Photo comparison: Exploring London with two of the best camera phones of 2026

Our two test candidates are high-end smartphones from Apple and Honor. With the same storage configuration, both are available online at fairly similar prices.

• The Apple iPhone 17 is technically only the base model in Apple’s current smartphone lineup; the Pro models offer significantly more in terms of camera hardware. In terms of price, however, it is very close to the Honor Magic8 Pro. Its compact dimensions and weight of just 177 grams make the iPhone easy to carry.
  For photos, the iPhone 17 has a 48-megapixel main camera with an f/1.6 aperture, as well as a 48 MP ultra-wide camera with an f/2.2 aperture. Video recording is possible at up to 4K and 60 fps. The front camera offers 18 megapixels. The price is around $989 at Amazon US.
   
• On paper, the Honor Magic8 Pro offers the more sophisticated camera system, with significantly more lens options: In addition to the 50 MP main camera with an f/1.6 aperture and the 200 MP telephoto camera with periscope zoom, there is also a 50 MP ultra-wide camera. Videos can be recorded at up to 120 Hz. The front camera also has a resolution of 50 megapixels. The price on Amazon.de is just over 900 euros.

Can the more compact and somewhat pared-dow iPhone 17 keep up in terms of image quality? Does Apple perhaps offer the better algorithms, or will the sheer superiority of Honor’s hardware win out?

Let’s take a walk through London and find out.

After arriving in the British capital, many travelers head underground first: the London Underground is the oldest subway system in the world and has the second-longest network in Europe. Thanks to the iconic design of its route maps and logos, it is known around the world.

We prefer the iPhone image in our first comparison, which shows one of the classic three-color trains: it brightens the scene better, even if the fluorescent tubes on the ceiling are slightly overexposed. In return, the train itself reveals a few more details and slightly greater sharpness than in the Magic8 Pro image.

London’s pubs are similarly iconic. Some are extremely old and feature stylistic elements from different architectural periods. The Tap on the Line pub at Kew Gardens station, for example, has a beautiful conservatory in the Art Deco style of the early 20th century.

At first glance, the photo from the Honor Magic8 Pro appears better lit. Here, too, however, the Apple phone scores points with greater detail sharpness. So it depends on whether you mostly view your photos on small screens or want to enlarge and print them.

Of course, it was no coincidence that we got off at Kew Gardens station: this is where the Royal Botanic Gardens are located, one of the oldest botanical gardens in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

With its steel-and-glass greenhouses, some of which are more than 150 years old, and its vast grounds with numerous plants that thrive in the mild English climate, Kew Gardens is a great place to escape the bustle of the metropolis.

In the Palm House, iron stairs also lead up to a walkway that offers a view from above of the lush tropical plant life. Here, too, the photo from the Honor phone looks richer in contrast, but the iPhone again wins in terms of detail and sharpness.

Back in the city, we want to trace the footsteps of historic London. The district is home not only to gigantic bank towers, but also to numerous fascinating reminders of London’s long history that are easy to overlook.

One example is the clock at St Dunstan-in-the-West, a church on Fleet Street, where two giants strike the bells with clubs to announce the time. In the photo of the giants, the Honor phone shows more detail this time and also adds more contrast, making it easier to see in the darker areas.

Also in the city are the grounds of the Inner Temple, one of the Inns of Court that have existed since the 14th century. Its sprawling buildings provide work, educational, and residential facilities for its members.

Even more intriguing, however, is what lies hidden in one of the complex’s large courtyards: Temple Church, the central church of the Knights Templar. This legendary order of knights is familiar from video games such as Broken Sword and Assassin’s Creed, as well as novels such as The Da Vinci Code.

The church itself is unusual as well, with its round design, its many knights’ tombs, and a gallery decorated with tiles depicting mythical creatures and mystical symbols.

In the exterior shot, the iPhone delivers the slightly better exposure, rendering the façade in greater detail.

London is no less lively at night than it is during the day, with people happily celebrating in pubs and often outside them as well.

We photograph a pretty neon sign at a pub, and here we have to credit the Honor Magic8 Pro with the clearly better rendering.

Since we are using a slight zoom, the iPhone cannot keep up here because of its limited optical zoom capabilities.

The photo of the street at night is also much less successful on the iPhone, for example, the different colors are lost and the picture looks very muddy.

In the distance, The Shard - one of London’s most unusual skyscrapers - comes into view. We use it to compare the zoom capabilities of the two smartphones.

Here, the Honor phone really does appear clearly superior: not only are visibly more details recognizable even at low zoom levels, but the Honor phone’s zoom also gets significantly closer. However, it should also be noted that from around 15x zoom, the images can be heavily enhanced by AI, and details may be distorted.

In addition, the very high zoom levels are barely usable for actual photos. They can, however, be used like binoculars to make out details on distant objects.