phones on this list have great cameras that will take fantastic photos, but you can find a camera phone that is tuned to the shots you prefer. A Galaxy S25 Ultra or other Samsung phone takes photos that are rich in color, making them great for food photos and influencer selfies. The Pixel 10 Pro does a great job taking photos in difficult night-time light. Finding the best camera for your shooting style is the best way to be satisfied with your camera phone.
What iPhone has the best camera?
The Apple iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max each feature the same cameras - the best Apple has included with any iPhone model, ever. These are the best iPhone cameras you can buy.
Which Samsung phone has the best cameras
The Galaxy S26 Ultra packs the most cameras of any Samsung phone, with two real telephoto zoom lenses, in addition to wide and ultrawide cameras. That's the best Samsung camera phone, but you will also find a 200MP sensor on the Galaxy S25 Edge and Galaxy Z Fold 7, so if you mostly care about wide photos, you can get the same great shots from those other Samsung phones.
Which Android phone has the best camera?
In the US, the best Android phone cameras are on Samsung's top phones like the Galaxy S26 Ultra. In other countries, phones like the Xiaomi 15 Ultra and Huawei Pura 60 Ultra have amazing camera capabilities, but those phones are not sold or supported in the US.
How do you take good pictures with your smartphone?
The first thing to do is stop tapping the screen. Use the volume keys - or the Camera Control on the latest iPhone models - to snap the photo. That will reduce the amount of movement on the camera. The second thing to do is edit your photos after you take them. Every top camera phone has amazing editing software that can reframe, remove unwanted distractions, and much more.
Is a real camera better?
Do digital cameras take better photos than smartphones?
Yes, a digital camera is better than a smartphone camera, but it depends on the camera and the type of photos you take. Digital cameras have larger sensors and larger lenses, which means more light to create the image. However, no digital camera maker is using AI and computational techniques to improve photos in the way that phone makers are doing, and digital cameras don't come with the same robust editing software and sharing capabilities on board.
How do phone cameras work?
How do phone cameras work?
Phone cameras have three main components: the lens, the sensor, and the image signal processor, which is part of a phones system-on-a-chip. Most smartphones today have multiple lenses, and each lens is attached to its own sensor. There is no moving shutter on a smartphone camera, and no moving diaphragm to modify the aperture. Smartphones also rely heavily on a technique called pixel binning. This is when a phone uses four pixels in close proximity to create one final pixel image: thus a 48MP image becomes a higher-quality 12MP image.
Do megapixels matter?
Do MPs matter?
No. Megapixels don't matter at all. What matters is the size of the sensor. A sensor is like a pie. The Galaxy S26 Ultra has 200 megapixels, but it's sensor is the same size as the iPhone 17 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.
How many megapixels do I really need?
How many MPs?
You need 12 megapixels for most photos. A 12MP image is a great size for sharing over email and text, posting to social media, or even printing on an 8x10 sheet. If you are going to print larger images, or if you plan on cropping your images to include only a small portion, then more megapixels will help. Otherwise, more megapixels only mean a larger image file, and you probably don't need to waste the space if you aren't shooting photos to hang on your wall.
What's the best budget phone camera?
Our favorite budget camera phone is the new Google Pixel 10a, especially if you find it on sale. It takes photos on its main camera that are very close or indistinguishable from the Pixel 10 Pro, and it really excels at macro photos and close-up shots. The Pixel 9a is still a great budget camera as well, so if you need to save even more, you might find that one at a great price.
What's the best selfie camera phone?
Best for selfies?
While we don't break out selfies on their own in this list, you can't go wrong with any of the selfie cameras on the phones in this list. They all do a very good job at video calls and snapping front-facing photos.
But there's an argument that the AI features and processing of the Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL offer fantastic selfie shots. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is a contender, as is the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, especially for video calls.
What's the best camera phone brand?
What's the best camera phone brand?
Because cameras have become the most important part of a phone, we consider all of the best phone makers to be great camera phone brands. You can trust that Google's cameras, for instance, will be consistent across every model. You can trust that Samsung will have vibrant cameras and more shooting modes than any other phone maker. Of course, Apple is always a standout camera brand, and even a cheap iPhone will have a high-quality camera.
What's the best camera phone for video?
What's the best camera phone for video?
The Apple iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are the best video recording cameras right now, and it might not even be close. The iPhone 17 Pro is the only phone on this list that can record 4K resolution videos up to 120fps, which gives you truly cinematic looking slow-mo shots. Even at a normal resolution, the iPhone can record video that looks good enough for the big screen, and some filmmakers have famously used iPhones as the heart of their film process.
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.
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 17 Pro (and iPhone 17 Pro Max), because it produces photos that look like real photography, with no digital tricks or touch-ups apparent.
The Samsung Galaxy S26 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.
What about Xiaomi or Huawei phones?
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is a phenomenal camera phone, and our UK reviewer Paul Hatton was enthused by the camera capabilities. We've left Xiaomi phones off this list for now due to their lack of availability in the US, but we are currently testing Xiaomi and Huawei phones in our New York Office and we may change our mind if these prove too good to ignore.
Whether or not Xiaomi or Huawei make the best camera phone, we'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.
We'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.
How do I transfer camera photos to my phone?
You can use the software from your camera maker to transfer photos from your phone. Also, almost all phones today will let you plug in a USB card reader, and then you can read your camera's memory card with your phone. This way you can add your real camera's photos to your phone's photo library, and even edit your photo's using your phone's superior (AI) editing tools.