The best smartphones for taking photos in 2024

The best camera is the one you always have with you. This is how our phones have become the perfect tools for capturing our everyday memories. Manufacturers have understood this well and do not hesitate to multiply the sensors on their most expensive products. But let’s not beat around the bush any longer, here is our buying guide to the best smartphones for photography in 2024 .

What are the best smartphones for taking photos?

Unsurprisingly, the smartphones that take the best photos are often the most expensive. So you won’t be surprised to find some clearly high-end phones in our selection. However, we have added a model for less than 500 euros that stands out particularly well.

1. Xiaomi 14 Ultra: a real slap in the face in photos

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has hit hard in the small world of mobile photography by offering a camera that has amazed us. Its huge camera block is composed of four 50 Mpx modules:

a wide-angle, an ultra-wide-angle and two telephoto lenses offering respectively an optical zoom x3.2 and x5.

We’re not going to beat around the bush, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra takes photos of remarkable quality, in all lighting situations and on all focal lengths offered.

Special mention to the two telephoto lenses that offer great precision. Beyond the x5 zoom, the image processing algorithms allow for shots with an excellent digital zoom. Up to the x10 zoom, the result is impeccable. Beyond that, the loss of quality is a little more noticeable, but the photos remain largely usable.

Thanks to its partnership with Leica, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra offers two photographic styles that can be changed on the fly: “Leica Authentic” and “Leica Vibrant”. The first displays natural colors, the second more vivid colors.

It’s up to you to choose the rendering you prefer. In both cases, the result is there. Also note that Xiaomi offers an optional “Pro Photo Pack” for 200 euros which includes a handle.

The latter, which attaches to the smartphone via the USB-C port, improves the grip while adding very practical buttons for photography. To find out more, we refer you to our full test of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra .

2. Honor Magic 6 Pro: the image magician

Honor had already done this with the Magic 5 Pro and is driving the point home with the Magic 6 Pro, which has earned a well-deserved place among the most convincing camera phones on the market.

It benefits from a camera unit equipped with three modules on the back: a wide-angle and an ultra-wide-angle of 50 Mpx each and a 180 Mpx telephoto lens offering a 2.5x optical zoom. The selfie camera is not left out with a lens that is also 50 Mpx.

The result? A smartphone that is comfortable in all situations, day and night, near and far. The colorimetry is perfectly managed, the sharpness is there and the night shots are very well detailed.

The group photos taken with the selfie camera are also of excellent quality, as are the HDR videos in 4K. Of course, the phone does not have the most powerful optical zoom on the market, but the digital zoom and software processing make the difference, allowing you to obtain very good quality shots up to x10.

For the rest, the Magic 6 Pro can boast of impeccable manufacturing quality, a very bright 120 Hz OLED screen and a generous battery that gives it a battery life of up to two days.

We also appreciate some specific features of its MagicOS 8 interface such as the large folders that allow you to organize your applications better. Some will criticize its curved screen or its imposing size, but this ultimately weighs very little compared to the many qualities of this peerless “photophone”.

3. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max: a safe bet

After being slightly behind the competition with the iPhone 14 Pro (and Max), Apple has gone all out this year on the photographic capabilities of its iPhone 15 Pro Max .

This translates into a camera block with three modules: a 48 Mpx wide-angle, a 12 Mpx ultra-wide-angle and a 12 Mpx telephoto (periscopic) lens. A great versatility that above all allows Apple to stand up to the competition by offering a high-quality x5 optical zoom, day and night.

Where the iPhone 15 Pro Max still holds its own against its pursuers is in the video department. The phone can film up to 4K at 60 fps, but also in 10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR, and the brand’s proprietary ProRes format. Cinematic mode, which allows for background blur, is still there, up to 4K at 60 fps. New this year is 3D video capture for Apple’s Vision Pro headset.

The iOS interface is obviously an argument in its favor, as is the “Dynamic Island” pill that hides the front sensors, but also serves as a notification area used ingeniously by iOS.

The “action” button to which a specific action can be assigned is also appreciable, as is the arrival (finally) of a USB-C connector. In addition, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is one of the most enduring smartphones on the market, but we still criticize its charging speed, which is quite slow for a smartphone of this caliber.

4. Google Pixel 8 Pro: total mastery

Like its predecessors, the Google Pixel 8 Pro focuses on the quality of the shots it is capable of taking, but also its photo editing features.

Indeed, the camera unit is far from being the most technically impressive, but Google makes all the difference thanks to its image processing algorithms that stay one step ahead of the competition.

With a 50 Mpx wide-angle module, a 48 Mpx ultra-wide-angle and a telephoto lens of the same definition, the configuration of the Pixel 8 Pro is quite classic for a “premium” mobile.

In our test, we praised the overall quality of the shots which are detailed and with colors saturated enough to flatter the eye. The x5 optical zoom is impeccable, and the digital zoom is not far from being up to x10. The other photo component not to be neglected concerns the retouching which is boosted by artificial intelligence.

Indeed, this year Google has hit hard with its “best shot” mode which allows everyone to be put to their advantage when you take several photos of the same scene. Thus, it is possible to put the best head for each person on the entire photo shoot. A feature as powerful as it is practical. Other AI features like “surround to search” are also very practical on a daily basis. As you can see, in addition to taking beautiful photos, the Pixel 8 Pro can still improve them afterwards.

5. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: the know-how of the Korean giant

Samsung has little left to prove in terms of mobile photography and proves it once again brilliantly with its Galaxy S24 Ultra . However, the Korean brand made a bold choice this year by replacing its telephoto lens offering a 10x optical zoom on the S23 Ultra with a 5x telephoto lens on the S24 Ultra. The difference comes from the fact that the latter is now 50 Mpx and no longer 10 Mpx. Samsung is counting on this greater definition to come and “cut into the image” in order to obtain an equivalent quality in x10.

In fact, this is not exactly the case if we compare the photos side by side. Indeed, the 10x optical zoom of the S23 Ultra still offers a little more detail. On the other hand, the 5x optical zoom of the S24 Ultra is much superior to that of its predecessor. Aware that the 5x zoom is more used than the 10x, Samsung seems to have found the best compromise here.

The design of the S24 Ultra is still as unique as ever, provided you like large smartphones with sharp corners. Another strong argument for the product: 7 years of Android and security updates, a first for the brand, but a simple “catch-up” on the Pixel 8 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max which offer similar support. You can also count on two days of battery life and a relatively fast 45W recharge.

6. Google Pixel 8a: the best photo smartphone under 500 euros

For the last smartphone in our buying guide, we decided to present to you the one that, in our opinion, is the best smartphone for photography under 500 euros: the Pixel 8a. It represents, even better than the Pixel 8 Pro, Google’s software know-how. Indeed, its two 64 and 13 Mpx camera modules (wide-angle and ultra-wide-angle) are very classic. But Google’s “magic” still has its effect, with post-processing of photos that often have little to envy much more expensive mobiles.

To go further: our test of the Google Pixel 8a, an incredible quality/price ratio in a compact and durable smartphone

The difference is mainly in the zoom. In the absence of a telephoto lens, the digital zoom of the Google Pixel 8a cannot compete with the best camera phones presented above. Remember that this mid-range smartphone from Google is probably the best value for money if you want to take beautiful photos every day without having to spend a minimum wage.

Among the other assets of the phone, we will remember its compact format, its OLED screen, finally in 120 Hz, or its Pixel interface as refined as it is complete. We will criticize its 18W charge, always too slow, as well as the absence of a charger in the box. A safe bet.

Useful information to know before buying a smartphone to take photos

Does megapixel count matter?

The short answer is no. Obviously, a 48MP camera module will be able to capture more detailed photos than a 12MP one, and even brighter ones using pixel binning technology. That being said, 12MP is more than enough to view your photos on your smartphone or share them on social networks. The number of megapixels therefore has an influence on the quality, but does not guarantee it.

How to take beautiful photos with your smartphone?

Mobiles are designed to take photos very simply in “point and shoot” mode. But as you have seen with Aunt Jaqueline’s photos, this is not a guarantee of quality. We advise you to learn to master the photo application, but also to help yourself with the framing grid and the rule of thirds. We will also never emphasize enough the importance of natural light for a better rendering. For night shots, prefer the night mode to the flash which rarely does justice to what you are photographing.

What is the best smartphone for making videos?

Without wanting to end the debate too quickly, and according to our tests, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is currently the best smartphone for taking videos . For more explanations, refer to the paragraph of this guide that talks about video on these models. The Galaxy S24 Ultra is also excellent, especially in low light. We also appreciate the “Director” mode of the S24 Ultra which allows you to film simultaneously with the front and rear camera block, which is perfect for vlogs.

Check out our other guides on the best phones of the moment

Because there’s more to life than photography and everyone has a budget to spend on buying a phone, here are our guides to the best smartphones by price range in 2024. Enjoy reading: