LPGuard’s Best Camera Phones In 2021

Need a great camera without hauling an extra set of lenses? Try these amazing camera phones in 2021. I bet you’ll want to ditch those heavy DSLR cameras after this. 

Camera phones are already making their way towards taking high-quality pictures. In fact, some brands can even compete with digital DSLR cameras. But that’s not all. They’re more than just photo-taking devices. That’s because opting for camera phones instead of digital DSLR cameras can make a lot of difference in the way you work. 

Some of the known benefits of using camera phones are convenience, seamless operation, and the best thing of all, they’re affordable. On the other hand, they can also feel limited and might sometimes give you low resolution. So, are you interested in using camera phones? Make sure to check this list to get the best tips before you make the big purchase. 

Google Pixel 3a

The Google Pixel 3a is an all-around Android phone that’s very affordable. That said, it delivers solid performance, a long battery life, an attractive OLED display, and a decent camera that you can find for a phone that only costs less than $700. 

Thanks to its 12.2MP rear camera with an f/1.8 aperture that includes optical and electronic image stabilization. Likewise, the front camera uses a wide-angle 8MP lens with f/2.2 aperture and a telephoto lens with a wider f/1.8 aperture. 

Google Pixel 4

Powerful hardware and innovative software will surely make your life easier. But the best thing of all, it has the best camera that you can find for a flagship phone. It has a smooth display with a 90Hz variable refresh rate. 

With the camera, Google made their Pixel lineup the benchmark for smartphone cameras. With that said, the Pixel 4 uses two sensors: a 12.2MP, f/1.7 aperture for the primary lens with optical and electronic image stabilization. Also, they included a 16MP with f/2.4 aperture telephoto lens. This comes with OIS/EIS features. 

Apple iPhone 11

The older iPhone 11 still offers a solid camera performance and power for an affordable price. It features a 6.1-inch LCD with 326ppi density, solid, and color accurate performance. The iPhone 11 has two main cameras: a 12MP wide camera and a 12MP, 120-degree ultra-wide camera. 

The dual cameras allow depth sensing, while the front 7MP camera allows better detection for Portrait mode and bokeh shots. Also, it has good Night mode images thanks to a range of frames that dramatically improve low-light performance. 

Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro 5G

The Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro 5G was launched in 2020. It’s powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor and a 5G support. Likewise, it features one of the best camera phones in the market. 

The Mi 10 Pro 5G is an all-glass phone available in white and blue with a metallic matte finish. The display is a curved 6.67-inch AMOLED with a 90Hz refresh rate and 2340 x 1080p resolution. 

Here’s the camera part. It comes with four camera lenses. The primary camera has a 1/1.33-inch lens with 108MP with an f/1.69 aperture and optical image stabilization or OIS. 

It also includes a 12MP short telephoto lens with f/2.0 aperture, an 8MP long telephoto lens with f/2.0 aperture and OIS, and a 20MP ultra-wide sensor with f/2.8 aperture. As a result, pictures taken with the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro 5G have accurate color and balance even in bright daylight. The only sad fact about this phone is it’s not yet available in the US. 

Google Pixel 5

The Google Pixel 5 combines long battery life, excellent cameras, 5G connectivity, a significantly affordable price, and remarkable Android software. The front features a 6-inch OLED display, 90Hz refresh rate, a sharp 432ppi, and 2340 x 1080p resolution. 

The Pixel 5 includes a 12.2MP primary sensor with f/1.7 aperture with autofocus and dual-phase detection, a 16MP, f/2.2 ultrawide lens, and an 8MP selfie camera with f/2.0 aperture. With that said, the Pixel 5 is capable of taking excellent quality images. It also comes with the new automatic Night Sight feature. 

Apple iPhone 11 Pro

The Apple iPhone 11 Pro remains a good choice if you’re looking for the best camera phones. Thanks to its more cameras, longer battery life, and improved LTE capabilities. 11 Pro includes a regular, wide-angle, and 2x zoom, 12MP cameras. On the front is a 7MP selfie camera with an infrared Face ID camera. 

Likewise, the third camera provides extra flexibility. This allows you to switch between the 1x and 2x portrait and bokeh mode. Also, you will be amazed by the Night mode. That’s because it combines a wide range of frames that gives its dramatic improvements in low-light. 

Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max

The iPhone 12 Pro Max features the largest model in the new iPhone 12 lineup. That means it has the biggest screen, an excellent array of highly capable cameras, and super-long battery life. Since we’re talking about cameras, the Pro Max has the biggest advantage over the other iPhone 12 models. 

That’s because it includes three rear lenses. These arrays of cameras have the main camera with 12MP with f/1.6, a 12MP, f/2.4 ultrawide, and a 12MP, f/2.2 with 2.5x zoom lens. That said, this camera can handle bokeh shots at night. Thanks to its large battery, this iPhone 12 model can take 4K videos, has the ability of ProRAW mode and Dolby Vision video capture even at extremely high resolutions and frame rates. 

Samsung Galaxy S21 (128GB)

The Samsung Galaxy S21 128 GB features three 12MP cameras; the main camera, ultra-wide, and 64MP camera with 3x zoom. On the other hand, the 64MP mode is used primarily for cropping and zooming images. 

Notably, the company gave this phone a lot of camera modes. This includes hyper-lapse, super slow-mo, and even the crazy settings that allow you to add avatars and creatures in your shots. Additionally, it includes the most innovative feature, the Single Take Model. 

This feature turns a 10-second video into cropped and filtered shots. It can also speed up the video. In addition, there’s the forward-and-back boomerang video and many other tricks. 

OnePlus 8 Pro

The OnePlus 8 Pro features a 48MP main camera, a 48MP ultra-wide camera, and an 8MP telephoto camera. These cameras are based on the new Sony IMX689 sensor with 1.12-micrometer pixels. Thanks to these high camera sensors, the 8 Pro for OnePlus takes almost natural images. 

Moreover, this phone’s 48MP camera can compete with the Samsung Galaxy S20’s 64MP mode. Interestingly, the OnePlus 8 Pro’s biggest advantage is in the low light. Low-light shots appear brighter and have better detail compared to their predecessor. 

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra features a sleek new design with highly capable integrated cameras. In fact, the improved integrated camera module is the difference-maker. It’s not just a powerful smartphone; it also comes with an IP68 water resistance rating.

Since we’re talking about the best camera phones, the S21 Ultra from Samsung uses a 108MP main sensor, a 12MP with 120-degree ultra-wide camera, and two 10MP telephoto cameras with dedicated focus sensors. Also, take note of this camera phone’s Night mode. 

Samsung Galaxy S20+

The Samsung Galaxy S20+ remains a good choice thanks to its capable camera, 5G support, improved zoom, and powerful components. Moreover, this amazing camera phone features a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with 3200 x 1440 resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and an in-screen fingerprint sensor. 

Let’s talk about cameras. The S20+ is equipped with a 12MP main camera, 12MP ultra-wide, and a 64MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. Moreover, the optical zoom has improved to a whopping 30x. It can also take 8K 24fps videos.