The 7 best phones for photography in 2025...

At least that's what the experts say...

Hi,

Since you're here, I assume you're wondering which smartphones are the best for taking photos...

Maybe you want to take better, higher-quality pictures, or maybe you're just a little bit surprised by how far technology has advanced.

And yes...

Finding a phone with the best camera isn't actually that hard, as smartphone cameras are getting better and better.

However, it's a good idea to think about how many lenses a phone has, how many megapixels it has, how well it performs in low light, and what kind of software it has.

But before we continue, let me quickly introduce myself...

My name is Uroš and I'm the co-owner of the Kron technical service, where we've repaired more than 75,586 devices in our 30 years of operation.

And don't worry - I'm not telling you this to brag, I just want to tell you something else...

In my long career, I've already got my hands on thousands of different phones, and at the same time I'm constantly following trends...

And since I'm "up to date" with the capabilities of mobile devices on the market, I'd like to help you out and try to make the buying process a little easier for you : )

So...

Now that we've got that out of the way, I suggest we start from the back...

#7: iPhone 12 / iPhone 12 mini...

The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini offer the same camera experience and are on par with the Pro models.

The phones don't have a LiDAR lens, so they only offer a 12MP main camera and a 12MP ultra-wide camera on the back, while there's a 12MP sensor on the front.

All three cameras perform well, though, and - like the rest of the iPhone 12 - these two outperform most smartphones in low-light situations (no matter which lens you use, as Night Mode works on all of them).

The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini also feature Smart HDR 3, which uses artificial intelligence to optimize images, and you can use Dolby Vision for video, which will really make your shots stand out.

#6: Google Pixel 5...

The Google Pixel 5 isn't one of those camera phones that impresses with its top-notch specs. For photography, only the rear two lenses are available, giving you a choice of a 12.2MP main camera and a 16MP ultra-wide camera. That's why you won't find a dedicated telephoto lens on the Pixel 5.

BUT...

The Pixel 5 - especially in good light - captures sharp images with a strong color palette. And while low-light performance has taken a step down in this case, the camera can still capture accurate colors.

The ultra-wide lens also ensures less distorted edges in images, and the device has a decent selection of built-in photo editing tools.

Your photos can also be helped by software features like Portrait Light, which allows you to convincingly enhance people's faces and other objects.

#5: Huawei P40 Pro...

The all-new 50-megapixel sensor uses RYYB (red yellow yellow blue) subpixels, which makes Huawei’s cameras handle dark scenes better.

This phone really “sees” in the dark – even in auto mode, which is something no other non-Huawei phone can do.

The phone boasts a 40MP ultra-wide camera, a 12MP telephoto camera that allows for 5x optical or 50x digital zoom, and a ToF sensor for creating blur effects.

Unlike Samsung, Huawei’s photos don’t look overly sharp, and while they’re not as natural and neutral as those taken on the Oppo Find X2 Pro, many people appreciate and prefer Huawei’s “vibrant” style.

The rest of the phone’s hardware is top-notch, visually pleasing, and has plenty of power, so if (and only if) you enjoy a Google-free software experience, the Huawei P40 Pro has a lot to offer.

#4: Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra...

The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra has a high-spec camera. The one that really stands out is the telephoto camera - a 12MP one with 5x optical zoom and 50x digital zoom.

And while the S20 Ultra offers 100x digital zoom, don't be fooled, the Note 20 Ultra actually improves on its predecessor's performance thanks to a wider aperture and larger pixels.

The cameras on the Note20 Ultra allow you to take professional-level shots, as if they were taken with a DSLR camera. The model is equipped with an advanced laser autofocus sensor, which allows for faster and more accurate focusing on the scene.

The camera on the Note 20 Ultra is also incredibly easy and fun to use, and benefits from additions like 8K video and Single Take mode, which allows you to take multiple photos and videos at once with different lenses.

Okay, low-light photos may not be as detailed as, for example, the iPhone 12 Pro Max, but the device still has exceptional camera capabilities.

#3: iPhone 12 Pro Max...

The iPhone 12 Pro Max may not be the best smartphone, but it's very close to being the best camera phone.

The device has three main cameras: wide-angle, ultra-wide-angle, and telephoto. Each has 12 megapixels - including the front-facing one.

Night mode detects when the light is low, automatically turns on, and maintains clarity while capturing vivid colors. LiDAR also makes it much easier to take night portraits - all you have to do is turn on the camera : )

In fact, night and generally low light are something that the iPhone 12 Pro Max has much less trouble with than most smartphones (partly due to the large sensor that can take in much more light).

The iPhone 12 Pro Max can thus capture more than 700 million colors for realistic video. In addition, it records in Dolby Vision - a format used by film studios.

#2: Huawei Mate 40 Pro...

I know…

You might have been a little surprised to see the Huawei Mate 40 Pro on the list. After all, it’s a phone that shouldn’t be anywhere near the list of the best smartphones, as it lags behind in terms of software.

Its cameras and 50 MP sensor, on the other hand, are exceptional. The set of photographic lenses (“cameras”), which allow for up to 5x zoom, perform particularly well in poor lighting conditions. We’re used to this with top-of-the-line Huawei phones.

While it may not have as many lenses as some of its competitors, the most important components considered perform very well.

From portrait shots to panoramas, zoomed-in photos and close-ups - the Huawei Mate 40 Pro handles almost every type of photography perfectly.

In addition, the phone has numerous photography modes and tools - from the “easy shooting” function to a special moon photography mode - to make your creative hours even easier.

#1: Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra...

Samsung Galaxy S21 je eden izmed tistih telefonov, ki je izpolnil vse obljube in kot pri vseh ostalih komponentah v modelu ima The camera is just as superb.

With high resolution and a new 108MP sensor, you'll be able to capture even clearer images, while the advanced Remosaic processing with the new 108MP sensor ensures beautiful photos with truly accurate colors.

This way, you can capture every detail and create incredibly sharp photos with a resolution of 64 megapixels.

The combination of cameras, including new additions such as Director's View (which allows you to record videos with the front and rear cameras at the same time), along with a very powerful 40MP front camera, definitely makes this phone a photographic phenomenon.

So…

We have come to the end of the list of the best phones for photography.

If you liked this article or, by some strange coincidence, you are having problems with your phone, then you might also like the article entitled 5 most common problems with your phone and how to solve them…

On the other side of the link, you will find out what the most common problems with smartphones are and how you can solve them too.

If you are not interested in this at all, there is nothing wrong with that, of course.

However, I believe that you managed to learn something new in this article : )

See you next time,

Uroš Vogrinec, owner of Kron IT service