The highest smartphones you should purchase proper now in 2023 all have superb cameras, with corporations like Apple, Google and Samsung all packing their greatest telephones with a number of cameras that may take unimaginable photos. However the extra digicam lenses a cellphone has does not imply it is any higher at truly taking great-looking photographs. Prime telephones just like the iPhone 14 Professional and Pixel 7 Professional additionally pack larger picture sensors and big enhancements in software program for AI-powered computational pictures. Then there’s the Samsung Galaxy S23 Extremely‘s digicam, which may take a number of the greatest zoom pictures it is potential to get from a cellphone.
As you learn by means of comparisons of cameras on telephones, it is necessary to remember that there is not a “good” cellphone digicam. There are positively telephones that excel at a selected function in comparison with others — the zoom on the Galaxy S23 Extremely, for instance — however that may not be a function price paying for when you have little curiosity in zoom pictures. And do not be fooled into considering that extra megapixels in a digicam means higher pictures. We take a look at how these cameras carry out in real-life conditions: how they stability exposures, how they deal with colours and the way simple they’re to make use of.
Learn our information to assist discover the most effective cellphone digicam to your wants.
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Apple’s iPhone 14 Professional would possibly include a steep asking value, nevertheless it ticks nearly each field you may need from a digicam setup on a cellphone. Its fundamental 48-megapixel sensor takes excellent photos, with crisp particulars and delightful, pure colours, its wide-angle lens is likely one of the greatest round and it excels at evening pictures, delivering brilliant and clear photographs when there’s minimal mild.
Its 3x zoom lens falls in need of rivals like Samsung’s 10x zoom on the Galaxy S22 Extremely, however 3x continues to be sufficient that will help you discover attention-grabbing compositions in your panorama or get a barely extra shut up picture of a cute canine you discovered within the park.
Its video expertise are excellent too, with rock-solid picture stabilization, 4K resolutions and Apple ProRes assist for these of you desirous to get absolutely the best-looking footage when enhancing in software program like Adobe Premiere or DaVinci Resolve.
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Google’s Pixel 7 Professional has impressed us in quite a few methods from its slick new design to its extraordinarily user-friendly software program. Nevertheless it’s the digicam that is actually stood out, with the Pixel 7 Professional delivering excellent photographs in quite a lot of circumstances. Its fundamental sensor captures photographs with excellent dynamic vary and vibrant colours whereas its 5x optical zoom provides further attain than the iPhone 14 Professional is ready to handle.
And whereas its evening mode photographs aren’t nearly as good because the iPhone’s, it is an amazing digicam total that’ll go well with each pictures amateurs — and people seeking to take extra inventive photos — nicely and at a price that undercuts its rivals.
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The Galaxy S23 is so much, however in a great way. Samsung made enhancements to the digicam’s decision (200 megapixels in comparison with 108 megapixels), shade tones and dynamic vary, whereas retaining the spectacular 10x optical zoom as its predecessor. There’s additionally a brand new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor that is been optimized particularly for Samsung’s telephones, which brings quicker efficiency in comparison with the Galaxy S22 Extremely.
Beginning at $1,200, it might be an understatement to name this cellphone costly. However these keen to pay extra for a large display and a high-quality, versatile digicam will not be upset. Learn our full assessment of the Galaxy S23 Extremely.

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Apple’s video seize has all the time been high notch and the iPhone 14 Professional Max retains that going. The decision would possibly high out at 4K — somewhat than 6K or 8K seen on some Android telephones — however its total high quality is second to none. Publicity and dynamic vary is gorgeous, element is excellent and picture stabilization has been given an enormous increase with the brand new Motion Mode. Then there’s the Cinematic Mode which supplies deeper focus management for focus pulling between two characters in a scene.
Nevertheless it additionally helps you to shoot in Apple’s ProRes video codec. This generates big video information, nevertheless it provides extra scope for professionals so as to add shade grades in submit manufacturing software program with out sacrificing high quality, which means that the iPhone 14 Professional Max might be a reputable a part of an expert filmmaker’s kitbag. And whereas the iPhone 14 Professional and Professional Max differ solely in measurement, the additional display actual property of the Max mannequin won’t solely enable you monitor your footage extra simply, nevertheless it provides you extra to bodily maintain on to whenever you’re out and about which might enable you preserve it extra steady whereas filming.
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Whereas Google’s newest Pixel 7 and seven Professional would possibly steal the headlines with their flashy new design and Tensor G2 processor, the Pixel 6A provides a number of what Google’s newest Pixel telephones have boasted however in a smaller and extra reasonably priced bundle. It has simply two rear cameras (a normal zoom and an ultrawide) with each taking great-looking photos that look higher than nearly another cellphone at this value — together with Samsung’s Galaxy A53.
If pictures is vital to you and also you need options like lengthy zooms and crystal clear evening mode photos then you definitely’ll need to splash a bit extra cash on the newest Pixel 7 Professional. However for the cash, few different digicam telephones come shut.
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Sony’s Xperia Professional-I comes with a reasonably lofty price ticket nevertheless it packs some severe photographic expertise for these of you really centered in your cell imaging recreation. It has an enormous 1-inch picture sensor — the identical measurement seen in Sony’s wonderful RX100 line of compact cameras — that lets it seize extra mild and obtain higher dynamic vary than lots of its rivals.
It is filled with quite a lot of guide controls so that you can craft your pictures as you’ll with an everyday DSLR or mirrorless digicam too. It is an amazing cellphone to look in the direction of in the event you principally desire a digicam that may make cellphone calls, however its excessive value means it isn’t the only option for most individuals.
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