I took over 10,000 pictures on 13 completely different flagship telephones, and this is what I discovered

Over the previous 12 months, I’ve shot greater than 10,000 pictures throughout 13 completely different flagship smartphones, and having put every system via the total spectrum of real-world use, I’ve had the prospect to take a look at the smartphone panorama past our typical assessment interval home windows.

This may not be an exhaustive record, however these are the gadgets that caught my consideration and are price contemplating should you’re planning to purchase a telephone particularly for images.

My prime picks

Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely

The Galaxy S25 Ultra was one of the iterative telephones in 2025, and that was each its biggest power and its most persistent limitation; the foremost {hardware} change to the digital camera system was the soar to a 50MP ultrawide sensor, which changed the growing older 12MP unit from its predecessor.

Carried over have been the 200MP fundamental sensor, 50MP 5x telephoto, and 10MP 3x telephoto, rounding out a system that, on paper, stays one of the versatile within the business. With its breadth of focal lengths and sensors, Samsung continues to differentiate itself in consistency throughout its cameras, rivaled solely by the iPhone.

Switching between the ultrawide, fundamental, and telephoto lenses produces photos with remarkably cohesive colour science; the white steadiness and publicity not often shift in ways in which really feel jarring, an issue too many competing flagships nonetheless have not resolved.

Sharpness and element from the ultrawide and telephoto lenses are usually sturdy, and the general expertise of transferring between zoom ranges feels significantly smoother in comparison with the likes of Google, OnePlus, or Xiaomi.

The principle sensor

What makes the Galaxy S25 Extremely notably sturdy is its fundamental 200MP sensor, which, whereas technically spectacular, is in the end carried by Samsung’s exceptionally constant computational images; for auto-mode reliability, it stays one of the reliable shooters I’ve examined. In perfect lighting, the primary sensor produces richly detailed pictures with punchy distinction and vibrancy in heat tones, remaining pure with out getting too oversaturated.

It is not with out faults, nevertheless. The 200MP fundamental sensor carries ahead some irritating baggage comparable to occasional focus looking, particularly in reasonable and low-light situations the place center-frame topics nonetheless come again gentle and grainy. I skilled an identical subject on the Galaxy S24 Extremely, and the truth that Samsung has had a full product cycle to deal with it makes its persistence more durable to forgive.

Shutter lag compounds this drawback the place there generally is a noticeable delay between urgent the seize button and the precise picture being recorded, which implies any slight hand motion in that half-second hole can produce undesirable blur.This has improved throughout software program updates, nevertheless it stays an annoyance, notably when taking pictures at 50MP or larger on the primary sensor.

Regardless, the 200MP fundamental sensor paired with Samsung’s processing has made the Galaxy S25 Extremely one of the dependable gadgets to shoot on, and this profit additionally extends to the Galaxy S25 Edge and the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which carry these significant implications over for his or her respective digital camera programs.

The principle digital camera on the Galaxy S25 Edge and Z Fold7 look significantly better over the bottom Galaxy S25 and S25+, and is a major improve over the Z Fold 6, although the supporting focal lengths diminished noticeably in high quality. In case you’re available in the market for both and do not usually depend on the ultrawide or telephoto, you will discover the primary sensor on these telephones greater than satisfying.

Total, the Galaxy S25 Extremely stays a wonderful images package deal, and with the launch of the Galaxy S26 series, I sit up for seeing if Samsung maintains the identical match and end with the digital camera.

Xiaomi 15 Extremely

If Xiaomi bought this telephone in North America, it might simply take the highest suggestion throughout the board for images efficiency; the 15 Extremely carries what’s, in my evaluation, one of the succesful digital camera programs obtainable on any smartphone, anchored by its 1-inch Sony LYT-900 fundamental sensor that captures photos with a depth and authenticity that the majority flagships merely can not replicate.

The place Google and Samsung lean closely on computational processing to supply photos which are technically flawless, with frames sharpened edge to edge, brilliant, and evenly uncovered, Xiaomi leans into what the {hardware} naturally captures, and that differentiation produces outcomes in contrast to anything on this class.

Shadows keep deep and darkish, and the distinction is punchy with out feeling over-processed. The pure depth-of-field from that large sensor produces pictures that seem like they got here from a devoted digital camera, freed from the fringing or focus irregularities that enormous sensors typically introduce.

Xiaomi layers in Leica colour profiles that reinforce the photographs’ character additional, and the handbook Professional mode produces RAW information that maintain up towards Apple’s ProRAW in each constancy and editability. That mentioned, I do discover the Leica presets generally is a little jarring sometimes, and would a lot want a daily taking pictures mode exterior of Professional mode to take pictures that lets the {hardware} communicate for itself.

The telephoto system is equally spectacular, consisting of a 200MP periscope sensor that handles the lengthy vary whereas a 3x telephoto handles macro pictures all the way down to 10cm, filling the mid-range very properly. The periscope unit pulls in considerably extra mild than its predecessor, and whereas Xiaomi sacrificed the mechanical aperture from the 14 Extremely to accommodate the bigger sensor, the trade-off is properly price it; the telephoto is sharper, extra versatile, and way more sensible for on a regular basis taking pictures than what got here earlier than. Xiaomi’s processing shouldn’t be flawless.

My fundamental gripe with this digital camera system is the white steadiness shifting unexpectedly between pictures and between lenses. Moreover, edge detection sometimes falters in ways in which Google’s or Samsung’s computational pipeline doesn’t. These inconsistencies stop the 15 Extremely from matching the shot-to-shot reliability of a Pixel or Galaxy or iPhone, however they’re minor blemishes on a system that produces essentially the most visually compelling photos of any telephone I examined. For anybody who values how a photograph appears to be like and feels over how technically exact its processing is, the Xiaomi 15 Extremely is in a category of its personal.

Apple iPhone 17 Professional

The iPhone 17 Pro is the telephone I spent essentially the most time with, and that point has made the case for what Apple has been quietly constructing towards. Apple has spent years making very conservative and incremental refinements to its digital camera system, and the iPhone 17 Professional is the system the place all of these particular person enhancements converge into one thing that feels genuinely full.

The numerous new improve is the brand new 48MP telephoto lens, which replaces the 12MP sensor from the 16 Professional, and this essentially modifications what this telephone can do at distance. The 16 Professional’s telephoto photos would visibly degrade when cropped and reveal aggressive computational work making an attempt to compensate for a smaller sensor; the 17 Professional’s bigger sensor means much less processing intervention is required, and the distinction reveals.

Zoom pictures are cleaner and extra natural-looking, notably on the full 8x attain the place lens compression creates exceptional depth separation between foreground and background. At night time, the distinction is dramatic; the 17 Professional’s telephoto pulls in sufficient mild to supply genuinely usable low-light zoom pictures that the 16 Professional merely couldn’t handle.

The brand new digital camera does have a pair quirks although. The iPhone will allow you to activate 8x zoom at any distance, but when your topic is nearer than roughly a foot and a half, it silently switches to a crop from the primary sensor fairly than utilizing the telephoto. The standard distinction is seen, and it may be complicated should you’re not conscious of it, however extra stark is the change in compression, which can’t be faked as simply. Stepping again barely solves the difficulty, however it’s the type of unintuitive conduct Apple ought to floor extra clearly.

The principle and ultrawide sensors haven’t modified dramatically in {hardware}, however Apple’s up to date processing pipeline handles difficult lighting situations with noticeably extra finesse this technology.

My favourite facet of the Professional iPhones is the sleek modifying pipeline that ProRAW permits, and it is solely stronger now that each one three sensors are of comparable decision. The iPhone 17 Professional persistently holds up higher via post-editing due to the total 48MP information throughout all three lenses. ProRAW produces photos which are remarkably versatile in post-processing, providing a degree of latitude in publicity restoration and element preservation that no different telephone matches as seamlessly.

If modifying is a part of your images workflow, that is the telephone that makes the modifying workflow really feel like an actual digital camera. The digital camera system has lastly reached some extent the place each lens contributes meaningfully, and the result’s essentially the most balanced, most edit-friendly cell digital camera I’ve used.

Greatest AI suite: Google Pixel 10 Professional

Google’s digital camera {hardware} has all the time performed second fiddle to its computational capabilities, and the Pixel 10 Pro doubles down on that philosophy with essentially the most complete AI-powered images suite obtainable on any telephone.

Options like Digital camera Coach can learn the scene in actual time and provide composition solutions, lighting changes, and mode suggestions earlier than you even take the shot. These nudges, whereas sounding gimmicky, might be genuinely helpful in observe, notably for much less skilled photographers who wish to enhance their eye with out having to assume too deeply about it.

The Pixel 10 Professional is probably greatest identified for Auto Greatest Take, which refines an already sensible characteristic by mechanically combining a number of group pictures right into a single picture the place everybody appears to be like their greatest. Add Me has additionally been expanded to work with bigger teams, making certain the photographer would not must sacrifice their place within the body; this was notably helpful throughout my journeys with a big group of pals.

Whereas these should not flashy {hardware} upgrades like on a few of the different flagships, they deal with the sorts of real-world frustrations that the majority digital camera programs ignore completely. There’s additionally the plethora of further software program options inside Google Images and Pixel Studios, with instruments like Magic Eraser, Transfer, and Zoom Improve extending the modifying pipeline significantly.

The principle frustration with these options, nevertheless, is how dependent the telephone might be on the post-processing; many pictures carry a noticeable processing delay as a result of the post-processing is offloaded to Google’s servers, which requires an lively Wi-Fi or information connection.

Greatest night time digital camera: Honor Magic8 Professional

The Honor Magic8 Pro is one other standout shock of this check, and it makes the case for why North America wants higher competitors within the flagship house. Its digital camera stands above the remaining particularly for telephoto efficiency, and nowhere does that benefit present extra clearly than in low-light environments.

The mix of a giant 1/1.4-inch sensor, 3.7x optical zoom, and CIPA 5.5-rated stabilization produces outcomes that genuinely outperform extra established flagships, just like the Samsung Galaxy, iPhone, and Pixel.

The place the Galaxy S25 Extremely and iPhone 17 Professional each lean on noise discount that tends to smear superb texture at prolonged zoom ranges, the Magic8 Professional retains a degree of element and pure colour that’s instantly seen in side-by-side comparisons. Honor’s AI Adaptive Stabilization system permits for handheld long-exposure captures that different telephones would want a tripod to duplicate, and the ensuing photos carry a texture and constancy that caught me off guard given how little consideration this telephone has acquired relative to its competitors.

Xiaomi’s 15 Extremely gives a comparable {hardware} profile, with its 200MP telephoto representing the opposite critical contender on this class, however Honor is delivering this caliber of zoom efficiency in a tool that doesn’t place itself solely as a digital camera telephone. For photographers who care about telephoto attain and low-light zoom above all else, the Magic8 Professional deserves critical consideration.

Greatest selfie digital camera: Apple iPhone 17 collection

The complete iPhone 17 lineup acquired a major front-facing digital camera improve, and it is the type of enchancment that modifications how you employ the telephone fairly than merely making selfies marginally sharper. The brand new 18MP entrance digital camera makes use of an ultrawide, which means you may seize wider framing with out bodily transferring the telephone additional away.

This additionally permits the iPhones to alter the orientation of the selfie itself, so that you need not rotate the system to alter the composition. Additionally, it goes with out saying, Apple continues to be top-of-the-line by way of dealing with pores and skin tones in powerful lighting conditions.

The ensuing versatility of this new selfie digital camera makes it considerably extra helpful. Even for individuals who not often take selfies, that is the place the improve issues most, as a result of the broader discipline of view and compositional flexibility open up the entrance digital camera for different issues like video calls, and informal images in conditions the place flipping to the rear digital camera is impractical.

The one I would like improved: Nothing Cellphone (3)

Painful as it’s, the Nothing Phone (3) is a superb system that stumbles within the digital camera division. Whereas the remainder of the telephone feels polished and aggressive, practically indistinguishable from dearer flagships in every day use, the digital camera system is the weakest hyperlink in an in any other case cohesive expertise.

The principle 50MP sensor performs fairly properly and produces detailed photos that maintain up properly in good mild with strong distinction, tone, and colour science. The 3x optical zoom telephoto follows shut behind, sustaining cheap sharpness and element in brilliant scenes with a usable in-sensor crop to 6x, although it trails noticeably behind the Galaxy S25 and falls additional nonetheless from the Pixel 10.

The ultrawide, nevertheless, is essentially the most disappointing of the three. Pictures look superb at full view, however any try to zoom in reveals a scarcity of element and noticeable warping on the body edges. The bigger subject, although, is consistency. Switching between the three rear cameras produces seen shifts in colour steadiness and tonal character, and indoor taking pictures is especially unreliable; some pictures land completely whereas the following comes out flat with no change in situations.

This inconsistency makes it inconceivable to belief the digital camera in the best way you may belief the iPhone 17 at an identical or cheaper price level. Nothing constructed an distinctive telephone round a digital camera system that merely can not preserve tempo with the iPhone 17, Galaxy S25, and Pixel 10 at comparable or cheaper price factors, and that hole defines the expertise.

Last ideas

2025, and the early half of 2026, has been one of the aggressive years for smartphone images in latest reminiscence. The hole between the perfect and worst cameras on this record is narrower than ever, which makes the variations that do exist extra significant. Samsung’s versatility, Xiaomi’s uncooked imaging character, and Apple’s editing-first method every symbolize genuinely completely different philosophies about what a digital camera telephone ought to prioritize, and none of them is fallacious.

What taking pictures 10,000-plus photos throughout these gadgets makes clear is that the computational processes utilized by every of those gadgets matter far more than particular person {hardware} specs, however higher {hardware} with the best software program nonetheless yields these general outcomes. The Xiaomi 15 Extremely and the Google Pixel 10 Professional sit at reverse ends of that spectrum; one trusts its {hardware} extra to ship genuine photos whereas the opposite trusts its software program extra to good each shot, and each produce glorious outcomes via essentially completely different means.

The telephones that struggled most this 12 months have been those that might not decide to both method with sufficient conviction. If I had to decide on one telephone as my solely digital camera for the following 12 months, the Xiaomi 15 Extremely could be it, restricted availability and all. For these of us shopping for telephones via standard North American channels, the iPhone 17 Professional’s mixture of {hardware} completeness and post-editing flexibility makes it essentially the most sensible selection, whereas the Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely stays the most secure guess for versatility.