Ranking of smartphones sporting superior photographic capabilities:
Forget the fancy jargon - if you're in the market for a smartphone with an awesome camera, you don't need to break the bank! Even budget devices are now offering impressive photography capabilities, as demonstrated in Stiftung Warentest's ranking. But if you're going for truly stellar cameras, you'll have to step up to the high-end segment.
According to a survey by Bitkom, most smartphone users prioritize display, processing, battery life, long-term updates, and storage space. Thankfully, these features need not cost an arm and a leg, even in affordable mid-range devices.
The Cream of the Crop
Four phones currently share first place for their camera performance, all receiving a score of 1.3:
- The latest Apple flagships, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, with average online prices of 1070 and 1322 euros respectively.
- The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, priced at 1130 euros.
- The Xiaomi 14 Ultra, at 1099 euros.
Google's latest top smartphones, the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL, share second place with a score of 1.4, priced at 833 and 963 euros. These phones received very good ratings across all rear cameras and a good rating for their front camera.
Five phones sharing third place with a score of 1.5 include:
- The Google Pixel 8 Pro, priced at 711 euros.
- The Honor Magic6 Pro, priced at 885 euros.
- The OnePlus 12, priced at 704 euros.
- The Samsung Galaxy S25, priced at 949 euros.
- The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE, priced at 665 euros.
Mid-range Phones Under €500
If you don't want to spend more than 500 euros, consider three phones whose cameras received a score of 1.9: the Google Pixel 8a, priced at 430 euros, the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE, priced at 449 euros, and the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, priced at 490 euros.
Following them with a camera score of 2.1 are the Samsung Galaxy A56 and the Xiaomi 14T, priced at 375 and 401 euros respectively. The sole third-placed is the Xiaomi Poco F6 Pro, priced at 480 euros, with its cameras receiving a score of 2.2.
Budget Phones Under €300
Even in the entry-level segment under 300 euros, there are impressive smartphones with good cameras. Topping the list with a score of 2.3 are the Motorola Edge 50 Fusion and the Motorola Edge 50 Neo, priced at 255 and 300 euros respectively. Just barely good snapping (2.5) can be found in the Motorola Edge 40 Neo, the Samsung Galaxy A35, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 14, and the Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro, all priced under 300 euros.
Sources: ntv.de, kwe
Enrichment Data:Stiftung Warentest performs comprehensive tests on smartphones, but the specific results for the best mid-range and budget smartphones with good cameras are not fully detailed in the supplied search results. However, some models that have been positively reviewed in other tests may also be found in the Stiftung Warentest list. Here are some such models in the mid-range and budget categories:
Mid-range Smartphones:
- Samsung Galaxy A56: Offers solid camera hardware with a 50-megapixel primary camera, supported by PDAF and OIS. The camera takes good photos in daylight, but may struggle in low light conditions.
- Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+: With its 200-megapixel primary camera, this model is known for its camera capabilities within this price bracket.
Budget Smartphones (Under €250):
Stiftung Warentest has tested eight models under €250, but specific recommendations for the best camera models in this category are not specified. Models within this price range are often rated based on their overall performance and value for money rather than standout camera functions. Additional information on the placement and rating of these models in the Stiftung Warentest tests would be required to provide accurate recommendations.
- The article suggests that if you're looking for smartphones with impressive cameras, even affordable mid-range devices like the Google Pixel 8 Pro (711 euros) or the Samsung Galaxy A56 can offer solid camera performance, according to Stiftung Warentest's tests.
- As for gadgets, the article mentions several smartphones with specifications pertaining to technology, such as the iPhone 16 Pro, Xiaomi 14 Ultra, Google Pixel 9 Pro, and Motorola Edge 50 Fusion, all of which are equipped with advanced camera hardware for high-quality photography.
