These Are the Best Phone Cameras That We've Tested

CNET

TechnologyCNET·Jul 6, 2026·19 min read

These Are the Best Phone Cameras That We've Tested

Phone cameras used to be good only for grainy snaps of your mates, but today's best camera phones can take stunning photos that rival those from professional mirrorless cameras. With multiple lenses, larger image sensors and advanced photo processing, top camera phones like the iPhone 17 Pro or Galaxy S26 Ultra squash an entire photo kit bag of gear into something that slides into your jeans pocket. But not all models are created equal, with some better suited to photo pros who want full manual control over image quality. Other handsets are better for those who simply want amazing-looking snaps without having to spend time fiddling with settings.

9.2/10 CNET Score

From the first moment I picked up the new $1,199 iPhone 17 Pro Max and $1,099 17 Pro, I was beguiled by their bold, bright redesign. It's a complete turnaround from the years of Apple's subdued titanium motif. The square camera bump of previous Pro models is now a body-wide bar that Apple calls the "camera plateau." The 17 Pro and Pro Max now come in actual colors -- you won't find one in black or space gray. This phone, especially in cosmic orange, wants you to look at it.

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Pros

The 17 Pro Max's incredible battery life

The brighter screen looks fantastic

Center Stage camera with the ability to take landscape selfies vertically is sweet

Cons

Dual Capture does not have a 50/50 split

Live Translation's Siri voice can overlap with speakers

iPhone 17 Pro battery life is on par with the iPhone 16 Pro

Expensive

9.0/10 CNET Score

While the iPhone 17 Pro might be the all-singing-all-dancing camera phone for iOS users, the Galaxy S26 Ultra fills the same role for those of you firmly in the Android ecosystem. Its multiple rear cameras have proven exceptionally capable in capturing glorious images in all conditions, while the phone's massive display and powerful processor make the whole image-taking process feel effortless.

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Pros

Innovative Privacy Display

Long-lasting battery

Intuitive AI features

Consistently great cameras

Cons

$1,300 price

Design is almost too minimal

AI features are hit or miss

S25/S25 Plus have similar features and cost less

9.3/10 CNET Score

While the Galaxy S26 Ultra packs a wealth of extra features across the camera and the wider phone experience, the charm of the Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL lies in their simplicity. I loved taking the 10 Pro on a photowalk around Paris, as it lets you casually snap away, capturing perfectly exposed, vibrant images with very little effort.

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Pros

Long software support period

Camera performs well

Impressive AI-assisted Super Res Zoom

Fun and useful new AI skills

Cons

Tensor G5 isn't as powerful as rivals

Magic Cue of limited use if you don't live strictly in Google's world

Images can look over-processed

8.5/10 CNET Score

Nothing's Phone 4A Pro offers a lot for its low $499 price, including a fun pink color and its quirky rear Glyph Matrix display. But it's the cameras I was particularly impressed by in my time with the phone. Its three rear cameras were able to take bright and vibrant images that looked great with almost no effort on my part.

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Pros

Affordable price

Attractive design

Great camera performance

Cons

Fewer years of software support than rivals

Battery life could be better

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These Are the Best Phone Cameras That We've Tested

What is the best camera phone?

Best camera phones of 2026

Best all-round camera

Best for photography pros

Best phone camera for Android fans

Best Android camera phone for most people

Best affordable camera phone

The ultimate zoom champion

Best phone cameras compared

Recent updates

Factors to consider when looking at a phone's cameras

How we test phones

Other phones we tested

Phone camera FAQs

What to look forward to in 2026

What is the best camera phone?

The best camera phone I've ever used is the Leitzphone, made in partnership with Xiaomi and iconic camera brand Leica. It takes stunning images and uses advanced tech like a large image sensor, a continuous zoom lens and a fun physical settings wheel around the camera unit. It's a triumph of camera technology, but it's not sold in the US, so many of you will be unable to get hold of it.

The iPhone 17 Pro or Pro Max takes the top spot as the best all-around camera phone that most of you can buy. It can take beautiful images from all its rear lenses and has advanced features, like ProRaw. The ubiquity of the iPhone means that a vast array of photography accessories are available to help take your creativity further.

Is the iPhone 17 Pro leaps and bounds ahead of what Google and Samsung are doing? No. But in terms of consistency, reliability and approachability, the iPhone 17 Pro is our pick for people who want a top-notch camera system that's easy to use.

Best camera phones of 2026

Pros

The 17 Pro Max's incredible battery life

The brighter screen looks fantastic

Center Stage camera with the ability to take landscape selfies vertically is sweet

Cons

Dual Capture does not have a 50/50 split

Live Translation's Siri voice can overlap with speakers

iPhone 17 Pro battery life is on par with the iPhone 16 Pro

Expensive

As I tested the new Pro phones, I was consistently impressed: Even after a full day of heavy use, the Pro Max's battery still had 22% or more left. The iPhone 17 Pro Max has the best battery life of any phone that CNET has ever tested.

The 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max have the exact same rear cameras, all with 48-megapixel sensors. You can choose between the trio of lenses (wide-angle, ultrawide and telephoto) to capture photos at 12-, 24- or 48-megapixel resolutions. The telephoto camera has gone from the 16 Pro's 12-megapixel sensor with a 5x lens to a 48-megapixel sensor that's 56% larger with a new 4x telephoto lens. You read that right: The new Pro has a shorter optical zoom than its predecessor. But I find the short 4x zoom better for portraits, and the increase in detail and dynamic range in 4x photos is a big improvement over 5x snaps from the 16 Pro.

There's a new selfie camera on both Pro phones that Apple calls Center Stage. It not only takes 18-megapixel selfies, up from 12 megapixels on the 16 Pro, but you can hold the 17 Pro vertically and take a horizontal selfie thanks to a new square image sensor.

I can't help but contrast the iPhone 17 Pro models to Apple's newest phone. The iPhone Air is thin, light, quiet and graceful -- with a single rear camera, shorter battery life and $100 cheaper starting price. The 17 Pro and Pro Max are bold, loud, aggressive and powerful, and their daring design appeals to me. But features such as its amazing battery life, brighter screen, new selfie camera and iOS 26 are the real reasons to get either.

Why we like it

I appreciate that Apple gave the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max personality. Gone is the minimal design for the sake of simplicity. We have a phone that is more durable, has a longer battery life, and, when running iOS 26, comes with a number of significant quality-of-life improvements, like live translations for calls, texts and FaceTime.

Who it's best for

The iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max would be an excellent upgrade for someone coming from an iPhone 14 Pro or older. You get a bigger battery, a better screen, faster charging, newer cameras and a speedier processor that can handle graphics-intensive games and Apple Intelligence.

Who shouldn't get it

If you have an iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max, you don't need these new phones unless battery capacity on your current phone is low -- and even then, it'd be cheaper to simply have your battery swapped out. And unless you have a gracious disposable income, iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max owners can sit this one out.

Read our iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max review.

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Pros

Stunning image quality

Plethora of Leica color effects

Physical ring to control camera settings

Powerful processor performance

Cons

Battery life could be better

Not sold in the US

With its fancy new sensor tech, a rare (if not unique) continuous zoom lens and an actual functional control wheel around the camera unit, Leica's Leitzphone, powered by Xiaomi, packs in some potent tech to tempt camera enthusiasts. I've used it to take some of my best-ever phone photos, and it earned a CNET Editors' Choice award for its imaging.

Sadly, Xiaomi doesn't officially sell its products in the US, so most of you reading this aren't able to actually go and buy this camera champ. Sorry.

Why we like it

Its large main image sensor takes beautiful photos, and the physical control wheel around the camera unit makes it feel like a regular camera when you're out shooting. The built-in Leica color profiles let you take gorgeous photos with minimal effort.

Who it's best for

If you strive for truly artistic images from your phone and the iconic Leica red dot logo makes you feel all warm inside, then it's the phone for you. You'll need to live in the UK or Europe, though, and have deep pockets -- this thing doesn't come cheap.

Who shouldn't get it

Anyone who lives in the US. Not because you shouldn't, but because you can't.

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Pros

Innovative Privacy Display

Long-lasting battery

Intuitive AI features

Consistently great cameras

Cons

$1,300 price

Design is almost too minimal

AI features are hit or miss

S25/S25 Plus have similar features and cost less

I had wished to see more innovation in the cameras on this generation of Ultra. The specs haven't moved on that much in the past few models and some of the bigger upgrades Samsung talked about are largely AI-focused -- like being able to change the style of hat someone is wearing.

I argued that Samsung risks losing ground to Android makers like Xiaomi (with its superb Leitzphone), but the reality is the S26 Ultra is still one of the most capable all-round camera phones you can get. And like the iPhone, Samsung's phones are so popular that it's common to find photography accessories specifically for your model.

Why we like it

The superb image quality from all four -- that's right, four -- rear cameras means you've basically got an entire photography kit bag in your pocket that's ready to tackle anything you're likely to come across while you're out and about.

Who it's best for

This phone is best for folks looking for a "do everything" camera phone with plenty of zoom options and that keeps them firmly in the Android ecosystem.

Who shouldn’t get it

It's expensive, so those of you shopping for camera performance on a budget will want to look elsewhere -- I suggest the Nothing Phone 4A Pro, seen below. It's also not really pushing the boat out in terms of year-on-year innovation, which is a shame. Those of you wanting real camera-phone innovation (and who don't live in the US) should take a look at the Leica Leitzphone by Xiaomi.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review.

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Pros

Long software support period

Camera performs well

Impressive AI-assisted Super Res Zoom

Fun and useful new AI skills

Cons

Tensor G5 isn't as powerful as rivals

Magic Cue of limited use if you don't live strictly in Google's world

Images can look over-processed

It doesn't try to overwhelm with all of the options it has, and while there are also a whole bunch of AI tools (like object removal or whole image creation), these are largely things to maybe use after you've taken your shot, should you want to.

It doesn't try to do everything you've ever wanted from a camera. Instead, it just absolutely nails the sort of essentials you'd want on an everyday basis. If you want to take things much further, you'd probably want to reach for your mirrorless camera anyway.

Why we like it

By keeping things simple, the Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL excel at snapping beautiful shots when you're simply enjoying a day out around town. These camera phones don't get in the way or try to overwhelm with options, and while they offer a ton of AI capabilities, that stuff really only comes into play later on after you're done taking your photos.

Who it's best for

If you love taking nice photos of family and friends but don't really consider yourself a photographer, the Pixel phones are for you. They make it simple to snag the shots you want.

Who shouldn't get it

They're not the most powerful phones around, so those of you looking for an all-round powerhouse to tackle your photography missions and then come back home for some intense, high frame rate gaming may want to consider the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Read our Google Pixel 10 Pro review.

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Pros

Affordable price

Attractive design

Great camera performance

Cons

Fewer years of software support than rivals

Battery life could be better

I even preferred the images to the ones I took with Google's similarly affordable Pixel 10A. Google's cheaper phones often take the crown when it comes to image quality at affordable prices but the Phone 4A Pro's shots impressed me more with their punchy colors and brighter exposure.

Why we like it

The Nothing Phone 4A Pro's camera delivers vibrant, contrasty images that make it great for snapping shots of your friends and family on vacation and sharing straight to Instagram -- no extra editing required. Throw in its low price, decent software support period and funky rear display, and it's an easy pick for a superb all-rounder that won't break the bank.

Who it's best for

The cameras produce bright, vibrant shots with punchy contrast as soon as you press the shutter button. If you like getting colorful images to share straight to your socials with no extra editing required, then it's a great one to consider.

Who shouldn't get it

Many more enthusiastic photographers (myself included) often prefer images that look more natural that you can then add more pizzazz to in the editing stage before they hit your Instagram grid. Those photographers may not love the look of the Phone 4A Pro's shots and should instead consider the Pixel 10A, which typically delivers more balanced' images.

Read our Nothing Phone 4A Pro review.

Get it now

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Pros

Stellar battery life

Excellent camera quality

Optional telephoto lens delivers wild results

Cons

The best images require more manual control

Telephoto lens is an expensive extra

Too much preinstalled junk

Made in partnership with legendary camera maker Hasselblad, it's no surprise that Oppo's Find X9 Ultra is a beast when it comes to taking images. Its multiple rear cameras have allowed me to take some great images, but achieving the best results requires a bit more effort. I found I needed to take manual control over settings and do some more edits in apps like Adobe Lightroom to tune photos to my tastes, but once I did, they looked superb.

But its main appeal is with the optional telephoto zoom lens. Slap this thing on the front and it essentially turns the phone into a telescope, allowing you to take hugely zoomed-in images that would be simply out of reach of other phones. Sure, that gives it niche appeal, but those of you into wildlife photography should take a look.

At least, if you can buy it. Like the Leitzphone, seen above, the Find X9 Ultra won't be officially sold in the US.

Why we like it

Even without the zoom lens, this phone can take some awesome photos, especially if you're an enthusiast who will spend time tweaking settings to get everything looking just right.

The telephoto zoom lens transforms the experience, letting you fill your frame with subjects that are difficult to even see with the naked eye.

Who it's best for

Wildlife photographers who want pro-quality photos from their phone without having to carry enormous professional zoom lenses for their mirrorless cameras into the field will like this phone.

Who shouldn't get it

Folks who just want to point their phone toward something and click one button to take the photo should look for a different phone. Also this isn't the phone for anyone who lives in the US as this phone won't be officially on sale there. Boo.

Add to compare

In July 2026, we added the Leica Leitzphone from Xiaomi, the Nothing Phone 4A Pro and the Oppo Find X9 Ultra to the list. The Oppo and Xiaomi phone in particular show just how far ahead Chinese phone makers are of devices sold in the US.

Consider last year's models: Apple no longer sells the iPhone 16 Pro Max, but you can still find it at third-party retailers and often for hundreds less than the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Protect your new phone with a case: Make your phone and its cameras last longer with a case.

Don't overlook affordable phones: The $499 Pixel 10A and $599 iPhone 17E can do almost everything that a new premium phone can do for a fraction of the price. Save some money and still take great snaps.

Wait for sales: Many of the best phone camera systems are found on more expensive models. Look for sales and discounts around major holidays, especially Amazon's Prime Day and Cyber Monday.

Check if you're already invested: Have you already bought a lot of iPhone camera accessories like a case or tripod? Stick with an iPhone if you still want access to them. Make sure your new iPhone will still work with your setup.

We test every phone in real-world scenarios, focusing on its features, design, performance, cameras, battery life and overall value. We document our findings in an initial review that is periodically updated when there are new software updates, or to compare it against new phones from competitors such as Apple, Samsung, Google and OnePlus.

Photography

Photography is a major focus for most phones these days, so we take pictures and videos of various subjects in a variety of settings and lighting scenarios. We try out any new camera modes, such as ProRes Log video with genlock that debuted with the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, or the Gemini-powered Camera Coach tool that launched with the Google Pixel 10 series.

Battery life

Battery testing is conducted in a variety of ways. We assess how long a phone lasts during a typical day of use and note how it performs during more focused sessions of video calls, media streaming and gaming. We also conduct a video playback test as a simple, replicable measure of pure battery life, which isn't always included in the initial review but sometimes added later in an update.

Performance measuring

We use benchmarking apps to measure each phone's performance alongside our own anecdotal experiences using the phone for our review. Most notable are how the graphics and animations look. Are they smooth? Or do they lag or stutter? We also look at how quickly the phone switches between horizontal and vertical orientations, and how fast the camera app opens and is ready to take a photo.

We perform processor-heavy tasks such as editing photos, exporting videos and playing games. We evaluate whether a newer version of a particular phone includes enough features to make it worth upgrading from older models.

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These Are the Best Phone Cameras That We've Tested

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