The Best Camera Smartphones

The cameras of the Huawei Mate 50 Pro offer impressive technology and strong quality, but the many limitations in software and connectivity make everyday use difficult.

In our review, Huawei's smartphone scores with a high-quality appearance and bright OLED display. The stereo speakers and good voice quality are also on the Mate 50 Pro's plus side. 

The Huawei Mate 50 Pro is available from Huawei Global in various countries. In the US, users can order unlocked version via Amazon.

The cameras of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra are not only among the best in their class, but also offer a particularly wide range of applications due to the many supported focal lengths.

With the Galaxy S23 Ultra, Samsung relies on its HP2 sensor for the first time, which provides an enormous resolution of 200 MPix. However, the high resolution is mainly used for pixel binning, whereby the Galaxy phone has the option to choose between 12.5 MPix and 50 MPix shots for the first time. In our review and camera tests (Test 1, Test 2, Test 3), Samsung's flagship convinces with many details and an improved ultra-wide-angle sensor. High-quality magnification lenses for a lossless 3x and 10x zoom are also on board.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra can be purchased directly from Samsung, but is also available from usual retail channels such as Amazon.

The camera setup of the Google Pixel 7 Pro is very similar to that of the Pixel 6 Pro. The main camera still uses a 50 MP sensor from Samsung and takes really good photos. The dynamic range in the photos is high across the entire subject, but it reveals weaknesses in the details. The camera setup on the back is completed by an ultra-wide-angle lens with 12 MP and a very good 48 MP telephoto lens that achieves a five-fold optical magnification. The 10.8 MP front-facing camera has to accept some drawbacks due to very blurry pictures.

Selfies are not the Pixel 7 Pro's strength, but Google's phone offers a lot of picture quality on the back.

In our detailed review, the Pixel 7 Pro convinces with a bright display, a long update period, and strong features. The new Tensor G2 also enables some new features - but Google's SoC cannot keep up with other premium chipsets in terms of speed. 

With the iPhone 14 Pro, Apple is now breaking new ground in the field of photography. Android users will certainly find pixel binning to be old hat, but Apple uses this method for the first time along with the new 48 MP sensor of the main camera. Pixel binning is supposed to provide better pictures in less light, but also more details in the pictures, according to experience. Unfortunately, Apple only leaves a limited choice to the user in terms of image size and almost always outputs a 12 MP photo. 

The picture quality is pleasing in daylight in the test and is characterized by a balanced picture composition with fine details and natural-looking colors. In general, the iPhone 14 Pro also achieves good results in low-light scenarios. The basis for zooming is a triple optical magnification, and the ultra-wide-angle sensor still only delivers 12 MP.

From a technical point of view, Apple actually does almost everything right; only small weaknesses can be criticized.

Apple has made a real step in its own evolution with the iPhone 14 Pro. The form factor remains the same, but the Apple flagship gets a new and very powerful chipset, improved cameras and the latest iOS version compared with the predecessor.

All configurations of the iPhone 14 Pro are available directly from Apple.

The little brother of the Pixel 7 Pro is the Google Pixel 7. Besides the 50 MP main camera including a Samsung sensor, Google gives the setup a 12 MP ultra-wide-angle lens on the back. Unlike the Pro model, enlargements can only be made digitally with the Pixel 7. However, there is nothing to complain about in terms of the main camera's shooting quality considering the Pixel phone's low pricing. Photos turn out very detailed and offer nice colors. 

We do not only like the extravagant folding concept in everyday use, but also the overall camera package of the Huawei Mate Xs 2 - especially for a foldable.

The Huawei Nova 11 Pro looks very stylish and the cameras offer a strong image quality.

Apart from the appealing camera system, the Huawei phone convinces with a high-quality appearance. The slim casing with the glass pulled over the edges is definitely an eye-catcher. In terms of technology, it should be noted that Huawei is not allowed to offer its Nova 11 Pro with 5G and Google services.

At the time of writing, the Huawei Nova 11 Pro in black and green color options is only available directly from the manufacturer in Central Europe for €699 (~$740).

The optional camera bundle turns the high-end smartphone from Xiaomi into a compact camera.

Those who focus more on the cameras will find a very interesting companion in Huawei's flagship.

The triple camera system also features a Periscope lens with a resolution of 48 MPix and an open aperture of f/2.1, which is very fast for a telephoto lens. The ultra-wide-angle camera only has a resolution of 13 MPix, but it still delivers an appealing depth of field and good details.

Apart from the very good cameras, Huawei's P60 Pro offers a good configuration, but it still has to do without Google services and the 5G standard.

The Huawei P60 Pro is available directly from Huawei's store, but can also be purchased from Amazon US.

Overall, the Honor Magic5 Pro takes good to very good pictures. The high-end smartphone from the Chinese manufacturer offers a very complete camera package. 

In our review, the Honor smartphone convinces with its bright and 120 Hz fast LTPO display as well as a strong system performance and well-rounded equipment package. Honor has also extended the update supply for its high-end smartphones to 4 years.

Honor's devices are not official available in North America.