Best Camera Phone

(This article is one of 16 parts in our Tech Awards 2025: Editor's Choice content series.)

The imaging ability of modern smartphones is one of the few advancements that defined the turn of the century. It separated the brick-sized “talkies” of yore from the pocketable, social media-ready handsets we are familiar with today.

High-end phones with cameras would go even beyond what older DSLR cameras once achieved. In these mobile devices, you can find all sorts of sensors, lenses, and hardware that compensate for their limited light-capture area. This is further enhanced by decades of research into photo editing advances, such that many phones these days even pre-apply their AI-enhanced tweaks during (or even before) the photo is taken.

In an era where nothing is what it seems, only truth can prevail: Is your photo quality up to par, and is it true to your human senses?

The qualification for the best camera phone is one premium-tier candidate per brand, sold in Singapore. Collaborations with camera, sensor, lens, or studio brands are optional. It must also have been released between April 2024 and the end of April 2025, in line with our other Tech Awards 2025 Editor’s Choice award categories assessed.

Nominees:

1. Apple iPhone 16 Pro
2. Google Pixel 9 Pro
3. Honor Magic7 Pro
4. Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
5. OPPO Find X8 Pro
6. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
7. Sony Xperia 1 VI
8. Xiaomi 15 Ultra

Note #1: Vivo’s premium X-series devices (X100 Pro, X100 Ultra, X200 Pro, X200 Ultra) are not officially sold in Singapore, and therefore do not receive any nominations.

Note #2: The Honor Magic7 Pro is the brand’s most advanced model launched in Singapore during the assessment period, and therefore qualifies.

Note #3: The Sony Xperia 1 VII (2025 launch) was launched in May 2025, after the cut-off date.

And the winner is...

OPPO Find X8 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra - Best Camera Phones (joint winners)

If you already own the OPPO Find X8 Pro or Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, it’s very clear why these two phones are some of the best options available today. If not, let us count the ways.

The main camera is usually the most used or most important element in any smartphone of any grade, and both the OPPO and Samsung variants excel in this area with excellence in all key tenets of good photography: colour, detail, sharpness, exposure, and noise handling. Truly, it comes down to your skills when operating either brand’s primary shooter.

What sets them apart from the competition is their above-average handling of low-light situations, minimal distortion in ultrawide shooting, high-quality images at challenging zoom ranges, and their general mastery of applying digital enhancements that look and feel natural to the eye.

We even tested the winners twice to ensure they were truly exceptional (1, 2).

Making great use of either OPPO Find X8 Pro’s or Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra’s cameras comes down to your creativity and skills, and that’s how we knew these are the truly great phone cameras of their time.

Check out our shootout for more details.

Note: The OPPO Find X8 Pro (16GB RAM, 512GB storage) retails for S$1,649 in Pearl White and Space Black. It is available at iShopChangi, KrisShop, Lazada, Shopee, TikTok Shop, Zalora, and major consumer electronics stores.

Note: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra retails at S$1,828 (256GB) at Samsung Online Store, Lazada, Shopee, KrisShop, and many other locations.

Xiaomi 15 Ultra - The Leica alternative, with even better sharpness

Coming in close is the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, a strong option if you prioritise sharpness above traits like colourisation and tone.

Where the Xiaomi alternative excels is the inclusion of its massive Sony Lytia LYT-900 sensor (1/0.98-inch) that’s pushed even further by its Leica Summilux optical aspherical lens. This results in extremely detailed, sharp photos even when zooming in, keeping both aberrations and digital artefacts to a minimum.

Why it doesn’t quite beat out the OPPO or Samsung is also its unique selling point: its two compulsory Leica filters (Authentic and Vibrant) forces the user to choose between two artificial (but pleasant-looking) styles that might not be needed in all shooting scenarios. Although, the nitpicky folks might find its higher zoom range weaker than the OPPO and Samsung alternative, but nitpicking is what determines the winners.

That said, you won’t be disappointed with the Xiaomi 15 Ultra if you’re someone who appreciates a capable shooter on your handset. It’s one of the best you can get now, too.

Check out our shootout for more details.

Note: Xiaomi 15 Ultra officially retails at S$1,699 (16GB RAM and 512GB storage) on Xiaomi’s official online store and official platforms like Shopee and Lazada.

Apple iPhone 16 Pro - A great all-rounder, but not the best

For those wondering where and how Apple’s offering fared as a photo shooter of choice, surprisingly, it was more than adequate for most users, scoring reasonably well in its main camera performance, 10x zoom capability, selfie taking taking and even video recording. It wasn’t a standout in any particular way, but it was a capable shooter. Moreover, there’s now the option to use Photographic Styles to ring out an image closer to your liking, and it doesn’t hurt that creators now have the ability to shoot 4K video at 120fps out of your pocket.

Overall, if you’re not exactly fussy, the iPhone 16 Pro devices are capable enough to not upset you, but it won’t best what our above contenders can muster.

Check out our shootout for more details.

Note: You can find the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max on Amazon, Lazada, Shopee, and the Apple Online Store.

Honor Magic7 Pro - Good value as a phone, but not a camera phone

While the camera module looks imposing, at the end of the day, Honor’s seat at the table here is bringing value and delivering a high-end package without feeling like a compromise. The specs list and raw performance are sound, including more than capable photography. However, in a high-stakes comparison like this, details matter, and that’s where it falls short across the broad range of comparisons and tests we’ve conducted, as we noticed colour accuracy, detail retention and sharpness were affected in some of our comparisons. A valiant effort by Honor, but it’s not in the running if you prioritise needing the best camera kit that fits your pocket. That said, it does offer a more competitive sticker price than the contenders.

Check out our shootout for more details.

Note: The Honor Magic7 Pro is available in two variants: S$1,399 (512GB storage, 12GB RAM) and S$1,699 (1TB storage, 16GB RAM). You can find it at Lazada,Shopee, Challenger, Gain City, and Harvey Norman, as well as at authorised retailers.

References:

• 2024 flagship smartphone camera battle royale showdown
• Phone camera shootout: Honor Magic7 Pro, OPPO Find X8 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
• Phone camera shootout: OPPO Find X8 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. Xiaomi 15 Ultra
• Hands-on: Xiaomi 15 Ultra uplifts its Leica-powered photography

(This article is one of 16 parts in our Tech Awards 2025: Editor's Choice content series.)

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