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The best phone cameras of 2026: Smartphone photography shoot-out
Besides placing calls, sending text messages and playing time-wasting games on the train, the best smartphones have evolved to become the primary means of capturing images and taking video for the vast majority of people.
Handsets such as the Apple iPhone 17 and Google Pixel 10 are now incredibly adept at photography, employing all sorts of high-end technology: advanced image algorithms, cutting-edge processors, and top-of-the-line sensors help to produce a convincing approximation of results you’d expect from a classic bulky camera, wielded by a professional.
As an experienced tech journalist and smartphone expert, I have spent countless hours assessing the current crop of flagship phones, along with a few cheaper alternatives, to see what they have to offer on the photographic front.
You can read my reviews below, followed by answers to some frequently asked questions. But if you’re in a hurry, here’s a quick look at the top five.
The best camera phones: At a glance
How to choose the best phone camera
First, the good news: any flagship phone released in 2026 will be able to capture excellent images in most lighting conditions. It’s difficult to make a bad decision here. However, each phone has its particular strengths and quirks, if not outright weaknesses.
Your average flagship handset, which typically costs £800 or more, will consist of a multitude of cameras. You’ll have a regular main camera for the majority of image-taking tasks, a special ultrawide sensor for landscape shots and usually a zoom lens. You can also expect a modern phone to feature a good-quality front camera for selfies and video calls. All modern phones should be capable of shooting 4K resolution video footage at high detail.
While the general standard of phone cameras is high, it’s worth establishing your own photographic tastes and habits before deciding what features you need. Do you snap mostly stills or video footage? Are you a selfie fanatic, or do you love zooming in on your subject from afar? Do you like your phone to do all the hard work for you, or would you prefer a degree of manual editing control?
Whatever your answers to these questions, one of the following phones in this guide should be ideal for you.
