The Best Smartphone for Photos

Updated on 21 March 2023

This comparison is certified 100% impartial and follows our selection process.

With this waterproof and resistant smartphone, Google maintains its excellence in terms of photography as it once again integrates 2 high-quality rear sensors (50MP + 12MP for the ultra-wide angle + 10.8MP for the front sensor). This makes it versatile, as it performs well in all conditions. Pictures are detailed and well-calibrated in terms of light and colour. But what makes it stand out is its ability to handle blur and sharpness with the new Super Res mode. However, there is no optical telephoto lens or autofocus for the ultra wide-angle mode. But thanks to the Photo Unblur function, it is possible to retouch. As for video recording, it shoots in 4K and up to 60 FPS, and the cinematic mode offers a stable image. Apart from that, the interface is intuitive and it includes the powerful Google Tensor G2 chip, which shows the device’s good performance. The 6.3″ OLED display (2400 x 1080 px, 90 Hz) shows excellent image quality with good light. Despite all these good aspects, the battery does not last long, and the slow charging does not help to overcome this shortcoming.

All smartphones have a built-in camera module, but the quality can vary greatly from one model to another.

The number of megapixels is only important if you are printing large images or using the zoom.

The number of sensors affects the versatility of your camera. But be sure to pay attention to the quality of them.

A large lens opening means better light capture.

Essential for selfies, this sensor should not be neglected. The manufacturers have understood this too.

The Pro mode gives access to more advanced settings that can directly influence the rendering.

HDR allows you to enhance your shot by optimising the brightness levels of the scene (HDR on the right).

Night mode is where most smartphones still need to work.

The number of frames per second determines the fluidity of the video. A minimum of 30 FPS is recommended.

This IP67-rated smartphone has 128GB of storage and a 6.1-inch screen with a stunning resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels. Equipped with Google’s Tensor G2 chip, it also guarantees good performance and power, making the software experience more enjoyable. In terms of photo quality, it is hard to beat at this price. It has two 12-megapixel lenses at the back (including an ultra-wide angle) and an 8-megapixel sensor at the front. Thanks to AI processing, you can take good photos in both portrait and night modes. However, the digital zoom (x7) is not the same as a true optical zoom, which does not allow you to get as detailed a picture or from as far away as on a higher-end camera. On the plus side, this model has the Magic Eraser, a tool for removing or erasing unwanted objects in the background of a photo. On the downside, the battery life is a little limited, and the slow charging doesn’t quite make up for it.

With three rear sensors (including the main 48MP sensor), a front sensor and an optical zoom telephoto lens, this smartphone promises great photos, even in low light. The effective portrait mode (with controlled blur and depth of field) is particularly good. AI processing allows you to edit and enhance images, but there is no macro mode or RAW shooting. As for the video, the Action mode stabilises images perfectly for high-quality recordings, with the option of zooming in, and the Cinema mode offers 4K definition at 60 fps with autofocus. In addition, the ultra-wide-angle camera offers great light, and the smartphone supports Dolby Vision. There are also several software features to improve the light and colour of images. The quality of the screen (6.1″) is excellent, with a high resolution and nice colours, while the processor is powerful. At around 10 hours of use, the battery life is good, but we regret that it is slow to recharge (only 20 W).

With the integration of Expert RAW, a 200MP main sensor, a 10x telephoto lens, up to 100x digital zoom, four main sensors (3 at the back and one at the front) and a powerful graphics chip, this smartphone offers detailed photos and quality zooms (despite the perfect autofocus). It is equally at home with night-time photography, selfies, close-ups and long-distance shots. A new feature is the astrophotography mode, which aims to capture specific elements of the sky. In addition, software processing corrects any imperfections. The video mode is also exceptional, recording up to 8K at 30fps or 50MP RAW. Other features include an attractive design and a large (6.8″) curved AMOLED screen with S Pen for more precise manipulation or on-screen note-taking. Battery life is excellent, averaging 13 hours of use, and it has a fast charge. It also has the latest generation processor for flawless performance (including mobile gaming).

Our selection

Our choice, Best mid-range	Best budget	Best high-end	High-end alternative
Google Pixel 7	Google Pixel 6a	iPhone 14 Pro	Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
With a beautiful screen and a powerful chip, it offers impressive versatility with Google-quality photo processing. Apart from its limited battery life, it outperforms its competitors in its price range.	It is sold at an affordable price, and its performance/price ratio is impressive. In addition to its good photo quality, its software experience is interesting, which somewhat compensates for its poor battery life.	With a developed and improved photographic sector, good battery life, a nice screen, a powerful processor and new security features, it is an ideal choice if you are willing to pay the price.	It certainly has the most versatile camera on the market (with dedicated astrophotography and night modes), one of the most beautiful screens and performance to match, but it comes at a high price.
£ 469.00 on Amazon	£ 301.00 on Amazon	£ 1 039.00 on Amazon	£ 1 399.00 on Amazon

How to choose your photophone?

Choosing a smartphone for photography can be a real headache with the variety of products on offer today, and manufacturers talking more and more about the “stunning photo quality” of their latest device.

While a good camera is not enough to get all your shots, it is important to know what to look for when you want a smartphone that can deliver.

• Megapixels: in reality, they do not matter as much as the manufacturers would have us believe. On paper, the more megapixels you have, the more detail you will see in the picture. In reality, this only affects zooming or large format display/printing. The number of megapixels does not matter if the lens, for example, is of lower quality.

• The number of sensors: in recent months, the camera market has been marked by an overkill in the number of back sensors. But in reality, if the software does not keep up, the number of sensors has no impact on the quality of the photo generated. You only have to look at Google smartphones to see this.
• Lens aperture: cameras with a larger lens aperture let in more light, which can help produce better shots in low light. To find out the aperture, you need to check the “f/”, with smaller f/ numbers meaning a wider lens.

• Stabilisation: this reduces the blur caused by camera shake. There are two types of stabilisation: digital stabilisation, which uses software to predict movement and try to reduce it, and optical stabilisation, where the lens (or sensor) ‘moves’ to compensate directly for the movement. If you are more picky, a smartphone stabiliser is an excellent complement for smooth rendering.
• The front sensor: If you are a selfie-taker, do not neglect the front sensor, which is often botched by manufacturers. Again, check the aperture on the lens to get an idea of how the camera will perform in low light.

• HDR: this is a technique whereby the camera balances the highlights and lowlights to adjust the exposure to best reflect the different levels of brightness in the scene. The result is a more detailed picture than a non-HDR shot. This process is quite resource-intensive and can cause slowness on lower-end cameras.

• Night mode: this mode consists of capturing more light by extending the aperture of the sensor. This mode is essential for taking pictures in low light, although it is treated unevenly by the various manufacturers.

• Video recording: if you are also interested in video quality, it is necessary to look at both the resolution and the number of frames per second (FPS) offered. After all, a 4K recording is more or less unusable if the number of FPS does not keep up. At less than 30 FPS, no matter what resolution you choose, you will get a jerky result. A high FPS number can allow you to create slow-motion movies.

• The photo app: the number of options and customisation possibilities is important for those who like to touch their photos. The existence of a pro mode is something to look out for in order to be able to set the best parameters for your shots (aperture, ISO number, etc.).

Other photophones we recommend

Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G (£259.99 upon publication): a less versatile option for smaller budgets. For its price, it promises good overall performance with a smooth interface and an efficient 108MP main sensor. The camera offers a nice aperture for easy switching between different lighting. However, the lack of a front flash and image stabiliser, and less advanced graphics reduce the photographic versatility of this model. Video recording is also more limited than with its competitors. One of its other strong points is its long battery life, which is accompanied by a very fast charge (67W). In addition, it has a neat design with a beautiful 6.67″ AMOLED screen and its storage is expandable via micro SD.

Google Pixel 7 Pro (£849.00 upon publication): similar to the Pixel 7 but with a telephoto lens and a large screen. It is a resistant (IP68), powerful and versatile smartphone, but it focuses more on photo quality with impressive sensors (a 50MP wide-angle, a 48MP sensor and a 12M P ultra wide-angle) and a 5x optical zoom. It delivers clear, colourful, bright shots in all lights and modes (night, portrait, etc.) thanks to various technologies (Real Tone, Macro Focus, etc.). It also uses retouching and correction software (Face Unblur, Magic Eraser, etc.). With a beautiful 6.7″ AMOLED screen, it provides good reading comfort and its Tensor G2 chip is powerful. Nevertheless, the battery life is limited and the slow charge does not help.

Oppo Find X5 Pro (£964.02 upon publication): a smartphone born from a partnership with a camera specialist (Hasselblad). With a 50MP main sensor, a powerful 32MP front camera and an effective ultra wide-angle lens, this smartphone is versatile in terms of photography. It captures richly detailed pictures with good light and colour in most environments. On the video side, you can shoot in 4K and you get 1080p stabilisation. However, the lack of a better zoom (2x) means that we have to leave it out of our selection. However, its latest processor offers good performance and the software processing is convincing. We also appreciate its beautiful 6.7″ AMOLED screen which increases visual comfort. Finally, the battery is long-lasting and charging is ultra-fast.

Translated by Selectos