The Best Camera Phones for 2026

We've tested the latest tech to bring you the best camera phones for every budget.

Best iPhone camera: iPhone 17 Pro Max
Best Google camera: Google Pixel 10 Pro XL
Best Samsung camera: Samsung Galaxy S25
Best for zoom: Oppo Find X9 Pro
Best for AI features: Google Pixel 10 Pro
Best for close-ups: iPhone 17 Pro
Best for night-time shots: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Best for selfies: Google Pixel 10 Pro
Best foldable: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7
Best mid-range camera: Google Pixel 9a

Your best camera yet is already in your pocket – or, at least, it could be.

Don’t settle for blurry videos and unfocused snaps; with our expertly picked list of the best camera phones on the market, we’ll help you level up your phone photography and find a whole range of flagship-worthy phone features to boot.

We’ve tested the latest camera phones to compile our list of the best camera phones available right now. From the professional-quality lenses of the iPhone 17 Pro Max to the innovative tech behind the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL, this guide will help make your choice an easy one with options for every need and budget.

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Best iPhone camera: iPhone 17 Pro Max

Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max in Cosmic Orange

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The iPhone 17 Pro Max takes our top spot for the best iPhone camera, setting a new industry benchmark for candid smartphone snappers.

We found images and videos showed up beautifully on the vast 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR display. With up to 3,000 nits of outdoor peak brightness, you can review your shots even in bright sunlight.

This phone's major step up is powered by its next-gen A19 Pro chip, which - according to Apple - delivers the best performance of any mobile CPU on the market right now. The speed and power behind this processor means you’ll have zero shutter lag to contend with: we found that taking landscape shots on a freezing morning came out just as well as nighttime group selfies. It’s also the key driver behind some of our favourite features like Spatial Mode, which allows you to take incredible 3D immersive pictures and videos.

The innovative triple 48MP Fusion system is a first for Apple, and a serious win at that. All three lenses boast a full 48MP resolution, and the new tetraprism telephoto lens offers an incredible 8x optical-quality zoom. In our opinion, this upgraded versatility solidifies the iPhone 17 Pro Max as the most professional and capable camera system Apple has ever created.

Best Google camera: Google Pixel 10 Pro XL

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Integrating cutting-edge computational photography, the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL includes the most intelligent camera system Google has ever delivered.

At the heart of this performance is the new custom-made Tensor G5 chip, which enhances and drives game-changing AI-powered video and photography features. The new 100x ProRes Zoom uses Zoom Enhance generative AI to realistically capture intricate details, intelligently cleaning up shots that would typically be a blurry mess.

Likewise, the enhanced 50MP main sensor and Tensor G5 chip work together to power Super Actua Video, delivering real-time video boosting and some of our favourite AI features. You're not just taking a picture; you're using Google's most advanced AI to ensure every photo and video is professional-grade quality.

Add Me remains one of our favourite functions, letting you combine multiple photos into one - so the photographer can still be included in any group pictures. It's a nice AI integration that’s become a genuinely useful way of capturing meaningful shots.

Best Samsung camera: Samsung Galaxy S25

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The Samsung Galaxy S25 offers an excellent camera experience, expertly blending flagship-level photography with a perfectly compact, user-friendly design. It delivers exceptional performance without any added bulk, making it the ideal choice for candid snappers.

Powering its advanced capabilities is the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip, which really unlocks the full potential of Samsung’s AI features. These AI capabilities go above and beyond in the editing suite, delivering intelligent image tuning and tone adjustments. Our favourite, the Object Aware Engine, cleverly enhances your pictures to ensure accurate colours, rich textures, and incredibly sharp detail, no matter the subject or conditions. We tested this on one of the trickier subjects to photograph – a cat – and it worked brilliantly. It was able to sharpen any motion blurring and bring out colours and fur textures that are lost in lesser camera designs.

The versatile triple-lens rear camera system is also built for almost any scenario with a 50MP lens for stunningly sharp, professional-grade shots, a 12MP ultra-wide lens for sweeping views, and a 10MP telephoto lens with 3x zoom. If you're looking for a Samsung camera that balances power, advanced AI, and pocketable convenience, the Galaxy S25 is a clear winner.

Best for zoom: Oppo Find X9 Pro

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The Oppo Find X9 Pro delivers a complete package: a top-tier daily smartphone that doubles as a professional-grade zoom camera.

First things first for photography fans: this handset boasts a massive 200MP periscope telephoto lens. Co-engineered with Hasselblad, this ultra-high-resolution camera is specifically designed to capture details from a distance with beautiful clarity. It’s a non-pixelated pleasure to use.

The camera system provides incredible 3x optical zoom and extends to an impressive 13.2x zoom without losing any detail, by intelligently cropping the huge 200MP image. Want to get even closer? The Hasselblad teleconverter accessory boosts the optical zoom further, turning your mobile phone into an actual professional camera.

Beyond this camera mastery, the Find X9 Pro is a true flagship powerhouse. The rapid MediaTek Dimensity 9500 chip ensures a smooth experience whether you're snapping shots in quick succession or editing 4K video. Ideally for longer shooting days, it also packs a gigantic 7,500mAh battery - one of the largest on the market - which when we put to the test, lasted nearly three days without needing to be recharged.

Best for AI features: Google Pixel 10 Pro

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The Google Pixel 10 Pro isn’t just a flagship smartphone; it's a revolutionary leap in mobile AI technology, making it our top choice for users who want seamlessly smart AI features.

Google’s excellent AI capabilities kick in as soon as you tap the camera button. Using Gemini Nano, the Camera Coach analyses your scene in real time, helping you improve your shot before you’ve even taken it. There’s framing suggestions that help you capture your subject in their best light, while Automatic modes like Portrait or Night Sight make sure you avoid any blur.

Thanks to the custom-made Tensor G5's processing, filming and video editing are now lightning-fast. Google has significantly upgraded its Video Boost technology, using AI to perform dramatic upscaling and reducing graininess on low-light footage. The result is near-professional, high-resolution video no matter where you’re filming.

Best for close-ups: iPhone 17 Pro

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When it comes to close-ups, the iPhone 17 Pro sets a new standard for capturing detail, making it a top choice for macro photography enthusiasts.

With its newly upgraded 48MP ultra-wide lens, the iPhone 17 Pro can lock focus as close as 2cm away, opening up a whole new level of detail for mobile phone photography. The new 48MP 4x telephoto lens also excels as a secondary telemacro lens, allowing you to capture stunning close-up images from a comfortable distance too. It’s a nice touch that means your own shadow won’t get in the way as you set up your shot.

As long-time Apple fans, we can attest that the 17 Pro’s entire camera experience is seamless. Automatic modes let you focus and zoom with ease: Apple's smart lens-switching software detects when you move close to a subject and instantly transitions into Macro mode. This means there’s no jarring colour shifts or focus lag, so you can take intricate shots no matter what your subject matter is.

Best for night-time shots: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

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The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra takes our first place for night-time shots and sets the bar for low-light smartphone photography in general. With this phone you’ll get clarity in near pitch-black conditions, thanks to upgraded camera hardware and intelligent AI integrations.

Led by an excellent 200MP camera sensor, the S25 Ultra uses pixel-binning technology to merge 16 pixels into one massive 'super-pixel', which can absorb even more light. We’ve tested it at dusk and dawn, and the result is a low-light photo that is bright, sharp and super-detailed.

Part of the excellent ProVisual Engine, one of our favourite features is the Spatio-Temporal Filter. This minimises grain and motion blur by differentiating between moving subjects and still backgrounds, so you can capture clear, dramatic action shots, even in the dark.

The S25 Ultra’s wider design is also nicely engineered to combat other common night shooting frustrations. Glare is reduced thanks to enhanced Gorilla Glass Armour with a handy anti-reflective coating, so you can say goodbye to distracting lens flares. Read more in our S25 Ultra review.

Best for selfies: Google Pixel 10 Pro

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The Google Pixel 10 Pro earns its title as the best selfie camera phone on the market by blending powerful hardware with innovative Gemini AI capabilities.

The biggest highlight for us is the device’s 42MP ultra-wide front camera - a huge jump in resolution compared to the Pixel 10’s 10.5MP selfie lens. Say goodbye to awkward framing and pulling a muscle trying to fit everyone in. The 103° field of view on the ultrawide front lens is smart enough to automatically detect large groups or wide backgrounds. It then intelligently expands the frame to perfectly accommodate all your friends or capture a landscape behind you without cropping anyone out.

We also love Google’s new AI-powered Camera Coach, which offers real-time tips to help you improve framing and composition before you take a photo. It analyses the scene using Google’s Gemini models and provides helpful guidance so you can capture a more polished, professional-looking selfie.

Best foldable phone: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7

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Thanks to the phenomenal 200MP main camera, the Galaxy Z Fold7 makes for professional-grade photography with incredible detail and clarity.

On top of this, it’s been specifically engineered for portability, folding up to be just as sleek as a regular smartphone, but giving you a pocket-sized camera, phone, and tablet all in one. With powerful generative AI and the seamless foldable design, this model is perfect for editing photos and videos side by side in great detail as soon as you’ve taken them. We’ve found that, due to the folding screen, the Z Fold7 is also perfect for group selfies, as the expanded camera angle of the open 8-inch screen means you can include even more people in one picture.

Best mid-range camera: Google Pixel 9a

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Our choice for the best mid-range camera phone has to be the Google Pixel 9a. It delivers all the best of Google’s innovative photography software at a much more accessible price.

Don’t let the lower price point fool you, though. The Pixel 9a’s photography capabilities rival those of premium flagship phones. Its rear camera, paired with Google's powerful image processing, ensures solid, vibrant, and detailed photos for all your everyday shooting needs.

We’ve tested features like the incredible Night Sight mode and AI-driven editing tools like Magic Eraser, and you really do get the shot you want, every time.

With a powerful Google Tensor G4 chip, the Pixel 9a delivers smooth, smart performance without the hefty price tag. This makes it the perfect choice for users who prioritise a top-quality camera and intuitive smartphone features, but don’t want to pay flagship prices.

Summary

Whether you’re a content creator, a keen traveller, or just want sharp, vibrant pictures each time, we’ve got the perfect model for every need and budget.

If you’re looking for more reviews to help guide your phone search, we’ve covered the best AI phones.

The Best Camera Phones for 2026

Best iPhone camera: iPhone 17 Pro Max