Samsung

If you want the best smartphones for photography right now, the strongest consensus from recent reviews is:

1. iPhone 17 Pro / Pro Max — top pick for many reviewers for the most natural-looking photos and excellent all-around camera performance, including strong video. (techradar.com)
2. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra — often the best choice if you want versatility, especially zoom and low-light performance. (tomsguide.com)
3. Google Pixel 10 Pro XL — a standout for computational photography and “best AI camera” style results. (techradar.com)
4. iPhone 18 Pro / Pro Max — very new and already being described as the better camera phone versus the regular iPhone 17, with especially strong detail and zoom. (techradar.com)
5. Xiaomi / Oppo / Vivo ultra-flagships — depending on availability in your region, these can be excellent for pure still photography and zoom-heavy shooting; DXOMARK’s current ranking page also shows recent flagships near the top of the camera list. (dxomark.com)

Best by use case

• Best overall for most people: iPhone 17 Pro Max or Galaxy S26 Ultra. (techradar.com)
• Best point-and-shoot photos: Google Pixel 10 Pro XL. (techradar.com)
• Best zoom camera: Galaxy S26 Ultra. (tomsguide.com)
• Best video + photos: iPhone 17 Pro Max / iPhone 18 Pro Max. (techradar.com)
• Best budget camera phone: Google Pixel 10a. (tomsguide.com)

If you want, I can also give you:

• a top 5 list by budget
• a best camera phone for portraits / low light / zoom / video
• or a recommendation based on whether you use iPhone or Android.