Overview
- Jump To Details
![Huawei Pura 70 Ultra]()
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
Best for Smartphone Photography Fans - Jump To Details
![Xiaomi 14 Ultra]()
Xiaomi 14 Ultra
Flexible photography - Jump To Details
![Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max]()
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
Creators and Power Users - Jump To Details
![Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra]()
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Best for Android Fans - Jump To Details
![Honor Magic6 Pro]()
Honor Magic6 Pro
Great all-rounder flagship for 2024
Your phone is the camera you always carry. If you haven't upgraded it in a few years, you should be pleasantly surprised by how much phone camera performance (particularly low-light image quality) has improved. In fact, we've pretty much reached the point at which you can leave your old point-and-shoot at home—if you even have one.
But not all phone cameras are equal. We put every phone we review through a rigorous series of camera evaluations to determine the best performers on the market and gathered our top picks here. You never have to worry about carrying a separate camera if you've got one of these in your pocket, and each is a stellar smartphone, too. Read on for our top picks, along with what to look for in a good camera phone.
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
![Huawei Pura 70 Ultra]()
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
Best for Smartphone Photography FansWhy the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra is the best camera phone
The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra pushes mobile photography with a 1-inch sensor and an exceptionally fast camera system that lets you freeze time. You can take photos of very fast moving objects with exceptional clarity- something we've never seen on a mobile phone before. Huawei is known to push the photography capabilities on smartphones and the Pura 70 Ultra does not disappoint in that area making it the best camera phone for 2024 in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
What is the price of the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra in the UAE and Saudi Arabia?
HUAWEI Pura 70 Ultra Smartphone,
Feast your eyes on a phone that presents a charming spectacle, all in elegance with its Starry Pattern surface with an exquisite embossed texture. The all-new Forward Symbol Design, adorned with an exclusive XMAGE label, truly embodies the spirit of artistic mastery.5099View on Amazon ↗Pros
- Incrediblly fast camera
- Beautiful design
- Excellent screen
- Kunlin Glass protection
- Very fast wired and wireless charging
Cons
- No 5G support
- No eSIM support
Learn MoreHuawei Pura 70 Ultra![Xiaomi 14 Ultra]()
Xiaomi 14 Ultra
Flexible photographyWhy the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is one of the best camera phones
Featuring a similar 1-inch sensor as the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra, the Xiaomi Ultra is the most versatile camera phone on the market. It comes with an optional photography kit that not only converts the phone to a familiar camera form factor but also adds an additional battery and UV filters. The 50 MP sensor can take great shots day or night and is excellent at videos.
What is the price of Xiaomi 14 Ultra in the UAE and Saudi Arabia?
Xiaomi 14 Ultra 5G Mobile
This unlocked cellphone combines a Snapdragon 8Gen 3 processor with 16GB of RAM and Xiaomi Hyper OS operating system for fast and efficient performance.4200View on Amazon ↗Pros
- Incredibly sharp screen
- Super versatile cameras
- Optional camera kit
- Fast performance
- Quick charging
Cons
- HyperOS needs more refinement
- Big camera bump
Learn MoreXiaomi 14 Ultra![Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max]()
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
Creators and Power UsersWhy the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max is one of the best camera phones
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is the most iPhone you can get, with the fastest processor, the best screen, the biggest battery, and the most capable cameras. A USB-C Gen 2 port, titanium frame, and versatile Action button are all new for this iteration. The 5x optical zoom camera makes a huge difference in what you can capture, allowing you to reach further than other iPhones.
What is the price of the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max in the UAE and Saudi Arabia?
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max (512 GB)
The best that Apple has to offer, with titanium build, 6.7" Super Retina XDA display, A17 Pro Chip, powerful camera system and more.5499View on Amazon ↗Pros
- Fast, smooth performance
- Excellent cameras
- Long battery life
- Useful Action button
- USB-C connectivity opens up new features
- Lighter than previous Pro Max
Cons
- Expensive
- Big
Learn MoreApple iPhone 15 Pro Max Review![Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra]()
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Best for Android FansWhy the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is one of the best camera phones
The Galaxy S24 Ultra has a huge number of cameras (five!) and they all do different things. You can take advantage of 5x optical zoom and 100x hybrid zoom, as well as capture standard and sprawling views from the device's capable 200MP main and 12MP ultra-wide lenses. Let's not forget Samsung's new Galaxy AI powers, which let you perform edits such as enlarging subjects or filling in the background.
What is the price of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra in the UAE and Saudi Arabia?
SAMSUNG Galaxy S24 Ultra (512GB)
Unleash ultimate power of mobile AI with stunning camera capabilities, 6.8" flat display and Titanium Exterior.4080View on Amazon ↗Pros
- Speedy performance
- Beautiful screen
- Terrific cameras
- Useful AI features
- Comes with S Pen stylus
- Long support commitment
Cons
- Big
- Expensive
Learn MoreSamsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Review![Honor Magic6 Pro]()
Honor Magic6 Pro
Great all-rounder flagship for 2024Why the Honor Magic6 Pro is one of the best camera phones
Honor is quickly rising up as one of the best phone manufacturers and the Magic6 Pro is a flagship phone at every level. The camera system has one of best zoom cameras with a 180MP sensor on the telephoto that can capture stunning details at high zoom levels. The primary camera also performs well- especially under low-light conditions.
What is the price of the Honor Magic6 Pro in the UAE and Saudi Arabia?
HONOR Magic 6 Pro
Unveiling the Honor Magic 6 Pro – First smartphone to WIN FIVE DXOMARK 2024 Gold Labels! For its groundbreaking camera to enduring battery life, captivating display, unparalleled selfie experience, and immersive audio – experience perfection in every feature. Elevate your smartphone game with the industry's first and finest!3318View on Amazon ↗Pros
- Latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor
- Excellent cameras
- Beautiful screen
- Large battery
- Fast charging
Cons
- Software isn't the best
Learn MoreHonor Magic6 Pro
Buying Guide: The Best Camera Phones in UAE and Saudi Arabia for 2024
Which Phone Has the Best Camera?
There's intense camera innovation going on from manufacturers such as Huawei, Honor and Xiaomi which are giving traditional brands like Apple and Samsung tough competition. Unfortunately Google does not release their phones in the Middle East which is a shame as it takes great photos.
Higher-end devices tend to perform better, but the gap is closing, especially if you primarily take photos in good light. Sony phones also have good cameras, but their latest models are also expensive and difficult to get in the Middle East.
Apple's iPhone cameras tend to be the benchmark in the creative industries. They're dead simple to use and offer excellent focus and balanced colors. Samsung's phones typically have more lenses, modes, and options than Apple's or Google's. Huawei keeps pushing boundaries with smartphones with it's P or Pura series now- which currently holds the top spot in this list.
The most important factor in any photo isn't the camera—it's the photographer. No matter what phone you have, following our camera expert Jim Fisher's tips and tricks for camera phone photos can make your images better.
Even if you aren't the best photographer, some phones offer AI-assisted processing and edits, so you might just luck out.
Which Camera Phone Features and Accessories Do You Need?
A few years ago, we saw a blossoming trend of phones with multiple lenses, which is still in full bloom. Many phones now have a standard lens, a magnifying zoom lens, and a wide-angle lens. Monochrome or infrared time-of-flight sensors can help judge depth for bokeh effects. Less successful lenses and sensors we've seen include color filters (you can do this very well in software) and macro lenses for close-ups (slowly improving).
Super-high-megapixel camera phones are also becoming more popular. The Honor Magic6 Pro has a 180MP and the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has a 200MP sensor. The advantage of that many pixels is that you can zoom and crop images after the fact or perform lossless digital zooming in your camera app without relying on an extra magnifying lens. The disadvantage is that the individual pixels can sometimes be very small, creating problems for color capture or low-light photography.
Superzoom lenses are also popular. Phones now combine high-megapixel sensors, optical magnifying lenses, and advanced software to give you 30x, 50x, or even 100x zoom. In general, anything much higher than 10x shows heavy digital artifacts. But a good 5x optical zoom is still a big step forward from what we used to have.
Sensor size is a separate matter from the megapixel count. the best camera phones have 1-inch sensors such as Huawei's Pura 70 Ultra and Xiaomi's 14 Ultra. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra's 1/1.3-inch primary sensor and the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max's 1/1.28-inch sensor next in line. Larger sensors are arguably more important than a higher megapixel count because they capture more light in less time. That translates to less blur and sharper photos, particularly in challenging light.
Apple iPhone 15 camera sample (Credit: Eric Zeman)
The most advanced night modes combine close to a dozen frames to brighten up photos and improve clarity. They appear to have long, multi-second exposures, but they use AI software to reduce blur by aligning the various images together. (You still shouldn't use them for moving subjects, though.)
A good Pro mode can tie all these individual facets together and make for a powerful platform. Most phones have manual settings that allow you to tweak the exposure, aperture, and focus point to get exactly the shot you want. If you're getting into smartphone photography, take some time to learn how manually adjusting things like aperture, ISO, and shutter speed can improve your photos. If you need a fast shot, however, all the phones on our list use machine learning and other software smarts to take incredible photos without any manual tweaks.
Why do so many photographers rely on iPhones? The availability of third-party camera apps and accessories plays a big role. Some are available for Android, but apps and gear that professionals use still tend to come out first and see more frequent updates on the iPhone.
