We evaluate plenty of telephones at Tom’s Information, and meaning testing plenty of cameras. And our 200-photo face-offs are an enormous a part of that testing course of.
Each cellphone we evaluate goes by a sequence of checks, together with ones the place we check out the cameras in several taking pictures eventualities. That is as a result of it is nowhere close to sufficient simply to depend on the {hardware} specs to guess how a digicam will carry out — as an alternative, you need to take a bunch of photographs to see for your self how correct the cameras are, what sort of colours and tones you may anticipate from photographs, and how much photograph processing prowess every digicam cellphone gives.
That testing consists of head-to-head comparisons with different digicam telephones so we are able to see how the mannequin we’re reviewing measures as much as different telephones in its worth vary — a course of that includes a dozen or so photographs. However for extra vital fashions, we’ll go even deeper, snapping a whole lot of photographs between a pair of gadgets to assist us decide which one is the best camera phone.
You will discover all our 200-photo face-offs collected under, so you may see which mannequin really is the king of digicam telephones. And if there is a comparability you’d wish to see sooner or later, allow us to hear about it within the feedback.
What we search for in our 200-photo shootouts
Our 200-photo shootouts match digicam telephones in the identical worth vary and with as many comparable options as doable. We take a look at out each lens that is on the machine, emphasizing the principle digicam, but in addition attempting out the ultrawide, zoom and entrance cameras, too. If there is a macro sensor, we’ll take a look at that as effectively.
We make a degree of testing a trio of particular modes — panoramas, portrait mode and night time images. As well as, we additionally take photographs in low gentle to see how a lot colour and element every digicam cellphone can seize. We additionally search for dynamic vary when evaluating photographs from totally different cameras. In some face-offs, we’ll additionally take a look at video seize.
Each 200-photo face-off
This is how the iPhone 16 Pro Max established itself as the perfect digicam cellphone total, beating one the newer Pixel flagships. Whereas we just like the handbook controls and AI-powered modifying options discovered on the Pixel 9 Pro XL, the iPhone is only a higher shooter total.
Learn the total iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. Pixel 9 Pro XL camera face-off.
That is the second within the iPhone 16 Professional Max’s one-two punch of beating again the highest contenders amongst premium digicam telephones. Improved total efficiency, notably within the space of dynamic vary, assist the iPhone end forward of the Galaxy S24 Ultra, Samsung’s most feature-packed digicam.
Learn the total iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. Galaxy S24 Ultra camera face-off.
The OnePlus 12 fares fairly effectively in our digicam testing, and it is loads cheaper than Samsung’s premium mannequin. However there isn’t any topping the Galaxy S24 Extremely when it comes low-light photographs, the standard of the main points the digicam seize and dynamic vary efficiency.
Learn the total Galaxy S24 Ultra vs. OnePlus 12 camera face-off.
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Samsung altered one of many two telephoto lenses on the S24, buying and selling an extended zoom size for extra megapixels. We’re unsure that is a swap we might have made, however the S24 Extremely is Samsung’s prime digicam for a motive, and this comparability with the Galaxy S23 Ultra exhibits us why.
Learn the total Galaxy S24 Ultra vs. Galaxy S23 Ultra camera face-off.
Searching for the perfect digicam cellphone amongst Android gadgets? You will discover it right here, with the Pixel 9 Professional XL using upgraded ultrawide and selfie cams to a win over Samsung.
Learn the total Pixel 9 Pro XL vs. Galaxy S24 Ultra camera face-off.
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It is essential to match new fashions to telephones which might be a pair generations older. Not solely does it present how cameras enhance over time, it additionally helps folks resolve whether or not it is time to improve to a brand new cellphone from the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
The iPhone 16 Professional Max received this face-off in opposition to an iPhone that got here out two years earlier than, as you’ll think about. However low gentle, zooming and ultrawide photographs had been areas the place the iPhone 16 Professional Max actually stood out in opposition to the older iPhone.
Learn the total iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max camera face-off.
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 can actually exhibit depth, element and distinction within the photographs it takes. However Samsung’s cellphone was nonetheless steamrolled by the Pixel 9 Pro Fold on this face-off, due to the superior software program and {hardware} working in tandem to supply nice photographs.
Learn the total Pixel 9 Pro Fold vs. Galaxy Z Fold 6 camera face-off.
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Whereas the OnePlus Open is our favourite foldable phone total, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 takes the higher footage. Nonetheless, this was a really shut contest, with the Z Fold 6 profitable by a slender margin in lots of classes.
Learn the Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs. OnePlus Open camera face-off.
Samsung upgraded the ultrawide lens on the Galaxy Z Fold 6, and that helps the brand new foldable enhance on the earlier yr’s mannequin. The distinction in all probability is not sufficient to improve from the Galaxy Z Fold 5, however you do get a way of how the cameras enhance over time.
Learn the total Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 5 camera face-off.
A foldable cellphone comparability illustrates how a lot Samsung has improved the Z Fold’s cameras within the two years for the reason that Galaxy Z Fold 4 got here out. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 cruised in each class, although the tip consequence was nearer than you may suppose.Â
Learn the total Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 4 camera face-off.
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 falls simply behind Motorola’s Razr foldables in terms of our favourite flip telephones, however Samsung’s machine has the higher cameras. That stated, it is a very shut contest, and the Motorola Razr Plus does carry out effectively, and it has a devoted zoom lens.
Learn the total Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs. Motorola Razr Plus (2024) camera face-off.
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Motorola got here out with two foldable flip telephones this yr — the $999 Razr Plus and the $699 Motorola Razr. If you happen to worth cameras, you will need the costlier mannequin, which completed effectively forward of the usual Razr in our checks.
Learn the total Motorola Razr Plus vs Motorola Razr camera face-off.
This was a really shut face-off, with the iPhone 15 Pro Max profitable only one extra spherical than the Pixel did. Credit score the iPhone’s wonderful colour replica for beating out the Pixel 9 Professional XL’s means to shoot in low gentle.
Learn the total Pixel 9 Pro XL vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max camera face-off.
Time to see if Google‘s entry-level flagship cellphone can outshoot the cheaper Pixel 8a. It does, however the footage the Pixel 9 produces aren’t higher sufficient on their very own to justify the $300 worth distinction between the 2 telephones.
Learn the total Pixel 9 vs. Pixel 8a camera face-off.
This one did not prove be a lot of a contest after we in contrast funds telephones from two massive cellphone makers. Whereas the iPhone SE has its strengths, the digicam is now two years previous, and never a lot of a match for Google’s bettering midrange handset.
Learn the total Pixel 8a vs. iPhone SE camera face-off.
The Pixel 8a was nearer in worth to the Pixel 8 than it’s to the costlier Pixel 9. And whereas the telephones’ cameras had been carefully matched, the Pixel 8 winds up taking the higher photographs.
Learn the total Pixel 8a vs. Pixel 8 camera face-off.
Pixel 8a vs. Pixel 7a
One other Pixel 8a digicam face-off illustrates how a lot Google’s midrange cellphone has improved for the reason that Pixel 7a a yr in the past. It is really a really tight face-off, as Google made few {hardware} adjustments to its cameras one yr to the subsequent.
Learn the total Pixel 8a vs. Pixel 7a digicam face-off.
Can a midrange cellphone outperform an older flagship just like the Pixel 6 Pro? It actually can on this case on the energy of the Pixel 8a’s important digicam, as we see whereas Google’s present mannequin is the perfect digicam cellphone beneath $500.
Learn the total Pixel 8a vs. Pixel 6 Pro camera face-off.
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The low-cost Nothing Phone 2a tries its greatest, however there isn’t any competing with the Pixel 8a on this battle of midrange telephones. Google’s digicam cellphone wins by a landslide due to true-to-life photographs.
Learn the total Pixel 8a vs. Nothing Phone 2a camera face-off.
In one other battle of funds telephones, the Pixel 7a comes out on prime. For us the deciding elements had been the Pixel’s superior macro mode and its low-light efficiency.
Learn the total Nothing Phone 2a vs. Pixel 7a camera face-off.
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The Pixel 9 Pro took the title over the iPhone 15 Pro, with the superior zoom size of its telephoto lens proving to be the rationale why. Google’s victory was short-lived, because the iPhone 16 Pro will get an improve to its telephoto digicam that closes the hole.
Learn the total Pixel 9 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro camera face-off.
The highest Pixel cellphone from 2023 held its personal in opposition to Samsung’s premium mannequin, forcing a attract our photograph face-off. The S24 Extremely might have the extra succesful zoom lens, however the Pixel 8 Pro completed on prime in a number of key classes like low-light photographs, selfies and portraits.
Learn the total Galaxy S24 Ultra vs. Pixel 8 Pro camera face-off.
Samsung’s premium cellphone produced higher low-light photographs and portraits, and the brand new telephoto lens on the iPhone 15 Pro Max wasn’t sufficient to beat out Samsung’s longer zoom. However the iPhone 15 Professional Max has brighter photographs total, giving it the win.
Learn the total Galaxy S24 Ultra vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max camera face-off.
The arrival of the Galaxy S24 Plus meant placing it up in opposition to probably the most comparable iPhone on the time, the iPhone 15 Pro. Apple’s cellphone received the day, with higher low-light photographs and strong zoom photographs, although we like how the S24 Plus telephoto lens performs at longer distances.
Learn the total iPhone 15 Pro vs. Galaxy S24 Plus camera face-off.
The Galaxy S24 Plus simply cannot catch a break, dropping out to the brighter photographs and cheap high quality zooms delivered by the iPhone 15 Plus. That is regardless of the devoted zoom lens on Samsung’s cellphone.
Learn the total iPhone 15 Plus vs. Galaxy S24 Plus camera face-off.
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The Galaxy S24 is the superior low-light digicam cellphone, and its devoted telephoto lens provides it the benefit on zooms. However the iPhone 15 supplied the higher total digicam setup, largely on the energy of the way it handles colours.
Learn the total iPhone 15 vs. Galaxy S24 camera face-off.
OnePlus flagships have gotten higher at taking photographs in recent times, so we in contrast the present flagship to what was Google’s greatest digicam cellphone on the time. It seems to be a surprisingly shut battle, with the OnePlus 12 holding its personal however falling simply in need of the Pixel’s efficiency.
Learn the total OnePlus 12 vs. Pixel 8 Pro camera face-off.
How did Apple’s cameras enhance between 2022 and 2023? This face-off offers the reply. It is a shut comparability, however the improved telephoto lens on the iPhone 15 Professional Max goes a great distance towards setting it other than the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Learn the total iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max camera face-off.
