5 Best Smartphones for Taking Photos
Do you enjoy taking photos? Are you the one who is constantly snapping photographs of everything you see? I’m sure you know that smartphones are now better than ever at taking professional-grade photos.
Top 3 Best Smartphones for Photography:
- Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max – Reviewers are claiming that the new iPhone 17 Pro Max is Apple’s top 2025 model. It is designed for speed and long battery life. The camera has new and improved features.
- Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra – the S25 Ultra brings a quad camera setup: a 200 MP main sensor, a periscope 5x optical zoom telephoto, a 3x telephoto, and a high-resolution ultra-wide (50 MP).
- OnePlus 13 – Its camera setup includes three 50 MP lenses (wide, ultra-wide, and a 3x telephoto), all with optical stabilization, plus a 32 MP selfie camera.
Keep reading to discover many more contenders for the best smartphones for taking photos.
What to Look for in a Smartphone Camera
I have always loved photography for as long as I can remember. I started with a film Nikon in the early 80s and moved to digital photography when it became available. Game changer! I have since owned professional Canon DSLRs and enjoy taking photos whenever possible.
I was not too impressed when smartphones introduced cameras in the early 2000s. They were basic and didn’t take good photos at all. Through the years, whenever I upgraded my smartphone, I would notice that companies like Apple were putting more emphasis on creating better cameras.
I first realized that my smartphone took excellent photos when I purchased the iPhone 13 Pro Max. It had a zoom lens and a macro feature that genuinely impressed me. Since then, Apple has consistently added more features and offered better lenses.
Here is a list of key features that you should look for when shopping for a smartphone that takes great photos.
Sensor Size and Lens Quality
Light is needed to take photographs. The sensor is the part of the camera that captures light. The bigger the sensor, the more light is let into the camera. When shopping for a smartphone that takes good-quality photos, look for the sensor size over the number of pixels (we´ll go over that in a bit).
Most cameras on smartphones will automatically adjust to fit the situation you are shooting in. When shooting in manual mode, look for a lower aperture number (f-stops). F1.6/F1.8, for example, will allow more light in and is best for low-light situations.
Optical Zoom
A good zoom lens is necessary if you like to take photos from a distance. A 3X zoom, for example, will bring your subject 3 times closer and keep the photo sharp.
Zoom lenses on smartphones have historically been of poor quality, but smartphone manufacturers are continuously evolving and producing better lenses.
Macro Lens Options
Many high-rated smartphones now offer macro lenses. A macro lens will allow you to take photos close to your subject. The really good macro lenses will let you get to 1” of your subject to capture small details.
Night Mode (Low Light Performance)
Many newer models offer night-mode photography. That means that you can take quality photos in low light with less noise.
Pixels (Megapixels)
Pixels are best explained as being one tiny dot of light and color in your photo. The more pixels, the more details you will see in your photos. Megapixel means 1 million pixels. A smartphone that offers 12 MP means that there are 12 million dots in each photo you take.
This is to be taken into consideration if you plan on printing your photos.
Extra Smartphone Features
Battery Life
Battery life is important when you spend a lot of time taking photos and videos. Smartphones vary in this category.
Video Capabilities
Chances are, you are also into videography if you like taking photos with your smartphone. With the advent of TikTok and other Apps that are all about videos, smartphone brands are keeping up with the demand for better quality videos.
How We Chose These Smartphones
To choose the best smartphones for taking photos, we analyzed reviews from professionals and real-life users alike.
Here are the key features that we were looking for:
- Good Quality Lenses
- Multiple Lenses Integrated
- Good Sensor Size and Pixels
- Reliable Night Mode
- Good Quality/Price
Best Smartphones for Great Photographs
In most reviews we analyzed, from Wired to PetaPixel, almost all included these three smartphones on their top lists.
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
The new iPhone 17 Pro Max just made its way into the Apple stores worldwide. The cameras on the iPhones seemed to have the same characteristics in recent years, with little to no improvements or new features.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max changes that. Reviewers are claiming that the iPhone 17 Pro Max is Apple’s top 2025 model. It is designed for speed and long battery life. The camera has new, improved features. The 6.9” screen is brighter than ever, making it easy to use outdoors. The new A19 Pro chip keeps performance smooth even under heavy use.
On the photography side, it has three 48 MP rear cameras plus an upgraded 18 MP front camera. The telephoto lens offers 4x optical zoom and up to 8x optical-quality zoom. It’s a great smartphone for portraits, travel, and taking shots at a distance.
“Battery life is impressive at nearly 18 hours, outperforming Samsung’s S25 Ultra and lasting significantly longer than previous iPhones.” — Tom’s Guide
Best Features:
- Triple 48 MP rear cameras
- 4x optical and 8x optical-quality zoom
- 18 MP selfie camera with auto-framing
- Bright 6.9” OLED display
- Excellent battery life
Pros:
- Long battery life
- Bright display
- Fast performance
- Premium build
Cons:
- Large and heavy
- Very expensive
- Camera bump/lenses prone to scratches
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
The Galaxy S25 Ultra is Samsung’s top Android flagship for 2025. It has a large 6.9” display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and a durable glass/metal build. Performance is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, making it fast and polished in everyday use. AI tools and software enhancements add useful tweaks for photo editing and productivity.
On the camera side, the S25 Ultra brings a quad camera setup: a 200 MP main sensor, a periscope 5x optical zoom telephoto, a 3x telephoto, and a high-resolution ultra-wide (50 MP) lens. These give a lot of flexibility for distant shots, wide landscapes, and even detailed close shots. Battery life is strong, and many reviewers say it lasts well through heavy usage.
“The ultra-wide camera’s upgrade to 50-megapixels does pay off, as ultra-shots are noticeably sharper and better quality at night.” — Forbes
Best Features:
- 200 MP main camera sensor with high detail
- 5x optical zoom and 3x telephoto
- Strong performance
- Very good battery life
- Durable screen and premium build
Pros:
- Great camera setup
- Excellent display that handles bright outdoor lighting well
- Long-lasting battery
- Powerful chip with smooth performance and AI extras
- Durable design
Cons:
- Expensive
- Large and heavy (less comfortable for one-handed use)
- AI features can be inconsistent
- Charging speed isn’t the fastest compared to rivals
- The S Pen stylus lost some of its advanced Bluetooth functions
OnePlus 13
The OnePlus 13 offers strong performance, long battery life, and a top-quality camera system. It runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip and has a 6.82” display with smooth 120 Hz refresh. A large 6,000 mAh battery with new silicon-carbon tech powers the phone.
The camera setup includes three 50 MP lenses (wide, ultra-wide, and a 3x telephoto) plus a 32 MP selfie camera. They all have optical stabilization, so photos are sharp and colors are natural. This smartphone performs well in most lighting conditions, though it doesn’t quite reach the very top performers in tricky scenarios.
“This is a great all-round phone from OnePlus with fantastic cameras, features, build and design. It’s one of the best phones for its price point.” — Amateur Photographer
Best Features:
- Triple 50 MP cameras with stabilization
- 3x optical zoom telephoto lens
- Fast charging battery
- Premium build with strong water and dust resistance
- Smooth display
Pros:
- Great all-around camera system
- Excellent battery life and charging speeds
- Durable build and premium design
- Fast, smooth performance
Cons:
- Not quite as strong as the best phones in very low light or extreme zoom
- Large and heavy
- Wireless charging is slower than wired charging
- Digital zoom quality drops at high levels
Best Runner-Up Smartphones for Taking Photos
Google Pixel 9 Pro
The Pixel 9 Pro is Google’s high-end model, designed with powerful AI features, strong cameras, and a premium feel. It runs on the Tensor G4 chip and has a bright 6.3” display with adaptive refresh. The Google Pixel 9 Pro comes with long-term software support.
Its camera system includes a 50 MP main lens, a 48 MP ultra-wide, and a 48 MP 5x telephoto lens. The Pixel line is known for consistent image quality, and this model adds improved autofocus. It offers excellent night mode and smart AI tools like Zoom Enhance to sharpen digital zoom shots.
Best Features:
- 50 MP main, 48 MP ultra-wide, and 48 MP 5x telephoto lenses
- Excellent night photography
- AI camera features like Zoom Enhance
- Premium design and smooth display
- Long software support
Pros:
- Consistently sharp, natural-looking photos
- Strong zoom up to 5x
- Useful AI tools for editing and shooting
- High-quality build and display
Cons:
- Colors can look a bit muted compared to rivals
- Battery life is good, but not the best
- Slightly heavy for its size
- Quality drops off at higher digital zoom levels
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
The iPhone 16 Pro Max (2024) is Apple’s large flagship model, built with a titanium frame, thinner bezels, and a 6.9” display. It runs on the A18 Pro chip, offering strong performance and a long battery life. A new Camera Control button was added for quicker photo and video access.
Its triple-camera system includes a 48 MP main lens, a 48 MP ultra-wide, and a 5x telephoto lens. It captures excellent photos in most conditions and delivers some of the best video quality available, with support for 4K at 120 fps.
Best Features:
- 48 MP main, 48 MP ultra-wide, and 5x telephoto lenses
- 4K video at 120 fps
- Camera Control button for faster shooting
- Titanium build with thin bezels
- Long battery life
Pros:
- Excellent photo and video quality
- Strong zoom telephoto lens
- Premium design and durability
- Smooth performance and long software support
Cons:
- Large and heavy
- Macro photography is not as strong as some rivals
- Expensive
- Minor softness in some zoomed-in shots
Read more: 2025 Tech Trends – Navigating the Digital World.
Let’s Have a Conversation:
Do you take photos with your smartphone? Which phone do you have at the moment? Does it have a good camera? Will you be upgrading to one of the smartphones on our list? Tell us about it in the comments below.
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