I’ve Tested All The Best Camera Phones Of 2025: These Are My Top Picks

When it comes to snapping photos of friends and family, you seldom get a second chance to reframe the moment, so reliability and point-and-shoot simplicity are key. As such, it is no surprise that the Google Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL (the camera hardware is exactly the same) take our top spot. Whether you’re snapping wriggling toddlers or capturing the stage from the nosebleeds, I have extensively tested the Pixel 9 Pro XL and have always come away with great-looking pictures.

During my time with the phone, I’ve been particularly impressed by the Pixel’s ability to capture the action. When other phones come out blurry or miss the action completely, my Pixel 9 Pro XL grabs crystal clear shots. I always miss Top Shot’s ability to pick the best-looking frame from a motion photo when testing out other smartphone cameras.

The Pixel 9 Pro XL is the most consistent smartphone camera you can buy.

Speaking of, Google’s photography prowess extends beyond camera hardware, leaning heavily on clever software and AI tricks to make your pics look their best. Astrophotography, Panorama shots, Action Pan, and Super Res Zoom are long-running staples that help you take your photography in more creative directions. Meanwhile, more unique tools like Add Me allow you to splice yourself back into the family photos you’re usually left out of, while Cinematic Blur helps videographers capture sumptuous bokeh blur.

In addition to its brilliant camera, Google’s Pixel 9 Pro XL is also a great phone. Its battery life will easily last through a busy day, its Tensor G5 processor provides responsive performance, and it has some of the industry’s most powerful AI tools. The Pixel 9 Pro XL is a great all-around pick, whether you’re a serious photographer or just looking to capture the occasional moment. Starting at $999 for the Pro model, Google’s best can also be grabbed for notably cheaper than other premium-tier camera phones, but we gave the XL the nod for its superior battery life and larger display — both of which are handy for dedicated photographers.

If money is no obstacle (and you can actually buy the handset in your country), the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is my favorite camera phone on the market. It’s not strictly always the most color-accurate, but boy, can this handset capture mood like no other phone I’ve used. In fact, it’s the only camera phone that has ever made me seriously question whether I really need my beloved Fuji mirrorless anymore.

Xiaomi has packed the best camera hardware available into this year’s flagship. The eye-catching circular rear array features a 50MP, ƒ/1.63, 1-inch sensor flanked by a 50MP, ƒ/2.2, 115° ultrawide, a 50MP, ƒ/1.8, 3x telephoto (70mm), and a colossal 200MP, ƒ/2.6, 4.3x periscope zoom (100mm) that offers deceptively long-range capabilities. In fact, I tested the phone against our best all-around camera picks and found the 15 Ultra to be by far the best at long-range photography. Videographers will also love the phone’s 4K/60fps and 8K/30fps capabilities on all four lenses, as well as the 120fps option for the primary and 4.3x lenses.

The Xiaomi 15 Ultra makes me seriously question if I need a mirrorless camera.

However, two aspects really make the 15 Ultra stand out in my eyes. First, its sumptuous colors. Xiaomi provides three color profiles as a base and many more filters to apply on top, making it easy to find a unique profile to call your own. The second is that 3x telephoto lens; its 70mm focal length is brilliant for natural-looking portraits, while the large sensor and wide aperture make this a brilliant lens for framing shots that look and feel much like shooting with a “proper” camera than the overly broad field of fiew from most phone’s primary lens.

If I have one reservation about the phone, besides its sky-high price, it’s the rather mediocre AI features that Xiaomi has crammed into the phone to make it seem like a cutting-edge software player. But if you can look past that guff and focus on the camera experience, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra can’t be beat for image quality.

Point-and-shoot consistency paired with intuitive yet comprehensive software tools makes it easy to recommend the Google Pixel 9a as the best camera phone to buy on a tighter budget. It might not have all the bells and whistles of its flagship siblings, but you’ll be hard pressed to tell the difference between Google’s two tiers most of the time.

Google upgraded the Pixel 9a with a new 48MP primary camera with a wider ƒ/1.7 aperture. This new setup captures superb levels of detail and color, even in tricky lighting. The main lens also sports a new macro mode that produces eye-catching close-ups and handles 2x zoom without issue. It’s a pretty versatile package. The lack of longer-range zoom and so-so ultrawide capabilities are the only real hardware drawbacks, but those are perfectly acceptable trade-offs when the primary camera looks this good for this price.

The Pixel 9a proves that flagship-consistency doesn’t have to cost a fortune.

Many of the same software benefits I mentioned for the Pixel 9 Pro also apply to the budget-friendly Pixel 9a. The rebuilt panorama feature, Add Me, and Long Exposure all make the cut, giving creative photographers plenty to play with. 4K60 and 1080p at 120fps video support means you can also capture high-quality clips without spending a fortune.

Besides great-looking photos, the Pixel 9a has a lot else going for it. It’s powered by a last-gen flagship processor — Google’s Tensor G4 — and has superb battery life. Oh, and it’ll receive the same seven years of updates as Google’s Pro phones despite its affordable $499 price tag. There’s a lot to love here, but especially the pictures.

Many phones already mentioned in this list can take great-looking pictures at a distance, but if you’re after the absolute best, then the vivo X200 Pro (or the fancy Ultra) is the phone to grab. Boasting an f/2.3, 85mm periscope lens backed by a colossal 200MP 1/1.4-inch sensor, the handset captures impressive details at its native 3.7x optical zoom and crops in for much tighter frames without losing detail. We’ve been impressed with the phone’s results right out to 10x, but it can also take super-close-up macro photos from the same lens.

If you’re really into wildlife-distance photography, vivo also sells a 200mm, f/2.3 extension lens for the Ultra’s impressive main camera. Paired with a hybrid digital zoom, it can take pictures all the way out to 1,600mm. That’s a huge distance, although the quality doesn’t quite hold up that brilliantly at that range. Sadly, this accessory, just like the phone, is only available in China. Thankfully, you can grab the Pro model in some markets outside of China.

vivo is making a name for itself with unbelievable long-range photography.

The rest of vivo’s X200 Pro package is pretty great too. A huge battery, fast charging, and a powerhouse MediaTek Dimensity 9400 processor make for an extremely capable flagship. The phone’s biggest drawback is its lack of long-term updates, so you might be better off sticking to one of the big Western brands if you plan to keep taking long-range photos for years to come.

Hadlee Simons / Android Authority

When I tested the best phones for portrait photography, OPPO’s Find X8 Pro performed brilliantly for selfies, producing natural skin tones and great details across lighting conditions. That’s everything you want from a great front-facing camera. However, I’d actually recommend that selfie-lovers buy the OnePlus 13 instead. Why? Well, it’s a little less expensive, which is always a plus, and has the same selfie camera and capabilities as the OPPO. OnePlus is essentially its sister brand, after all.

What makes the OnePlus 13 particularly well suited for selfies is its excellent HDR capabilities, so you won’t look washed out even when shooting into bright light. Its low-light performance is also robust, and the phone offers sumptuous portrait lighting and blur options to make your photos look their best.

The OnePlus 13 takes great selfies no matter the lighting.

As a broader photography package, the OnePlus 13 also has a lot going for it. Surprisingly brilliant long-range zoom capabilities, stunning portraits, and robust video recording capabilities almost made this our best overall pick. Its new shooting modes excel in tricky lighting conditions, and it boasts impressive zoom capabilities for a seemingly humble 3x telephoto lens. Oh, and it’s a lickety quick when it comes to performance and charging, too.

After years of shaky photography, the OnePlus 13 nails a superb triple camera setup at a price that undercuts the competition. Don’t let the price fool you, this phone can take the fight to any camera phone on this list.

When you want to capture stunning-looking video, Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro (or the larger Pro Max) is the best choice on the market right now. Powered by a 48MP primary camera with sensor-shift OIS and a 12MP 120mm, 5x optical periscope zoom camera with the same robust stabilization hardware, you don’t need to worry about shaky-handcam footage even when you’re cropping in on a fast-moving subject.

Granted, the latest iPhones don’t record in 8K like some top-tier Android rivals, but resolution is far from everything. 4K 120fps is more than most will ever need, even for fast-paced action. Furthermore, Apple’s unique combination of robust stabilization, cinematic-quality processing, and impressive low-light capture is what really makes the Pro stand out from the crowd as a brilliant pick for videographers.

High quality footable and professional file formats make the iPhone a top choice for video.

For the really serious content creator, the latest iPhone can record high-res RAW video footage straight to external storage via USB-C. Paired with 10-bit Pro Res video, log file recording, and cinematic modes, you’ve got all the makings of professional-looking footage in the palm of your hand.

Robert Triggs / Android Authority

Robert Triggs / Android Authority