The Best Camera Smartphones in 2024 Compared and Reviewed
Which smartphone has the best camera(s) in 2024? As the end of 2024 draws closer, the flagship camera smartphones, led by the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, are now available for purchase. We compiled a comprehensive overview of the most powerful smartphones to capture photos and videos in 2024.
The best camera smartphones in 2024 compared
Table of Contents:
- The best camera smartphones in 2024
- The best camera smartphone in 2024: Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
- The best Android alternative: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
- The best camera iPhone from Apple: iPhone 15 Pro Max
- Best camera smartphone up to $1,000: Google Pixel 8 Pro
- Best camera smartphone up to $600: Google Pixel 7
- Best camera smartphone up to $500: Google Pixel 7a
- Best foldable camera smartphone: OnePlus Open
- Buying guide: How to choose the best camera smartphone?
The best camera smartphones in 2024
If you're looking for a top-notch camera smartphone in the summer of 2024, the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra are the best Android choices. For Apple enthusiasts, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the premier option when it comes to camera quality. Do bear in mind Apple will introduce its new iPhones in just a few weeks.
There are also excellent camera phones available for under $1,000. Google leads the way within this price range with the Pixel 8 Pro, along with the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7a. When it comes to foldables, we highly recommend the OnePlus Open. It deserves the title of the most capable foldable camera smartphone ever released. Let's take a closer look at these devices one by one.
The best camera smartphone in 2024: Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
If you liked the Pixel 8 Pro's camera, you will definitely appreciate the camera system in the Pixel 9 Pro XL. Google made further improvements to the AI in particular, but the selfie sensor has also seen great improvements. The sensors of the rear cameras have remained unchanged in terms of size and resolution. However, the ultra-wide angle sensor has a larger aperture and can therefore capture more light.
The selfie cam has been bumped up from 10.5 to 42 MP in terms of resolution and selfies taken with it are absolutely impressive. Our reviewer Antoine Engels was a little disappointed by the night photos, although he admitted that he may simply have been the victim of unfavorable conditions. Just browse the photo gallery and make up your mind.
The new camera features that rely on artificial intelligence deserve special mention. Magic Editor conjures up new elements in your picture. For instance, if you think the meadow you captured could do with a lot more flowers, all you have to do is click on the appropriate prompt. Google also introduced "Add me", a camera function that allows you to include the photographer in group photos.
In general, Google has succeeded in developing a truly top-tier smartphone with the Pixel 9 Pro XL. A Pixel smartphone has never felt better and the hardware speaks for itself: the Google Tensor G4 SoC, a high-resolution 6.8-inch OLED display, 16 GB RAM, and up to 1 TB storage space are just some of the impressive specifications. The premium smartphone is available from $1,099. If the handset is either too large or too expensive, you can opt for the identically equipped but smaller 6.3-inch Pixel 9 Pro.
Good
- Elegant, comfortable design
- Extremely bright screen
- Excellent autonomy
- Gemini Nano finally comes in handy
- 7 Android updates + 7 security updates
- Good daytime photo quality
Bad
- Gemini Live's appeal rather limited
- Slow wired charging
- Disappointing nighttime photo quality
The best Android alternative: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review
The Galaxy S24 Ultra is undoubtedly one of the best smartphones you can buy in 2024, and that's largely thanks to its excellent camera module, which shines for its versatility.
The switch from 10x to 5x optical zoom has not altered photo quality, as the zoom has even gained in clarity. The S24 Ultra also boasts an irreproachable main lens in all circumstances, a convincing daytime ultra-wide angle, and top-notch selfie quality. The smartphone still shoots in 8K video and once again integrates many exciting shooting modes.
This year, the Galaxy S24 Ultra even lets you have fun with the many retouching possibilities offered by Galaxy AI. I invite you to read our early impressions of Samsung's AI to find out more.
In addition to an exceptional camera smartphone, you'll get an all-round smartphone with a beautiful 120 Hz screen, impressive performance, and convincing battery life. Samsung now even promises seven years of Android updates and seven years of security patches.
Good
- Premium titanium design
- Flat 120 Hz screen, more ergonomic, and as bright as ever
- Top performance and battery life
- Efficient and (slightly) less versatile camera module
- Integrated S Pen
- 7 Android updates & 7 years of security updates
Bad
- Expensive
- Galaxy AI functions are still too gimmicky
- Charging speed is far too slow
The best camera iPhone: iPhone 15 Pro Max
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max review
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is the ti of the spear when it comes to camera smartphones from Apple. It has a triple camera, consisting of a main camera with 48 MP (f/1.78 aperture), an ultra-wide-angle camera with 12 MP (f/2.2 aperture), and a telephoto lens with 12 MP (f/2.8 aperture). The telephoto lens has a 5x optical zoom, whereas in the previous generation, you had to make do with a 3x zoom. There is also still a 12 MP selfie camera at the front.
- Also check: iPhone 15 line compared
Remarkable: Both the front and rear camera sensors can record video in 4K resolution at 60 fps. In addition to the versatility of the camera system, the quality of the telephoto zoom and the portrait mode were praised in our reviews.
Good
- Unchanged look, but beautiful titanium blue color
- Perfect finish
- Versatile camera module with good zoom
- Well-calibrated 120 Hz screen
- Top performance
- Very decent battery life
- Excellent update policy
Bad
- Night-time photo quality not always consistent
- Recharging far too slow for the price
- Massive form factor despite "lighter" titanium
- Petty USB 2 cable
- Exorbitant price
Best camera smartphone up to $1,000: Google Pixel 8 Pro
In our last camera blind test in 2023, the nextpit community voted the Google Pixel 8 Pro the best camera smartphone. Even though the crown has now been handed over to its successor, the smartphone remains a top recommendation for anyone who likes to capture photos.
The 50 MP main camera of the Pixel flagship has an aperture of f/1.68 and a 1/1.31 inch sensor. It is accompanied by a 48 MP ultra-wide angle camera with a 125.5-degree field of view, making it also capable of macro photography. The camera system is completed by a 5x telephoto zoom camera at 48 MP resolution. Images are stabilized optically and electronically. There is also a 10.5 MP selfie camera in the punch hole in front.
What all the cameras in the handset have in common is how they draw on the company's extraordinary AI power. The software teases out the best from your pictures with features such as Magic Eraser, Best Take, and the new Magic Editor. Further software features are already on the way, making the Pixel 8 Pro's camera improve over time.
Speaking of time: Armed with a seven-year update guarantee, you can enjoy this smartphone forever (hyperbolic, but you get the picture). Of course, the other specifications also have to be up to mark for this vision to come true. On board is the Tensor 3 SoC, a 6.7-inch OLED display, 12 GB RAM, and up to 512 GB storage. The IP68-certified chassis conceals a 30 W rechargeable battery with a 5,050 mAh capacity. We almost need not say this: when you look at the display, you are looking at the latest stock Android 14 version.
The recommended retail price has been reduced to $999, but the device has been available for less than that for a while now.
Good
- A smartphone camera at its best
- Merciless update promise
- Better haptics than the predecessor
- Sufficient everyday performance
- Great AI functions
- 1-120 Hz display
Bad
- G3 is not a flagship processor
- Price hike
- No charger included
- Some promised features are still missing
Best camera smartphone up to $600: Google Pixel 7
Compared to the Pixel phones mentioned above, the Google Pixel 7 has aged even more by another year. However, this also means that its price has fallen more sharply, and it has therefore entered the $600 category.
As with the Pixel 8, Google combines a 50 MP main camera with a 12 MP ultra-wide angle shooter. At 10.8 MP, the resolution in front is even slightly higher than its successor. All cameras deliver 4K video recording at 60 fps, and the main camera impressed with brilliant images during the day and at night. Only the ultra-wide angle photos at night are not as great as with the main camera.
The Tensor 2 SoC powers this 6.3-inch device and, as with the Pixel 8, there is up to 256 GB of storage space and 8 GB of RAM. The battery, which has a capacity of 4,355 mAh, can be charged with up to 21 W.
Good
- Well-calibrated 90Hz Full HD+ OLED display
- Premium design (Gorilla Glass Victus, aluminum frame, IP68)
- Efficient dual camera module
- Android 13 with lots of exclusive features
- Excellent battery life
- Competitive price
Bad
- No 120 Hz refresh rate
- 20W wired charging is too slow
- Back design is less beautiful than last year
- No significant performance gain between the Tensor G1 and G2
Best camera smartphone up to $500: Google Pixel 7a
If the Pixel 7a impressed us so much that we gave it the highest rating of 5 stars, it's because of how powerful Google's mid-range smartphone is. Logically, this quality is also reflected in the camera configuration, which is pretty impressive considering the price.
The main camera shoots bright, vivid images that bring out the natural colors in any scene and offer excellent contrast in both day and night settings. The 2x digital zoom is fantastic, and the ultra-wide angle and selfie lenses are also on par with the great image quality, making the Pixel 7a a truly versatile camera smartphone.
Apart from the camera, the Pixel 7a gives your money's worth, whether it's the 90 Hz OLED panel, the Tensor G2 SoC, the IP67 certification, or battery life. Google also promised a decent update policy for this handset, offering three years of Android updates and five years of security patches. The smartphone is currently available for less than $500.
Good
- Compact design
- Top-notch performance
- Versatile and trustworthy camera
- All-day long battery
- Wireless charging
Bad
- Slow charging time
- No power adapter in the box
The best foldable camera smartphone: OnePlus Open
Foldable phones have long gained a foothold in the market now, being more popular as the days go by. Gone are the days when they were just an exciting concept. The OnePlus Open, in particular, happens to be a great camera phone.
Photography fans will love the Hasselblad camera. We've been using it for a while now and are very impressed. Its primary component is the "Sony LYTIA-T808" camera sensor with 48 MP resolution. This camera has a large 1/1.43" CMOS sensor and a lens that lets a lot of light through (f/1.7 aperture) delivering very clear images each time.
There is also a 64 MP zoom camera that can zoom up to 3x without any quality loss, 6x with some digital magic, and up to 120x with the Ultra Res Zoom (the latter is not as good though). There is also a 48 MP wide-angle camera that can take wide-angle photos of up to 114°, making it ideal for large scenes.
However, I must mention that in our latest foldable camera blind test, the OnePlus Open was not well received by our community. The majority of participants considered the Galaxy Z Fold 5 the best foldable camera smartphone. Despite this, we are keeping the OnePlus Open on our list due to the versatility of its camera module.
The OnePlus Open not only looks great but performs even better, and it's more affordable than its competitors. About its features—the smartphone has a design similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 5 but with its unique touch. It charges extremely fast and boasts multitasking features like the 'Recent fold' and OnePlus Canvas which gives productivity a huge boost.
In short, if you're in the market for a foldable phone this year that excels in photo and video performance, the OnePlus Open should be your top choice. It's budget-friendly, feature-rich, and simply enjoyable to use.
Good
- User-friendly when open or closed
- Alert Slider onboard
- Excellent camera performance
- Reliable and consistent performance
- All-day battery life
- Rapid 67 W SuperVOOC charging
Bad
- No room (yet) for exclusive UI customization between displays
- Omitted wireless charging for design
Buying guide: How to find the best camera smartphone?
Before we go into more detail about our selection of smartphones with the best cameras, we would first want to elaborate on a few basic smartphone camera features that you will come across time and again in our reviews.
What distinguishes a good camera from a bad one?
Detailed reproduction
When it comes to detailed reproduction of a scene, the more pixels the better. This is because you can print larger photos or crop them later and still end up with a pretty good quality image. While almost all current smartphones offer excellent quality with the main camera, it is the zoom performance that separates the wheat from the chaff. For example, if having powerful zoom is important to you, you should choose a smartphone with two zoom lenses.
Every smartphone has different strengths and weaknesses, that's for sure. This is why you should consider where you normally snap photos. The Galaxy S23 Ultra, for example, begins to see visual quality deteriorate more starting from 3x, where it can only shoot at native focal length again at 10x. The Xiaomi 13 Ultra, on the other hand, distributes its lenses more evenly across the entire focal length range.
If you do not need plenty of zoom performance but prefer to take panorama shots, then it is best to look out for a powerful camera module behind the ultra-wide angle lens. Of course, a good sensor for the main camera goes a long way, too. Large sensors, in particular, are less susceptible to image noise in low-light conditions.
Finally, the manufacturer's algorithms always play an important role. Major players like Apple, Samsung and Google—are traditionally ahead of the minnows in this department.
Colors: White balance
What is "white balance"? Your brain constantly analyzes the ambient light and answers this question for you every second, always ensuring that you can recognize colors relatively correctly. In cameras, image recognition algorithms must continuously handle this "white balance". This is easy to do so in daylight, but the difficulty ramps up in artificial or even mixed light conditions.
In the subject shown above, cold evening light comes in through the window from the left, and warm artificial light shines on the office dog and the creamy white coat from the right. You can see for yourself here how the four different smartphones handle color temperatures differently. Apple and Samsung are clearly too cold in this picture, the Pixel 7 Pro is very neutral and the Xiaomi 13 Ultra is a bit too warm.
At the same time, you can see the challenge of achieving correct exposure in this picture: Just like the correct white balance, smartphones also have to accurately determine what is really bright and what is dark. Which image do you like best here? I look forward to hearing your opinions in the comments!
Colors: Skin tones
It doesn't matter if you're Caucasian, Asian, or African-American: everyone's skin tone is the same. What does change—in terms of colorimetry—however, is the amount of gray. This, in turn, means that we can determine what is a good color rendering and what is not, regardless of skin type.
So, what is "good" color reproduction? We can find an answer to this, for example, in the terrific Color Grading Handbook by Alexis Van Hurkman*: For Caucasians, Hurkman recommends a saturation of 40% and about 2° above the "skin tone" line. With this, the iPhone 14 Pro Max would be a tad too yellow-green here, and all smartphones except the Xiaomi 13 Ultra would be a bit too saturated.
Besides that, there are of course numerous other parameters to consider, but most of them can be adjusted. For example, the Xiaomi 13 Ultra flattens faces quite a bit with the default settings, but the effect can be changed in portrait mode.
How many cameras are good enough?
Obviously, the more cameras your smartphone has, the more flexible you can be when taking pictures. The main sensors, for example, usually have a focal length of 24 to 26 millimeters, which is equivalent to 35 mm. This corresponds to a relatively large angle of view and is well suited for landscape and city shots, for example.
For portraits or distant subjects, however, you need a telephoto zoom lens, usually between about 70 and 240 millimeters. The higher the resolution of the main camera, the more room you have for a digital zoom without having to rely on a real telephoto lens. It is unfortunate that the law of physics simply sets limits in this aspect. On the other hand, many smartphones offer an ultra-wide angle camera that is suitable for particularly wide subjects.
All other sensors for bokeh, macro, black-and-white, and others fall under the category of "data sheet padding" and have virtually no use.
What do focal length and optical zoom mean?
The focal length of a camera is always shown in millimeters. The higher the number, the more "powerful the zoom", which translates to more magnification you get. The main cameras of smartphones usually range from 24 to 26 millimeters in 35 mm equivalent. Ultra-wide-angle cameras with "0.5x" have half the focal length and would be at 12 to 13 millimeters accordingly. A 3x telephoto zoom camera would then be 72 to 78 millimeters in 35 mm equivalent.
The optical zoom of a camera system is the ratio between the smallest and largest focal length. A camera system with 12 to 120 millimeters, therefore, has a 10x zoom. In the case of smartphones, however, the manufacturers usually calculate from the main camera—from 24 to 120 millimeters would therefore be a 5x zoom according to this calculation method, and an ultra-wide angle camera with 12 millimeters is 0.5x.
As if that weren't weird enough, manufacturers replace the upper optical focal length with an arbitrary maximum value for a digital zoom to calculate the zoom factor—and then come up with a 50x, 100x, or 200x zoom that has long since lost any meaning.
What does sensor size mean?
Another important point for estimating the image quality is the size of the image sensors in smartphones. The larger the sensor, the more light it captures and, in turn, the better the image quality. The sensor size is usually specified in 1/1.2-inch format—the smaller the number under the fraction, the larger the sensor and the better the expected image quality.
Sensor size is also directly related to pixel size via resolution. Roughly speaking, the pixel size in microns is calculated by dividing the edge length of the sensor by the horizontal or vertical resolution. The larger the pixels, the more light they capture and the better the image quality.
- Read more: Sensor sizes in smartphones explained
What is an aperture?
The term "aperture" describes the focal length of the optical system in relation to the diameter of the entrance pupil of the lens. It sounds complicated, but you only need to remember one thing here: The smaller the number, the more light is allowed into the sensor, and the less image noise you will theoretically have at night. Therefore, F1.6 is better than F2.0. The f-number is often also written as aperture ratio, then in the format f/2.0.
- Also read: Aperture size in smartphone cameras: what use is having F1.7 in a smartphone?
- Also interesting: The Xiaomi 13 Ultra's variable aperture is more than just a gimmick!
Of all the technical key data of smartphone cameras, however, one great unknown quantity remains: image processing in the smartphone. The quality of the algorithms that convert the raw data from the sensor into JPEG or HEIC images is often more important than the technical data of the smartphone camera.
Therefore, it is always worth taking a look at our sample photo galleries, which nextpit provides in their original size for all current smartphone reviews, apart from the spec sheet.
What do you think of our selection? Which models have we overlooked that you think should be included here? We'd love to hear your feedback in the comments.
This article was updated in August 2024 with the inclusion of the new Pixel 9 Pro XL. Previous comments have been retained.
Really good article, thanks!
An acquaintance of mine takes pictures on a pixel (he is a professional photographer) and the pictures turn out unreal)
Wonderful post
I think Xiaomi is the best one to capture very nice photos without spend a lot of money.
How narrow minded can you be, every true photographer online says this new Sony Xperia 1 ll has the best camera by a mile, they all say it every single one. But, tech reviewers stick to what they are spoon fed, very narrow minded. People read these reviews before they spend $1k+ on a new smartphone, waste of time, by the way I have a Blackberry.
this article is great with all the relevant information required for mobile photography.thanks
I have a Sony alpha 6000 and love using it for taking pictures. Bottom line is I always have my phone with me which I probably take >90% of my pictures with. So I have both sides covered. The other key feature I love with my phone is I can shoot video and take pictures at the same time. Just my two pfennig...
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Admin
May 22, 2020 Link to commentIf your interest is photography then you need a real camera
no, unless you can shoot with a "real" camera by taking it out of your pocket, point towards something and take great night pictures without a tripod... but since smartphone cameras have become more versatile and far superior in processing, that statement is not true anymore
I take night photos without a tripod. If your d-slr/lens has great stability, it can be done. I've taken some fantastic moon photos without a tripod. Now, if you are talking more than 1/2 second exposure, yeah, you'll need a tripod.
If you want the best pictures buy a DSLR camera. No smart phone with a tiny lens can ever compete with a real quality camera. They can replace the old point and shoot camera but that is about it
didn't know a DSLR can make phone calls or browse the internet..or did i miss something in an article talking about "camera PHONES"?
You've managed to pick no phone of interest to me. A camera isn't everything.
Samsung phone models take truly superb photos and videos. The quality is excellent!
S9+'s Variable apeture is fire tho
i think Huawei is the best one to capture
Another vote for the Mate9, VERY good camera. Using Camera FV-5 or Open camera, it does very well.
ZTE Axon 7
20 Megapixel Back
#nuffsaid
What about the LG G5 camera?
The Mate 9 is doing very well, and also the nubia Z11, both have excellent cameras, but I can not say how good they are in comparison with the Pixel or Galaxy S7. But anyway they are better then my old S6 edge plus and the honor 5x :)
Really no LG phones. This is a very biased incomplete article.