Best Camera Phone 2026: iPhone 18 Pro Max, Pixel 11, S26 Ultra and More

Every flagship launched in 2026 can take great photos in daylight, so if you're shopping for a new flagship phone it makes sense to focus on low-light photos, zoom photos and videos instead.

That's exactly what we've done here, picking the best phone in each category from those on sale on 4 November 2026, based on the specs provided by phone makers, GSMArena's full reviews and scores from DXOMARK (we haven't tested the phones ourselves). All DXOMARK scores have been annotated with their publication date.

Quick verdict by category

Note that DXOMARK tested the iPhone 18 Pro, but according to GSMArena’s iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 18 Pro Max comparison, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max use identical imaging hardware, so we’re using the same score for both models. Here are the DXOMARK scores for reference:

Lab numbers matter, but real-life use matters more, which is why our review also incorporates findings from GSMArena's own camera reviewers. For example, a two-point difference in scores may not translate into significantly different results in real life, especially in photos.

On the other hand, not having a telephoto zoom lens or capturing shaky videos while walking are shortcomings that will be apparent every single time you use the phone for photography and videography.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max for overall quality and video

The iPhone 18 Pro Max (from $1,299 in the US) launched on 18 September following its reveal on 9 September 2026.

Its triple-rear-camera setup includes 48MP sensors for its 24mm main, 13mm ultrawide and 100mm (4x optical zoom) telephoto cameras. The main camera now also sports a variable aperture (f/1.48 to f/4), although GSMArena’s review determined this has only limited real-world usage.

DXOMARK’s camera test awarded the iPhone 18 Pro a total score of 172 points, being the best result of any phone featured in this guide, as well as a best-in-class sub-score of 189 for video capture using the main camera. GSMArena’s review also singled out its video stabilisation as being class-leading across all cameras, and praised its 2x low-light photos as being some of the best it’s seen from a phone’s main camera.

Areas where the iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max doesn’t shine are close-up photography (its main camera has a minimum focus distance of 17.5cm according to GSMArena) and long-range zoom photography (DXOMARK determined it trails some competing flagships when it comes to image detail using its telephoto camera). Its weakest camera according to GSMArena was the ultrawide, particularly at night where vignetting was noticeable.

For video creation the iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max offers the most comprehensive feature set of any phone here. Apple lists Apple Log 2, genlock, ProRes RAW and (when recording externally) ProRes video at up to 4K resolution and 120fps. It’s also now possible to adjust white balance and shutter speed manually when using the stock Camera app.

The OPPO Find X9 Ultra for zoom

OPPO released the Find X9 Ultra globally on 21 April 2026. It went on sale in the UK/Europe in May.

The OPPO Find X9 Ultra is the only phone here with a dedicated 10x camera (a 50MP periscope with a 230mm-equivalent focal length, according to GSMArena), which GSMArena's reviews say gives it an edge for long-range zoom photography over the similarly talented Xiaomi 17 Ultra and vivo X300 Ultra. Its other cameras include a 200MP main camera with a 1/1.12-inch sensor and a 200MP 3x (70mm-equivalent) telephoto camera, according to GSMArena.

The Find X9 Ultra's zoom abilities are very good, but we don't think they're necessarily better than the vivo X300 Ultra's, since the latter edges it out in DXOMARK's zoom-specific camera phone ranking (though the difference is slight). Still, the Find X9 Ultra earned the highest telephoto-specific score (173) we've seen DXOMARK list for any camera phone (with a total camera score of 170).

We're less impressed by the Find X9 Ultra's video abilities: DXOMARK gave it a video-specific score of 161 (compared to 176 for the iPhone), and GSMArena's review describes its video as generally "soft-ish".

GSMArena names the Find X9 Ultra its camera phone editors' choice (as of its 18 October 2026 update to the site's camera phone buyer's guide). It isn't officially available in the US, and in Europe costs around €1,500 (according to GSMArena, as of October).

The vivo X300 Ultra for stills

According to GSMArena, the vivo X300 Ultra is arguably one of the most complete camera phones ever made.

Its main strengths lie in its triple camera setup, with a 200MP 35mm main camera (1/1.12-inch sensor), a 200MP 85mm telephoto camera and a 14mm ultrawide camera (1/1.28-inch sensor). The ultrawide in particular earned the vivo X300 Ultra the highest ultrawide sub-score (175) of any phone in DXOMARK’s database, helping it to achieve an overall score of 170.

For video, there’s 4K 120fps 10-bit Log recording available for more than one focal length.

Areas for improvement include the quality of the vivo X300 Ultra’s 230mm shots (according to GSMArena, OPPO’s dedicated 10x telephoto camera still delivers better results at this focal length) and its European pricing, which GSMArena describes as “prohibitively expensive”. The vivo X300 Ultra went on sale in Europe back in April (it launched on 30 March 2026, according to GSMArena) and isn’t available in the US.

The Pixel 11 Pro XL for point-and-shoot photos

Announced alongside the rest of the Pixel 11 series on 12 August 2026, the Pixel 11 Pro XL sports a 50MP main, 48MP ultrawide and 48MP 5x telephoto (with a bigger sensor that Google claims is 30% more light sensitive than before). The Pixel 11 Pro XL launched at €1,399 in Europe, according to GSMArena.

DXOMARK gave the Pixel 11 Pro XL’s camera system a score of 168, praising its “natural” skin tones no matter the lighting conditions, as well as its dependable autofocus that they said was both stable and accurate. GSMArena liked the Pixel 11 Pro XL’s camera performance for the most part, awarding it a “very good” rating across the board, though calling its 2x crop performance “only alright”. They also noted that the telephoto lens could only focus on objects as close as about 39cm away. Or you could go with a Galaxy. In that case, our Samsung vs Pixel camera comparison breaks down the differences between the Pixel 11 Pro and the S26 Ultra feature by feature.

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra for value at today's prices

Outside of China, GSMArena's launch review called the Xiaomi 17 Ultra likely the best camera phone you can buy, at a price that's since fallen from its €1,499 512GB asking price at global launch on 28 February 2026 to a little over €1,000, according to GSMArena's October OPPO Find X10 Pro Max review.

It’s a great all-rounder with a versatile zoom range (from a 1-inch-type 50MP main camera to a 200MP periscope with 75mm to 100mm optical zoom), earning a DXOMARK score of 166, just behind the Pixel. Its main camera could do with better stabilisation in certain situations (walking, for example), and the telephoto camera’s ~26cm minimum focus distance isn’t the best, but otherwise it’s excellent. Just remember that Xiaomi doesn’t release its phones in the US, so this is an Asia/Europe-only recommendation.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra for Samsung buyers

Samsung announced the S26 Ultra on 25 February 2026. The S26 Ultra’s camera array comprises a 200MP f/1.4 main camera, 10MP 3x telephoto, 50MP f/2.9 5x telephoto and 50MP ultrawide. That said, the S26 Ultra isn’t the best camera phone you can buy right now, as DXOMARK rates it with a score of 157, for instance, and GSMArena even points to its camera hardware as one of the device’s cons given it lags behind the top Android camera phones.

Still, it’s the only device in this roundup to offer both 3x and 5x telephoto cameras as well as stylus support. At 214g, it’s also 35g lighter than Apple’s flagship. In its iPhone 18 Pro Max vs Galaxy S26 Ultra comparison, though, GSMArena did single out the latter’s selfie pics as some of the most detailed it’s seen and its 10x zoom shots as much better in good lighting conditions. The S26 Ultra also supports 8K and 4K 120fps video recording as well as Samsung’s own APV video codec and can preview LUTs in real time when shooting in Log. If you buy one, our S26 Ultra camera guide covers the settings to change first.

Samsung hiked the S26 Ultra’s prices in the US on 1 October 2026, with the 256GB variant now going for $1,399.99, which is a full $100 more expensive than the iPhone 18 Pro Max. In Europe, however, it’s the other way around: GSMArena notes the Galaxy S26 Ultra costs €979 in Germany as opposed to €1,599 for Apple’s flagship according to prices listed in October. Our S26 Ultra release date and price guide monitors changes in terms of storage size.

Which Galaxy to pick if you're staying with Samsung

Our Samsung camera phone ranking covers all of today’s Galaxy models, and our S26 Ultra vs S25 Ultra comparison will walk you through the upgrade. If you’re considering an iPhone instead, our Samsung vs iPhone camera comparison shows how the two flagships stack up against each other.

The newest Chinese phones are only just arriving

Late last month (21 October), OPPO launched the Find X10 Pro Max globally, which sports triple 200MP cameras.

GSMArena's review of the phone claims its camera is about on par with that of the Find X9 Ultra, and that it's the best in class when it comes to shooting videos in poor lighting conditions.

The vivo X500 Pro Max arrived in Europe a few days later (27 October), starting at €1,499. GSMArena claims vivo's spring flagship, the X300 Ultra, still edges it in camera hardware.

We're also still waiting for DXOMARK's camera test of the two above-mentioned smartphones.

At the time of writing (4 November), Xiaomi hasn't announced when the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max will launch globally.

Until we get camera tests of the new flagships, we'll keep our spring recommendations for now.

Specs that matter less than the marketing says

• These phones combine pixels from their big sensors to make smaller images by default, since that leads to better pictures in most situations. If you want to crop pictures later or photograph well-lit static scenes, though, 200MP pictures can come in handy. Our 12MP vs 50MP vs 200MP guide shows when the big mode pays off.
• Samsung claims 100x zoom on its camera phone, Google says 120x and Apple touts 40x, but the reviews quoted here mention pictures taken with optical zoom and at 10x, since that’s where there’s still some detail left.
• Apple’s f/1.48 to f/4 variable aperture sounds impressive until you note that its main camera can’t focus on objects any closer than 17.5cm away. GSMArena didn’t find it hugely useful in practice, either.
• A couple of points here or there in a camera rating such as DXOMARK’s won’t be reflected in your pictures, although such reviews can highlight deficiencies, such as the Find X9 Ultra’s video abilities, for example.
• Most of these Android phones offer 8K video, but few of us actually shoot or share videos in 8K. Smooth 4K video at 60fps is much more practical.

Who should upgrade this year

Unless your phone is at least three generations old, don’t expect drastic improvements, especially with cameras. GSMArena found little difference in photos from the S25 Ultra and S26 Ultra, for example, and similarly concluded in its iPhone 18 Pro Max vs 17 Pro Max comparison that photos taken in bright conditions were pretty darn similar.

See if Night mode on your phone (hold it still!) is good enough for your typical low-light/indoor shots before splurging. Our night mode guide covers the Galaxy side.