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Camera smartphones have become so good that most of us don’t feel the need to carry a DSLR anymore. Whether you’re shooting food photos, travel landscapes, portraits, or videos for social media, camera smartphones today can handle almost anything. The key is knowing which model delivers the best quality, consistency, and control.
So, I’ve listed down the 10 best camera smartphones you can buy right now. I’ll keep it simple based on real camera strengths and why each phone is worth considering if photography matters to you.
Best camera smartphones for photography
These phones offer excellent camera hardware, great processing, and reliable performance for photos and video.
Xiaomi 15 Ultra
Xiaomi 15 Ultra is one of the most powerful camera phones available, and it shows. It uses a 1-inch Sony LYT 900 sensor, which gives you excellent dynamic range, natural bokeh, and strong low-light results. The 200MP ultra-telephoto lens and >100x zoom make long-range shots super detailed. You also get 50MP wide, telephoto, and ultra-wide lenses, plus a 32MP front camera. If you prioritise zoom and sensor size, this is the best pick on this list.
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Google Pixel 10 Pro XL
Google’s Pixel smartphone series is known for computational photography, and the 10 Pro XL takes it further. The 50MP main sensor, along with a 48MP ultra-wide and a 48MP telephoto setup, delivers very consistent shots with accurate colors and sharp details. The 42MP front camera is also excellent for color-accurate selfies. This smartphone takes the crown for offering dynamic range and skin tones, offering photos that would hardly need any color correction.
Vivo X200 Pro
Vivo’s focus here is optics and software tuning. With ZEISS-enhanced lenses and Vivo’s V3+ imaging chip, photos come out sharp, clean, and great for portraits. The 200MP telephoto lens gives outstanding zoom quality without the result being pixelated. Moreover, the 8K@30fps recording helps you shoot high-resolution videos. It’s an ideal camera smartphone if you want cinematic portraits and a smooth, high-quality video recording experience.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
The Galaxy S25 Ultra continues Samsung’s tradition of offering big zoom performance with >100x zoom and a 50MP periscope lens. The 200MP main camera captures high detail, while hybrid stabilization keeps videos smooth. The 8K@30fps support would be a help for content creators. If you mix photography with long-zoom shots like wildlife or stadium events, it is undoubtedly a great option.
OnePlus 13
The OnePlus 13 focuses on consistency and color tuning with Hasselblad collaboration. The camera setup includes 50MP sensors across wide, telephoto, and ultra-wide, ensuring balanced performance across lenses. Video creators get 8K@30fps and HDR 10+ recording, making this a solid pick if you are a social media and vlog shooter.
Xiaomi 15
If you want Leica-style color and detail at a lower price than the 15 Ultra, this is a great option. This base variant of Xiaomi 15-series offers 50-100X zoom, 8K video recording, and Leica-tuned lenses, which produce photos with natural colors and strong contrast. The three 50MP rear cameras perform well in all lighting conditions, and the 32MP front camera is good for portraits and vlogs.
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
Apple still leads in video recording, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max is best for creators who prioritize consistent footage. The 48MP triple-camera setup, sensor-shift OIS, and Dolby Vision HDR recording provide stable and cinematic videos. The 20-50X zoom and 48MP periscope lens offer better reach than older iPhones. This is a reliable choice for a camera smartphone if you shoot a lot of reels, interviews, or travel vlogs.
Samsung Galaxy S24
Despite being from Samsung’s previous flagship lineup, the Galaxy S24 is still among the smartphones with a dependable camera system. It comes with a 50MP main lens, a 20-50X zoom, and hybrid stabilization for smooth video. The 8K@30fps video recording support is a bonus for advanced users. The telephoto performance and computational photography make it a strong mid-premium option if you don’t want the Ultra price tag.
Realme GT 7
The Realme GT 7 is focused on speed and video performance. It offers 50MP main and telephoto lenses, OIS, and 4K@120fps for slow-motion shooters. The HDR10+ recording provides videos with strong colors and contrast. This is a good choice if you’re into action shots, street photography, or fast-moving subjects.
Xiaomi 14 Civi
Xiaomi 14 Civi targets users who want flagship-style photography but without spending a fortune. It uses Leica-tuned optics and hybrid stabilization for crisp results. The 50MP main and telephoto cameras handle portraits and landscape shots well. With 4K@60fps video recording, the video quality is really great. If you are an everyday creator and vlogger who wants a good budget camera smartphone, this is your go-to to pick.
There’s no single best camera smartphone on this list, as each has its strengths. Think about your priority, whether it’s portraits, low-light, video, or zoom. Then pick based on that from the above ten phones I have listed.
