The best camera phones for creatives: these phones will capture stunning photos

The best camera phones are more adept than ever at capturing high-quality photos and videos. With more megapixels and sophisticated multi-lens setups, the best camera phones can rival even professional mirrorless cameras, and are increasingly being used by pros across the creative industries.

As a photographer, I've picked out my top 10 smartphone recommendations below that I and my colleagues have tried and tested in the field. Our top pick is the sublime Samsung Galaxy S24, which impresses with its incredible zoom, its night-shooting capabilities and its AI-powered editing tools. However, we've also included a range of compelling alternatives for you to choose from.

If you're an Apple devotee we've included several of the best iPhones for photography. And while great camera phones do tend to be expensive, we have included some budget camera phones (i.e. under $1,000) too, meaning there are options for all kinds of smartphone shooters.

Quick List

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The best camera phones on the market right now

The best camera phone overall

I own the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and it's by far the best camera phone on the market right now (at least in my opinion) with a 200MP main camera. I chose the S24 Ultra because camera quality is a key, if not the most important, feature for me as a photographer. But I also use my phone every day for social media, freelance work, messaging friends and family, and taking snaps of my dog.

Since I use a lot of social media, especially Instagram for photo sharing on my photography account, Samsung's partnership with Instagram for the S24 series just made sense – and it allows for HDR uploads, native camera integration for creating stories and reels, and other excellent features.

The S24 Ultra delivers superb low-light quality images, even in the darkest conditions like at concerts and live shows, and the quad-camera array gives you real shooting flexibility in every situation. Admittedly, the 100x Space Zoom is a feature I haven't given much attention to but is still handy to have if you ever want to go stargazing.

Then we get to the AI. The Samsung Galaxy AI Photo Assist and Generative Edit features offer a host of photography tools to help you create your best work and take it to new levels. It has an AI-made watermark embedded into the metadata though, for ultimate transparency if you've used Galaxy AI to edit. The S24 Ultra is also the only model in the series with S Pen compatibility, which opens up a host of benefits from note-taking and photo editing, to Google's Circle to search feature.

See our Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review for more details.

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The Best camera phone for portraits

I was invited to Paris for the launch of the new Honor 200 series of AI-powered smartphones, and I got hands-on experience with the 200 Pro flagship model which is exceptional for portrait photographers. It has a beautiful design too, with a curved aesthetic and easy-to-use interface.

I also recently attended a live demo in London where renowned photographer, Rankin, used the Honor 200 Pro smartphone to capture some truly stunning photos, so it's safe to say that I can vouch for how great this camera phone is for visual artists. Take a look at Rankin's 8-step method for smartphone photography to see how he uses the Honor 200 Pro for studio-quality portraits.

As for specs, this camera phone boasts a triple 50MP studio-quality camera array, featuring a portrait main camera (f/1.3), a telephoto camera with 50X digital zoom (and a customized telephoto sensor from Sony), plus an ultra-wide 12MP macro camera. The main camera also offers a 105% increase in noise reduction in low-light conditions, which is great if you're someone who likes to take photos during a concert.

See our Honor 200 Pro review for more details.

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The Best iPhone camera

This entry is probably not surprising to most, but Apple's iPhone 16 Pro/Max is one of the best camera phones on the market right now despite lacking any kind of AI power behind the lens (yet). If you're strictly Team Apple, then this latest flagship iPhone is one of the best camera phones out there and probably your only choice if you're not willing to jump ship over to Android camera phones.

The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max have the exact same camera units for the very first time this year, meaning Apple fans don't need to opt for a larger handset for the sake of a better camera. The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max both bring a new 48MP (f/1.8 24mm) camera to the table, that has a new "fusion" feature allowing users to customise the default lens. However, the biggest camera upgrade from the iPhone 15 Pro Max to the 16 Pro models is the new Ultra Wide 48MP camera (f/2.2 13mm), offering improved detail for macro shots

Let's talk about the Camera Control Button. Did Apple intentionally add this just to make photographers swoon? Probably. But in terms of functionality, it sits on the right-hand side of the phone, and allows users to shortcut their way straight to the iPhone 16 camera app and scroll through common camera settings by sliding a finger across it. I think it's cool that it has haptic feedback too and a mechanical click to feel like a true shutter button.

See our iPhone 16 Pro review for more details.

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The best Leica camera phone

Our Reviews Editor, Erlingur, described this phone as "simply the best smartphone I've ever used" and "the world's greatest phone camera" in his Xiaomi 14 review. This phone has two other siblings with slightly better camera arrays, the Xiaomi 14 Pro and Xiaomi 14 Ultra models, however these come at a greater price, and as we've proven – the standard Xiaomi 14 model is more than capable enough for most smartphone shooters.

It boasts a Leica-engineered camera with a one-inch sensor, and three 50MP lenses, which is a pretty impressive camera package in a phone camera. The megapixel count may not match the 100 or 200MP claims of other competitors (we're looking at you Samsung), but what you get here is a lack of pixel binning and a resolution that is actually 50MP. The main camera has an f/1.6 max aperture, with complete manual control available should you choose to tinker around.

The one-inch Light Fusion 900 sensor, developed by Leica, gave our reviewer some incredibly dynamic images no matter the scenario. The 4K video recording offered crispness and clarity, and the macro photography features had staggering fidelity. On top of that, the Xiaomi 14 is equipped with a feature-rich, AI-boosted photo-editing app suite, with sophisticated filters (including several that impressively replicate the effect from classic camera film types), and even AI-enhanced portrait modes, with a dedicated animal-portrait function.

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The Best AI-powered camera phone

The latest range of smartphones from Google, equipped with Gemini AI, the Google Pixel 9 Pro very much goes all-in on its generative features. If you don't like the sound of an AI assistant asking you every two seconds if it can help you with your tasks, this may not be the phone for you, but for those who are excited by AI, it feels like the phone of the future.

Of course, photography features haven't been neglected. Whether you want to remove objects from images with Magic Eraser or not, you'll still appreciate the quality of the triple-camera setup, with a 50MP main camera, 48MP ultra-wide and 48MP telephoto. Having 8K 30p video is also a major upgrade from the Pixel 8 Pro.

There's an argument to be made that Google bit off a little more than it could chew here. While impressive, the AI features put a big strain on the Pixel 9 Pro's Tensor G4 chipset, leading to performance lag and overheating issues. Still, as a glimpse of the future, it's undeniably impressive.

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The Best foldable camera phone

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 is one of the best AI-powered camera phones on the market right now, but the gimmick that sets it apart is the foldable screen that expands into a tablet-like form for large-screen photo editing and content streaming.

I got hands-on with the Galaxy Z Fold6 over at Samsung's London HQ last month, and I was seriously impressed with the design and quality of this latest foldable flagship. Although, I do wish there were some better camera upgrades, considering that the Fold 6 still sports the same 50MP main camera as last year's Fold 5, plus the same wide and optical zoom cameras. The 12MP ultrawide camera is supposedly brand-new according to Samsung, with a low-light enhanced sensor and better performance with HDR and noise reduction that has been adopted from the S24 series.

Thanks to Galaxy AI, the Fold6 not only has a great camera but can also make on-device generative edits and allows you to achieve maximum quality through features like Galaxy AI Photo Assist and Sketch-to-image, using the included S pen.

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The Best Pro level camera phone

Sony's been putting out some great cameras, so you would hope for good things from its camera phones, and the fourth-generation Xperia 1 doesn't disappoint. It justifies its place on this list thanks to a few key features designed more for professional photographers than average consumers.

The zoom camera on the Xperia 1 IV has a moving lens, which facilitates continuous optical zoom between 3.5x and 5.2x, giving the phone a competitive edge for people who like zoom photography. The phone also sports a physical shutter button, which can be partially depressed to find focus or fully pressed to take a picture, giving a camera-esque experience.

Meanwhile, for the first time on a Sony phone, you can record 4K and 120fps footage on any of the three rear cameras and one on the front, which is useful for videographers and bloggers. We also quite like Sony's creativity apps like Photography Pro and Cinema Pro (there's also Audio Pro for music). The photography app isn't the easiest to use since it's modelled on cameras rather than smartphones, but if you're familiar with using a DSLR, you'll have no problem with it.

Read more in our in-depth Sony Xperia 1 IV review.

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The best Hasselblad camera phone

The Oppo Find X5 Pro was one of the most talked about top-end smartphones of 2022, and mostly because of its camera, thanks to help from Swedish camera manufacturer Hasselblad. There's a 32MB selfie on the front and three lenses on the back neatly grouped into a kind of plateau: a main 50MP with a super fast f/1.7 aperture, an ultra-wide-angle 50MP camera with f/2.2 and a 13MP telephoto lens with f/2.4. Gone is the Find X3 Pro's dedicated microscopic macro lens.

The two main lenses are fantastic with great, vivid colours and the low apertures allow fast shots. The telephoto lens is less impressive, with only a 2X zoom, which lags behind much of the competition. The new Marisilicon X neural processing unit applies AI imaging algorithms right on RAW data to improve noise reduction in low light for photos and 4K video. Meanwhile, Hasselblad's filters that can add a film-like quality to the most mundane of images.

Cameras aside, the Oppo Find X5 Pro has a unique, sleek design – its camera bump is a smooth slope rather tan a clumsy protrusion. The display is also very good and highly adjustable.

Read more in our in-depth Oppo Find X5 review.

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The best panorama camera phone

OnePlus's high-end phone from 2022 offers an impressive trio of rear cameras, with the company's partnership with pro camera manufacturer Hasselblad paying off again. We found the main, ultra-wide and telephoto cameras offer a lovely shallow depth in a lot of shots, although some might feel the AI optimisations leave the pictures a little oversaturated.

There are some unique modes available. XPan, inspired by the niche Hasselblad camera of the same name, takes wide panoramas, while 150-degree mode uses the ultra-wide camera to create a fisheye-like effect.

Beyond the camera, we found the OnePlus 10 Pro to be a well-rounded Android phone with a good-looking screen, fast charging and plenty of processing power. As with all phones, it has a few rough edges, and we found it ran hot when put through intense use. OnePlus has since released an update, the OnePlus 11 (there's no Pro version coming anytime soon), and while it is a little cheaper and sports some camera upgrades, it lacks the 150-degree ultra-wide module on the 10 Pro.

Read more in our in-depth OnePlus 10 Pro review.

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The Best macro camera phone

Realme isn't a company that often gets onto 'best camera phone' lists, generally due to its lack of top-end smartphones, but the GT 2 Pro is its first top-end phone and it wins Realme a place on this list. The phone's 50MP main and ultra-wide cameras are great, but the real reason the phone is on this list is its 40x magnification microscope camera.

We found Realme's mobile miraculous for how it offers impressive camera features at a much lower price than you'd expect. The main camera is incredible for low-light photography, and would definitely give an iPhone a run for its money. It also captures loads of colour and light in daylight or well-lit settings.

We had loads of fun playing about with the microscope camera, and this is a great phone for a few other reasons too. It charges quickly, its screen looks great, and it's very powerful. Plus, it's one of the most affordable mobiles on this list, making it a great alternative to the big flashy phones from the bigger brands.

Read more in our in-depth Realme GT Pro 2 review.

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Also tested

Google Pixel 8 Pro
The Google Pixel 8 Pro might have been replaced by the Google Pixel 9 range with Gemini AI, but it still remains to be one of the best camera phones on the market. It has a triple-rear camera setup including a 50MP main camera, a 48MP ultra-wide lens, and a dedicated 5x telephoto lens.

How to choose

When choosing the best camera phone for photography and daily use, it's easy to get overwhelmed by all of the choices available. There's no singular camera phone that's perfect for everyone, but in our minds, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra comes pretty close, as does the Honor 200 Pro. But what about Apple fans? I personally don't like iPhones (or any other Apple products for that matter) but some people don't get on with Android either. That's why we've picked these 10 options, with different users in mind.

We suggest that you start by looking at your budget, and assess how much you wish to spend on a camera phone first. Then consider the desirable features you'd want in a camera phone that would make it a great asset for your daily photography. Remember, it's not always about megapixels. If you shoot a lot of video or TikTok content, then you'll want a camera phone with at least 4K capability.

You've also got to think about the overall strengths of each camera phone, what does the device focus on? Some camera phones have long-ranging zoom cameras, either optical, digital, periscope or a combination. Others might focus on having a larger sensor or quad-pixel size, or a dedicated macro lens, whereas the newer models on the market seem to be all about AI and internal software upgrades, rather than physical lens enhancements.

Some brands offer exclusive features and will create their own camera modes too, for example, OnePlus and Oppo have some gorgeous Hasselblad-created filters – while newer Xiaomi models have been jointly developed with premium Leica cameras and lenses. Of course, you'll need to consider other elements of the phone too. You're choosing a camera phone to use every day, not just a camera, so consider the processing power, screen quality, app compatibility, battery life, and the size of the device you want.

Finally, the general shooting experience should also factor into your decision. Some camera phones will offer an easy point-and-shoot process so that you can take social-media-ready shots at the tap of a button, whereas other models might have a more involved process that makes it easy to tinker with different settings and shoot RAW for fine-tuned results. Your choice will depend on your comfort levels with using cameras, and experimenting with key elements in photography such as ISO, shutter speed, and aperture settings.

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How we test

At Creative Bloq, we enjoy putting camera phones through their paces when it comes to testing, with benchmarks in place to measure battery life, response rate, general use – and the camera, of course. Although manufacturers carry out their own testing on phones, we think it's important to have an unbiased reviewer (preferably a photographer) on the case to detect any flaws or find genuine reasons why we think a camera phone might not be the best fit for creatives or up to scratch when compared with competition.

We do this by using social media and checking the upload speeds, running photo editing software, streaming video content, and testing the camera in different real-world scenarios. You can look at a spec sheet all you want (and believe me, we do), but really, nothing beats getting a camera phone in your hands and having a play around with the different lenses and features. Doing this for long enough will allow you to get a good feel for the handset and the general photography experience it offers.

That's what we've done with the majority of the camera phones above. And where we haven't had a chance to review the model ourselves, we've consulted others in the business, including our sister sites such as Digital Camera World and TechRadar to pick their brains. Our writers are professional photographers and keen enthusiasts, with a good understanding of what consumers are looking for in a modern camera phone. For more information, see our guide to how we test and review at Creative Bloq.

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FAQs

How many megapixels is best in a camera phone?

To an extent, the more the better – though it's a little more complex than it is with regular cameras. When camera phone manufacturers talk about their handsets boasting 200MP cameras, they aren't talking about capturing 200MP photos (while some can, there's limited practical reason to do so).

Rather, the phones use a process called 'pixel-binning' to combine the data from multiple pixels into one, putting out an image that's brighter and less affected by noise, particularly in low light. Essentially, they're simulating the larger pixels (or photosites) that dedicated cameras are able to use by virtue of having physically larger sensors.

This process lowers the resolution of the finished image – for instance, a 48MP sensor using 4-in-1 pixel-binning will produce a 12MP image. For most purposes, this is more than adequate — it's only if you're planning to print images, or crop in significantly, that you might find this resolution limiting.

So in summary, more megapixels are good in a smartphone for a number of reasons – but they're not the be all and end all. A smartphone camera with a lower megapixel count can still produce great pictures, you just may have more trouble in low light if you don't have the advantage of pixel-binning.

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