Smartphones with the best camera in 2022

When you stand and choose a smartphone, your eyes simply run wide. Even the cheapest models today are equipped with a camera, while flagships, meanwhile, already have at least 3-4 lenses. A smartphone that can replace professional photographic equipment for a photography lover is called a camera phone. In this article, we will look at what photographic qualities help the device to exceed expectations from mobile shooting. 

If you are looking for a mobile camera in your smartphone, you should understand the intricacies of the lenses built into the top models, the light sensitivity of the matrix and the zoom. The number and size of megapixels can say a lot about a smartphone’s ability to take high-quality pictures, so these characteristics will definitely be evaluated in the article. 

About which models are now in the top of the best in terms of camera abilities, we deal with professional photographer Yulia Kuryashkina. 

Editor’s Choice

Xiaomi mi 11 ultra

A distinctive feature of the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra camera phone is the largest photo sensor ever used in smartphones. Before that, it could only be found on miniature professional cameras. If you think that this is where the benefits of a smartphone end, you have not seen an additional screen on the back of the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, which allows you to easily take selfies. 

Thanks to artificial intelligence and a highly sensitive matrix, the smartphone helps you take clear pictures even on the move. And with HDR, you get richer colors when shooting in low-light areas. A trembling hand will no longer prevent you from taking a stunning picture – there is optical stabilization for this. 

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Top 8 smartphones with the best cameras in 2022 according to KP

1. iPhone 13 Pro Max

Fans of large screens will love the iPhone 13 Pro Max. The new generation device outperformed Apple’s predecessor by 0,6 inches (6,7 versus 6,1). As for the cameras, there are 4 of them in the smartphone: wide-angle (main), ultra-wide, telephoto and auxiliary. Of the obvious advantages of the camera of this camera phone, one can note a six-lens lens (for a telephoto camera and an ultra-wide-angle camera), a seven-lens lens for a wide-angle camera; macro mode and film effect.

The main camera is only 12 MP, but with optical stabilization, thanks to which ultra-clear photos are obtained. Even the creators of the new Apple have finalized the color temperature, removed the excessive “warmth” of the picture. Now the skin tone in the photo is as natural as possible, and in night shooting the changes are noticeable.

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2. Huawei Nova 9

There are four modules on the back of the Nova 9: ​​two main cameras and two small 2 MP auxiliary sensors. We get the main module, ultra-wide-angle, macro and depth sensor for portrait photos. Thanks to Ultra Vision technology, the device can easily cope with shooting in low light conditions. 

Due to the changed color gamut of the matrix pixels, the camera of the Huawei Nova 9 smartphone began to let in more light. This makes photos in low light appear naturally brighter. This device will be appreciated by lovers of night photography. 

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3. Realme 8 Pro

Not all smartphones with the best cameras can boast 8x digital zoom, which is why you should buy Realme XNUMX Pro. Capture fine details that are far away from you without loss of quality and use various shooting modes to get the most out of this smartphone model. 

The resolution of the main camera of this camera phone has almost doubled compared to the previous model, from 64 MP to 108 MP. Also improved light sensitivity in dim conditions. A distinctive feature of night shooting is that the camera manages to combine several frames with different exposures into one, thereby increasing the dynamic range of the image. 

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4. Honor 50

According to the manufacturer, the Honor 50 smartphone is distinguished by its ultra-clear quad camera and the ability to switch modes during video shooting. This device got into the top smartphones with the best camera in terms of price and quality thanks to the option of simultaneous front and normal shooting. The front camera, among other things, 32 MP, is the key to bright and clear selfies. 

The lack of optical stabilization does not degrade the quality of shooting, as well as the lack of a camera with a telephoto lens. A high-quality tenfold digital zoom comes to the rescue.

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5. Poco X3 Pro

If we talk about the budget model among the best camera phones, then Poco X3 Pro deserves attention. XNUMXx digital zoom and a quad-camera module provide first-class shooting day and night. Optionally, the owner can connect artificial intelligence to control the shooting process. 

This model, in addition to classic photo modes, allows you to simultaneously shoot on both cameras. You can record video in 4K resolution at 30 FPS, but also in FullHD with 60 frames.

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6. One Plus 9 Pro

Imagine a camera capable of correcting natural light? This is exactly what the OnePlus 9 Pro smartphone has. This model was developed together with the Swedish company Hasselblad, which in turn is engaged in the production of cameras.

With the launch of this camera phone, capturing ultra-realistic videos and photos with perfect color has never been easier. Among other things, macro shots are distinguished by excellent detail.

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7. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

High-quality pictures and videos with the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra can be achieved with the help of excellent optical and hybrid stabilization. The resolution of the main camera is 108 MP, which is enough for high-quality photography both in daylight and at dusk. In video shooting, the smartphone outperformed its competitors by maintaining perfect sound, without noise and distortion. 

What sets it apart from the competition is the previously unattainable XNUMXx optical zoom. In this smartphone, the wide-angle camera was equipped with autofocus, which allows the user to go beyond ordinary landscapes in shooting. 

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8. ASUS Zenfone 8

This device is notable for the professional quality of shooting on cameras with Sonu photomatrices. On the back, there are two cameras, main and wide-angle. The first with an optical stabilizer, while both with phase detection autofocus. The color rendition is correct, the pictures are detailed to the maximum. 

This camera phone proved to be excellent due to three microphones, they help to keep the sound without distortion during video recording. The front camera doesn’t go unnoticed either thanks to dual pixel PDAF autofocus. In general, an excellent example of a camera phone for lovers of high-quality pictures using a smartphone.

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Leaders of the Past

1. HUAWEI Mate 40 Pro+

Leading our list of smartphones with the best cameras is an advanced model from HUAWEI. When creating this phone, the developers did not make any compromises. The result is chic optics from LEICA, stylish design, powerful hardware and a fairly large battery.

In fact, there are seven optical sensors at once: the main, telephoto, ultra-wide-angle, optical zoom lens, front and two depth-of-field sensors. Pictures are detailed and sharp even at night due to the huge 1 / 1.28-inch matrix for mobile devices. The main cameras have optical stabilization and the ability to record video in high-quality 4K format.

The only drawback of this model is the lack of services from Google. However, the manufacturer has its own application store with everything you need for daily use of the software.

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2. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9

Closes the top three smartphones with the best camera affordable model from Xiaomi.

Let’s just say that the phone is budget. For less than 20 thousand rubles you will get a camera of four optical modules, a plastic case and not the most powerful hardware. The dimensions of the matrix are not the most impressive – 1 / 2.25 inches, this is a fee for an affordable price. But here the battery is as much as 5020 mAh – battery life will please even with a huge 6.5-inch screen. Included with the phone, the manufacturer put a block for fast charging and a simple silicone case – everything we love.

First of all, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 camera is appreciated for the quality of shooting in night mode. For such money, it will be difficult to find an alternative to a phone from a Chinese manufacturer.

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3. Google Pixel 4a

A compact model of an Android camera phone for a reasonable price. Despite the “childish” dimensions compared to the flagships, the plastic case of the device hides a wonderful filling for its money. Let there not be the newest processor and only one aperture (f / 1.7) main camera module of 12 megapixels, the devil is in the details. To be more specific, in the excellent hardware and camera optimization of the Pixel 4a. The very example when the number of megapixels and optical modules does not greatly affect the quality of photos in the end.

The smartphone comes with fast charging, which is rare in budget models.

The downside of the Pixel 4a may be its price, but for that money you get a small device (and this is a rarity these days!) and guaranteed support for new software updates.

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4. HONOR 30

More affordable, unlike HUAWEI, the brand offers a solid phone that is not inferior to flagship models in many respects. The HONOR 30 has four lenses, the main sensor size is 1/1.7 inches. The case of the device was made of glass and metal – everything is like the expensive “brothers” from HUAWEI.

The camera of the device can work in two modes: for professionals and inexperienced photography enthusiasts. The automatic mode will allow you to take high-quality pictures without a long setup, everything will be set up for you by artificial intelligence. The HONOR 30 main camera module has optical stabilization.

The disadvantages of the phone are classic for the entire series from this manufacturer: the lack of services from Google. The manufacturer offers an alternative app store that has all the necessary software.

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5. ASUS Zenfone 7

The next flagship phone from ASUS used an unusual swivel camera system. To take a selfie, just pull the camera module towards you and switch it to “front” mode. In such an unusual way, the developers killed two birds with one stone – they got rid of the annoying eye of the front camera on the phone screen and significantly improved the quality of selfies, because the “main” camera is responsible for them.

To ensure that the frames from the main and telephoto lenses do not blur, they have built-in optical stabilization. It also gives an additional advantage during night shooting.

Successfully complements the unusual solution with a rotary camera and ASUS Zenfone 7 software, which performs post-processing of the received images.

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6. iPhone 12 Pro Max

Apple’s most advanced smartphone model to date. As is usually the case with this manufacturer, the Cupertino engineers did not chase numbers in the characteristics (megapixels and matrix sizes), but optimized the entire optical system specifically for their device. All four camera modules here are only 12 “children’s” megapixels. The iPhone 12 Pro Max uses its own LiDAR system to measure frame depth. The phone takes beautiful portraits thanks to smart processing algorithms. Background blur on the iPhone 12 Pro Max camera is one of the best on the market.

Also, this model can take raw software images in Apple ProRAW format – through a PC you can process them at a completely professional level.

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7. Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite 6

An affordable version of a more advanced model from Xiaomi. Externally, the differences with the Mi Note 10 are minimal, the phones can only be distinguished by the frames of the case and the camera unit. In the lite version, by the way, it hardly protrudes from the body due to the lack of a telephoto lens.

A 64-megapixel camera module was installed in the smartphone, an ultra-wide-angle lens, a macro lens and a depth sensor work with it. The diagonal of the matrix of the main module is impressive for its money – 1 / 1.72 inches.

High-quality case materials, technical specifications and long battery life of the Mi Note 10 Lite can be attributed to the pluses.

For some, this phone may seem too heavy (208 g) due to the large battery.

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8. vivo X50 Pro

An interesting flagship phone model from a not-so-famous manufacturer in Our Country. For 65 thousand rubles you will get a stylish camera phone that is pleasant to hold in your hands because of the high-quality case materials (glass and metal).

Into the main lens of the camera vivo X50 Pro a hinged optical image stabilization system is built in – electromagnets move the lens if the phone starts to shake. Now you can get clear shots in the dark even without using a tripod. This option is also useful for video lovers. By the way, in the main module there is a 48 MP sensor and a 1/2-inch diagonal.

The features of the phone also include a high-quality AMOLED display, curved edges of the case and a built-in amplifier for high-quality sound in headphones.

The main disadvantage of the vivo X50 Pro is the technical part that is weak for its money.

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9. Sony Xperia 5 II

The best smartphone for those who know how to use professional cameras. The Japanese manufacturer added a small (by today’s standards) screen and professional optics from Zeiss to the stylish and discreet case design.

There are only three lenses in the main camera module. Don’t be put off by their ‘modest’ 12-megapixel sensors – the optics are fine-tuned to produce high-quality and sharp shots, both on the main, telephoto and wide-angle lenses. The first two, by the way, have optical stabilization.

The Sony Xperia 5 II camera has two PRO modes at once, with which you can take photos and videos with non-standard exposure settings.

With technical characteristics, everything is also in order here, a powerful processor and support for 5G and 8 gigabytes of RAM.

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10. Sony Xperia 1 II

Sony Xperia 1 II can take not only good photos, but also high-quality videos. With it in hand, anyone can feel like a film director, manual control and a wide color profile show themselves so effectively. If we talk about photos, then according to the manufacturer, Sony Xperia 1 II is equipped with a powerful focusing system. Autofocus with Dual Pixel technology copes with eye recognition with a bang, portraits are amazing. 

Two more details make the smartphone stand out from the competition: a 21:9 aspect ratio screen and an enlarged display bezel, due to which the front camera harmoniously fits into the design.

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11.Google Pixel 5

Image quality depends on many factors, and in the Google Pixel 5 smartphone, it is determined by the camera software. Thanks to the powerful Snapdragon 765G processor, the owners of this device will no longer miss a great shot due to the fact that the camera freezes. On the rear panel is a 12.2 MP dual camera, which is enough for high-quality mobile photography. 

Do not assume that only flagships are capable of good shots. Google Pixel proves the opposite – in motion, the main camera does not “kill” the quality, and the processing algorithms do an excellent job of noise suppression. 

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How to choose a smartphone with the best camera

Together with our expert professional photographer Yulia Kuryashkina, we will dwell on matrices and pixels in more detail, and also determine what the buyer should pay attention to when choosing a camera phone model.

If you look at the characteristics of any smartphone, you can find a lot of abbreviations that are incomprehensible to the layman.

For example, 1/1.33″, 108 MP, 0,8 µm, etc. This is a description of the matrix: its dimensions, number and size of pixels, in other words, important parameters for high-quality photography.

The size of the matrix is ​​responsible for the amount of light, which ends up in it. The more light it captures, the better the image is transmitted to us. The diagonal is measured in inches, in the example above it is 1 / 1.33 ″, and the smaller the last number, the more light the matrix of our camera phone will receive. 

In addition to the characteristics of the matrix, which speak about the quality of future shots, you should pay attention to optical stabilization. It is she who allows you to avoid a blurry image due to the movement of an object or a trembling hand.

In turn, the number of megapixels is the figure that was previously customary to rely on when choosing the best device for photography. Today, flagship smartphones can have more than 100 megapixels (as in the example above – 108MP). Pixel, in simple terms, it is a photosensitive cell, which forms the image. Megapixels are used to measure the resolution of a matrix. The higher it is, the better the picture you get. Photos come out clearer, more detailed, not “soapy”. Not only the number of megapixels is important, but also their size. Pixel size is measured in micrometers (µm). In modern devices, the spread can be from 0,8 to 2 microns.

The number of lenses should also be evaluated. In addition to the standard main and ultra-wide modules, the device can have a macro lens for capturing small details; and a telephoto lens, on the contrary, for high-quality shooting of distant objects. Most camera phones today have three or four lenses. 

Models should be compared by several indicators at once, not focusing only on “big” numbers. 

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