The best camera smartphones

The Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max is a strong overall package. In our testing, the Apple phone impresses with a great display, plenty of performance and a versatile camera setup. In addition to the new Apple-A18 chipset and Wi-Fi 7, the iPhone 16 Pro Max comes with a new ultra-wide-angle sensor.

With the iPhone 16 Pro Max, Apple has created one of the best camera smartphones of the year.

The main camera of the Apple flagship offers a 48 MPix sensor, which can rely on optical image stabilization with sensor shift (Gen. 2). The 3D sensor shift also stabilizes the zoom, which allows a 5x optical magnification. The iPhone 16 Pro Max thus achieves a pleasing overall image.

The new 48 MPix sensor for the ultra-wide angle, which also serves as a macro lens, delivers a visibly better image than its predecessor without any significant image errors. There is also a new camera button, which can be used to adjust the magnification for zoom shots, among other things.

The Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max is available from all major electronics retailers. These include Amazon Germany and MediaMarkt.

The Sony Xperia 1 VI is something special for content creators and amateur photographers thanks to its cameras equipped with Zeiss optics and the very extensive setting and optimization options for fine-tuning the subject. The rear camera ensemble covers a focal length range of 24 to 170 millimetres and can work continuously between 3.5x and 7.1x optical magnification thanks to the variable 12 MPix telephoto lens.

The 52 MPix main camera, of which 48 MP can be used effectively, impresses in automatic mode with its pleasantly realistic coloring and offers AI-supported AF tracking adopted from the Alpha cameras. The 12 MPix ultra-wide-angle camera also delivered above average performance in our testing.

With optional accessories such as a vlog monitor and the option of using the Sony phone as a camera monitor for a Sony Alpha camera, the Xperia 1 VI offers a strong equipment package.

In addition to the extensive camera features, the Xperia 1 VI impresses in our test with its bright LTPO panel, good battery life and, thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with a great performance.

The Sony Xperia 1 VI is available in the Sony Shop for an RRP of just under 1400 euros. At the time of testing, it was already available at a lower price from other online retailers, such as Amazon Germany.

The OnePlus 12 makes do with a triple camera setup that relies on the Sony LYT-808 as its primary sensor and is complemented by a 48 MPix ultra-wide camera and 64 MPix telephoto lens. In sufficient light, the top-of-the-range camera from OnePlus produces very high-quality photos without significant noise and with a very natural color tone.

For the price range in which the OnePlus 12 operates, the quality of the telephoto lens is particularly noteworthy. Both the native 3x optical zoom and the 6x in-sensor crop produce impressive shots.

The OnePlus 12 offers a great camera system in the premium smartphone segment.

Thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, the OnePlus phone impressed us with its strong performance and attractive appearance. The very bright OLED panel is also a plus point of the OnePlus 12.

The OnePlus 12 5G is available on Amazon Germany starting from around 870 euros (12GB/256GB), and the version with 16GB/512GB can currently be purchased for only around 870 euros. The device is available directly from OnePlus' German online store from 949 euros.

Note: We have updated our rating system and the ratings of the current version 8 are not comparable with the camera ratings of version 7.

The camera system of the Galaxy S24 Ultra consists of four lenses, with the star of the quartet being the in-house 200 MPix ISOCELL HP2 sensor. In our test, the Samsung flagship impresses with a high dynamic range, beautiful sharpness and the ability to create ultra-HDR photos. The zoom properties of the Galaxy S24 Ultra are also first-class. A 50 MPix periscope camera with five times magnification is responsible for this. The 3x zoom also delivers good results, which is also covered by a dedicated lens.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is a flagship camera at its very best.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is without question one of the best smartphones of 2024. The very bright OLED display was particularly impressive in our test. The Corning Gorilla Armor glass reduces reflections by up to 75%, which is a visible difference to the competition. But the new AI functions, powerful features and seven years of Android updates are also highlights of the Samsung flagship.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra can be purchased directly from the Samsung online store, but can also be found at many other retailers. Amazon Germany, for example, offers the smartphone with a three-year warranty.

The Oppo Find X7 Ultra impresses in our test not only with its great camera system, but also with a bright and high-resolution OLED display. The high-end smartphone oozes performance thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, LPDDR5x RAM and UFS 4.0 memory. Another special feature is that phone calls can be made via satellite.

The Oppo Find X7 Ultra takes great photos and offers a wide range of focal lengths.

The quad camera, developed in collaboration with Hasselblad, has a resolution of 50 MPix each and uses Sony's brand-new Lyta sensors. The Sony LYT-900 in 1-inch format serves as the basis for the main camera, which excellently masters every shooting situation in the test with precise color reproduction and a high level of detail.

This is joined by an ultra-wide-angle camera (Sony LYT-600) and two telephoto cameras (Sony IMX890 and Sony IMX858), which achieve up to 6x lossless magnification. The 50 MP ultra-wide-angle camera also serves as a macro lens.

The Oppo Find X7 Ultra is available in all storage variants from our rental partner TradingShenzhen.

The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL with its 50 MPix main camera offers very nice photos with lots of dynamics and realistic colors. The camera setup of the Google phone also offers a periscope zoom, which allows a five-fold optical magnification and delivers really good shots. The camera trio is rounded off by a 48 MPix ultra-wide-angle lens.

The Pixel 9 Pro XL delivers a lot of photo quality and also benefits from Google's smart camera functions.

The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL reveals a great overall package in our test report, which requires little willingness to compromise. The display is very bright and accurate, and there is also plenty of equipment and modern communication standards on board. Last but not least, Google provides a strong update supply of seven years.

The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is available from NBB in many color and storage variants.

For a foldable phone, Xiaomi equips its 7.98-inch smartphone with a really good camera setup. A Leica Summilux-branded camera module is used on the back, which houses a 50-MPix main lens with OIS. The 1/1.55-inch sensor delivers beautiful photos. Even in low light, the subject is well lit and light sources are not overexposed. Thanks to the foldable design, the main camera and the cover display can also be used as a viewfinder when unfolded to achieve the best possible results for selfie and vlogging fans

The rear camera module is rounded off by a 12 MPix ultra-wide-angle lens, which corrects lens curvature very well. Two macro-capable telephoto lenses are also available for zoom shots. Both come with the in-house Liquid Lens design including a floating lens group. The 50 MPix sensor for the 2x zoom and the 10 MPix periscope lens for a 5x magnification offer plenty of detail and good sharpness.

The Mix Fold 4 is one of the best foldable smartphones on the market.

The Mix Fold 4 is one of the most exciting foldable smartphones thanks to its impressive design and excellent features. The large foldable OLED display in particular is a real highlight thanks to its high luminosity and appealing color display.

The Xiaomi Mix Fold 4 is available via import from around 1250 euros, including from Trading Shenzhen.

The highlight of the Pura 70 Ultra is on the back, as Huawei is using a 1-inch sensor in its camera package for the first time. The main camera of the Huawei flagship also boasts an automatically extending lens, which increases the distance between the lenses and the sensor and allows more light to fall on it. Huawei has also equipped the Pura 70 Ultra with a variable aperture, which automatically regulates the amount of light in four stages, but can also be controlled manually. All in all, the high-end phone impresses across the board with a wide dynamic range and very natural image sharpness.

The camera trio is rounded off by an ultra-wide angle with a high-resolution sensor and a high level of detail as well as a periscope zoom with 3.5x optical magnification.

The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra is a special smartphone that particularly impresses with its excellent camera setup.

Huawei has also given its flagship phone a beautiful display, which is impressive in terms of brightness, color accuracy and refresh rate. However, due to geopolitical restrictions, the Pura 70 Ultra also shows some limitations in our test.

The Pura 70 Ultra is available for €1,499 (RRP) with an extended warranty directly from the Huawei Store, or alternatively from Amazon Germany or Galaxus.

The rear camera of the Nubia Z60 Ultra in the leading version is equipped with a rather unusual main camera with a focal length of 35 mm. The photo quality impresses in our test report with good sharpness and strong dynamics. A special feature of the Nubia Z60 Ultra Leading Version is the front camera, which is a UDC (under-display camera) located under the display.

If you are at war with punch holes, the Nubia Z60 Ultra Leading Version is an uninterrupted flagship.

The Nubia Z60 Ultra Leading Version is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in a leading version. The flagship killer also has IP certification, plenty of memory, a large battery and, above all, an affordable entry-level price.

The Z60 Ultra Leading Version can only be ordered directly from Nubia while the regular version is also available from Amazon Germany.

Tecno, a rather unknown manufacturer in German-speaking countries, focuses on camera performance with its Camon series. The four sensors installed in the Camon 30 Premier with a resolution of 50 MPix each surprised us positively in our test. The main camera uses a Sony IMX890, which delivers good dynamic range and sharpness, especially in bright light. But even in the dark, the pictures are very respectable for a mid-range phone. The built-in dedicated Sony chip (CXD5622GG imaging chip) for image processing is noticeable here.

The Tecno Camon 30 Premier is the insider tip among current camera smartphones.

Apart from the appealing main camera, some compromises have to be made, but both the ultra-wide-angle lens and the zoom lens made a good impression in our test.

Note: We have updated our rating system and the ratings of the current version 8 are not comparable with the camera ratings of version 7.