These days, when someone casually says they will take a photo, it can almost seem like a foregone conclusion that they will do so with their smartphone rather than a dedicated, standalone camera.
It’s easy to see why, given that phones can usually fit into a pocket with ease – whereas even the best compact cameras can often take up most of a pocket if they fit into it at all, as Digital Camera World notes. So, here’s a look at some of the best camera phones currently available…
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
Given that the iPhone has often been deemed to represent the gold standard when it comes to smartphone camera technology, you could understandably assume that the most high-end iPhone in production right now must surely have the best smartphone camera, full stop.
That particular iPhone is the iPhone 13 Pro Max – but you might be surprised to learn that the smaller (and cheaper) regular iPhone 13 Pro actually matches it in photographic performance.
Apple iPhone 13 Pro
While the Max’s screen spans 6.7 inches, the standard Pro’s display is a more manageable 6.1 inches. The phone’s triple-lens rear camera integrates a standard lens, ultra-wide lens and telephoto lens – with the ultra-wide one making low-light conditions easier to accurately capture.
All in all, the Pro produces both images and video footage of spectacular quality – even if those captured on 2020’s iPhone 12 Pro are nearly as good. Indeed, the 13 Pro’s high asking price means that you should probably consider alternative mobile phones if you are on a budget.
Google Pixel 6 Pro
Google’s Pixel line of smartphones has certainly been giving the iPhone a run for its money in the camera stakes – and this trend continues with the Pixel 6 Pro’s rear-facing camera system.
At its heart is a 26mm wide-angle camera with a 50-megapixel sensor, omnidirectional phase-detection autofocus and laser autofocus. The camera array also includes a 12-megapixel ultra-wide module and, especially impressively, a periscope zoom camera with a 48-megapixel sensor.
Huawei P40 Pro+
Which smartphone’s camera has the best zoom function? The Sun gives this accolade to the Huawei P40 Pro+, pointing out that one of the handset’s two telephoto lenses is at 3x zoom while the other reaches a stunning 10x.
The site notes that, while the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra does sport a 100x zoom, “anything shot above 10x starts losing detail in smartphone photography, and in a zoom battle up to 50x, the Pro+ still wins”, albeit not by a huge margin. So, how else does the Ultra excel?
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Arguably the best smartphone camera currently on the market is housed in this beast, which features a grand total of four rear cameras: a 108-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera and two 10-megapixel telephoto cameras.
While the S21 Ultra’s screen is admittedly pretty big at 6.8 inches, this would make it easier for you to assess the quality of photos and video on the phone itself before sending or posting them online.
