The best camera phones are better than ever, and every year we're more impressed by the quality, resolution, and telephoto zoom that phones can offer. All of our favorites have real 5X zoom lenses, sensors that range between 50 and 200 megapixels, and tons of shooting modes for making your photos look perfect.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra arrived early in 2024, and it remains my favorite camera phone this year, even after testing all of the latest Google Pixel 9 Pro phones. The Galaxy has the best image quality, the most versatile lenses, and the most effective selection of shooting modes on any camera. It helps that its so bright and easy to see in direct sunlight.
The Google Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL have the exact same cameras, and the Pixel phones are the only phones that share everything, unlike the Galaxy or iPhone. The Pixel 9 Pro is our second favorite camera, edging out the iPhone 15 Pro Max with better low-light and more details.
Of course, Apple has a new phone just around the corner, and we expect the iPhone 16 at the party Apple is throwing on Monday, September 9. Once we have that phone in hand, we'll review its camera in-depth to see if it earns a spot on this list.
Keep reading for all of the camera details, sample images, and everything you need to know to choose the best camera phone you can buy.
Quick List
The Galaxy S24 Ultra has proven unbeatable this year, with more lenses, more features, and better photos than any other camera phone. You won't find a better overall smartphone camera.
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The Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL have the exact same cameras, and both take fantastic low-light photos, even if you shoot a panorama. Video also gets enhanced with Google's AI Video Boost.
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If you want the best iPhone camera, you need the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the only iPhone with 5X telephoto zoom, and enhanced image stability for better photo and video shooting. Sorry Pro fans, only the Max has it.
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Let's be honest, teenagers need a good camera. Those high school memories aren't going to happen twice. The iPhone 15 offers plenty of camera power, 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, especially if you find a deal. Plus, it gets Google's wacky AI photo editing.
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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 overall camera phone
Galaxy S24 Ultra camera samples
After a tough year of competition from Apple, Google, OnePlus and more, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra remains my favorite camera phone for all of the right reasons. It simply takes better photos in every situation, whether I'm using the big main sensor, the long 5X zoom lens, or the ultra wide for macro photos.
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. If you really want to impress your friends, switch to an astrophotography mode and take some moon photos. Their iPhones won't be able to compete.
Overall, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is the camera I reach for most often when I need to make every shot count, especially if I'm not sure what sort of shooting I'll be doing. It can handle everything, and it delivers more consistent results than any other smartphone you can buy right now.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review
The best photo 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 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 S24 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 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
We take 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 we get a new camera phone, we test it directly against the previous best head-to-head in the exact same conditions to determine which produces the photos we like the most.
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 produces the best image quality and it also has many cameras with versatile options and shooting modes.
