Best camera phones to buy (2023)

In this article, we have selected phones with the best cameras. These newest Samsung, iPhone, Google Pixel, Huawei, Sony and OnePlus models are roughly in the same price range and each one delivers excellent photo quality. Let's go to the details!

Why do new phones have so many cameras?

Taking good quality photos isn't reserved for professional photographers and this is why when choosing a new smartphone, the camera characteristics can be a decisive factor. As technology progresses quickly, we are no longer surprised by phones with multiple cameras. However, do we really need them, and why are they there? Adding cameras to a device allows the manufacturer to integrate different lenses with different purposes. For example, wide lenses are used to get more area into your photo, whereas telephoto cameras are for optical zoom. Sometimes, cameras can also work together to give you an optimal experience.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is the newest flagman phone of the brand, released in February of 2023. Its main camera has a resolution of 200 MP! But the main thing is not even in the number of pixels, but in the system for optimizing the capabilities of cameras and the Nightography technology that allows you to take clear pictures in the dark. S23 Ultra has four rear cameras (200MP, wide, f/1.7, 10MP periscope сamera with 10x optical zoom, f/4.9, 10MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, f/2.4, and 12MP ultra-wide, 120-degree, f/2.2 camera), plus one 12MP selfie camera.

Samsung's latest smartphone also offers outstanding video recording capabilities with video-recording resolution UHD 8K (7680 x 4320) at 30 fps. And of course, as you might think, it has an outstanding price, starting from $1199.

If you don't want to pay that much and want to get a Samsung with a great camera, then check out its predecessor, Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.

iPhone 14 Pro

The iPhone 14 Pro was released in September 2022 and had one of the best cameras available. The iPhone 14 Pro has a new 48MP main camera, 12MP Telephoto camera (3x zoom), and 12MP ultra-wide camera.

The main camera (wide-angle) provides photos with low noise levels, good sharpness, and exact white balance. The Photonic Engine ыныеуь delivers amazing color detail with tons of shading, and the TrueDepth autofocus on the front camera works great. The dynamic range is okay. Regarding the ultra-wide angle camera, the photos come out with good contrast, realistic white balance, and colors. On the other hand, the telephoto lens provides great details, good contrast, a balanced dynamic range with a well-controlled HDR. The iPhone 14 Pro uses the built-in LiDAR scanner to help with nighttime portraits, and also to work with Augmented Reality and make measurements.

The price of iPhone 14 Pro, in its basic configuration (128 GB storage), starts from $999.

Huawei P 50 Pro

Keeping the brand's tradition, Huawei P 50 Pro comes with three rear cameras: a 50MP wide camera, 13MP ultra-wide sensor, 40MP monochrome sensor, 64MP periscope and 3.5x optical camera. The front camera has 13MP and also provides a wide range.

New Huawei XD optics and XD Fusion Pro imaging engine let in more light, capturing patterns and textures with huge clarity and sharpness, and noise almost does not exist. Nighttime shots are also great: the colors are vivid and preserved, the highlights and shadows are well-balanced, and there is no blurry halo around the light sources.

The smartphone has an updated image processor Huawei XD Fusion Pro, which makes the image even more detailed. The matrix of the main camera is very impressive, as well as the SuperZoom capabilities. True-Chroma Image Engine technology automatically recognizes light intensity. The phone is also very good at taking super close-up macro shots that capture the tiniest details.

The basic Huawei P 50 Pro version costs about $830.

OnePlus 10 Pro

The rear camera of the OnePlus 10 Pro has been developed in collaboration with the optics manufacturer Hasselblad and has four sensors: 48MP wide, 50MP ultra-wide Samsung ISOCELL JN1 (150-degree) sensor, and 8MP telephoto (3.3x optical zoom). The camera for selfies is 32MP, twice as much as the previous model 9 Pro.

The main OpenPlus 10 Pro camera is great. It provides a wide focal length and perfectly captures light and shadows. The main camera can capture a lot of detail even in low light conditions, and the night mode also allows you to take pictures with a good dynamic range. The ultrawide-angle camera is decent, and the freeform lens corrects perspective distortion before the image touches the sensor. The telephoto snapper is also good, and the photos are very detailed.

The price of OnePlus 10 Pro starts at $799, which makes it the most budget of this list. If the camera is the only feature that matters to you when choosing a phone, then we recommend having a look at the OnePlus 9 Pro or even at OnePlus 8 Pro - although an older models, they have great camera performance regarding details precision, noise level, and white balance accuracy.

Google Pixel 7 Pro

Google Pixel 7 Pro has three rear cameras: a main 50 MP Octa PD Quad Bayer wide camera, a 48MP Quad Bayer PD telephoto camera, and a 12 MP ultra-wide camera with autofocus. The front camera is 10.8MP.

Google's Real Tone technology allows for taking outstanding shots. This results in vibrant colors, good contrast, and accurate white balance. The Night Sight mode helps by reducing the noise levels.

With this phone, Google has done a very good job of increasing the telephoto capabilities that approach those of a professional camera. At 15x magnification and beyond, the zoom stabilization system is activated, which allows you to clearly focus on the image. And so on up to a 30х! In addition, the ultra-wide camera on the Pixel 7 Pro has also received an upgrade to 125.8° and automatic Macro Focus technology, which allows you to get very close to the subject. You can find a detailed specification of Google Pixel 7 Pro cameras on the manufacturer's official website.

The price of Google Pixel 7 Pro starts from $899.

SONY Xperia 1 IV

The Xperia 1 IV continues the brand's tradition of making smartphones that remind you of professional cameras in terms of features and features. To start at least with the shutter button, the feel of pressing it is no different from the experience of a traditional camera. And by clicking on it a little, you will find the focus. Optical zoom from 3.5x to 5.2x will also give you the opportunity to feel like a professional photographer.

SONY Xperia 1 IV comes with three rear cameras: a 12MP wide camera, f/1.7, 12MP telephoto with 3.5x-5.2x optical zoom, f/2.3, 12MP ultra-wide camera, 124-degree, f/2.2. The front camera has 12MP and also provides a wide range.