Best camera phones in 2024

The more megapixels a camera has, the sharper your photos will appear. However, there are several factors which create an excellent image, not just megapixel count.

In 2024, we recommend that your phone’s rear camera should have 50MP and above.

Every professional photographer is different. While they might use their phone camera for personal photos, they are more likely to have a different camera for professional situations. Remember, the work of a professional photographer is more likely to be printed, whereas phone cameras are useful in digital contexts.

However, the most advanced phone cameras offer great image quality and resolution, so the gap between phone and DSLR cameras is closing.

Our top picks for smartphones with the best camera quality in 2024 include: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and Google Pixel 8 Pro. Check out their camera features to see which phone suits you best.

Our top pick for 2024 is the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

This phone brings with it a new era of AI phone photography, with pro-grade lenses capturing images in true-to-life detail, even at distance and in low light. The AI-powered 100x Space Zoom enables images to be crystal clear, even in the dark, thanks to Nightography zoom.

Some phones are showcasing cameras with up to four lenses on the back (the main camera) - here's why.

Smartphones with four lenses tend to have a primary camera lens, a telephoto lens, an ultra-wide angle lens and a depth sensor. They work together to give your pictures depth, richness, enhanced colour and texture.

• The primary lens helps the camera take a picture in different lights, ranging from bright indoor and outdoor light to nighttime, and the clarity of the resulting picture is directly related to its megapixel strength

• The telephoto lens allows you to zoom in on your subject. Once you've zoomed in and taken your picture, you can then use 100x or 20x Zoom Lock to see even greater details

• An ultra-wide angle lens lets you capture more background with wide-angle pictures, widening what you can see in the picture. It's great for landscape and group shots

• The depth sensor enhances portrait and bokeh photos. It takes a black and white image and blends it with the RGB image taken by the primary camera, packing in more colour vibrancy and detail

If you're keen to take great pictures but you're not sure you need a smartphone with up to four lenses, a dual lens will give you the best of both worlds. One lens is the main shooter, while the other captures the depth. This gives you the ability to separate a foreground subject from the background, meaning you can refocus or recolour either part of the image.

There's an amazing spectrum of flattering digital filters, effects and shooting modes available with today's camera phones, such as portrait mode, selfie mode, lighting effects such as natural bokeh, zoom and even night mode to take the perfect picture in low light.

It's always better to apply filters after you've taken an image, not before. However, don't forget you can always add a filter in your favourite social media app before you publish. It's also worth remembering that you can make a colour image black and white, but not the other way around.

If you're in search of the perfect picture and you don't want to get caught out with a low battery, browse our accessories page to find charging packs and wireless chargers so you're always ready to shoot.

¹ Requires Google Photos app. May not work on all audio elements.

¹Not available for all camera apps or modes.