Photography heavyweights

This is the shortlist for people who buy a phone mostly for its camera. It gathers the flagship-tier shooters we stock: the iPhone Pro and Pro Max models from the 11 generation through the 16 line, Samsung's Galaxy S22, S23, S23 Plus and S24 Ultra, and the Google Pixel 8. Different philosophies, all of them serious.

Megapixels are the least interesting number

Resolution has not been the bottleneck for years. What matters far more is sensor size, because a bigger sensor gathers more light, and light is the raw material of every photograph. It is why a large-sensor phone at twelve megapixels can comfortably beat a small-sensor phone claiming four times as many.

What each lens is actually for

• Main — the best sensor on the phone. Use it whenever you can.
• Ultrawide — interiors, architecture, group shots in tight rooms.
• Telephoto — real optical reach, so distant subjects stay sharp instead of dissolving into digital zoom. This is the single feature that most separates a flagship camera from a good mid-range one.

Low light is where they separate

Daylight flatters every modern phone. The gaps open after sunset, in restaurants, at concerts and at hockey rinks, where sensor size and the processing behind night mode decide whether you get a usable frame or a smear. Video splits them too: stabilisation and dynamic range vary far more between models than still photos suggest.

How to choose here

Decide what you shoot most. Kids and pets reward fast autofocus and good motion handling; travel rewards ultrawide; sports and school concerts reward telephoto reach, which points you at the Pro Max and Ultra models. Then pick your platform and condition grade. Our comparison tool puts camera specs beside each other, and you can browse the full Samsung range or used iPhones if you already know your side.