Top Smartphone Cameras
What’s up, shutterbugs? Wondering which smartphone has the best camera(s) these days? I’ve done the research and narrowed it down to the absolute best camera specs for phones (as of this post) in hopes that I can help narrow down you next phone choice. Without further adieu (and in no particular order), I give you the Top Smartphone Cameras:
- Apple iPhone 13 Pro
- Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
- Google Pixel 6 Pro
- Samsung Galaxy S22
So which one is right for you? Well firstly, you probably have already made your allegiance for one camp or the other – iPhone or Android. If you’re staunchly within the Apple ecosystem, your choice has mostly been made for you. All four cameras (What a time to be alive!) in both the iPhone 13 Pro and the gargantuan 13 Pro Max are identical. Both options have fantastic cameras sporting optical zoom and stabilized lenses and, being in the Apple family, a wide variety of third-party camera and social media apps will be supported. To compare the measurements, The Pro is over 80 cm2 vs. the Pro Max coming in at almost 100 cm2 making the Max nearly 20% larger than it’s little brother. So if you value your extra pocket space, go for the regular Pro. That said, the Pro Max is excellent for content creators with its bigger screen and longer battery life – you’ll be able to view and edit your photos and videos more easily and for longer between charges.
So how about the best camera for all you Android fans out there? This might be another situation where you are already entrenched in Samsung territory so your choice will be easy. That in mind, Google’s Pixel 6 Pro and Samsung’s Galaxy S22 are still both running the same basic OS. Yes, Samsung does have its own custom version of Android that includes some Sammy-specific apps (which some might call bloatware).
First off, the Galaxy S22 Ultra does have one additional back camera compared to the Pixel 6 Pro – it’s a periscope telephoto camera which offers a longer zoom than a standard telephoto camera and offers more background blur than wide and ultra-wide cameras. That’s 10x optical zoom and 100x digital. In the right hands, you can really get DSLR-like photos without effects or filters. To compare the main wide cameras, again, Samsung comes out on top with 108 MP vs Google’s 50 MP. The Ultra is perfect for sports and nature photography at a distance and to get more candid portraits than the standard up-close-and-personal variety.
So what keeps Google’s Pixel 6 Pro competitive when hardware specifications don’t match up? Put simply, it’s a combo of extra sensors and lenses as well as software and processor algorithms. Google has included some built-in software effects like Magic Eraser, Real Tone, and Face Unblur so you can erase photobombers, adjust for accurate skintones, and remove blur from faces in motion to your heart’s content. If you don’t need the superzoom that the S22 Ultra provides, the Pixel 6 Pro will offer better usability and more options without requiring third-party apps.
In summary, the iPhone 13 Pros offer incredible point-and-shoot quality that can be made even better with built-in effects and third-party editing apps. The Galaxy S22 Ultra has the most raw power and you’ll get higher quality out of your photos and videos than anything from Apple or Google if you really know your stuff – you may have to spend more time tweaking settings or editing with extra apps but you can get some truly professional results. With a one-stop suite of features, the Pixel 6 Pro offers the best pics with minimal work right out of the box for impressive shots easily taken. All three are extremely competitive so choose whichever one has the most appealing feature to you. Happy snapping!