Apple iPhone 14 Pro, Xiaomi 12T Pro, Galaxy S22 Ultra join other flagships in camera shutter lag test

While most smartphone camera tests compare the final results of point-and-shoot scenarios, a significant majority would agree that most premium smartphones take comparable photos at this point. Instead, the best smartphone cameras stand out by virtue of certain other qualities—one of which is shutter lag.

A test published by Ice Universe has now pitted the latest and greatest smartphones on the market against each other in an attempt to see which one has the least shutter lag. The Apple iPhone 14 Pro, Vivo X80 Pro, and Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra join the Huawei Mate 50 Pro, Xiaomi 12S Ultra, and the just-released Xiaomi 12T Pro in the test. The results? Well, surprising. 

From all indications, Xiaomi's new phones seem to perform best in this test, with the Xiaomi 12S Ultra, perhaps, being the objective leader of the pack. It appears Xiaomi's collaboration with Leica is paying off. The new Xiaomi 12T Pro appears to match its sibling, again confirming Xiaomi's significant improvement in that department. The iPhone 14 Pro doesn't quite perform as well as the Xiaomi phones but does superbly.

On the other end of the scale sit the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, Vivo X80 Pro, and Huawei Mate 50 Pro. While all three phones would normally lay claim to being the best camera smartphones on the market, they fail to keep up in this particular test. Samsung, in particular, has received a lot of flak in the past for its shutter lag and that shows here. 

For those concerned about how relevant shutter lag is, the answer is, well, very. Phones like the Xiaomi 12S Ultra, 12T Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro have little to no lag between the tapping of the shutter button and actual photo capture, making them significantly better options for shots with dynamic subjects like kids or pets. Potential buyers who prioritize such shots would do well to keep the results of this test in mind.

Buy the Xiaomi 12 on Amazon.