If you are looking for a smartphone that can take stunning photos and videos, you might be overwhelmed by the choices available in the market. There are so many factors to consider, such as the camera hardware, software, features, modes, and performance. To help you narrow down your options, we have compiled a list of the best smartphones for photography in 2023, based on our testing and research. Here are our top picks:
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is the best overall smartphone for photography, thanks to its versatile and powerful camera system. It has a main sensor that can switch between 200MP, 50MP, or 12MP resolutions, depending on the lighting and scene conditions. It also has two telephoto lenses that offer 3x and 10x optical zoom, as well as a 12MP ultra-wide-angle lens that captures more of the surroundings. The front-facing camera is also impressive, with a 12MP sensor and autofocus.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra excels in both photo and video quality, delivering sharp, detailed, and vibrant images and clips in various scenarios. It has a Pro mode that lets you adjust various settings manually, such as ISO, shutter speed, white balance, and focus. It also supports RAW capture for more editing flexibility. The video recording resolution goes up to 8K at 30fps, or 4K at 120fps for smooth slow-motion effects. The camera app also offers various features and modes, such as Night mode, Portrait mode, Single Take, Director’s View, and more.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra is not only a great camera phone, but also a premium flagship device that offers a stunning 6.8-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, a powerful Snapdragon 898 processor with 12GB or 16GB of RAM, a huge 5000mAh battery with fast charging and wireless charging support, and an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. It also has an S Pen stylus that can enhance your productivity and creativity. The Galaxy S23 Ultra is not cheap, starting at $1,200, but it is worth every penny if you want the best of the best.
Google Pixel 7 Pro
The Google Pixel 7 Pro is the best smartphone for computational photography, meaning that it uses advanced software algorithms to enhance the photos and videos it captures. The Pixel 7 Pro has a main sensor of 50MP that uses pixel binning to produce 12.5MP images with more dynamic range and less noise. It also has a 48MP telephoto lens that offers 4x optical zoom and up to 20x digital zoom, as well as a 12MP ultra-wide-angle lens that covers a wider field of view.
The Pixel 7 Pro shines in low-light situations, thanks to its Night Sight mode that can brighten up dark scenes without losing details or colors. It also has an Astrophotography mode that can capture stunning shots of the night sky with long exposures. The Portrait mode is also impressive, creating natural-looking bokeh effects and accurate edge detection. The video recording resolution goes up to 4K at 60fps or 1080p at 240fps for slow-motion effects. The camera app also offers features such as HDR+, Top Shot, Motion Photos, Cinematic Panorama, and more.
The Pixel 7 Pro is also a great flagship device that offers a beautiful 6.7-inch OLED display with adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz, a fast Snapdragon 888 processor with 8GB or 12GB of RAM, a decent 5000mAh battery with fast charging and wireless charging support, and an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. It also runs on the latest Android 12 operating system with exclusive features such as Material You design language, Live Translate captions, Hold for Me assistant, and more. The Pixel 7 Pro starts at $899, which is reasonable for what it offers.
iPhone 14 Pro
The iPhone 14 Pro is the best smartphone for video recording, thanks to its cinematic features and performance. It has a main sensor of
12MP with an f/1.5 aperture and sensor-shift stabilization that reduces blur and shake. It also has a 12MP telephoto lens that offers
3x optical zoom and up to 15x digital zoom, as well as a 12MP ultra-wide-angle lens that has an f/1.8 aperture and autofocus.
The front-facing camera is also excellent, with a 12MP sensor and an f/2.2 aperture.
The iPhone 14 Pro can record videos up to 4K at 60fps or HDR Dolby Vision at 30fps. It also has a ProRes mode that lets you record videos in a high-quality format that is ideal for editing and color grading. The camera app also offers features such as Cinematic mode, which creates depth-of-field effects and focus transitions automatically or manually, Night mode, Portrait mode, Time-lapse, Slo-mo, and more.
The iPhone 14 Pro is also a superb flagship device that offers a gorgeous 6.1-inch OLED display with ProMotion technology that adjusts the refresh rate up to 120Hz, a powerful A15 Bionic processor with 6GB of RAM, a long-lasting 3095mAh battery with fast charging and MagSafe wireless charging support, and an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. It also runs on the latest iOS 15 operating system with exclusive features such as FaceTime SharePlay, Live Text, Focus mode, and more. The iPhone 14 Pro starts at $999, which is competitive for what it offers.
Xiaomi 13 Pro
The Xiaomi 13 Pro is the best smartphone for Pro mode photography, thanks to its extensive and intuitive manual controls. It has a main sensor of 108MP that uses pixel binning to produce 27MP images with more clarity and detail. It also has a 13MP telephoto lens that offers 3x optical zoom and up to 30x digital zoom, as well as an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens that has a macro mode for close-up shots. The front-facing camera is also decent, with a 20MP sensor and an f/2.2 aperture.
The Xiaomi 13 Pro can capture stunning photos in various scenarios, especially when using the Pro mode. The Pro mode lets you adjust various settings manually, such as ISO, shutter speed, white balance, focus, exposure compensation, metering mode, and more. It also supports RAW capture for more editing flexibility. The video recording resolution goes up to 8K at 30fps or 4K at 60fps. The camera app also offers features such as Night mode, Portrait mode, Long exposure, Clone, Vlog, and more.
The Xiaomi 13 Pro is also a great flagship device that offers a beautiful 6.67-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, a fast Snapdragon 888 processor with 8GB or 12GB of RAM, a large 5000mAh battery with fast charging and wireless charging support, and an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. It also runs on the MIUI 13 operating system based on Android 12 with features such as Super Wallpaper, Floating Window, Second Space, and more. The Xiaomi 13 Pro starts at $699, which is affordable for what it offers.
