Best For Photographers 2017

1. With strong low light performance, plus extra detail and depth in your shots thanks to that secondary lens, the Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro certainly offer some of the best smartphone optics of 2017.
2. A collection of images from the Sea of Marmara, along Turkey's coast, where a thick layer of glop known as mucilage, or 'sea snot,' has covered shorelines for months. Dia Dipasupil / Getty.

Which smartphone boasts the best optics, for snapping photos and home movies on the go? We've tested and reviewed a huge number of mobile phone cameras in 2018. From great-value budget shooters to advanced premium mobile cameras, which come 4K Ultra HD ready, here's our favourites.

Head over the Trusted Reviews to see the Best Smartphones on the market right now.

One of the most important features for a modern mobile phone is the camera slapped on the back. After all, we've pretty much all ditched our digital cameras in favour of that tiny snapper, to capture family fun days out. Not to mention that hilarious time Dave got wasted and puked up on the cat.

Of course, not everyone can afford the very latest flagship phone packing the best camera around. That's why we've also covered the best camera phones that can be picked up for a budget of £200 or less. Here's our complete round-up of the best camera phones in the UK, however much you spend.

Your Official Instagram Hashtag Guide for Photographers: A List Of The Best Hashtags Instagram Tips: Part 2 by Nick Pecori. January 26, 2017. 2017 Edited On the other hand, the more.

Best camera phones

If money is no object, we recommend the following premium phones for snapping your everyday existence.

• HTC U11
• Samsung Galaxy Note 8
• Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus
• Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL
• OnePlus 5T
• Sony Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact
• Sony Xperia XZ1
• iPhone 8 Plus
• Huawei Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro
• Huawei P20 Pro
• Huawei P20

HTC U11

Samsung used to be the king of smartphone snappers, until HTC rose to steal its crown in 2017. The latest U11 flagship phone boasts a truly remarkable 12-megapixel snapper with a f/1.7 aperture lens, which captures stunning shots in any conditions. That includes low light conditions, a realm previously ruled by Sammy.

That HDR Boost feature helps out considerably, when contrast levels are a little tricky. You get well-balanced, great-looking photos packed with detail, even when snapping against a bright sky and the like. In fact, only the image stabilisation when shooting video is beaten by other handsets. In every other area, the U11 is at least as strong, if not stronger.

Check out our in-depth HTC U11 camera review and our comparison with the best Android camera phones of 2017.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

One of the fastest growing smartphone trends in recent times has been the rise of dual lens cameras. This concept isn't new of course, yet the likes of Apple and Nokia have jumped on the bandwagon in recent months, slapping double shooters on their flagship phones.

Samsung, for all its market-leading innovation, was strangely absent from this race – at least, until the Galaxy Note 8 was unveiled near the end of 2017.

Part of the appeal with the Note's main camera is that both the wide-angle and telephoto sensors that sit side by side, packing a 12-megapixel resolution while boasting independent optical image stabilisation. The main wide-angle snapper and the front-facing 8-megapixel camera pack impressively wide f/1.7 apertures, for superior low light performance, whilst the telephoto lens shoots with a narrower f/2.4 aperture.

Have a gander at our Galaxy Note 8 camera review for full samples and our analysis.

You can also see this Samsung snapper in action in our dual lens camera comparison, where the Note squares off against the likes of the iPhone 8 Plus and Huawei Mate 10.

Samsung Galaxy S9

At a surface level, very little seems to have changed with Samsung's Galaxy S9 camera tech compared with last year's Galaxy S8 optics. The new S9 once again sports a 12-megapixel rear snapper, complete with ‘Dual Pixel' Phase Detection Autofocus and Optical Image Stabilisation. In other words, it's once again pretty speedy when it comes to taking shots, while also countering any hand shakes for crisp, blur-free results.

However, Samsung has granted the Galaxy S9 an innovative new feature: the ability to swap between two lens apertures. In other words, the S9's camera can alter how much light is sucked in for each photo, depending on the environmental conditions. Does this make much difference? No, not really to be honest, but the S9 still produces stunning shots in all kinds of conditions. And you can now shoot video at 960-frames-per-second, for a stunning Super Slow Motion effect.

Check out our in-depth Galaxy S9 camera review and Galaxy S9 camera tips and tricks for all you need to know.

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

Although most mobile manufacturers have leaped onto the dual lens camera bandwagon, Google has stuck firmly with its single lens snappers for the second round of Pixel smartphones. We can't argue with that decision either, as these handsets really do impressive when it comes to the optics.

The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL both sport the exact same camera tech, namely a 12.2-megapixel shooter with f/1.8 aperture lens. This can capture truly beautiful photos in even the most challenging conditions, although the likes of the Huawei P20 Pro have now overtaken the Pixel as smartphone snapper champions.

Have a gander at our Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL camera review for more info.

If you can't quite afford the new Pixel phones, last year's Pixel and Pixel XL original handsets also feature a 12.3-megapixel rear camera which can shoot up to 4K video, with most of the same features. You'll still enjoy a fast shutter speed and strong results for photo and video capture.

Take a look at our in-depth Google Pixel and Pixel XL camera review to see full photo and video samples.

OnePlus 5T

Although it's one of the cheaper flagship handsets out there, the OnePlus 5T still more than delivers when it comes to the camera smarts.

The OnePlus 5 already served up a great dual-lens smartphone snapper for under £500 earlier in 2017, yet the new OnePlus 5T improves on that camera tech with a boost to low light functionality. You can shoot great-looking bokeh-filled photos with zero effort, while night snaps look solid for the price. Home movies are also slick, with some impressive detail packed in at Full HD and 4K resolutions, along with great image stabilisation.

Head to our full OnePlus 5T camera review for samples and our comparison with the OnePlus 5's optics.

Sony Xperia XZ Premium

Sony has plenty of experience when it comes to world-class camera tech and so it's no surprise that the optics on the latest Sony Xperia phone is truly brilliant. In fact, the Xperia XZ Premium's snapper actually upstages the phone's supposed stand-out feature, that 4K HDR-ready screen.

One of the biggest talking points is the insanely good (yet hard-to-master) Super Slow Motion feature, which captures incredible footage at a staggering 960-frames-per-second. However, it's the XZ Premium's everyday photography chops that really make it a solid smartphone snapper. You can shoot gorgeous-looking pics in any conditions, including really dark environments, using Sony's Superior Auto mode.

Check out our full Sony Xperia XZ Premium camera review for all you need to know, plus full photos and video samples.

Sony Xperia XZ1

Sony's Xperia XZ1 flagship phone, launched towards the end of 2017, boasts plenty of fantastic features. However, one of the biggest strengths of Sony smartphones has always been the camera tech, and the spruced-up Motion Eye snapper that sits in this mobile is definitely a highlight.

As well as packing the usual (and brilliant) Superior Auto mode, for snapping your everyday life with minimal effort, the XZ1 is perfect for action shots thanks to the smart autofocus burst mode. Even better, the video mode has been boosted by the Xperia XZ Premium's Super Slow Motion feature. That means you can capture a home movie with stunning 960 frames-per-second segments, for impressive results.

On top of that, you can even use Sony's 3D Creator tool to map out your mate's head and make a virtual character out of them. Utterly pointless, yet still great fun.

Check out our full in-depth Sony Xperia XZ1 camera review for photo and video samples and more of our thoughts on this highly capable smartphone snapper.

Apple iPhone 8 Plus

Jutting out of the back end of the iPhone 8 Plus you'll spy what appears to be the same dual-lens camera setup to last year's iPhone 7 Plus. Have a squint at the specs and you might think it really is identical. Once again you have a 12-megapixel wide-angle snapper, backed up by a secondary 12-megapixel telephoto lens, which gives you a closer view of your subject thanks to the 2x optical zoom.

While the specs remain very similar to the 7 Plus, Apple has made some clear changes between the launch of these two flagship phones. Photo capture has improved, with cleaner results for moving subjects as well as tweaked night time performance. Meanwhile video recording can be boosted to 4K resolution footage at 60 frames-per-second. Your home movies have never looked so natural.

Check out our in-depth iPhone 8 Plus camera review, complete with side-by-side comparisons with the 7 Plus so you can see the improvements and changes.

Huawei Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro

Whilst Leica's level of involvement is still questionable, the Mate 10 and 10 Pro both possess a serious imaging setup. Similar to last year's Mate 9 and this year's P10 and P10 Plus (see below), these phones pack in a 12 and 20-megapixel dual sensor arrangement on the back with an 8-megapixel front-facer, sporting an f/2.0 aperture.

The SUMMILUX-H lenses on its main camera have been completely reworked, to boast the widest aperture of any smartphone around (f/1.6). With strong low light performance, plus extra detail and depth in your shots thanks to that secondary lens, the Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro certainly offer some of the best smartphone optics of 2017.

There are still clear areas for improvement of course. An improvement to video stabilisation at any resolution is a must, as well as HDR shooting by default. Plus, that busy and initially confusing camera UI could use a little tweaking. Those minor complaints aside, this is a great dual lens setup – and a rival to the likes of the iPhone 8 Plus and Note 8, as you'll see in our dual camera comparison.

Wander on over to our in-depth Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro camera review to see our samples and more on these great dual snappers.

Huawei P20 Pro

Dual lens cameras are so 2017. The shiny new Huawei P20 Pro offers up a rather ridiculously stacked triple-lens camera instead, to truly cover all occasions. You can definitely believe the hype, too. Thanks to a combination of killer hardware and software smarts, the new P20 Pro handset is one of the very best mobile snappers right now. In fact, it's probably the best.

The trio of lenses are arranged in a neat little row. First up is a 20-megapixel f/1.6 monochrome lens. This is joined by an RGB lens with f/1.8 aperture, which can capture images at a rather barmy 40-megapixels. And last but not least is an 8-megapixel telephoto lens, which allows you to grab an up-close shot of a distant subject. All very impressive, for sure. But it's the intelligent camera software which really helps the P20 Pro to shine. Portrait Mode shots of your fellow humans will look stunning, to DSLR levels of quality, with next to no effort. Video results are also spectacular, although the 4K image stabilisation isn't as strong as some rivals.

Head to our full P20 Pro camera review for full details.

Huawei P20

The P20 and Huawei's Pro model share a lot of the same smartphone DNA. Yet when it comes to the camera tech, there are many differences. At least, in terms of the hardware.

The standard P20 serves up your typical dual lens camera there on its shiny back end. You get a 12-megapixel RGB lens with f/1.8 aperture, which captures colour information. That's backed up by a 20-megapixel monochrome lens with f/1.6 aperture, which captures black and white images. These once again work in combination to snap crisp and detailed shots, complete with proper depth sensing.

Although there's no third telephoto lens, the P20 pretty much holds its own against the Pro model, in all but zoom shots. Portrait shots are just as impressive and our photo gallery contained dozens of stunning shots after just a couple of days, all thanks to that smart automatic scene detection.

Have a squint at our P20 camera review, where we also directly compare photo and video results with the Pro model.

Best budget camera phones

If your budget is a bit tight but you still want a great everyday smartphone snapper, here's some more wallet-friendly options. We've included some older handsets with cameras that have stood the test of time, which you can find on a more affordable contract these days.

• Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge
• HTC 10
• Moto G5
• Moto G5 Plus
• Wileyfox Swift 2 Plus
• Lenovo P2

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge

If you're after a simple-to-use point n' shoot smartphone camera, then Samsung's Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge flagships from 2016 are still among the very best. This 12-megapixel snapper is the same on both phones and brilliant in almost any conditions, with low light proving its specialty. Home movies also look great, with Full HD, Quad HD and 4K recording all on offer.

Our Galaxy S7 camera review tells you everything you need to know, and we've also taken an in-depth look at the Galaxy S7's many camera features, including the Pro mode for confident photographers and the streaming feature for live broadcasting on platforms like Facebook.

HTC 10

You get some vibrant and detail-packed photos with the HTC 10's excellent 12-megapixel camera phone, which rivals the Samsung Galaxy S7's shooter for best camera phone of 2016. The camera app is nice and simple but boasts some solid features like RAW image support. And moving subjects are well handled, good news for parents and pet owners.

Video recording is a winner again, with up to 4K resolution supported. Video quality is excellent with some strong image stabilisation to cut down on hand judders.

Check out our full in-depth HTC 10 camera review for more info on one of the best mobile phone cameras of 2016.

Moto G5

The Moto G4 Plus really impressed us by packing some solid optics for under £200, including full phase detection autofocus (PDAF) for a near instant shutter speed. That feature has trickled down to the newer Moto G5 handset, which is even faster at locking onto your subject than before.

The G5 packs a 13-megapixel sensor with an f/2.0 aperture lens, which is pleasingly capable in almost any kind of conditions. HDR support sorts out any kind of vicious contrast and even low-light performance is decent enough. Meanwhile the 5-megapixel front-facing camera on the Moto G5 features a wide-angle lens for cramming in plenty of heads.

Great news if you take lots of spontaneous shots too, as the Moto G5's camera app can be activated just with a double-twist of the phone, even when the phone is hibernating.

Check out our full Moto G5 camera review for samples and analysis.

Moto G5 Plus

The Moto G5 Plus may have stripped back to a 12-megapixel rear camera, which means less pixels crammed into each shot compared with the standard Moto G5 and even the older Moto G4 Plus. However, the Dual Pixel Autofocus technology and f/1.7 aperture lens matches Samsung's brilliant Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge cameras and that kind of smartphone mettle for a budget price is definitely enticing.

Moto's camera app is pleasingly simple to use and the main interface is free of clutter, giving you access only to the most essential settings and features. The auto mode with built-in HDR offers attractive shots even in a range of tricky conditions, while the f/1.7 aperture lens sucks up plenty of light to produce respectable night shots. You can also shoot up to 4K resolution video, on demand.

For our in-depth thoughts, check out our Moto G5 Plus camera review.

Wileyfox Swift 2 Plus

British brand Wileyfox really impressed us with the Swift 2 Plus, which captures detailed snaps pretty much the moment you tap the shutter button.

Our test photos look great when viewed back on a big screen, providing lighting conditions are reasonable. You get realistic colour reproduction, while the autofocus deals well with everything from up-close macro shots to sweeping vistas. Even fast-moving subjects like pets and kids are usually caught without too much blur to ruin the photo.

You can also shoot up to Full HD video, while the 8-megapixel front-facing camera captures every sag and wrinkle. Nice.

Lenovo P2

Best Photographers 2017

The Lenovo P2 sports a low £199 asking price and offers a whole bunch of great stuff in return. This handset's main USP is its mighty 5100mAh battery, which delivers up to three full days of use between charges. But thankfully the P2 isn't a one-trick pony, also packing a smart and dependable 13-megapixel camera on the rear.

Best Landscape Photographers 2017

Complete with a two-tone LED flash, the P2's shooter is a perfectly decent budget effort. Lenovo's ‘Smart' auto mode does a respectable job of figuring out the best settings for each shot on the fly, while the Phase Detection Autofocus locks onto your subject in double-quick time.