Smartphone cameras keep getting better every passing year. While hardware upgrades are merely incremental at this point, a lot of interesting things are happening on the AI and photoprocessing fronts. While Google leads the charge in this aspect, other OEMs like Vivo, Xiaomi, and Oppo are quickly bridging the gap. We used dozens of flagship and midrange smartphones in 2024, here are the top 10 devices that impressed us the most with their cameras.
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Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Key Specs
Display | 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED LTPO 2X |
Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
RAM | 12GB |
Storage | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
Battery | 5,000 mAh |
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has one of the best camera systems that we’ve seen on a smartphone all year. Its rear camera module packs a 200MP primary shooter, a 10MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, a 50MP periscope telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom, and a 12MP ultrawide lens. The smartphone can shoot 8K videos at 24/30fps. The 12MP selfie camera can record 4K footage at 30/60fps. The S24 Ultra is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC – the only model in the Galaxy S24 series to be powered by the flagship Snapdragon processor. Read our review of the Galaxy S24 Ultra to learn how the smartphone performed in other aspects.
Pros
- Excellent main sensor
- Great zoom
Buy on Amazon for Rs 1,11,999
iPhone 16 Pro Max
Key Specs
Display | 6.9-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED |
Chipset | Apple A18 Pro |
RAM | 8GB |
Storage | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
Battery | 4,685 mAh |
2024’s iPhone 16 Pro Max saw a lot of changes on the OS and hardware fronts while retaining the elite camera performance. One of the upgrades that Apple made on the top-spec iPhone’s camera panel was replacing the 12MP ultrawide lens with a 48MP sensor. This camera is accompanied by another 48MP sensor for the primary shooter and a 12MP periscope telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom. The smartphone has a new ‘Camera Control’ button which acts as a shutter and lets the user control essential functions like exposure, zoom, depth, and more. The 12MP selfie camera housed inside the Dynamic Island can record 4K videos. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is powered by the Apple A18 Pro chipset.
Pros
- Upgraded ultrawide lens
- Camera control button
Buy on Amazon for Rs 1,42,900
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
Key Specs
Display | 6.8-inch LTPO OLED |
Chipset | Google Tensor G4 |
RAM | 16GB |
Storage | 256GB, 512GB |
Battery | 5,060 mAh |
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL was one of our favourite camera smartphones of 2024. The redesigned camera visor houses a 50MP primary shooter, a 48MP ultrawide lens, and a 48MP periscope telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom. Up front, the smartphone flaunts a 42MP selfie camera. Pixels are known for their superior photoprocessing skills, but this year, the smartphone improved its native camera app with new features as well. The ‘Add Me’ tool lets you take group pictures without asking strangers for help. Once you take a picture, hand over the phone to someone else in the group and take your position in the shot. When the second picture is clicked, the Pixel stitches the two images together to create the perfect group shot. Read our Google Pixel 9 Pro XL review to know more about the smartphone’s camera performance.
Pros
- Amazing photo processing
- AI features
Buy on Flipkart for Rs Rs 1,24,999
Vivo X200 Pro
Key Specs
Display | 6.78-inch LTPO OLED |
Chipset | MediaTek Dimensity 9400 |
RAM | 16GB |
Storage | 512GB |
Battery | 6,000 mAh |
Vivo X200 Pro makes a solid case for being the smartphone with the best cameras in 2024. Its circular camera cutout flaunts a 50MP primary shooter, a 200MP periscope telephoto lens with 3.7x optical zoom, and a 50MP ultrawide lens. This rear camera system is tuned by Zeiss. The X200 Pro can record 8K videos at 30fps from its rear camera. Meanwhile, its front-facing 32MP camera can shoot 4K videos at 30/60fps. Powering the smartphone is the new MediaTek Dimensity 9400 SoC. This chipset is based on a 3nm process.
Pros
- Excellent periscope telephoto lens
- Zeiss tuning
Buy on Amazon for Rs 94,999
Oppo Find X8 Pro
Key Specs
Display | 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED |
Chipset | MediaTek Dimensity 9400 |
RAM | 12GB, 16GB |
Storage | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
Battery | 5,910 mAh |
Oppo Find X8 Pro was launched late in 2024 but left an instant impression on us with its amazing cameras. We reviewed the smartphone soon after it was launched and were amazed by the versatility of its camera system. The Find X8 Pro packs four 50MP sensors in its round camera panel – a primary shooter, a telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, a periscope telephoto lens with 6x optical zoom, and an ultrawide lens. The punch-hole cutout on the display houses a 32MP selfie camera. The smartphone is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9400 SoC.
Pros
- Great telephoto cameras
- Versatile photography performance
Rs 99,999 on Oppo.com
Xiaomi 14
Key Specs
Display | 6.36-inch LTPO OLED |
Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
RAM | 12GB |
Storage | 512GB |
Battery | 4,610 mAh |
Aside from being our favourite compact smartphone of 2024, Xiaomi 14 also had one of the best camera systems we’ve seen all year. The smartphone is equipped with three 50MP sensors, each dedicated to the primary shooter, 3.2x telephoto lens, and ultrawide lens. The primary shooter can record 8K footage at 24fps. Meanwhile, the 32MP selfie camera can shoot in 4K at 30/60fps. Powering the Xiaomi 14 is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. The smartphone packs a 4,610mAh chipset and supports 90W wired charging. Read our Xiaomi 14 review for a detailed performance analysis.
Pros
- Great night photography
- Relatively affordable
Buy on Amazon for Rs 49,998
OnePlus 12
Key Specs
Display | 6.82-inch LTPO AMOLED |
Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
RAM | 12GB, 16GB |
Storage | 256GB, 512GB |
Battery | 5,400 mAh |
The OnePlus 12 ticks a lot of boxes, one of them being an exemplary camera performance. The smartphone’s rear camera cutout houses a 50MP primary shooter, a 64MP periscope telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and a 48MP ultrawide lens. All three of these sensors are colour-calibrated by Hasselblad. OnePlus 12 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC. Its 6.82-inch LTPO AMOLED display has a 120Hz refresh rate and can reach 4,500 nits of peak brightness. Check out our review of the OnePlus 12 for a closer look at its performance.
Pros
- Hasselblad tuning
- Relatively affordable
Buy on Amazon for Rs 59,999
Vivo V40 Pro
Key Specs
Display | 6.78-inch AMOLED |
Chipset | MediaTek Dimensity 9200+ |
RAM | 8GB, 12GB |
Storage | 256GB, 512GB |
Battery | 5,500 mAh |
When it came to camera performance, the Vivo V40 Pro rose above the other upper-midrange smartphones launched in 2024. One of the more interesting things about this smartphone is its ‘Aura Light’, which acts as a fill light for portraits. The smartphone rocks a primary shooter, a telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom, and an ultrawide lens. Up front, the selfie camera is housed inside a punch-hole cutout. All four cameras are equipped with a 50MP sensor. The smartphone takes stunning shots in a wide range of lighting conditions. When we reviewed the V40 Pro, we were particularly impressed by its low-light photography performance.
Pros
- Amazing low-light camera performance
- Aura light
Buy on Amazon for Rs 47,041
Nothing Phone (2a)
Key Specs
Display | 6.7-inch AMOLED |
Chipset | MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro |
RAM | 8GB, 12GB |
Storage | 128GB, 256GB |
Battery | 5,000 mAh |
The Nothing Phone (2a) was one of the dark horses of 2024. This midrange smartphone delivers a solid camera performance for its price. The two 50MP sensors for the primary shooter and ultrawide lens let in a lot of light and take vibrant images in outdoor daylight conditions. The low-light camera performance isn’t too bad either. Under the hood, the Phone (2a) packs the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro chipset. The see-through design and glyph patterns give the smartphone a unique personality. Read our Nothing Phone (2a) review to know more about the device.
Pros
- Good cameras
- Glyph lighting
Buy on Amazon for Rs 20,999
Redmi 13
Key Specs
Display | 6.79-inch IPS LCD |
Chipset | MediaTek Helio G91 Ultra |
RAM | 6GB, 8GB |
Storage | 128GB |
Battery | 5,030 mAh |
Out of all the budget smartphones in 2024, Redmi 13 impressed us the most with its camera system. This affordable smartphone packs a 108MP primary shooter and a 2MP macro sensor. The images taken by the primary shooter in outdoor daylight conditions are segment-defining. These images pack a lot of detail and showcase deep, rich colours. Up front, Redmi 13 houses a 13MP selfie camera inside a punch-hole cutout. The smartphone is powered by the MediaTek Helio G91 Ultra chipset. Read our review of the Redmi 13 to learn how the smartphone performs in daily usage.
Pros
- Good primary shooter
- Glass back panel
Buy on Amazon for Rs 12,494
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Final Thoughts
These were our favourite camera smartphones that were launched in 2024. If you’re thinking of making a purchase right now, we’d recommend waiting a few weeks for the release of the new OnePlus 13 and Samsung Galaxy S25 series. Think we missed out on a smartphone that deserves to be on this list? Let us know in the comments!