Phones With Best Camera 2015
The best camera phones in 2021
Included in this guide:
The iPhone 13 now sits atop our list of best camera phones. But will its reign be short-lived? After all, the new Pixel phones are here from Google, which has a reputation for producing outstanding devices for capturing photos.
The Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro will face some stiff competition for the title of best camera phones. The iPhone 13 models took a big step forward, not only with improved hardware, but also new video capture features that put Apple's devices at the head of the class for camera phones.
- Here are the best iPhones available right now
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Those devices lead a pretty impressive list of phones, as our testing has helped us find camera phones that capture memorable images and once-in-a-lifetime shots you'd miss with less-capable devices. When we review handsets, we look for camera phones that meld intricate optics and sensors with software algorithms that rely upon math and science to extract the best possible light, color and detail out of every scenario. It's not just about the number of lenses on the back, either — some phone makers make the most of artificial intelligence to improve post processing on your photos.
After hundreds of hours of testing and many head-to-head photo comparisons, these are the best camera phones you can buy right now.
If you want to try and buy any of these phones, and want to get the best price that you can, make sure you check in on our best Black Friday phone deals to see what discounts are currently on offer.
Editor's note: We crowned our picks in the Tom's Guide Awards 2021 for the phones category, though those awards came out prior to the release of the iPhone 13.
What are the best camera phones?
The new king of camera phones is the iPhone 13 Pro Max, followed very closely by the smaller iPhone 13 Pro. Featuring a triple 12MP setup with larger sensors on the wide and ultrawide cameras, plus 3x optical zoom on the telephoto lens, the new Pro models earn their names with spectacular photos and videos.
If you want to look beyond Apple's phones, plenty of the best Android phones feature impressive cameras of their own. The Google Pixel 6 Pro, and the Pixel 6 next to it, are the new cream of the crop. The OnePlus 9 Pro, Galaxy S21 Ultra and even the lower-cost Pixel 5a all rely on multiple rear lenses and high-end photo processing features to deliver the best shots.
In fact, the Pixel 5a is our pick for those who really want to maximize their photography on-the-go but spend as little as possible; Apple fans can turn to the iPhone SE, which is one of the best cheap phones out there, because it guarantees phenomenal image quality despite costing less than half the price of a premium device.
The best camera phones you can buy today
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1. iPhone 13 Pro Max
The best camera phone you can buy
Specifications
Display: 6.7-inch OLED (2778 x 1284)
CPU: A15 Bionic
RAM: 6GB
Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB / No
Rear cameras: 12MP main (f/1.5), 12MP ultrawide (f/1.8), 12MP telephoto (f/2.5) with 3x
Front camera: 12MP (f/2.2)
Weight: 8.5 ounces
Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 12:16
Reasons to buy
+Best-in-class cameras +Excellent battery life +Immersive 6.7-inch display
Reasons to avoid
-Charger sold separately -A bit heavy and bulky
The biggest iPhone 13 is also the best camera phone you can buy. Apple went all out with the iPhone 13 Pro Max's hardware, increasing the sensor size for the main and ultrawide cameras and adding autofocus to the latter. That ultrawide can act as a macro camera, photographing subjects up to 2 cm away. The sensor-shift OIS introduced last year on the iPhone 12 Pro Max returns this year and the telephoto received a boost to 3x.
Apple also improved its computational photography, especially when it comes to low-light. Also new this year are Photographic Styles — basically real-time filters — and Cinematic mode. The latter is portrait video on steroids, boasting dynamically shifting focus to create a truly professional video experience.
This is the phone to get if you want the best camera experience.
Read our full iPhone 13 Pro Max review .
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2. iPhone 13 Pro
Powerful camera hardware packed into a smaller body
Specifications
Display: 6.1-inch OLED (2532 x 1170)
CPU: A15 Bionic
RAM: 6GB
Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB / No
Rear cameras: 12MP main (f/1.5), 12MP ultrawide (f/1.8), 12MP telephoto (f/2.8) with 3x
Front camera: 12MP (f/2.2)
Weight: 7.2 ounces
Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 11:42
Reasons to buy
+Gorgeous and bright 120Hz display +Incredible performance +Spectacular cameras +Vastly improved battery life
Reasons to avoid
-No charger included
Nipping at the heels of its bigger brother, the iPhone 13 Pro is a very close second on this list of the best camera phones. It sports the same hardware as the iPhone 13 Pro Max with the larger sensors, autofocus on the ultrawide camera and macro mode.
However, the iPhone 13 Pro is right in line with the Pro Max, getting sensor-shift OIS and the same 3x optical zoom. Photographic Styles and Cinematic mode also come standard. Basically, this is the phone to get if you want the best camera experience but in a smaller package. The 6.1-inch display is still gorgeous and features 120Hz ProMotion for ultra smooth animations and transitions.
The battery life is even awesome, going for almost 12 hours in our battery life test, meaning you can take plenty of pictures and videos.
Read our full iPhone 13 Pro review .
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3. Pixel 6 Pro
The best Android camera phone you can buy
Specifications
Display: 6.7-inch OLED (3120 x 1440; 10-120Hz)
CPU: Tensor
RAM: 12GB
Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB / No
Rear cameras: 50MP main (ƒ/1.85), 12MP ultrawide (ƒ/2.2), 48MP telephoto (ƒ/3.5) with 4x optical zoom
Front camera: 11.1MP (ƒ/2.2)
Weight: 7.4 ounces
Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 7:49
Reasons to buy
+Incredible cameras +Tensor performs well +Beautiful new design +More affordable than other flagships
Reasons to avoid
-Shorter battery life than competitors
Google has once again claimed its Android photography crown. The Pixel 6 Pro has incredible cameras, thanks to upgraded hardware and powerful software chops. The end result is something that can go toe-to-toe with Apple and even evenly trade blows (especially with the night mode, Night Sight).
The 50MP main camera sensor lets in 150% more light, while the 48MP telephoto lens sports 4x optical zoom and 20x digital zoom. And the 11MP front-facing camera has a 94-degree field of view for ultrawide selfies.
Not only do you get the best cameras on an Android phone, but the Pixel 6 Pro sports the new Tensor chip, which lends itself well to things like computational photography and new Google Assistant features. If you're in the Android camp, this is the phone to get if you want the best mobile photography experience.
Read our full Google Pixel 6 Pro review .
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4. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
The best camera phone alternative to the iPhone
Specifications
Display: 6.8-inch OLED (3200x1400; 10-120Hz)
CPU: Snapdragon 888
RAM: 12GB, 16GB
Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB / No
Rear camera: 108MP wide (f/1.8), 12MP ultra wide (ƒ/2.2), 10MP telephoto (3x zoom, f/2.4), 10MP telephoto (10x zoom, f/4.9), laser AF sensor
Front camera: 40MP (ƒ/2.2)
Weight: 8.08 oz
Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 11:25
Reasons to buy
+Dual telephoto lenses +S Pen support +Dynamic 6.8-inch display
Reasons to avoid
-No charger in box -Lacks microSD card slot
While Apple and Google duke it out, the latest Galaxy S21 Ultra does everything it can to cement Samsung's place as the camera phone to get when you want to zoom in for finer details. Samsung has equipped the Galaxy S21 Ultra with a pair of telephoto lenses — one with a 3x optical zoom, the other with a 10x — and the results impressed us in our testing. Support for a 100x digital zoom returns, too, and now there's a Zoom Lock feature to help you keep those shots in focus. A laser focus sensor also complements the main 108MP lens.
The story with Samsung's new phone isn't just about hardware, though. The Galaxy S21 Ultra features a number of new software tricks that help you get more creative with your photos. The Simple Take feature from last year has been improved to now generate slow-motion videos when you press the shutter button. Director's View lets you capture video from both the front and rear cameras simultaneously, and you can also switch between the S21's different lenses on the fly.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra's ability to record 8K video makes it a great device to have if you capture a lot of video and those zoom lenses put the iPhone on notice. This is a great camera phone to have if you're an Android fan.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy S21 review .
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5. Google Pixel 6
A great camera experience for less
Specifications
Display: 6.4-inch OLED (2400 x 1080; 90Hz)
CPU: Google Tensor
RAM: 8GB
Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB / No
Rear cameras: 50MP main (ƒ/1.85), 12MP ultrawide (ƒ/2.2)
Front camera: 8MP (ƒ/2.0)
Weight: 7.3 ounces
Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 8:13
Reasons to buy
+Tensor chip adds smarts to the phone +Excellent photo-editing features +Android 12 is a welcome update
Reasons to avoid
-Battery life can be short over 5G -Some color issues with photos
While it might lack the telephoto lens, the Google Pixel 6 is still a powerful camera phone. You get the same 50MP main and 12MP ultrawide sensors in a slightly smaller body. Photos come out clear and crisp, even though we noticed some color inconsistencies in some photos.
Still, the Pixel 6 is the best camera phone for most Android users. You'll get stunning landscape shots, portraits, and selfies. And with all of the new AI-based photography features like Magic Eraser, you have a lot at your disposal.
Read our full Google Pixel 6 review .
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6. Google Pixel 5a
The best camera phone under $500
Specifications
Display: 6.43-inch OLED (2400 x 1080)
CPU: Snapdragon 765G
RAM: 6GB
Storage / Expandable: 128GB / No
Rear cameras: 12.2MP (f/1.7), 16MP (f/2.2) ultrawide
Front camera: 8MP (f/2.0)
Weight: 6.5 ounces
Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 9:45
Reasons to buy
+Spectacular cameras +Big, bright display +IP67 water resistance
Reasons to avoid
-Older chipset -Limited to US and Japan
The Pixel 5a from Google is, by far, the best camera experience under $500 as our Google Pixel 5a vs. iPhone SE shoot-out proves. New to Google's phone this year is the addition of a 16MP ultrawide camera. The Pixel 4a from last year only had a 12.2MP camera, though it alone was extremely good.
But the Pixel 5a also has a serious hardware upgrade to help it process photos faster and better. The Snapdragon 765G in the 5a is the same processor you'll find in the Pixel 5 or Pixel 4a 5G. While it's not the best or newest Snapdragon around (and it's easily beaten by the A13 Bionic in the iPhone SE), it's still powerful enough to perform some serious photography magic.
The $100 price hike from the Pixel 4a stings a bit, but the hardware upgrades, bigger battery, and larger screen all make up for it. But the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are here and we're getting ready to test the cameras. It's quite possible they'll appear on this list.
Read our full Google Pixel 5a review .
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7. OnePlus 9 Pro
OnePlus' best camera phone ever
Specifications
Display: 6.7-inch AMOLED (3168x1440)
CPU: Snapdragon 888
RAM: 8GB, 12GB
Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB / No
Rear camera: 48MP main (ƒ/1.8), 50MP ultrawide (ƒ/2.2), 8MP telephoto with 3x optical (ƒ/2.4), 2MP monochrome
Front camera: 16MP (ƒ/2.4)
Weight: 6.9 ounces
Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 10:40
Reasons to buy
+Excellent cameras overall +Beautiful 120Hz display +Fast wireless and wired charging
Reasons to avoid
-Nightscape photos are inconsistent -Morning Mist model is slippery
Past OnePlus phones have usually been a step or two behind the rest of the best camera phones. But that's changed with the OnePlus 9 Pro, thanks to a partnership with camera specialist Hasselblad. OnePlus and Hasselblad are locked up in a multi-year deal to improve OnePlus' cameras, with the 9 series reaping the benefits first.
That translates to better colors in photos taken with the OnePlus 9 Pro, as the post-processing has improved dramatically with this phone. Some features can behave unpredictably — we had mixed results shooting in low-light — but overall, we were pleased with the photos we took with the OnePlus 9 Pro, which now has both the hardware and software to keep up with the iPhone and the Pixel.
You can see for yourself by checking out our OnePlus 9 Pro camera face-off, in which we look at how the new OnePlus phone compares to the best camera phones from Apple and Google.
A cheaper phone, the OnePlus 9, also benefits from the Hasselblad partnership, though that phone lacks the Pro's 8MP telephoto lens.
Read our full OnePlus 9 Pro review .
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8. iPhone 13
The iPhone's best cameras for less
Specifications
Display: 6.1-inch OLED (2532 x 1170)
CPU: A15 Bionic
RAM: 4GB
Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB / No
Rear cameras: 12MP main (f/1.6), 12MP ultrawide (f/2.4)
Front camera: 12MP (f/2.2)
Weight: 6.1 ounces
Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 10:33
Reasons to buy
+Impressive dual cameras +Incredible performance +Comprehensive 5G coverage +Cinematic mode
Reasons to avoid
-Slow charging
The best iPhone for the average person, the iPhone 13 features notable improvements over its predecessor. Not only is the battery life significantly better, but the cameras got some upgrades, too. First and foremost, the sensors are larger now, letting in more light to help with indoor and night photos.
Besides just the excellent cameras, you get the Photographic Styles and Cinematic mode that the Pro models have. Though you lose out on the telephoto lens and wider apertures, you nonetheless get a fantastic photography experience for a very reasonable price. Apple even upped the base storage to 128GB while keeping the cost to you the same.
Read our full iPhone 13 review .
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9. Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus
An alternative to the Galaxy S21 Ultra
Specifications
Display: 6.7-inch AMOLED (2400x1080)
CPU: Snapdragon 888
RAM: 8GB
Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB / No
Rear camera: 12MP wide (f/1.8), 12MP ultra-wide (f/2.2), 64MP telephoto (f/2.0) with 3x hybrid zoom/30x digital
Front camera: 10MP (ƒ/2.2)
Weight: 7.05 ounces
Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 9:53
Reasons to buy
+Gorgeous 120Hz display +Excellent performance +Crazy zoom feature +Beautiful design
Reasons to avoid
-No microSD card slot or charger
You could easily select the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra as your go-to camera phone, and it would be an excellent choice. The S21 Ultra produced the best photos of any of the Galaxy S21 models released this year. However, at $1,199, it's not cheap. But Samsung released three S21 models and if you're still looking for a big phone, then you should check out the $999 Galaxy S21 Plus.
While it lacks the insane zoom capabilities of the S21 Ultra, the Galaxy S21 Plus still outdoes the other phones on this list for sheer zoom quality. And it takes nice regular photos to boot, even if Samsung likes to over-expose a bit in post and apply too much face smoothing in portraits and selfies.
If you'd prefer a smaller, more pocketable device, the Galaxy S21 has the same camera setup as the S21 Plus, just in a smaller body. It also costs less at an appealing $799.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus review .
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10. iPhone SE (2020)
The best midrange camera phone for iPhone users
Specifications
Display: 4.7-inch LCD (1334x750)
CPU: A13 Bionic
RAM: 3GB
Storage/Expandable: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB / No
Rear camera: 12MP wide (ƒ/1.8)
Front camera: 7MP (ƒ/2.2)
Weight: 5.22 ounces
Battery life (Hrs: Mins): 9:18
Reasons to buy
+Very affordable +Fast A13 Bionic performance +Excellent camera for the price +Supports wireless charging
Reasons to avoid
-Big bezels
The $400 iPhone SE packs the iPhone 8's 12-megapixel, ƒ/1.8 single-lens camera, but also benefits from Cupertino's A13 Bionic processor to kick its computational photography powers into high gear.
The results simply speak for themselves. The Pixel 4a has an advantage when it comes to nighttime photography, as well as shallow depth-of-field portraits and digital zoom. That said, the iPhone SE is nearly as capable in many scenarios, as it benefits from many of Apple's sophisticated imaging techniques, like Smart HDR and Semantic Rendering.
Because the iPhone SE lacks ultrawide or telephoto lenses, it's not perfect — though, alongside the Pixel 4a, its camera is far and away better than those inside the vast majority of other, similarly-priced models you can buy today. Overall, if you need a new handset and don't have much to spend — and especially if it has to be an iPhone — there's simply no better deal out there right now.
Read our full iPhone SE 2020 review .
How to pick the best camera phone for you
There are many factors to consider if camera quality factors heavily into your smartphone purchasing decision. A good way to start is by asking yourself what kinds of photos you see yourself taking. Not all multi-lens cameras are created equal — some have ultrawide lenses for stunning landscapes, others have telephotos for zoomed-in shallow-depth-of-field portraits, and others still have both. The newest flagships from the likes of Samsung and Huawei even have periscope-style lenses that can achieve up to 10x lossless zoom, rivaling the power of DSLRs.
Something else to consider: Megapixels don't matter as much as aperture. Cameras with a wider aperture (lower ƒ-stop numbers translate to wider lenses) let in more light, which greatly helps produce better shots in the dark. The high-megapixel sensors found in the latest devices are nice, but it's a common misconception that pixel count directly translates to better-looking photos.
Do you need a portrait mode that allows for bokeh backgrounds? That's where the subject of the photo is in sharp focus, while an artistic blur blankets the rest of the scene. Although it started as a feature exclusive to multi-camera phones, the single-lens iPhone SE is capable of capturing bokeh-effect portraits. Some devices even let you adjust the strength of the blur before and after you take a shot.
Front camera specs are important, too. In a world where we're taking more selfies than ever, you shouldn't overlook a phone's front camera. Some front cameras, like the ones on the iPhone 12 and Pixel 5, can actually perform the same portrait mode effects that rear cameras pull off. Some phones, like the older Galaxy S10 Plus, feature two front cameras, with the second lens pulling in more background details.
Finally, don't forget about video. Your cameras shoot more than just still images. Consider what resolution the camera captures video at along with the frame rate. A word to the wise, though: Be wary that ratcheting up the resolution will result in clips that take up much more space on your smartphone's internal storage.
How we test camera phones
We put the market's leading handsets through a variety of common shooting situations, such as landscapes, portraits and selfies in daylight and at night. Then, we analyze each set of images on a color-calibrated monitor to see which smartphone had the best combination of color accuracy, clarity and contrast. We also perform in-depth camera comparisons between the top phones, using each handset in their auto mode to take a wide range of photos in different conditions. After declaring a winner in each round, we name an overall winner of that face-off.
In each of our smartphone reviews, we also factor in any special features, such as dual lenses and what they enable, Portrait Modes, and other special modes, before we come to a conclusion.
- The best Android phones at every price range
- The best iPhones you can buy today
Jordan is the Phones Editor for Tom's Guide, covering all things phone-related. He's written about phones for over five years and plans to continue for a long while to come. He loves nothing more than relaxing in his home with a book, game, or his latest personal writing project. Jordan likes finding new things to dive into, from books and games to new mechanical keyboard switches and fun keycap sets. Jordan tends to lurk on social media, but you can best reach him on Twitter.
Phones With Best Camera 2015
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