The best camera phones in 2023: our top 9 photography picks

When it comes to camera phones, nan Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is nan caller champ. Although nan title was stiff, Samsung's latest offering emerged victorious successful our head-to-head comparison pinch nan Google Pixel 7 Pro, acknowledgment to its exceptional package and separator successful important categories. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra produces stunningly vibrant and shareable images, solidifying its position arsenic 1 of nan apical camera phones available. Of course, if you're not partial to Samsung, location are different options to consider, specified arsenic nan best Apple phone, nan astir cost-effective phone, and nan champion fund telephone connected nan market.

At Digital Trends, we are passionate astir photography and return thousands of photos each month. We bask comparing nan capacity of different telephone cameras by pushing them to their limits and conducting nonstop camera shootout comparisons. We do this because we understand that camera value is an important facet for astir buyers. Have different priorities? We connection guides for nan best wide smartphones, nan best inexpensive smartphones, and nan champion aged phones truthful you tin find nan correct 1 for you.

But if camera value is your apical priority, you're already successful nan correct place. Here are each of our picks for nan champion camera phones you tin bargain successful 2023.

Joe Maring / Digital Trends

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Best camera phone

Why should you bargain this?: This powerful smartphone will past you for years.

Who’s it for?: If you activity a telephone that produces shareable photos quickly, nan Galaxy S23 Ultra is excellent.

Why we picked nan Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra:

Samsung's latest flagship smartphone boasts a standout feature: its ISOCELL camera pinch a whopping 200 megapixels. It besides has a 12MP wide-angle camera pinch a 120-degree section of position and 2 10MP telephoto cameras offering 3x and 10x optical zoom. The camera besides includes optical image stabilization (OIS), laser autofocus, and Super Resolution Zoom, which provides suggested levels of 30x and 100x integer zoom.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra lets you return photos astatine its maximum 200MP resolution. However, retrieve that they require astatine slightest 40MB of retention space, importantly much than nan emblematic 4 to 7MB retention abstraction needed for nan camera's default 12MP shots. But if you want ultra-detailed images, nan action is there.

One important point to statement astir nan Galaxy S23 Ultra's camera is that its zoom capabilities are its astir awesome feature, not nan 200MP camera. The 3x and 10x zoom are fantabulous quality, and nan 30x zoom is catching up. While nan 100x zoom still has room for improvement, it's amended than erstwhile models. The telephoto cameras connected nan Galaxy S23 Ultra tin seizure images that are intolerable to replicate pinch different smartphones while maintaining precocious quality. If you bargain nan Galaxy S23 Ultra, you tin bask taking astonishing zoom photos.

The superior camera captures terrific pictures, though it whitethorn not beryllium evident that it has a 200MP capacity. The shots are lively and energetic, displaying rich | hues and intricate details. We admit nan camera's wide vibe, which strikes a equilibrium betwixt genuine and exaggerated visuals. Generally, nan colors are enhanced conscionable capable to make them pop, but occasionally, they tin go oversaturated, peculiarly pinch reds and blues successful definite scenarios.

Still, moreover pinch a inclination for oversaturated colors, it's difficult to find a camera strategy much complete than nan 1 connected nan Galaxy S23 Ultra. If high-quality photography is your number 1 concern, this is nan smartphone to buy.

Joe Maring / Digital Trends

Google Pixel 7 Pro

Best camera telephone runner-up

Why should you bargain this?: The Pixel 7 Pro mightiness person immoderate package issues, but it's an unthinkable camera telephone regardless.

Who’s it for?: Anyone who wants a camera that produces consistently awesome point-and-shoot shots without nan request for editing.

Why we picked nan Google Pixel 7 Pro:

Google's Pixel statement has varied successful wide value complete nan years, but it's consistently been 1 of nan champion camera phones you tin buy. This year, nan Google Pixel 7 Pro has proven, without a protector of a doubt, that it is 1 of nan champion camera phones you tin buy.

The rear camera suite comprises a 50-megapixel main lens, a 12MP ultrawide lens, and a 48MP telephoto lens pinch a 5x optical zoom. It's a powerful setup, but nan existent magic really comes from Google's software. The images it creates are simply unthinkable and seldom (if ever) require further processing successful an editing suite. Just pat nan button, and you'll get a awesome image that's ripe for sharing.

That's not to opportunity there's nary logic to dive into nan editing software, though, arsenic Google has provided plentifulness of devices to really fine-tune your images. It has nary rumor pinch balancing your opposition and saturation, Magic Eraser makes a return from nan Pixel 6 Pro, and Google has besides added Magic Unblur, which intends to unblur immoderate blurry photos. Unlike nan fantabulous Magic Eraser, Magic Unblur is simply a spot hit-and-miss, but it's still nosy to trial it out.

The optical zoom astatine 5x is besides excellent, and you tin moreover push nan camera to 30x pinch Google's Super Res Zoom characteristic — and nan images astatine 30x are really good. They look a spot for illustration a watercolor, but they're still impressive, fixed nan agelong range. The ultrawide lens besides has a caller instrumentality this twelvemonth — a macro mode. It kicks successful automatically erstwhile you're adjacent to a subject, and it besides does a remarkably bully job, whether you're taking pictures of individual grains of soil aliases a close-up of a flower bud. There's a small distortion astir nan edges, but that's communal successful wide-angle lenses, truthful it's forgivable.

Perhaps nan only downside is nan 10.8MP selfie camera, which is simply a small uninspiring, moreover if it's broadly fine. A fixed attraction intends you tin get immoderate soft areas successful places you mightiness not pinch nan iPhone 14 Pro, and there's nary earthy bokeh too. But that aside, nan Pixel 7 Pro's camera is unthinkable and 1 of nan champion you tin get successful a smartphone. It starts from $899.

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Apple iPhone 14 Pro

Best Apple camera phone

Why should you bargain this?: The Apple iPhone 14 Pro is an astonishing smartphone each around, and that includes an fantabulous camera.

Who’s it for?: People who want an iPhone pinch a awesome camera.

Why we picked nan iPhone 14 Pro:

No 1 could ever impeach Apple of over-doing it connected camera specs, but iPhone cameras ever still look to travel retired arsenic 1 of nan strongest contenders of immoderate peculiar smartphone generation. In nan lawsuit of nan iPhone 14 Pro, it's only a mini betterment complete nan iPhone 13 Pro, but an betterment is an improvement, and this is nan iPhone to bargain if you want an Apple telephone pinch an astonishing camera.

It has a triple-lens setup successful nan rear camera suite, including a 48MP main lens, a 12MP telephoto, and a 12MP ultrawide-angle lens. The main lens is an upgrade complete nan erstwhile generation, but otherwise, nan hardware is fundamentally nan same. The telephoto lens has a 3x optical zoom, truthful clearly, Apple is waiting for astatine slightest 1 much procreation earlier adding a periscope-style 5x zoom aliases greater.

But don't fto that little zoom put you off, arsenic nan iPhone 14 Pro produces exceptional images. It easy handles each sorts of lighting levels, taking vibrant and colorful stills successful well-lit areas, and produces fantabulous results erstwhile nan lights spell down arsenic well. Apple's editing package isn't rather arsenic bully arsenic competitors (for instance, Samsung), but it still does a bully occupation if you're happy to walk nan clip learning really to get nan champion results retired of it.

If you want to really get nan champion retired of your shots, past you tin usage Apple's ProRaw format to power each facet of nan resulting photograph. Keep successful mind those ProRaw images are retention hogs, though, pinch azygous images taking astir 60MB. ProRes, Apple's high-resolution video mode, is moreover worse, pinch 1 infinitesimal of footage sitting astatine an estimated 1.7GB successful size. That's a batch of storage, , and a bully logic to splurge for nan 1TB model.

But moreover if you ne'er dive into those modes (and galore won't), you won't consciousness for illustration you're missing out. Apple's iPhone 14 Pro is simply a triumph arsenic a smartphone and an exceptional camera telephone arsenic well. Prices commencement from $999.

Joe Maring/Digital Trends

Apple iPhone 14

Best inexpensive Apple camera phone

Why should you bargain this?: It's still an fantabulous iPhone pinch a camera to lucifer astatine a little price.

Who’s it for?: Someone who wants a awesome iPhone camera but doesn't want to salary almost $1,000.

Why we picked nan iPhone 14:

As is quickly becoming usual, nan iPhone 14's limelight was stolen by nan iPhone 14 Pro — but don't fto nan iPhone 14 linger successful nan shadows, arsenic it excessively is an fantabulous smartphone pinch a very tin group of cameras. It has a 12MP wide-angle main lens pinch a 12MP ultrawide lens setup successful nan rear camera module, positive a 12MP selfie camera too.

The main camera really is simply a star. It's mostly nan aforesaid lens we saw successful nan iPhone 13, but don't fto that put you off. It captures crisp and vivid images, packed pinch each nan colour and item you need. It takes awesome lowlight stills, and for really acheronian images, nan Night Mode kicks in, though that mode does soften nan specifications rather a bit.

The 12MP ultrawide lens is besides great, and dissimilar immoderate different smartphones, images captured pinch it person mostly nan aforesaid colour equilibrium arsenic nan main lens. It tin beryllium jarring to spot colors alteration betwixt lenses, and nan iPhone 14 avoids this excellently.

The selfie lens is nan area that really has seen tangible upgrades complete nan iPhone 13, acknowledgment to nan inclusion of autofocus. This whitethorn look for illustration a mini addition, but nan effect is huge. Details crossed each selfies are sharper, and nan autofocus really helps to prime retired nan mini details, for illustration lines connected your look aliases moreover individual hairs. The ample aperture besides intends there's a earthy bokeh effect, moreover erstwhile you're not utilizing Portrait mode. The iPhone 14 is simply a peculiarly awesome camera telephone for selfies, and you're not missing retired successful this area by missing nan Pro model.

While technically a downgrade from nan iPhone 14 Pro, nan iPhone 14 is simply a awesome telephone connected its ain merits, pinch a awesome camera to boot. With prices starting astatine $799, it's besides a beardown measurement to prevention a mates of 100 dollars connected your caller iPhone.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5

Best versatile camera phone

Why should you bargain this?: Because it's connected nan bleeding separator of invention and has immoderate nosy caller camera features.

Who’s it for?: Someone who doesn't mind paying a batch of money for a camera telephone pinch immoderate caller tricks.

Why we picked nan Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5:

Compared to our apical pick, nan Galaxy S23 Ultra, nan Galaxy Z Fold 5's camera capabilities differ. While it whitethorn not beryllium arsenic technically awesome arsenic nan S23 Ultra's camera, it still offers a coagulated experience. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 features a 50-megapixel main camera, a 12MP wide-angle camera, and a 10MP telephoto that allows for a 3x optical zoom — conscionable for illustration nan 2022 Z Fold 4. Additionally, nan Z Fold 5 has caller lenses, an improved image awesome processor arsenic portion of nan Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, and various package upgrades that heighten nan wide image quality.

When nan telephone is folded, nan camera controls are moved to nan bottommost information of nan screen, while nan viewfinder is relocated to nan apical part. This is different from accepted telephone designs, which usually person nan camera controls and viewfinder successful fixed locations connected nan screen. The viewfinder besides has a Dual Preview characteristic that allows you to preview nan photo, whether you’re nan 1 taking it aliases successful beforehand of nan camera.

This innovative creation allows for a much versatile personification experience, arsenic it enables users to set nan telephone to their circumstantial needs and preferences. For example, if a personification is taking a image of a landscape, they whitethorn for illustration to person nan viewfinder astatine nan apical of nan surface to seizure a wider shot. On nan different hand, if they are taking a selfie, having nan camera controls astatine nan bottommost of nan surface whitethorn beryllium much convenient. Not only that, but nan Fold 5 tin fundamentally beryllium utilized arsenic its ain tripod. Get nan camera app ready, half-open nan phone, spot it connected a level surface, and you person an ultra-steady and unchangeable changeable wherever you go.

If you understand that nan Z Fold 5's camera isn't aiming for complete realism successful each shot, you'll apt beryllium pleased pinch its performance. While location are insignificant downsides, it offers immoderate improvements complete nan Galaxy Z Fold 4's camera. The photos captured by nan Z Fold 5 are vibrant successful color, peculiarly successful agleam sunlight, wherever you'll admit nan familiar, overly-saturated reside recovered successful different Samsung phones for illustration nan Galaxy A54.

Joe Maring/Digital Trends

Google Pixel 6a

Best fund camera phone

Why should you bargain this?: It's a awesome camera connected a reasonably priced smartphone.

Who’s it for?: Someone who wants a awesome camera, but doesn't want to salary flagship prices.

Why we picked nan Google Pixel 6a:

Not everyone wants aliases needs a big, powerful, and (above each else) costly flagship smartphone — but those group don't person to unrecorded pinch a sub-standard camera arsenic a result. The flagship Pixel 7 Pro's precocious standards person passed down nan statement to its midrange cousin, nan Pixel 6a. A half nan value of nan Apple iPhone 14 Pro, you get a smartphone that's conscionable arsenic tin and packed pinch nan aforesaid package tricks that make each nan Pixel phones unthinkable shooters.

The insubstantial specs don't look that awesome — and that's because they aren't. The Pixel 6a has nan aforesaid 12.2MP main lens utilized connected Pixel phones from nan original Pixel, each nan measurement up to nan Pixel 5, though it is joined by a 12MP ultrawide lens, and has optical image stabilization (OIS) and shape discovery autofocus. But Google's acquisition pinch this humble lens really shows, and nan Pixel 6a is an highly reliable camera telephone successful beautiful overmuch immoderate situation.

Like nan Pixel 7 Pro, nan Pixel 6a excels arsenic a camera that tin grip a scope of situations and accommodate to them to nutrient a photograph that doesn't request further tweaking. Despite its comparatively low-end hardware, nan Pixel 6a captures beardown specifications pinch vibrant colors. It besides isn't peculiarly phased by beardown contrasts aliases challenging lighting conditions. It does struggle a small spot pinch debased ray environments, and while Google's Night Sight mode is still excellent, photos successful this mode connected nan Pixel 6a do thin to travel pinch very soft details. Still, it tin efficaciously spot successful nan dark, and that's very awesome for a telephone of this price.

The cardinal present is Google managed, yet again, to make a camera app that's simply bully for snap-and-go, and shots that seldom request rubbing up. Of course, for illustration nan Pixel 7 Pro, nan Pixel 6a has a bunch of package tricks up its sleeve. Magic Eraser is supported here, and truthful are nan now mainstays of Portrait mode, Photo Sphere, and Real Tone. It moreover has a flagship processor, truthful processing those images won't needfully return longer than connected its much precocious siblings. The Pixel 6a is an fantabulous camera phone, and a very coagulated prime if you're looking to prevention immoderate money. And prevention money you will since it starts astatine conscionable $450.

We understand there's besides a Google PIxel 7a. We urge nan older telephone correct now because of nan camera similarities and value difference.

Joe Maring/Digital Trends

OnePlus 11

Best worth camera phone

Why should you bargain this?: You'll emotion what OnePlus offers for smartphones. It's a small spot different than what nan large companies are doing.

Who’s it for?: Anyone looking for a unsocial experience.

Why we picked nan OnePlus 11

The OnePlus 11 camera has been optimized done a business pinch Hasselblad. The 50-megapixel main camera, 48MP wide-angle lens, and 32MP Portrait Tele camera person each been enhanced for amended performance. The main Sony IMX890 sensor boasts some optical and physics image stabilization, while nan wide-angle lens provides a 115-degree section of view. Additionally, a 13-channel Accu-spectrum Light Color Identifier sensor ensures precise colour reproduction successful photos.

Thanks to Hasselblad Natural Color Calibration exertion and nan phone's Accu-spectrum Light Color Sensor, nan camera produces remarkably realistic colors successful photos. Compared to nan OnePlus 10 Pro, nan OnePlus 11 camera provides much meticulous achromatic equilibrium and amended vulnerability for much effective shots.

However, nan camera does person immoderate limitations erstwhile it comes to close-up photography. While location is an automatic macro mode available, it tends to drain colour from nan photograph and eliminates immoderate extent of section created by nan main sensor. Turning disconnected nan macro mode whitethorn consequence successful unfocused images. Additionally, nan telephoto camera leaves overmuch to beryllium desired. While nan 2x zoom is decent, exceeding this to lucifer nan OnePlus 10 Pro's 3.3x zoom will nutrient lower-quality photos that whitethorn look pixelated.

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Nothing Phone 2

Best worth camera telephone runner-up

Why should you bargain this?: There's nary denying nan unsocial glyph lights are cool and useful. The camera strategy is beautiful bully too.

Who’s it for?: Anyone tired of Google, Apple, and Samsung, and wants to effort thing new.

Why we picked nan Nothing Phone 2:

There haven't been important changes to nan Nothing Phone 2's camera hardware compared to nan Nothing Phone 1. It still has 2 cameras, 1 pinch a 50MP Sony sensor pinch optical and physics stabilization and nan different pinch a 50MP Samsung sensor pinch a wide perspective of JN1 114 degrees and EIS. The selfie camera has been upgraded to 32MP. However, Nothing's attraction has been connected improving nan package that powers these cameras, resulting successful noticeable improvements successful their performance.

The Nothing Phone 2 captures lively and colorful photos but is not excessively HDR aliases saturated for illustration those taken pinch nan Galaxy A54. While they whitethorn not person nan aforesaid earthy brilliance arsenic nan Pixel 7 camera, they are enjoyable and cleanable for sharing connected societal media without immoderate editing required. The main and wide-angle cameras nutrient accordant results, and moreover though there's nary telephoto zoom, nan 2x mode still delivers decent shots.

Joe Maring / Digital Trends

Galaxy Z Flip 5

Best nosy camera phone

Why should you bargain this?: If you're looking to unrecorded connected nan cutting separator of nan next-gen flip telephone market.

Who’s it for?: Anyone looking for nan champion flip telephone connected nan market.

Why we picked nan Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5:

When it comes to nan camera setup, users of nan Galaxy Z Flip 4 will find that nan Flip 5 is rather similar. The Flip 5 boasts a 12MP superior camera pinch an f/1.8 aperture and optical image stabilization and a 12MP ultra-wide camera pinch a 123-degree section of view. Furthermore, there's a 10MP selfie camera located connected nan main display. In essence, nan camera strategy of nan Flip 5 is almost nan aforesaid arsenic that of nan Z Flip from nan erstwhile year.

However, location are immoderate captious upgrades to nan Z Flip 5 compared to its predecessor. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2's improved image awesome processor should nutrient amended colour reproduction. The main and ultrawide cameras now person a "clear lens coating" to forestall lens flares, and nan selfie camera has a somewhat improved aperture of f/2.2, arsenic opposed to f/2.4 connected nan Z Flip 4. These improvements could importantly impact nan value of nan photos and videos captured by nan device.

Thanks to its folding design, nan Z Flip 5 has a unsocial camera characteristic that allows you to usage nan main camera arsenic a selfie camera, moreover erstwhile nan telephone is closed. It is made imaginable by nan screen screen, which provides easy entree to snap, review, and edit your photos done nan Flex Window. Similar to nan Fold 5, you tin besides prop nan Flip 5 half-open and usage it arsenic a makeshift tripod, should nan request arise.

Overall, nan Galaxy Z Flip 5 is an awesome instrumentality that builds connected nan strengths of what came first while making cardinal improvements successful definite areas.

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