Best Phone for Photography 2026: Award-Winning Cameras Ranked
If photography is the reason you upgrade your phone, the only credible signal across the marketing is multi-year award history. We anchor this list to MKBHD's Best Camera award — the picks below all won or placed across the last four years.
Updated · 7 picks · Rankings reflect MKBHD Smartphone Awards outcomes.
How we picked
Phones that won or placed at MKBHD's Best Camera award between 2022 and 2025. Sorted by recency and breadth of camera strengths.
- #1
Won Best Camera at MKBHD's 2025 Smartphone Awards. The first non-Apple/Google phone to win the category in years. Triple 50MP system with the most lens-to-lens consistency on the market.
Pros
- MKBHD's 2025 Best Camera winner
- Most consistent triple-lens output
- Excellent low-light without aggressive smoothing
Cons
- Limited US availability
- Editing app ecosystem trails iOS
- #2
Runner-up at the 2025 Best Camera awards. Where it overtakes the Find X9 Pro: video. ProRes Log, Final Cut Pro for iPad, and the deepest creator-app ecosystem make this the only choice for video creators.
Pros
- Best mobile video pipeline
- ProRes capture and Final Cut Pro for iPad
- Most professional creator apps
Cons
- Beaten on stills consistency by Find X9 Pro
- $1,099 starting price
- #3
Won Best Camera at MKBHD's 2024 Smartphone Awards. Same fundamental camera pipeline as the iPhone 17 Pro, often $200–$300 off in 2026. The best-value way to get top-tier mobile video this year.
Pros
- MKBHD's 2024 Best Camera winner
- Same core camera pipeline as 17 Pro
- Five years of major iOS updates remaining
Cons
- Slightly behind 17 Pro on stills processing
- Smaller battery than the 17 Pro
- #4
MKBHD's 2024 Most Improved winner. The Pixel pipeline is the most reliable for everyday family photography because of Google's computational photography tools — Magic Editor, Best Take, and Audio Magic Eraser routinely save 'almost good' shots.
Pros
- Best AI-driven photo editing tools
- Most consistent everyday family photography
- Cleanest Android UI
Cons
- Tensor G4 trails A19 Pro and Snapdragon 8 Elite
- Battery merely average
- #5
Won Best Camera at MKBHD's 2023 Smartphone Awards. Now widely available refurbished at $599–$699 in 2026. Still has 4+ years of iOS support remaining and shoots ProRes video.
Pros
- MKBHD's 2023 Best Camera winner
- Refurbished pricing $599–$699
- Apple Intelligence supported
Cons
- 8GB RAM constrains heavy AI use
- Two generations behind on chipset
- #6
Runner-up at MKBHD's 2024 Best Camera awards. The S24 Ultra's 5x periscope and 200MP main are the strongest zoom and resolution combination on Android, now available at $300+ off launch price.
Pros
- 5x periscope and 200MP main
- Now $300+ off launch price
- Seven years of updates
Cons
- Samsung's processing can over-sharpen skin
- Heavy at 232g
- #7
2023 runner-up — best computational photography on a discount
Google Pixel 8 Pro
Google · 2023 · From $999
Runner-up at MKBHD's 2023 Best Camera awards. The Pixel 8 Pro pipeline is class-leading for computational photography, and the phone is now widely available in the $500–$700 range — exceptional value.
Pros
- Best AI-driven photography under $700
- Excellent low-light without overprocessing
- Now $500–$700
Cons
- Tensor G3 thermals can throttle
- Older 5x telephoto vs newer rivals
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best phone for photography in 2026?
Oppo Find X9 Pro (winner of MKBHD's 2025 Best Camera) for pure stills excellence; iPhone 17 Pro for video creators specifically; Pixel 9 Pro for everyday family photography with AI editing tools.
iPhone or Pixel for photography?
iPhone 17 Pro is the better video camera; Pixel 9 Pro is the better everyday-photography camera due to its AI editing pipeline. Both have placed at MKBHD's Best Camera awards in recent years.
Are flagship cameras worth the premium for photography?
Yes, if photography is the reason you're upgrading. Mid-range phones have caught up enormously on still-photo quality, but flagship low-light, video, and zoom remain a real gap.
About this list
We index every phone that won or placed in MKBHD's annual Smartphone Awards (2014–2025) and surface the strongest matches for this category. Award badges link to the full award history. We earn a commission on purchases via our retailer links — at no extra cost to you.