What’s the Best Camera Phone in 2025? Here’s What Actually Matters for Your Photos

What’s the best camera phone in 2025? Here’s what actually matters for your photos

Every year, people ask me the same question in workshops, messages and even in supermarket queues: “Jane, which is the best camera phone to buy?”

It’s a fair question. Phone cameras have become incredibly capable, and with all the talk of AI, new lenses and clever software, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or worried about choosing the wrong one.

This guide isn’t a technical comparison. I’m not testing all the phones or pouring over the specs. Instead, I’m looking at what really matters for the photos you take day-to-day, and how the big three - iPhone, Samsung and Google Pixel - approach photography differently.

My aim is simply to help you choose a phone that produces the kind of images you love, without stress, jargon or guesswork.

What does “Best camera phone 2025” actually mean?

Despite what the marketing suggests, there’s no single “best” camera phone for everyone. What you really want is the phone that suits the photos you take most, whether that’s fast-moving children, dramatic landscapes, food, pets, or evenings out. The right choice depends far more on your preferences than on the number of megapixels.

iPhone, Samsung or Pixel? How each brand approaches photography

iPhone - natural, intuitive, and excellent for video

Apple aims for natural-looking photos with pleasing skin tones and consistent colours in most lighting conditions. If you like your images to look true-to-life rather than heavily processed, iPhones tend to suit that style well. Their video quality is still the best on any phone, and the camera interface is simple and intuitive - something many of my students appreciate.

The zoom range on the latest Pro models is very usable for everyday photography, offering clean results at mid-range distances without the phone trying to “push” too far.

iPhones also make it incredibly easy to create long-exposure effects, like silky waterfalls or light trails, using the Live Photo “Long Exposure” option, something that usually requires more effort or a full manual mode on other phones. Read my beginner-friendly guide to long-exposure photography with an iPhone.

Overall, iPhone is a strong all-rounder that produces dependable results with minimal effort.

Samsung Galaxy - bold colours and more zoom

Samsung images often have more punch, with brighter colours, deeper blues and greens, and more contrast straight out of the camera. Some people love this vivid style instantly; others prefer something more subtle, but there’s no denying Samsung’s images look eye-catching with no editing at all.

Where Samsung really stands out is zoom. Its top models offer far-reaching zoom that’s noticeably stronger than Apple and Google, making it ideal if you enjoy photographing wildlife, concerts, distant buildings or anything happening far away.

(If you’re unsure about the difference between optical and digital zoom — and why it matters — I’ve written a straightforward guide that explains it with examples.)

The trade-off is that skin tones and low-light images can sometimes look more processed, but for landscape lovers and travellers, Samsung’s approach is very appealing.

Google Pixel - brilliant in low light and very intelligent

Pixel phones rely heavily on clever software to analyse a scene and improve it automatically. The result is excellent low-light performance and very sharp indoor images, often with very little effort from you. If you take lots of photos in cafés, restaurants, at home or in the evening, Pixel handles tricky lighting conditions beautifully.

Zoom isn’t as long-reaching as Samsung’s, but at everyday distances - a child across the garden, a detail in a shop window, a pet indoors - Pixel’s zoom is clean and natural.

Pixel is also known for using more AI than the other brands, analysing the scene to improve exposure, detail and low-light performance without you having to think about it. Pixel also has a feature called Top Shot, which captures extra frames before and after you press the shutter. It’s not a reason on its own to buy the phone, but it is handy for photographing children, pets or anything that moves quickly.

Pixel video has improved in recent years but still trails iPhone slightly.

So… which is the best camera phone in 2025?

Here’s the simplest way to look at it:

• If you want natural-looking photos and the best video: choose an iPhone.

• If you want bold colours and the strongest zoom: go for a Samsung Galaxy.

• If you want excellent low-light performance and intelligent processing: the Google Pixel is hard to beat.

All three brands make excellent camera phones - just in slightly different ways. Once you understand those differences, choosing becomes much easier.

My honest advice

If you can, try the phones in a shop. Take a few photos indoors and outdoors — anything you normally photograph - and notice which images you respond to most naturally. Pay attention to colour, how the camera feels in your hand, and whether the app feels simple or overwhelming.

Ultimately, the best camera phone 2025 is the one that helps you take photos you’re proud of, without making you second-guess every shot. All three major brands can do that - you just need to find the one whose approach to photography matches yours.

If you’d like to get the most from whichever phone you choose, my beginner-friendly phone photography workshops are a great way to build confidence and learn simple techniques you can use straight away.

Further reading:

For a detailed comparison of the leading camera phones this year — with sample photos and clear explanations — check out TechRadar’s Best Camera Phones 2025 guide.